Robustness of the Poverty Measures: Evidence from Farm Households in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

The use of a plethora of poverty indexes is sometimes fraught with difficulties. The purpose of this research was to quantitatively assess poverty and to examine the robustness of the poverty metrics. Selecting representative farm homes required a multistage sample technique, which was implemented. A total of 150 rural homes were surveyed using questionnaires. Stochastic dominance and the weighted poverty measures of Foster, Greer and Thorbecke were used in this work to examine the weighted poverty measures' resilience and sensitivity to changes in the poverty line. According to the findings, as people become older and their families get larger, the likelihood, severity, and depth of poverty increases. An asymptotic sampling distribution was utilized to infer whether poverty was larger across a variety of hypothetical poverty lines by stochastic dominance analysis. First-order stochastic dominance was found, with the Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) of households headed by people over 60 years old lying totally above the other distribution functions (CDFs). The CDF of single families was lower than the CDF of married households, according to the findings. At any poverty level, the CDF of families with more than 10 household members stochastically dominated those with fewer family members. Many households will be lifted out of poverty if poverty-reduction initiatives are targeted at those over 60 and those with big families.

Phytochemical Assessment and Biological Activity of Some Selected Ethno Medicinal Plants

The medicinal plants are strongly used as major bio resources of modern synthetic drugs because of their benefits for the society related to humans in the field of medicine. The fresh roots, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds and fruits of five selected ethnomedicinal plants which were collected, dried under shade and ground. Further; powdered plants materials were extracted by different extracts, and then screening of phytochemical were being done. The findings of present study indicated that an appreciable amount of phytochemical including alkaloid, saponin, phenolic compound, flavonoid, tannin, steroid, terpenoid, glycoside, carbohydrate, protein and amino acid were observed in the different parts of five selected ethnomedicinal plants. It has been confirmed that the amount of aqueous extract showed maximum phytochemical than methanol extract. The aqueous extract was the best solvent for extraction of including alkaloid, protein amino acid and carbohydrate; whereas methanol extract was the best solvent for phenolic compounds, flavonoid and Tannins, terpenoid, steroid fat and oil. The roots and seeds of the selected plants for the present study showed good sources of carbohydrate; whereas the highest percentage of protein was observed in the leaves and seeds of the plants. The leaves of the plants are the rich sources of phenolic compound, flavonoid and tannin than other parts. The concentration of alkaloids was higher in the seeds and fruits. This present observation shows that these plants belong to the richest sources of calcium ranging from (1840–17360 mg/Kg) and sodium ranging from (504-2480 mg/Kg). The leaves and roots were indicated the richest sources of calcium; whereas most parts of solanum surrattense and Maringa oleifera are also rich sources of calcium. But sodium will be beneficial to consumers because of high values. Iron content ranging from (10.98–1115.2 mg/Kg) and potassium content ranging from (866- 1361 mg/kg) were investigated while Achyranthes aspera richest sources of iron and potassium. Zinc is the second most abundant trace element in the body in all the selected plants which show good sources of zinc. Ricinus communis is a good source of copper. The roots and seeds of some plants showed good sources of manganese. Cadmium, lead and cobalt were showed around permissible limit in the most parts of the plants.It is beneficial for the VII consumers because of high toxic. The significant content of antioxidant ranging from (0.13–0.66 %) was observed.The higher concentration of antioxidant content in the leave and flower in the most of the selected plants are the richest sources of antioxidant possessing phenolic compound, flavonoid and tannin.Antibacterial activity including the Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aurous were found to be most sensitive while Klebsiella pneumonia least sensitive in the present study. The growth of bacillus cereus is inhibited by the different parts of the selected plants. The inhibition zone is found between the ranges of (0.0- 28mm) against Escherichia Coli. The maximum inhibition zone was observed against Escherichia coli by the flowers parts in the most of the selected plants. The growth of bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aurous is inhibited zone is foundbetween the ranges of(0.0- 22 mm) by the different parts of selected plants while the inhibition zone is found range between (0.0- 15 mm) against Klebsiella Pneumonia by the different parts of selected medicinal plants. The flower of Maringa oleifera was possessed antibacterial protein and peptide which showed highly significant against Staphylococcus Aurous, Escherichia Coli, Klebsiella Pneumonia, Pseudomonas, proteus and enterobacter. The present findings suggest that several phytochemical are likely to contribute in medicinal properties and indicate that these plants should be taken for medicinal purposes. They can cure humans from various types of diseases.