Design and Fabrication of a Seed Planting Machine

ABSTRACTThis work examined the management of risks and uncertainty in poultry production in ObowoLocal Government Area, Imo State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, identify the systems/methods of poultryproduction, ascertain the risks and uncertainties in poultry production, determine the risksmanagement practices or approaches adopted and determine the perceived effect of risks anduncertainties on poultry production in the study area. Purposive and random samplingtechniques were used in sampling 80 respondent. A structure questionnaire was used incollecting data and descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in analysing the data.The result on the method of production showed that intensive method of production (91.2%)was widely used and (8.8%) of the respondents used extensive method of poultry production.The result for the risk and uncertainty in the study area revealed that disease outbreak ( *= 3.8),pest (x=3.6), price fluctuation (=3.0), market (x=3.7), culling (=4.1), death of the farmer(x=3.6), theft and burglary ( *= 3.8), fire outbreak (=3.2), and power failure ( *= 4.0) werethe risk and uncertainty situations. The management strategies adopted in the study area wereenterprise diversification ( *= 3.3), marketing strategies (=3.9), production strategies (x=4.1).The regression result for the effect of risks and uncertainty and other factors revealed that sexwas significant at 10% and negatively related to output, age was significant at 5% andpositively related, education was significant at 1% and positively related, farming experiencewas significant at 10% and positively related, income was significant at 1% and positivelyrelated, medication cost was significant at 1% and positively related, feed cost was significantat 5% and positively related, capital was significant at 10% and positively related and thenumber of risk and uncertainty situations were significant at 5% and inversely related to output.The study concluded that risks and uncertainty situations were highly prevalent among poultryfarmers. Extension agents should disseminate information, educate and train poultry farmerson the possible risk and uncertainty situations encountered in poultry production andrecommend the best management strategies to be adopted.