Comparative analysis of the precautionary measures and operational habits with the associated health problems among 240 farmers in cacao growing communities of Osun and Edo States, Nigeria was carried out. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The results showed high risk exposure of cocoa farmers to toxicity and hazards of agrochemicals used on their cocoa farms. The mean knowledge score of precautionary measures in both states was low. More than 50% of the cocoa farmers in the two states were in the habits of eating, drinking and smoking during spraying. About 65% of cocoa farmers in Osun had no extension contact and training on safe handling of chemicals compared to 97.0% of the farmers in Edo state. Majority (60%) of the farmers in the two states claimed that they have health problems with the following symptoms: body itching, cough and difficulty in breathing, which often occurred during and after chemicals usage. It is concluded that cocoa farmers in Osun and Edo States in Nigeria were vulnerable to health hazards associated with the use of chemicals due inadequate knowledge of the precautionary measures and exhibition of culpable operational habits that can be controlled through effective extension education programme.

The study investigated the youth participation in indigenous farm practices of vegetable production in Oyo State. The study specifically identified various indigenous farm practices that youth engage in and their level of participation. The study was conducted in four agricultural zones in the State namely Ibadan/Ibarapa, Oyo, Ogbomoso and Saki zones. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select respondents from the four zones. In all, a total of 200 youths were sampled in 10 communities. The findings revealed that the respondents mean age was 28.6 ± 3.8 years with an average of 18.2 years of farming experience. The various indigenous practices used by youth in the study area include handpicking (88%), hawking (87%), land clearing/hoeing (86%), ridge making (68%), seasonal planting (81%), manure application (82%), use of ash (67%), wetting/irrigation (63%), harvesting (71%) and use of natural pesticides (52%). There exist positive and significant correlation between level of participation and years of formal schooling (r=0.429; p<0.05), compatibility (r=0.042; p≤0.05), cosmopoliteness (r=0.208; p<0.05), resources availability (r=0.191; p<0.05), openness (r=0.216; p<0.05) and users' friendliness (r=0.171; p<0.05). There also existed strong association between level of perception of youths towards organic farming practices for indigenous vegetables and sex (χ²=121.335; p<0.05), land acquisition (χ²=305.327; p<0.05) and marital status (χ²=275.514; p<0.05). The study concluded that youths had been going through a process of socialization right from their early age for the skill acquisitions in some indigenous farm practices that are part of farm operations in the study area. This could be further reinforced by formal education and farming experience in their latter age for a sustainable agricultural development.

The study was carried out in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area (LGA) education(r=0.408), extension contact (r=0.398) and income from tomato production (r= 0.334) and strategies adopted for increased in tomato production (P≤ 0.01). The study therefore recommended the need for the provision of adequate training, necessary incentives, provision of infrastructural facilitates and improved variety of tomato to farmers as a panacea for sustainable and commercial production of tomato in the area of study.