Rapid appraisal and cost-effective participatory research in dry pastoral areas of West Africa

This study describes one of the technical solutions for Small Scale FLNG (SSFLNG)[1] development specifically designed to monetize Associated Gas (AG) of producing oil fields located within convenient distance of an existing LNG Plant or Port with LNG storage facility. Limited production capacity combined with short range small scale LNG carriers (SSLNGC), provide a cost effective means for LNG production. Ship to ship off-loading operation by loading arm has been considered in AG SSFLNG. Produced LNG is to be off-loaded from the SSFLNG to side-by-side moored SSLNGC. Relative motion and dynamic load acting on loading arm system in side-by-side mooring arrangement is one of key factors to estimate the offloading operability of the AG SSFLNG. In this paper, a numerical two-body motion analysis for the side-by-side moored SSFLNG in frequency- and time-domain is carried out. Also, the basic engineering work is carried out for the marine loading arms (MLA). Since the MLA reacts approximately as a linear system, it is calculated by a full spectral RAO analysis for each of the worst load cases issued from the spectral ranking. All loads and stresses inside the MLA are verified in accordance with EN1474-1[2] for the situations identified in the previous step. A high level fatigue analysis focused on the cryogenic swivel joints is carried out. Based on the numerical calculation for relative motion in side-by-side moored FLNG, we have been performed structural assessment for MLA in several environment conditions. The structural integrity of both MLA and the LNGC manifold are validated during offloading for Offshore West Africa.

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Optimizing the feeding frequency to maximize the production of sterile males in tsetse mass-rearing colonies

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0245503 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. e0245503

Author(s):

Soumaïla Pagabeleguem ◽

Ange Irénée Toé ◽

Sié Hermann Pooda ◽

Kiswendsida Mikhailou Dera ◽

Abdou Salam Belem ◽

...

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Mass Rearing ◽

Tsetse Fly ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Tsetse Flies ◽

Feeding Regime ◽

Eradication Program ◽

Feeding Regimes ◽

Blood Meals

Tsetse flies are cyclical vectors of trypanosomes, the causative agents of sleeping sickness or Human African Trypanosomosis and nagana or African Animal Trypanosomosis in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Insectarium de Bobo-Dioulasso (IBD) was created and equipped in the frame of Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomosis Eradication Campaign (PATTEC) with the main goal to provide sterile males for the different eradication programs in West Africa which is already the case with the ongoing eradication program in Senegal. The aim of this study was to identify the best feeding regime in mass-rearing colonies of Glossina palpalis gambiensis to optimize the yield of sterile males. We investigated the mortality and fecundity for various feeding regimes and day alternation (3×: Monday-Wednesday-Friday, 4×: Monday-Wednesday-Friday-Saturday, 4×: Monday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday and 6×: all days except Sunday) on adult tsetse flies in routine rearing over 60 days after emergence. The day alternation in the 4 blood meals per week (feeding regimes 2 and 3) had no effect on tsetse fly mortality and fecundity. The best feeding regime was the regime of 4 blood meals per week which resulted in higher significant fecundity (PPIF = 2.5; P = 0.003) combined with lower mortality of females (P = 0.0003) than the 3 blood meals per week (PPIF = 2.0) and in similar fecundity (PPIF = 2.6; P = 0.70) and mortality (P = 0.51) than the 6 blood meals per week. This feeding regime was extended to the whole colonies, resulting in an improved yield of sterile males for the ongoing eradication program in Senegal and would be more cost-effective for the implementation of the next-coming sterile insect technique (SIT) programs in West Africa.

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Cost effective assessment of human and habitat factors essential for critically endangered lions in West Africa

Wildlife Biology ◽

10.2981/wlb.00848 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Martial A. D. Kiki ◽

Christos Astaras ◽

Robert A. Montgomery ◽

Philipp Henschel ◽

Aristide Tehou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Critically Endangered ◽

Habitat Factors ◽

Effective Assessment

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Abstract: How Satellite Gravity is Providing Cost Effective Exploration Solutions for the Deep Water Areas of West Africa

AAPG Bulletin ◽

10.1306/c9ebd689-1735-11d7-8645000102c1865d ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 84 (2000) ◽

Author(s):

Derek J. Fairhead1, William G. Dick

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Deep Water ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Satellite Gravity

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Remote Sensing-Based and Participatory Analysis of Forests, Agricultural Land Dynamics, and Potential Land Conservation Measures in Kloto District (Togo, West Africa)

Soil Systems ◽

10.3390/soilsystems2030049 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 49 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Yawovi Koglo ◽

Wilson Agyare ◽

Badabate Diwediga ◽

Jean Sogbedji ◽

Ayi Adden ◽

...

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Management Practices ◽

Forest Cover ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Forest Degradation ◽

Crop Productivity ◽

Change Analysis ◽

Integrated Water Management ◽

Major Factors

This study investigates proximate drivers of cropland and forest degradation in the Kloto district (Togo, West Africa) as a way of exploring integrated sustainable landscape approaches with respect to socioeconomic and environmental needs and requirements. Net change analysis of major cash and food crops based on Landsat data from three time steps (1985–2002, 2002–2017, and 1985–2017) and quantitative analysis from participatory survey data with farmers and landowners are used. The study underlines poor agricultural systems and cassava farming as major factors contributing to the alarming forest losses between 1985 and 2017. A significant net loss in forest cover of 23.6% and areas under maize and cocoa agroforestry farming of 12.99% and 10.1% between 1985 and 2017, respectively, was noted. These significant losses are due to intensive cassava cropping (38.78%) and settlement expansion (7.87%). Meanwhile, the loss of forest cover between 2002 and 2017 was marginal (8.36%) compared to the period 1985–2002, which had a considerable loss of 15.24%. Based on participatory surveys, the majority of agricultural lands are threatened by erosion or physical deterioration (67.5%), land degradation or salt deposits and loss of micro/macro fauna and flora (56.7%), declines in soil fertility (32.5%) and soil water holding capacity (11.7%), and changes in soil texture (3.3%). Most farmers adhere to the proposed climate smart practices, with an emphasis on cost-effective drip irrigation systems (45.83%), soil mulching (35%), and the adoption of drought-resilient varieties (29.17%) to anticipate adverse spells. We conclude that low adoption of improved soil conservation, integrated water management, and harvesting systems and the use of less productive and adaptive cultivars entail extreme degradation of cropland and a decline in crop productivity. Consequently, farmers are forced to clear more forest in search of stable and healthy soil to meet their food demands and improve their livelihood. Capacity building on integrated pathways of soil and land management practices is therefore needed to ensure sustainable and viable socio-ecological systems at a local scale.

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Cost Effective Dry Tree Field Development in Deepwater West Africa

10.4043/12985-ms ◽

2001 ◽

Author(s):

Robert M. Shivers ◽

Carlton T. Sikes ◽

John W. Chianis ◽

Rajiv Aggarwal ◽

Dale E. Berner

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Field Development

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COVID-19 and frontline health workers in West Africa: a scoping review

10.1101/2020.10.15.20213249 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kingsley K. A. Pereko ◽

Edward Kwabena Ameyaw ◽

Shaibu Bukari ◽

Victoria Acquaye ◽

Alfred Dickson Dai-Kosi

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Health Workers ◽

Research Question ◽

Cost Effective ◽

West African ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

African Countries ◽

Frontline Health Workers ◽

The Impact

AbstractIntroductionThe novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has become a severe global health threat since its emergence. Overcoming the virus is partly dependent on the holistic wellbeing of frontline health workers. Implications of COVID-19 on frontline health workers in West Africa could be substantial given the limited resources and logistics. This scoping review maps available literature on the impact of COVID-19 on frontline health workers in West Africa.Materials and methodsLiterature on the impact of COVID-19 on frontline health workers in West Africa were searched in six databases namely Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Africa Journals Online (AJOL) and CINAHL. Further search was done across websites of the ministries of health of West African countries and notable organisations. We conducted a narrative synthesis of the findings taking cognisance of the overarching purpose of the study and the research question.ResultsOf the 67 studies identified, 19 were included in the final synthesis. Three main themes emerged and these are impact of COVID-19 on frontline health workers, drivers of susceptibility to COVID-19 and government/donor support. A greater number of the studies originated from Nigeria. Each study reported at least one impact of COVID-19 on frontline health workers in West Africa. The impacts included death, fear, unwillingness to attend to COVID-19 patients and stigmatisation. Some health workers were not adhering to the safety protocols coupled with periodic shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and thereby had an increased susceptibility.ConclusionBeing the first scoping review on the impact of COVID-19 on frontline health workers in West Africa, the study has illustrated the urgent need for West African governments to enact laws/rules that would compel all frontline health workers to adhere to all the COVID-19 protocols at the workplace. To end intermittent shortage or issue of inadequate PPEs, governments ought to liaise with local industries by empowering them, providing financial support and creating a conducive atmosphere for them to produce cost effective PPEs using available local resources.Scoping review registrationDOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/B9NXZ (Open Science Framework)

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Remote Sensing Based and Participatory Analysis of Land Degradation and Potential Land Conservation Measures in Kloto District (Togo, West Africa)

10.20944/preprints201805.0226.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Yawovi S. Koglo ◽

Wilson A. Agyare ◽

Badabate Diwediga ◽

Jean M. Sogbedji ◽

Ayi K. Adden ◽

...

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Land Degradation ◽

Management Practices ◽

Forest Cover ◽

Forest Products ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Forest Degradation ◽

Change Analysis ◽

Integrated Water Management ◽

Productivity Decline

This study investigates proximate drivers of cropland and forest degradation in Kloto district (Togo, West Africa) as, way of, exploring integrated sustainable landscape approaches in respect to socio-economic and environmental needs and requirements. Net change analysis of major cash and food crops based on three time steps Landsat data (1985–2002, 2002–2017 and 1985–2017) and quantitative analysis from participatory survey data with farmers and landowners are used. Study underlines poor agricultural systems and cassava farming as major impediments to alarming forest losses between 1985–2017. Significant net loss in forests cover by 23.6% and surface areas under cultivation of cocoa agroforestry and maize by 12.99 and 10.1% from 1985 to 2017, due to, intensive cassava cropping (38.78%) and settlement expansions (7.84%). Meanwhile, loss in forest cover between 2017 and 2002 was marginal (8.36%) compared to the period 1985–2002 for which the loss was considerable (15.24%). Based on participatory surveys, majority of agricultural lands are threatened by erosion or physical deterioration (67.5%), land degradation or salt deposits and loss of micro/macro fauna and flora at 56.7%, declining in soil fertility (32.5%), soil water holding capacity (11.7%) and changes in soil texture (3.3%). Majority of farmers adhere to the adoption of the proposed climate smart practices with emphasis on cost effective drip irrigation systems (45.83%), soil mulching (35%) and adoption of drought resilient varieties (29.17%) to anticipate drought spells adverse. The study concludes that low adoption of improved soil conservation, integrated water management and harvesting systems and low productive and adaptive cultivars entail extreme degradation of croplands and crops productivity decline. Therefore, farmers are forced to clear more forests in search of stable and healthy soils for production and extraction of forest products to meet their food demands and improve their livelihoods conditions. Capacity building on integrated pathways of soil and land management practices are therefore needed to ensure sustainable and viable socio-ecological systems at local scale.

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