scholarly journals Potentials of Wood, Bamboo and Natural Fibre-Reinforced Composite Products as Substitute Materials for Fabricating Affordable Agricultural Equipment and Processing Machines in Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abel Olajide Olorunnisola
Keyword(s):  
Natural Fibre ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Partial Substitution ◽  
Metallic Materials ◽  
Modern Agriculture ◽  
Optimal Productivity ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Irrigation Drainage ◽  
The Cost ◽  
And Storage

Modern agriculture depends heavily on technology. Land clearing, irrigation, drainage, crop storage and processing all require technological input. By modernising her agriculture, through wise application of science and technology, Africa can make significant headway in economic growth. However, an agricultural technology that is too sophisticated for a particular country/region is beyond its absorptive capacity. Hence, to achieve the objectives of agricultural mechanisation in Africa, it is imperative to take into account prevailing socio-economic conditions and the level of mechanisation necessary for optimal productivity. One major constraint to agricultural mechanisation in sub-Saharan Africa is the relatively high cost of imported metallic machine and equipment fabrication materials. Taking full advantage of substitute non-metallic materials may lower the cost of production and concomitantly empower rural fabricators with limited access to electricity and welding facilities to engage in local manufacturing of sundry agricultural machines and equipment. This Chapter presents illustrative examples of full and partial substitution of metallic with non-metallic materials in the fabrication of affordable machines and equipment for agricultural production, agro-processing, irrigation and drainage, crop drying and storage. Ways of addressing identified critical challenges of technology diffusion are also discussed.

Cost determination and sustainable financing for rural water services in sub-Saharan Africa

Water Policy ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 373-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter A. Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Water Services ◽  
Innovative Strategies ◽  
Water Users ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Cost ◽  
National Governments ◽  
Cost Determination ◽  
Sustainable Financing

Access to safe, sufficient and affordable water in rural Africa will not increase unless sustainable financing strategies are developed which ensure the sustainability of existing water services. There is a strong need for international donors and national governments to confront the true costs associated with sustained service provision in order to develop practicable long-term financing mechanisms. This paper presents a systematic approach that can be applied to determine the overall cost of service delivery based on respective cost estimates for operation and maintenance, institutional support, and rehabilitation and expansion. This can then be used to develop a tariff hierarchy which clearly indicates the cost to water users of different levels of cost recovery, and which can be used as a planning tool for implementing agencies. Community financing mechanisms to ensure sustained payment of tariffs must be matched to specific communities and their economic characteristics; a blanket approach is unlikely to function effectively. Innovative strategies are also needed to ensure that the rural poor are adequately served, for which a realistic, targeted and transparent approach to subsidy is required.

scholarly journals Proposing a Paradigm Shift in Rural Electrification Investments in Sub-Saharan Africa through Agriculture

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 3096 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Kyriakarakos ◽  
Athanasios T. Balafoutis ◽  
Dionysis Bochtis
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Rural Electrification ◽  
Agricultural Cooperatives ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Cross Subsidization

Almost one billion people in the world still do not have access to electricity. Most of them live in rural areas of the developing world. Access to electricity in the rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa is only 28%, roughly 600 million people. The financing of rural electrification is challenging and, in order to accomplish higher private sector investments, new innovative business models have to be developed. In this paper, a new approach in the financing of microgrid electrification activities is proposed and investigated. In this approach, agriculture related businesses take the lead in the electrification activities of the surrounding communities. It is shown that the high cost of rural electrification can be met through the increased value of locally produced products, and cross-subsidization can take place in order to decrease the cost of household electrification. The approach is implemented in a case study in Rwanda, through which the possibility of local agricultural cooperatives leading electrification activities is demonstrated.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review of the Incremental Costs of Implementing a New Vaccine in the Expanded Program of Immunization in Sub-Saharan Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 238146831989454
Author(s):  
Joe Brew ◽  
Christophe Sauboin
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Interquartile Range ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
World Health ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Vaccine Type ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Cost

Background. The World Health Organization is planning a pilot introduction of a new malaria vaccine in three sub-Saharan African countries. To inform considerations about including a new vaccine in the vaccination program of those and other countries, estimates from the scientific literature of the incremental costs of doing so are important. Methods. A systematic review of scientific studies reporting the costs of recent vaccine programs in sub-Saharan countries was performed. The focus was to obtain from each study an estimate of the cost per dose of vaccine administered excluding the acquisition cost of the vaccine and wastage. Studies published between 2000 and 2018 and indexed on PubMed could be included and results were standardized to 2015 US dollars (US$). Results. After successive screening of 2119 titles, and 941 abstracts, 58 studies with 80 data points (combinations of country, vaccine type, and vaccination approach–routine v. campaign) were retained. Most studies used the so-called ingredients approach as costing method combining field data collection with documented unit prices per cost item. The categorization of cost items and the extent of detailed reporting varied widely. Across the studies, the mean and median cost per dose administered was US$1.68 and US$0.88 with an interquartile range of US$0.54 to US$2.31. Routine vaccination was more costly than campaigns, with mean cost per dose of US$1.99 and US$0.88, respectively. Conclusion. Across the studies, there was huge variation in the cost per dose delivered, between and within countries, even in studies using consistent data collection tools and analysis methods, and including many health facilities. For planning purposes, the interquartile range of US$0.54 to US$2.31 may be a sufficiently precise estimate.

scholarly journals The future of financing for HIV services in Uganda and the wider sub-Saharan Africa region: should we ask patients to contribute to the cost of their care?

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Kakaire ◽  
Walter Schlech ◽  
Alex Coutinho ◽  
Richard Brough ◽  
Rosalind Parkes-Ratanshi
Keyword(s):  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Hiv Services ◽  
The Future ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Cost

scholarly journals Rural Electrification of Somalia Using WT-PV-DG-Battery Hybrid System

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swathi Kumar ◽  
Richard Blanchard
Keyword(s):  
Hybrid System ◽  
Operating Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Diesel Generator ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Diesel Generators ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Wind Resource

Around 14% of the global population does not have access to electricity. About 95% of those are living in rural Sub-Saharan Africa. Often in these regions, diesel generators are the only source of electricity. The operating cost of these diesel generators is high. However, solar and wind energy are available in most of African countries. This study presents the analysis of designing an off-grid hybrid system with a wind turbine, PV, diesel generator, and battery to power a hospital, school, and 200 household village in four locations across Somalia. The research investigated the availability of wind-solar resources in selected locations. Designing of the system and economic-technical calculations were performed using HOMER. The selection of the optimum design was based on the Cost of Electricity and Net Present Cost. The results show that for Kabaal and Ceel Buur, a WT-PV-DG-Battery is the optimal system as the wind resource in these regions is high. For Saakov and Baki, a PV-DG-Battery system proves to be optimum as the wind resource is limited here. The study also evaluated the control strategy and proved that combined dispatch was the most cost-effective for these locations. The study concluded that hybrid systems are more economical than diesel systems.

scholarly journals Consumer Acceptance of Biscuits Supplemented with a Sorghum–Insect Meal

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 895 ◽  
Author(s):  
Temitope D. Awobusuyi ◽  
Kirthee Pillay ◽  
Muthulisi Siwela
Keyword(s):  
Food Source ◽  
Consumer Acceptance ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Partial Substitution ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Baked Goods ◽  
Ondo State ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Hedonic Scale

Insects are abundant in the predominantly sub-Saharan Africa region and are generally high in protein. Wheat grain contains gluten that is vital for the quality of baked goods but does not grow well in warm regions. Partial substitution of wheat with sorghum and insect in biscuits could contribute to food security among vulnerable populations. This study identified insect types most commonly consumed by the rural Olugboja community living in the rural part of the Ikare-Akoko local government area of Ondo State, Nigeria and consumer acceptance of biscuits supplemented with a sorghum and insect meal. Whole grain sorghum meal and insect meal were blended at a ratio of 3:1 (w/w sorghum: insect). Composite biscuits were made by partially substituting wheat flour with the sorghum–insect meal at 20%, 40%, and 60% (w/w). Wheat biscuit (100%) was used as a control. Regular consumers of biscuits (n = 84) evaluated the acceptability of the biscuit samples using a five-point facial hedonic scale, which was followed by focus group discussions (FGDs) to assess consumer perceptions of the use of insect as a food source. Biscuits containing the sorghum–insect meal (mean = 4.0 ± 0.6) were more acceptable than the control (3.58 ± 0.6). The biscuits supplemented with 20% of the sorghum–insect meal were the most acceptable (mean = 4.23 ± 0.6) compared to those with higher concentrations (40% and 60%). FGDs revealed that the taste of the biscuits was an important motivation for consumers to accept insect as a food source.

scholarly journals Healthcare Costs and Life-years Gained From Treatments Within the Advancing Cryptococcal Meningitis Treatment for Africa (ACTA) Trial on Cryptococcal Meningitis: A Comparison of Antifungal Induction Strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 588-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Chen ◽  
Lawrence Mwenge ◽  
Shabir Lakhi ◽  
Duncan Chanda ◽  
Peter Mwaba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Cryptococcal Meningitis ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Cost Effectiveness Ratio ◽  
Parametric Bootstrapping ◽  
Life Years ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Cost

Abstract Background Mortality from cryptoccocal meningitis remains high. The ACTA trial demonstrated that, compared with 2 weeks of amphotericin B (AmB) plus flucystosine (5FC), 1 week of AmB and 5FC was associated with lower mortality and 2 weeks of oral flucanozole (FLU) plus 5FC was non-inferior. Here, we assess the cost-effectiveness of these different treatment courses. Methods Participants were randomized in a ratio of 2:1:1:1:1 to 2 weeks of oral 5FC and FLU, 1 week of AmB and FLU, 1 week of AmB and 5FC, 2 weeks of AmB and FLU, or 2 weeks of AmB and 5FC in Malawi, Zambia, Cameroon, and Tanzania. Data on individual resource use and health outcomes were collected. Cost-effectiveness was measured as incremental costs per life-year saved, and non-parametric bootstrapping was done. Results Total costs per patient were US $1442 for 2 weeks of oral FLU and 5FC, $1763 for 1 week of AmB and FLU, $1861 for 1 week of AmB and 5FC, $2125 for 2 weeks of AmB and FLU, and $2285 for 2 weeks of AmB and 5FC. Compared to 2 weeks of AmB and 5FC, 1 week of AmB and 5FC was less costly and more effective and 2 weeks of oral FLU and 5FC was less costly and as effective. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for 1 week of AmB and 5FC versus oral FLU and 5FC was US $208 (95% confidence interval $91–1210) per life-year saved. Clinical Trials Registration ISRCTN45035509. Conclusions Both 1 week of AmB and 5FC and 2 weeks of Oral FLU and 5FC are cost-effective treatments.

scholarly journals Drinking water quality and human dimensions of cholera patients to inform evidence-based prevention investment in Karonga District, Malawi

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 2079-2087
Author(s):  
Prince Kaponda ◽  
Suresh Muthukrishnan ◽  
Rory Barber ◽  
Rochelle H. Holm
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Human Dimensions ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
World Health ◽  
Drinking Water Source ◽  
Thermotolerant Coliforms ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Cost

Abstract Cholera remains a problem in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Malawi. Our aim was to investigate drinking water source quality compared with water treatment, risk perception and cholera knowledge for patients who had reported to a health center for treatment in the 2017–2018 outbreak in Karonga District, Malawi. The study analyzed 120 drinking water samples linked to 236 cholera patients. Nearly 82% of the samples met the national criteria for thermotolerant coliforms of 50 cfu/100 ml, while 50% met the more stringent World Health Organization criteria of 0 cfu/100 ml. In terms of the human dimensions, 68% of survey respondents reported that they treated their water, while knowledge of prevention, transmission and treatment of cholera was also generally high. However, of the 32 patients whose drinking water sources had thermotolerant coliforms of 200+ cfu/100 ml, seven reported they felt a low or no personal risk for contracting cholera in the future and their community was extremely well prepared for another outbreak. The cost of a reactive response to cholera outbreaks puts a burden on Malawi, providing an opportunity for investment in innovative and localized preventive strategies to control and eliminate the risk of cholera while acknowledging social and cultural norms.

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