Design, development and performance evaluation of a fruit juice extraction machine

Thesis Overview

<p> </p><div><p>&nbsp;<br><strong>INTRODUCTION</strong><br>&nbsp;<br><strong>1.1 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</strong><strong>Background of the Study</strong><br>&nbsp;<br>Before the discovery of crude oil in commercial quantity in the 1970s, agriculture was the mainstay and sustaining source of the Nigerian economy. The agricultural sector contributed immensely to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the nation. The discovery of oil and the boom that resulted from the exploitation of crude oil in the 70’s inflicted a big blow on the agricultural sector as all attention was shifted to oil, leading to the neglect of this vital sector (Fasanya <em>et al.,</em>&nbsp;2013). Various programmes such as Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) of 1976 and the Green Revolution of 1979 were embarked upon to ensure that there is enough food for the ever-growing population of Nigeria. This agricultural potential was what Nigeria exploited in the pre-independence and the post-independence period prior to 1975, which gave it its leadership position internationally in the production and export of agricultural products (CBN, 2004). Well over 50 % of the country’s total export earnings came from the agricultural sector prior to the 1970s (CBN, 2004; Ndubisi <em>et al.,</em>&nbsp;2013). Furthermore, the agricultural sector accounted for about 50 % of the GDP and employed about 72 % of the labour force on average between 1960 and 1970 (CBN, 2004; Fasanya <em>et</em>&nbsp;<em>al., </em>2013).<br>In developed countries like the USA, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Great Britain etc., the productivity of the Agricultural sector is always on the increase. These achievements results from their high level of mechanization.</p><p></p></div><h3></h3><br> <br><p></p>