Department of Geography

To examine the influence of social activities on birth rates in Makurdi town of Benue State Nigeria, a total of 23,000 recorded births from the year 2002 to 2011 were collected from six hospitals in Makurdi. Tables and graphs were used to present the data. The result shows that, births in Makurdi are characterized with two major peaks and two troughs. There is the March to June peak and the September to October peak. Alternatively, there is also the July-August trough and the December – January trough. Males generally dominate March births while females dominate December births. More pregnancies are conceived in the cool dry season which marks the Christmas and New Year festivities while the hot dry season marking the Easter festivity records the least conceptions. The implication of this is that conception is higher during festive periods that fall within months of low temperature. Therefore, there should be the need to use contraceptives during festivities like Christmas in order to address the issue of high birth rates in our society.

To examine the relationship between  temperatures, birth rates and sex ratios in Makurdi town of Benue State Nigeria, a total of 23,000 recorded births from the year 2002 to 2011 were collected from six hospitals in Makurdi while temperature records were obtained from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Makurdi.  Taking mean births and mean temperature as variables, the Pearson’s moment correlation analysis was used to test the relationship between temperatures and births. The result shows that, there is a significant negative relationship between mean temperatures and mean births (r = -0.59, P>0.05). This means that birth rates increases with decrease in temperature. There also exist a significant negative relationship between sex ratios at birth and temperature at conception (r = -0.48, P>0.05). The implication of this is that increase in temperature result to decrease in sex ratios at conception. Therefore, there should be the need to minimize prolong human exposure to high temperature during pregnancy conception in order to reduce its effect.

This paper presents the outcomes of Data Quality Assurance exercises conducted in health facilities in three states in Nigeria. This was done to demonstrate the importance implementation. Using the Routine Data Quality Assessment Tool and an Internal Data Verification checklist, HIV data management and data quality in these facilities were assessed. The management of HIV data in m the facilities visited was below expectations and incomplete or discrepant data were found in some facilities and organisations. The paper finds that conducting Data Quality Assurance exercises are very useful in improving grant implementation. This paper recommends regular data auditing and supervisory activities for HIV programmes.

This paper has examined the vulnerability of fisheries livelihood in the coastal area of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. This was achieved by carrying out a door to door census and fisheries asset inventory exercise to capture all households involved in fisheries activities in 25 communities/settlements in the study area. A relational database in Microsoft Access format was produced after the exercise which captured information contained on the field questionnaires about the demography and fisheries assets of fisheries households. There are 2,604 fisheries households with a total population of 12,496 persons in the study area who are heavily dependent on fisheries activities. The study therefore recommended that government and industrial companies in the study area should plan to enhance fisheries equipment, provide adequate mitigating strategies and encourage the growth of other occupational types for fisheries households.

The study assessed the capacity of the Universal Basic Education Programme in Nigeria to effectively implement the Family Life HIV Education Curriculum. Using descriptive statistics, the study has analysed and presented graphs and tables of various national and regional public primary school data from 2004 to 2008 to showcase trends of available capacity in the UBE programme. Pupil enrolment is gradually on the increase in Nigeria and even though the pupil/teacher ratio is inadequate, most of the teachers in the UBE programme are qualified. The total number of existing public primary schools, classrooms and qualified teachers are not equitably distributed in the various regions of the country. The study however concludes that the implementation of the FLHE curriculum through the UBE programme would have an impact on the fight against HIV based on the total number of primary schools, quality of teachers, and number of pupils. Family Life HIV Education is critical to the reversal of the HIV epidemic in Nigeria and should be implemented fully in all primary schools in the country.

Makurdi town were created. The map of flood risk zones generated shows that Makurdi town is generally susceptible to flooding and very little has been done in steering away development from 'highly susceptible' areas. The study recommends the need for town planners to steer development away from areas of high risk to low risk.

The study has further examined rural perception to the effects of climate change. The study used rural settlements in Otukpo, Nigeria as a case study. Primary and secondary data were utilised for the study. Data collection was done through the use of a questionnaire with open-ended questions and questions with multiple answers. A total of 100 questionnaires were randomly distributed among household heads in 10 settlements selected from 58 rural settlements for the study. Spatial distribution of the rural settlements were analysed using the nearest neighbour statistical analysis while descriptive statistics such as graphs and tables were used to present data. Rural settlements in Otukpo are randomly distributed and may be tending towards clustering. This is indicated by an Rn index value of 0.96 from the nearest neighbour analysis. Most of the settlements (59 %) have a distance of two to three kilometres between them. There is an inadequacy of functional facilities and poor access to services in the rural settlements in Otukpo. Respondents in rural settlements in Otukpo are faced with the risk of agricultural occupational loss (22 %), water shortages (42 %), flooding (29 %), land based conflicts (16 %), health hazards (12 %), erosion (26 %), and migration (57 %). With evidence of climate change ascertained globally including Nigeria, the study concludes that rural settlements in Otukpo and elsewhere are vulnerable to the effects of climate change which is evident in literature. Government should plan appropriately to optimize standard of living and provide basic functional facilities and services for rural settlements.

This study evaluated organic carbon, available phosphorus, and available potassium as a measure of soil fertility in the Lower River Benue Basin. Soil samples were collected from farms under cultivation and analysed for physical, chemical, and micro-nutrient properties. Soil fertility status was derived using the soil reaction index, and nutrient index with respect to organic carbon, available phosphorus and available potassium, based on the specific rating chart. The soil irrigation quality was assessed by calculating the Exchangeable Sodium Percentage (ESP) and Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR). Based on the soil rating chart, most of the soils sampled had medium (30.6%) to high (55.6%) percentages of organic carbon. Only 13.9% of the samples had organic carbon percentages categorised as low. Most of the soils sampled had low amounts of phosphorus (50%) and low amounts of potassium (86.11%). A good percentage (36.11%) of the samples had high content of available phosphorus. The soil ESP and SAR results indicated fertile soils and good irrigation quality. The study has made useful recommendations for farmers and encourages agricultural extension workers to efficiently focus on educating farmers on appropriate crop varieties for cultivation; the best methods to enhance soil nutrients; and the importance of irrigation farming.

The study assessed the socio-economic factors which serves as impediments to agricultural development in the Lower River Benue Basin. The study population constituted members of fifteen farmers' cooperative societies in Makurdi, Tarka, and Gboko Local Government Areas of Benue State. The method of data collection for the socio-economic survey included questionnaire administration, focused group discussions, interviews, and secondary information from published sources. A total of 300 questionnaires were administered and 281 were recovered. Significant socio-economic challenges identified include inadequate access to land, traditional methods of cultivation, inadequate access to credit, inadequate processing and storage facilities, small farm size, and inadequate access to farm inputs. The preponderance of agricultural activities had very little effect on the income of the population which was generally quite low. Factor analyses revealed that educationally developed and agriculturally literate communities have the highest potential to achieve adequate agricultural development. Provision of effective agricultural extension services and adequate support by Government at all levels will improve the agricultural value chain of the study area.

The study was carried out to analyze soils from cassava farms in floodplain terrain of the River Benue. Cassava is the most extensively cultivated crop in Benue State. Soil samples were collected randomly from cassava farms owned by members of farming cooperative societies in Makurdi, Tarka, and Gboko Local Government Areas. These samples were analysed for physical and chemical properties. The pH was slightly acidic with a mean of 5.7 for surface soils and 5.7 for subsurface soils. The organic carbon content had a mean of 0.7% for surface soils and a mean of 0.72% for subsurface soils. The total percentage nitrogen had a mean of 0.05% for surface soils and 0.05% for subsurface soils. Available phosphorus had a mean of 8.48 mg kg -1 for surface soils, while subsurface soils had a mean of 5.66 mg kg -1 . The base saturation percentage was 86.58% for surface soils and a mean value of 86.55% for subsurface soils. The values of micro-nutrients were all below tolerable limits. The study recommends the effective application of inorganic fertilizers such as NPK to optimize crop production. Governments should support farmers with credit facilities, agricultural laboratory services, and effective extension services.

Agricultural production has contributed over time to food security and rural economic development in developing countries particularly supporting the countryside. Evidence of crop yield decline exist in the Lower River Benue Basin. This was a crop suitability mapping for rice, cassava, and yam to guide policy makers in strategic planning for sustainable agricultural development. Data was collected on various themes including climate, drainage, soil, satellite imagery, and maps. Remote Sensing was used to analyse satellite imagery to produce a digital elevation model, land use and land cover map, and normalised difference vegetation index map. GIS was used to produce thematic maps, weighted percentages of attribute data, and to produce crop suitability maps through weighted overlay. Soils in the study area require fertility enhancement with inorganic fertilisers for better crop yield. Soils in the Lower River Benue Basin are suitable for yam, cassava, and rice cultivation on maps of suitable areas. Some areas were found to be highly suitable for the cultivation of rice (34.22%), cassava (17.08%) and yam (16.08%). Some other areas were found to be moderately suitable for the cultivation of cassava (48.18%), rice (45.46%), and yam (48.85%). Areas with low suitability were 14.99% (rice), 33.68% (cassava), and 29.57% (yam). This study has demonstrated the importance of crop suitability mapping and recommends that farmers' cooperative societies and policy makers utilise the information presented to improve decision making methods and policies for agricultural development.

The paper dealt with increased streamflow dynamics and implications for flooding in the Lower River Benue Basin. The study utilised data collected over a period of more than fifty years (1955-2012) from three hydrological stations operated by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA). The average discharge at Umaisha was 4,919.47 cubic metres per second (m 3 /s). Average discharge at Makurdi hydrological station was 3,468.24 m 3 /s. The monthly average discharge for Katsina Ala did not record any amount over 2000 m 3 /s in any month of year from 1955-2012. The rating curves for Umaisha and Makurdi showed a smooth streamflow with Umaisha surpassing the average discharge at 661 cm. Makurdi surpassed the average streamflow of the station at 654 cm. River Katsina Ala rating curve showed a rough streamflow. The trend of discharge rate for the three hydrological stations showed a rise over the years assessed and staggering discharge rates were recorded during peak periods in some years. Evidence provided show increasing streamflow variability and flood risk due to rainfall intensity and release of excess dam water from Lagdo dam in Cameroun. In order to prevent and control flood damage, useful recommendations have been proffered.

Agriculture as a source of food and fibre and contributor to sustenance of rural livelihoods is becoming continually exposed to threats coming with increased anomalies brought by the changing climate. Farmers find themselves having to respond to the vagaries of climate change in order to maintain food security and their livelihoods. This study utilised climatic data and socioeconomic data. Statistical methods were used to measure the status, trends, level for dispersion, anomalies and relationships between variables. The adaptive capacity index was calculated using scholarly methods. The daily rainfall average was 133.8mm. The annual average rainfall amount was 1194.1mm. The average annual temperature calculated was 27.84 o C. Relative humidity was an annual average of 67.8%. The average daily solar radiation was 20.1 MJ m -2 day -1 . The average vapour pressure deficit was 1.3 kPa. The ideal period for rain-fed crop cultivation was 168 days annually. The adaptive capacity index for the study area was 50.83% (moderate). The most vulnerable determinant was farm technology (18.75%). The least vulnerable determinant was networking (68.75%). Other determinants such as equity, farm management, and agricultural economic base revealed a percentage score of about 60% (moderate). The infrastructure determinant had a low percentage score of 36.25% (low). The adaptive capacity index of farmers in the Benue state is marginally moderate and needs to be improved upon by addressing the underlying gaps revealed through the determinant indices.

This paper assesses the possibility of using debt relief funds to sustain HIV treatment in sub-Saharan Africa, suppress transmission, and reach global goals to quell the epidemic by 2030. The cost of providing antiretroviral treatment is a huge burden on African countries. Concerns for Africa's capacity to keep pace with global advances are well founded. By analysing levels of 'debt distress', health expenditure per capita, and HIV antiretroviral therapy requirements in sub-Saharan African countries, the need for innovative finance with international cooperation emerges clearly. In addition to the HIV epidemic, African countries may become more vulnerable to disasters and other public health diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, Ebola and COVID-19, especially without alternatives to current means of financing. Relief from debt service payments could release funds for sub-Saharan African countries to support universal HIV antiretroviral treatment with sustainable results.

The study has further examined rural perception to the effects of climate change. The study used rural settlements in Otukpo, Nigeria as a case study. Primary and secondary data were utilised for the study. Data collection was done through the use of a questionnaire with open-ended questions and questions with multiple answers. A total of 100 questionnaires were randomly distributed among household heads in 10 settlements selected from 58 rural settlements for the study. Spatial distribution of the rural settlements were analysed using the nearest neighbour statistical analysis while descriptive statistics such as graphs and tables were used to present data. Rural settlements in Otukpo are randomly distributed and may be tending towards clustering. This is indicated by an Rn index value of 0.96 from the nearest neighbour analysis. Most of the settlements (59%) have a distance of two to three kilometres between them. There is an inadequacy of functional facilities and poor access to ...

This study examined the demographic implications of the HIV prevalence trend in Nigeria. Data from the 2010 National Antenatal Sentinel Survey was used to produce various graphs to determine the trend of HIV at the national level, state levels, urban and rural areas, and various age groups. This study has found that though a decline exists in the national HIV prevalence and the HIV prevalence among women aged 15-24 years, there is a potential for an increased trend if adequate HIV services are not provided in rural areas. This is because the HIV prevalence in many states has risen between 2008 and 2010 owing to a rise in HIV prevalence in rural areas and in women aged 15-39 years. This study has significant implications for achieving Millennium Development Goals 4, 5, and 6 related to HIV in Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan countries.

This paper presents the outcomes of Data Quality Assurance exercises conducted in health facilities in three states in Nigeria. This was done to demonstrate the importance implementation. Using the Routine Data Quality Assessment Tool and an Internal Data Verification checklist, HIV data management and data quality in these facilities were assessed. The management of HIV data in m the facilities visited was below expectations and incomplete or discrepant data were found in some facilities and organisations. The paper finds that conducting Data Quality Assurance exercises are very useful in improving grant implementation. This paper recommends regular data auditing and supervisory activities for HIV programmes.