A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2017-18 to investigate the impacts of azolla (Azolla pinnata) bio-fertilizer and urea on rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield, temporal soil P availability and improvement in soil acidity indices under low land acidic soil of Meghalaya. Six treatments viz., control (T1), fresh azolla incorporation @ 16000 kg ha-1 (T2), 30 kg N ha-1 through urea (T3), 60 kg N ha-1 through urea (T4), 30 kg N ha-1 through urea + azolla incorporation @ 16000 kg ha-1 (T5) and 60 kg N ha-1 through urea with azolla incorporation @ 16000 kg ha-1 (T6) were tested in Randomized Block Design with four replications. Application of 60 kg N ha-1 through urea along with azolla incorporation @ 16000 kg ha-1 (T6) produced highest grain yield (4.2 t ha-1) followed by T5 and T4. It had significantly greater available phosphorus at 30 DAT (24.13 P2O5 kg ha-1) and at maturity (20.63 P2O5 kg ha-1) followed by 30 kg N ha-1 through urea + azolla incorporation @ 16000 kg ha-1 (T5), compared to control and other treatment plots. Available phosphorus in T6 was statistically significant over T4 (60 kg N ha-1 through urea) whereas T5 was significant over T3 (30 kg N ha-1 through urea) with respect to advancement in crop age. The soil acidity indices reflected highest improvement with azolla bio-fertilizer incorporation @ 16000 kg ha-1 (T2) over all other treatments indicating that azolla bio-fertilizer can be an alternative option for acid soil management.

To meet current and future demand of food, feed, fibers and fuel for a rapidly growing population, agricultural systems should intensify the use of land and water resources through more sustainable methods and by changing existing production systems and diversifying them into newer and more efficient enterprises. Sustainable agricultural growth is critical to ensure food and nutrition security .The more efficient use of agricultural inputs with improved management techniques are the key consideration for the sustainable intensification. Modern clever technologies regarding agronomic management and improved farm mechanizations may increase resource use efficiency in crop production. The reduction of high input use with relative increase in crop yield is the major concern. The objective of this study is to view the role of the sustainable agriculture intensification in relation to crop production and achievement of food security. In this paper, we will explore the ways in which sustainable intensification interventions can be carried out. Sustainable intensification could be the better means to minimize the crop yield gap without environmental burdens, a major challenge of agriculture for this era It has a positive implication on livelihood security in terms of better economic and social conditions.

The study assessed the farm labour constraints in Esan west local government area of Edo state, Nigeria. Specifically, it identified the types of farm labour used for some farming activities and also ascertained the constraints faced by farmers in using farm labour. Survey method was used to sample 108 respondents from four (4) purposively selected villages in the study area. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. The result revealed that Most of the respondents used family and hired labour in carrying out most of their farming activities. The major constraints of the farmers in the study area were high cost of labour (mean = 2.84) and lack of finance (mean = 2.83). The result also revealed that there was a significant difference among the constraints faced by the respondents with high cost of labour (mean rank = 3.456) being the most significant serious constraint. It was recommended that the farmers organise themselves into associations to assist each other rotationally in terms of providing labour.

The continuous use of land for agricultural production could lead to land degradation, nutrients depletion, declined crop production and environmental degeneration. This study was therefore conducted to investigate the impacts of land use on physicochemical properties of soils of oil palm plantation, cultivated land and fallow land. Twenty-one (21) soil samples were collected from each land use type at a depth of 0 - 20 cm, giving a total of sixty-three (63) samples, and bulk together to make three composite samples; one for each land use type, and analyzed for selected physical and chemical properties using standard methods. The results of the study, on one hand, revealed that organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable calcium, magnesium, potassium, CEC, PBS, organic carbon, exchangeable acidity and pH contents of the cultivated land were significantly (P<0.05) lower than the adjacent fallow land. On the other hand, the result revealed that exchangeable calcium, magnesium, potassium, CEC, PBS and exchangeable acidity contents of the oil palm plantation were significantly (P<0.05) lower than the adjacent fallow land. However, there was no significant difference between the fallow land and oil palm plantation in available phosphorus, exchangeable sodium, organic carbon, total nitrogen and organic matter. Available phosphorus and ECEC were high for all the land use types. The pH in all the land use types was moderately acidic. From the present study, it could be concluded that the soil quality and health were maintained relatively under the fallow land, whereas the influence on most parameters were negative on the soils of the cultivated land. The continuous cultivation of the land has degraded the soil properties and there is therefore the need to adopt appropriate management practices to achieve high soil quality and sustainable productivity.

This study was carried out in other to determine the consumers’ perception and willingness to pay for organic vegetables in Ardo Kola Local Government Area of Taraba State. Vegetable production plays an important role in food security and provides food and raw materials for industries, income from sales, unemployment for small household in urban and peri-urban areas in Nigeria. Data collected for this research were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression model. The empirical findings indicates that majority of the respondents were mainly male, married with mean household of six and mean age of about 41years. Most (37.1%) of them had completed either primary or secondary education. Many of the respondents agreed with the healthier, better quality, tastier and more expensive characteristics of organic vegetables. About 85% of them were willing to pay for organically grown vegetables. This shows that in the event of extensive cultivation there is a demand for organically grown vegetables in the study area. However, factors affecting consumer WTP for organically grown vegetables were Age (3.804) number of workers (4.003), and educational level (0.175). These three factors were statistically significant at 5% and 1% level of significance respectively. This implies that age, number of workers and educational level of were important factors that significantly influence organic vegetable production in the study area. The study wish to recommend that farmers should be educated on the importance of organic vegetable farming.

Once again the latest uproar over the toxic concentrations of pollution in the Country‘s National Capital Region has brought to light the inability of India‘s Legislative and Legal processes to regulate the increasing air pollution. Despite the early Legislative Recognitions of Air Pollution problem and the parallel establishment of regulatory processes, India is unable to limit the sharp upward trajectory of air pollution. While several problems regarding the country‘s legal and regulatory system governing air quality deserves severe and urgent consideration, this article focuses in specific on one problem i.e. the liability system for infringement of air quality norms. This article is broken down into three streams. The first segment describes the appropriate law provisions relating to liability for causing air pollution either Civil or Criminal. The Second aspect discusses three critical problems emerging under the present responsive system: (1) The pollution control boards have no authority to impose penalties; (2) The prosecution of criminal offenses is not an effective solution; and (3) There is no full relief provided by the National Green Tribunal Act. The article‘s third and final portion suggests a way forward. It is suggested that extra enforcement powers should be given to the Pollution Control Boards, and administrative penalties should be implemented for violations, albeit under certain circumstances.