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PurposeLucrative employment in agriculture is fundamental to poverty alleviation in Africa. The paper examined employment along gender, impact of materials and proportion of female employment in African agriculture.Design/methodology/approachTime series econometrics was employed in the framework of production function analysis involving 36 years of data.FindingsResults show that world labour in agriculture decreased from 49.77 to 40.04% but increased from 12.43 to 16.94% in Africa. World female employment in agriculture ranged from 40.56 to 42.81% and from 40.40 to 43.02% in developing economies, but decreased from 40.39 to 36.08% in developed economies. Total agricultural labour in Africa was negatively and significantly related to agricultural gross production index number (APIN).Research limitations/implicationsInteraction of cattle stock and females employed in agriculture was positive and significant at pooled African values. Interaction of irrigation facilities and female labour was positive and significant in West Africa. Interaction of cattle stock and total labour in Southern Africa had negative relationship with APIN. Interaction of total labour and irrigation had negative relationship with APIN in Africa. Insufficient agricultural facilities in terms of cattle stock and irrigation infrastructure for the populace exist. It recommends increased investments to expand irrigated lands and livestock.Practical implicationsAfrican governments need to use good political will to effect the needed transformation in agriculture. It is possible for agriculture to offer lucrative employment to both males and females in less developed world as in developed economies.Originality/valueThe paper noted very limited agricultural facilities in terms of cattle stock and irrigation facilities for the populace engaged in agriculture. It recommends investments to expand irrigated lands and livestock.

This paper examined the arguments for and against the climate change phenomenon and attempted to weigh in with presentation of available evidence. It finally drew from literature and reviewed possible impacts of climate change in Africa. It concluded by calling for a wakening and preparedness by African governments for possible catastrophic events rather than waiting for external aid.

This study examined implementation strategies, approaches, constraints and revenue generation potentials of hybrid plantain/banana enterprise expansion progamme in Rivers State -a community werment programme funded by USAID in Southern Nigeria. Forty contact farmers directly involved in the project were selected. Primary and secondary data were used. Data analyses involved qualitative techniques, descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-Simirov test and gross margin analysis. Results showed that implementation strategies and approaches were tailored towards overcoming constraints to the success of the project. Forty-five and thirty two percent gains in income were made by processing hybrid plantain fruits into flour and chips instead of local cultivars. Farmers preferred workshops and services of extension agents to other channels of communication with respect to transfer of innovations. It was recommended among other things that community development programmes should work in line with established and prevalent cultural patterns to avoid lack of interest or poor acceptance and minimal support for the project.

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