scholarly journals Are the current animal trypanosomiasis management methods in Kenya complementary or substitutes? Evidence from Kwale County

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-63
Author(s):  
Arnold Lumumbah Musungu ◽  
◽  
David Jakinda Otieno ◽  
Beatrice Wambui Muriithi ◽  
Rose Nyikal ◽  
...  

African animal trypanosomiasis (AAT) and its vectors, mainly tsetse, are a major constraint to livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Control efforts have been ongoing for decades, but finding a sustainable solution remains a major concern. This paper assessed the complementarity and substitutability of existing AAT management methods to inform policies toward an integrated approach. A multivariate probit (MVP) analytical technique was used to model interrelationships in the control methods from 308 randomly selected livestock keepers. The results show that the current AAT control methods are complementary and not substitutes. Furthermore, the number of years of formal education, household size, household income and land size had mixed effects on the households’ decisions to adopt multiple AAT control methods. The key institutional factors that influenced the adoption behaviour were access to credit, group membership, access to veterinary services and drugs, and agricultural training. The results instil confidence in integrated AAT management if livestock farmers’ socio-economic and institutional constraints are addressed sufficiently

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 679
Author(s):  
Stefan Magez ◽  
Joar Esteban Pinto Torres ◽  
Seoyeon Oh ◽  
Magdalena Radwanska

Salivarian trypanosomes are extracellular parasites affecting humans, livestock and game animals. Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Trypanosoma brucei gambiense are human infective sub-species of T. brucei causing human African trypanosomiasis (HAT—sleeping sickness). The related T. b. brucei parasite lacks the resistance to survive in human serum, and only inflicts animal infections. Animal trypanosomiasis (AT) is not restricted to Africa, but is present on all continents. T. congolense and T. vivax are the most widespread pathogenic trypanosomes in sub-Saharan Africa. Through mechanical transmission, T. vivax has also been introduced into South America. T. evansi is a unique animal trypanosome that is found in vast territories around the world and can cause atypical human trypanosomiasis (aHT). All salivarian trypanosomes are well adapted to survival inside the host’s immune system. This is not a hostile environment for these parasites, but the place where they thrive. Here we provide an overview of the latest insights into the host-parasite interaction and the unique survival strategies that allow trypanosomes to outsmart the immune system. In addition, we review new developments in treatment and diagnosis as well as the issues that have hampered the development of field-applicable anti-trypanosome vaccines for the implementation of sustainable disease control.


1996 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 157-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Berner ◽  
Robert Carsky ◽  
Kenton Dashiell ◽  
Jennifer Kling ◽  
Victor Manyong

Striga hermonthica, an obligate root parasite of grasses, Is one of the most severe constraints to cereal production in sub-Saharan Africa. In the recent past, prior to increased production pressure on land, S. hermonthica was controlled in African farming systems by prolonged crop rotations with bush fallow. Because of increasing need for food and concomitant changes in land management practices, however, these fallow rotations are no longer extensively used. Shorter crop rotations and fallow periods have also led to declines in soil fertility which present a very serious threat to African food production. A sustainable solution will be an integrated approach that simultaneously addresses both of these major problems. An integrated programme that replaces traditional bush fallow rotation with non-host nitrogen-fixing legume rotations, using cultivars selected for efficacy in germinating S. hermonthica seeds, is outlined. The programme includes use of S. hermonthlca-free planting material, biological control, cultural control to enhance biological suppressiveness, host-plant resistance, and host-seed treatments.


2013 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Asiedu ◽  
Isaac Kalonda-Kanyama ◽  
Leonce Ndikumana ◽  
Akwasi Nti-Addae

The literature on the determinants of firms' financing constraints has paid little attention to gender as a determinant of access to finance. Using data for 34,342 firms from 90 developing countries, the paper analyzes the determinants of firms' financing constraints and assesses whether female-owned firms are more financially constrained than male-owned businesses. The results show that female-owned firms in sub-Saharan Africa are more likely to be financially constrained than male-owned firms, but there is no gender gap in other developing regions. The gender gap in sub-Saharan Africa is robust to variations in specifications and econometric estimation procedures.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Ekholuenetale ◽  
Charity Ehimwenma Ekholuenetale ◽  
Amadou Barrow

Abstract Background: Despite the common restrictive abortion laws, abortion remains widespread in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries. Women still utilize abortion services and put their lives and health at risk because abortion can only be procured illegally in private facilities such as mid-level or small patent medicine store that may be manned by unskilled providers or through a non-medicated approach. The objective of this study was to determine median years and factors of time to first abortion after sexual debut among Congolese women.Methods: We used data from the most recent Republic of Congo Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). A total sample of 3,622 women aged 15-49 years was analyzed. We estimated the overall prevalence of abortion and median years to first abortion. Furthermore, we examined the factors of time to first abortion after sexual debut using multivariable Cox regression and reported the estimates using adjusted Hazard Ratio (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Statistical significance was determined at p<0.05.Results: The prevalence of abortion was 60.0% and median years of time to first abortion after sexual debut was 9.0. The prominent reasons for abortion were due to too short birth interval (23.8%), lack of money (21.0%) and that husband/partner did not need a child at that time (14.0%). Women’s age and region were notable factors in timing to first abortion. Furthermore, women from poorer, middle, richer and richest households had 34%, 67%, 86% and 94% higher risk of abortion respectively, when compared with women from poorest households. Women currently in union/living with a man and formerly in union had 41% and 29% reduction in the risk of abortion respectively, when compared with those never in union. In addition, women with primary and secondary+ education had 42% and 76% higher risk of abortion respectively, when compared with women with no formal education. Conclusion: There was high prevalence of abortion with short years at first abortion. Abortion was associated with women’s characteristics. There is need for unwanted pregnancy prevention intervention and the improvement in pregnancy care to reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes among women.


Author(s):  
Sergey Samoilenko ◽  
Kweku-Muata Osei-Bryson

It is well known that small and medium enterprises (SME) are important drivers of economic growth, particularly in the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, typically many SMEs operate as informal enterprises which limits their access to finance. Access to appropriate levels of credit (i.e., get credit) is generally a necessary condition but not sufficient condition for improvement in socio-economic outcomes (i.e., make impact). Thus, improving access to credit is still a desirable goal. This paper uses a DEA-based multi-method approach to explore the “ICT Capabilities & Going Legit & Get Credit & Make Impact” path. The results show that there are statistically significant links between ICT Capabilities and legitimization of SMEs (i.e., going legit), ICT capabilities and get credit, and going legit and get credit. Given this desirability of improving access to credit (i.e., get credit), these results suggest that the increasing the level ICT capabilities should result in increases in the levels of going legit and get credit.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Fiador ◽  
Lordina Amoah ◽  
Emmanuel Abbey

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to explore the implications of global financial integration on host economies in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The study tests the competing views on the impact of foreign bank penetration on private sector access to credit in developing host economies.Design/methodology/approachUsing data on a panel 25 SSA economies over a period of 22 years from 1995 to 2016, the study employs fixed effects and Prais-Winsten estimations as well as generalized methods of moments (GMM) to test the foreign bank impact.FindingsThe findings show support for the hypothesis that global financial integration has positive implications for participating economies. In other words, financial sector liberalization and deregulation leading to the influx of foreign banks has positive implications for access to credit by the private sector in SSA economies. The study also finds other standard determinants of access to credit like lending rate and broad money supply conforming to the existing literature in terms of impact.Originality/valueOverall, the findings hold relevant implications for banking sector policies and the financial sector in general regarding the priority that policy makers and advisors attach to reforming financial sector policies.


2022 ◽  
pp. 305-330
Author(s):  
Saidi Mkomwa ◽  
Henry Mloza-Banda ◽  
Weldone Mutai

Abstract This chapter examines the role of formal education, training and skills development in Conservation Agriculture (CA) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in the context of the region's agricultural transformation systems. It explores nascent literature on potential reforms that include development of CA educational programmes and linkages that are more strategically attuned to national agriculture development aspirations. The chapter highlights theoretical grounds and practical examples for the multi-level strategies with complementary relationships aimed at facilitating systemic CA-related education, training and skills development to accelerate and expand its uptake in Africa. The chapter has advocated educational institutions and the university in particular to orchestrate the CA innovation value chain through 'internal' alignment of actors at institutional level (i.e. intra-organizational mainstreaming). The success of an innovation also depends on its 'external' viability. This was illustrated by proposing inter-organizational mainstreaming and a triple helix model where government and industry, respectively, are the principal actors towards increase in sociotechnical viability of the CA innovation system. There are obvious hurdles related to the interactions and coordination between stakeholders, as well as the integration of value complementarities across the value chain. Probable corrective strategies have been exhaustively interrogated and they are, for instance, manifested through technical and organizational adaptations as they summarize and compare systematically their contributions, arguments, assumptions and limitations in the process of creating and harnessing economies of scope in innovation. There may not be any ideal model for demand-led, CA-related education, training and skills development. A number of strategic options present themselves and, in a dynamic world, all strategies are relatively short-lived but must yield outcomes that contribute to longer-term goals. The educational institutions should find appropriate themes and avenues worthy of support in their own right, and projects that invite collaboration on their own terms.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document