TThis study examined the productivity of small-scale female cassava-farmers in the Rain forest area of Ogun State, Nigeria. A hundred respondents were selected for the study using a multistage sampling procedure across five local government areas in the rain forest zone. Descriptive and stochastic frontier production function was used in the data analysis. The Stochastic production frontier was used to examine the female farmers’ technical efficiency in cassava production. The average level of technical efficiency among the sample farmers was 79%. This implies that given the existing technology and level of inputs, cassava production in the zone could be increased by 21%. Trainings on cassava production techniques, extension service provision and quality planting materials identification were suggested as playing significant roles in improving the technical efficiency of female cassava producers. Membership drive for farming cooperatives should be encouraged among female farmers, while programmes that will mainstream female youths into cassava production should be adopted at all levels of government.

This study examined the role of farmers` company as an alternative approach of social business, which aimed to provide a new capitalistic approach to improve the people’s living conditions in rural areas of Sri Lanka. The study identified the “improvement of economic conditions of shareholders for their livelihood development”, as the targeted social objective of the farmers` company. Random and non-random sampling methods were used to collect primary data on 70 shareholders, who were farmers of a farmers’ company established in Ridebendiela village in Sri Lanka. Seed paddy, poultry buy-back system and fertilizer subsidy were the main commercial activities through which shareholders had dealt with the company. Seed paddy farmers made 82.6 percent of the sample while 76 percent were sold seed paddy to the farmers` company. Correlation tests revealed that monthly income through farmers` company had a significant relationship with the income from paddy per month; total household income and with the duration of membership in farmers` company. All shareholders received fertilizer subsidy through farmers` company which has reduced the transaction cost for farmers while farmers` company receives a commission from the government. Seventy six percent believed that their economic condition improved after joining with farmers’ company. The problems related to management, financial stability and distributing dividends have become major constraints to the company. Recruiting knowledgeable, experienced, young management, reducing corruption and regular distribution of dividends and punctual payments, were the main shareholder-perceived solutions for the better performance of farmers` company. Building more commercial links with external organizations, conducting entrepreneurship trainings for the management, conducting an extension programme to build the `sense of ownership` among farmers and the government`s re-consideration of delegating the responsibility of managing water resources in the area to the farmers` company, will help to sustain the farmers` company in the long run. Hence, it will serve more farmers in the area by providing them profitable financial returns. Finally, the farmers` company would achieve its social objectives of “livelihood improvement” and “poverty alleviation” in the area as an effective social business.

Effect of different storage conditions (50C and -180C) on seed germination of Zygophyllum qatarense seeds from the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research seed bank unit were evaluated after a period of 5 years of storage. This halophytic, drought tolerant plant is a native of the Kuwait desert. Seed germination percentage did not vary significantly between the two storage temperatures. The effect of salinity on seed germination was also carried out during this period. The germination percentage of the stored seeds was very low at concentrations of 75 mol/m3 NaCl and higher. To check the viability of seeds is an important criterion to maintain the credibility of the seed banking procedure. This study was performed to assess the viability of seeds after storage. From the present study it can be concluded that though there is no significant effect of the two different storage temperatures on seed germination, but it has reduced over the 5 year period of storage.

Soil salinization is one of man’s oldest and growing environmental concerns, yet it has not been possible to effectively tackle this problem. Only a few commercial crops have the ability to tolerate high salinity levels in the soil or irrigation water. Also, different varieties within the same species respond differently to high salinity and their response varies with the prevailing environmental conditions. In Kuwait, the aridity of the climate and progressive salinization of irrigated lands pose a major challenge to plant production activities. Additionally, the present practice of use of desalinated water to irrigate crop and greenery plants in Kuwait is an expensive option and is unsustainable. For more than 30 years, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research has been conducting research in biosaline agriculture. KISR has also been making concerted efforts to optimize technologies for promoting sustainable use of available water resources in irrigation. The paper highlights the significant findings of KISR research along with future strategy in this field.

Due to the increased awareness of environmental issues especially in the degraded soils in recent years, importance of using vegetation as a natural bio-engineering tool in slope stabilization is gaining momentum. Cost effectiveness and environmental friendliness of bioengineering methods compared to concrete constructions, are the major advantageous points. Vetiver was used in soil stabilization projects in various places successfully for many years. Current study evaluates the performance and investigates the effectiveness of Vetiver in slope stabilization under Kuwait’s harsh environmental conditions. The results indicated that performance of Urlikal, ODV-3 and ODV-7 was superior in roadway embankment site and Vetiver had successfully reduced 56% and 91% of water and soil erosion respectively when compared to control thus played a significant role in slope stabilization. Slight improvement in the physical property of soil and silt and clay percentage was also obtained by planting Vetiver thus makes it suitable for landscaping.

An experiment was conducted to compare the two locally formulated organic growing substrates with two commercially available ready-to-use organic substrates and a conventional soil-based growing system. The local substrates were prepeared by mixing various raw materials such as vermicompost, coco peat, sphagnum peat moss, perlite and manure. The locally prepared substrates were as good as the ready-made substrates in promoting vegetative growth, yield and quality in greenhouse vegetables studied in this study. In ‘Creation’ Iceberg lettuce, the local substrate containing vermicompost: sphagnum peat moss: perlite (35:25:40% by v/v) produced superior heads that were closely comparable to those produced in ready-to-use growing substrates. The local substrate containing vermicompost: sphagnum peat moss: perlite (35: 25:40% by v/v) also produced the highest yield in ‘Cindel F1’ tomato and Cauliflower cv. Cassius F1. The plants grown in this substrate recorded better vegetative parameters and cauliflower curd qualities compared to the other substrates in cauliflower. The average weight of curds was higher than other substrates and even the control. Overall, the locally formulated growing substrates were less expensive and showed a better performance than the ready-to-use substrates in all the three crops studied