The study analysed rural women’s time utilization on farm, non-farm and leisure activities in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State. The study adopted random sampling technique in the selection of respondents for the study. One hundred women were randomly selected and questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance and regression analysis. The findings showed that age of the women influenced the time spent on farming activities negatively and significantly. Marital status, educational level, household size, and income level positively and significantly affected the amount of time spent on farming activities. In the case of non-farming activities, age significantly and negatively affected the amount of time spent by rural women on non-farm income generating activities. Income and educational level positively and significantly affected the amount of time spent by rural women on non-farm income generating activities. Age, marital status, educational level, and household size negatively affected the amount of time spent by rural women on leisure while income positively and significantly affected the amount of time spent by rural women on leisure. The daily average amount of time spent by rural women on farming activities, non-farming activities, and leisure were 10.81, 6.30 and 6.90 h respectively. The result of the analysis of variance revealed that there is a significant difference in the amount of time spent on farming activities, non-farming activities, and leisure by rural women. This study therefore concludes that time resource allocation and utilization of rural women is significantly dependent on their socioeconomic characteristics. Also, time utilized in farming, non-farming and leisure activities significantly differ from each other. As a way of enhancing the productivity of rural women, appropriate gender policy is necessary to enhance the welfare of the rural women and most importantly agricultural transformation is of paramount importance to reduce the drudgery of rural women.

Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are companies whose headcount or turnover falls below certain limits. The definitions change over time and depend, to a large extent, on a country’s level of development. In both developed and developing economies, there are evidences of the immense contributions of MSMEs to economic growth and development. It has been recognized that among the constraints to effective development of MSMEs in Nigeria is the limited access of the investors to long term credit. Consequently, various funding initiatives have been instituted. However, the MSMEs are still complaining of inadequate funds. Hence, this paper set out to determine the preferences of MSMEs to financial products in Nigeria so as to adequately target them. Survey results indicated that 75.7% of the respondents relied mostly on own funds to finance their businesses, the frequency analysis indicated that inadequate fund/working capital was the most mentioned problem with a percentage share of 60.7% followed by the problem of poor power supply/inadequate infrastructure which took 55.7%. It was therefore, not surprising that 86.1% of the respondents would want the Small and Medium Enterprises Equity investment Scheme to continue. However, 64.7% would prefer loan so they can be in full control of their businesses, while only 15.7% preferred equity. It was recommended that credit programmes that will take cognisance of the peculiarities of MSMEs in Nigeria be intensified so as to increase their access to funds in view of their dominance and potential contribution to the economy.

The concentrations of four heavy metals, Zn, Mn, Fe and Cu were determined in the roots and leaves of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and spinach (Amaranthus caudatus) cultivated in Potiskum, Yobe State, Nigeria. The heavy metals were also determined in soil where the vegetables were cultivated. The determination processes were done by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) techniques. The results show that the heavy metals contents were higher in the soil than the vegetables and also higher in the roots than the leaves in the two vegetables. The levels of Fe obtained in the leaves and roots of spinach were 0.11±0.01 and 0.21±0.05, respectively. The Fe content in the soil was 0.28±0.01. It could be concluded that lettuce and spinach cultivated in Potiskum, Yobe state, Nigeria contained Zn, Mn, Fe and Cu in variable concentrations which may be due to different farming practices adopted in the area to boost productivity. However, the results obtained in this study were lower than the published threshold values (10 to 20.00 mg/kg for Fe and 30 to 300 mg/kg for Pb) considered toxic for plant tissues as well as the critical values or values (Fe: >200-500 mg/kg and Pb: >4 to 30 mg/kg) regarded as excessive. The results were equally lower than the WHO maximum limit (ML) (Pb, 0.3 mg/kg; Zn, 100 mg/kg; Cd, 0.1mg/kg; Mn, 500 mg/kg; Fe, 425 mg/kg; Cu, 73mg/kg; Ni, 67mg/kg and Co, 50 mg/kg) in vegetables. Consumption of these vegetables may not pose health hazards.