This work investigated the terrestrial solar radiation over Awka, South Eastern Nigeria using meteorological parameters of terrestrial temperature and relative humidity collected during 2013- 2014 respectively, using Davis weather station vantage pros2 (with Integrated Sensor Suite, ISS) positioned close to the ground surface. The data were logged at 30 minutes interval continuously for each day during the period. Hourly, daily and monthly averages of terrestrial radiation during dry and wet seasons were calculated from the data obtained. The result indicated that the terrestrial radiation during dry season is generally higher than during the wet season. The month of March has the highest value of terrestrial solar radiation of 410 Wm-2 , while the least terrestrial radiation of about 381 Wm-2 occurred in August. The result also showed that terrestrial solar radiation correlates positively with water vapour and more positively with temperature at 0.57 and 0.81 coefficients respectively. The results obtained from this work provide useful knowledge that is necessary to enhance the deployment of solar energy conversion systems.

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The study analyzed the cost and returns of dry season tomato production by small scale farmers in Onitsha Agricultural Zone of Anambra State, Nigeria. Eighty farmers were randomly selected for the study and data were analyzed, using descriptive analysis and profitability analysis. The results showed that the mean age of the farmers was 42 years, implying that they were in their productive ages. The respondents were fairly educated as about 45 percent of them had secondary school education. The result of the profitability analysis revealed average gross margin and net income of N670,103.72 and N657,454.62 for tomato intercrop farmers respectively; average gross margin and net margin of N589,910.14 and N577,261.04 respectively, for sole tomato enterprise farmers respectively. This indicated that dry season tomato production was a profitable venture in the study area. The analysis further identified inadequate farm credit and poor storage facilities as the main problems faced by the farmers. The study therefore recommends that farmers should be encouraged to form cooperative societies so as to enable them obtain loans from commercial banks and agricultural banks at regulated interest rates. Government should also focus research on viable methods of storing tomatoes and other vegetables, so as to encourage farmers to produce more and ensure food security.

The study examined the profitability and determinants of edible insects marketing and utilization in Oji-River and Udi Local Government Areas, Enugu State, Nigeria. Specifically, it described the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, estimate the profitability of edible insect marketing and determined the influence of socio-economic characteristics of the respondents on net marketing income. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 120 respondents and data collection was on primary source using well structured questionnaire and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, enterprise budgeting, Shepherd-Futrell and multiple regression techniques. Finding on socioeconomic characteristics showed that majority of the marketers (35.83%) are within the age bracket of 41-50 years with mean age of 39% and there is female (80.83%) dominance in the enterprise. Profitability indicators such as; net marketing income (N,736,952.83), input cost (cost of harvesting and marketing) (N3,223,247.15), return on investment (N2.159), net return on investment (N1.15) and coefficient of marketing efficiency (0.463) proved the enterprise profitable. The implication of the net return on investment figures revealed that the marketers return N1.15 for every 1 naira invested in the business. Findings also indicated marketing efficiency level of 46.30%. It implies that the marketers are less efficient in marketing of edible insect. Age, gender, household size, other source of income and marketing cost significantly determined net marketing income realized by the edible insect marketers. However improvement in the marketing strategy which will benefit the harvesters/marketers and provision of modern storage and preservative facilities by the union and other relevant agencies for a longer period of time were recommended. Keywords: Profitability, determinants, marketing and edible insects.