scholarly journals Community-Based Actors and Participation in Rangeland Management. Lessons from the Western Highlands of Cameroon

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1700
Author(s):  
Harry Wirngo Mairomi ◽  
Jude Ndzifon Kimengsi
Keyword(s):  
Relevant Information ◽  
Rangeland Management ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Arbitrary Boundary ◽  
Socioecological Systems ◽  
Pastoral Households ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Management Approaches ◽  
Cattle Rearing

Participation is a key component in socioecological systems (especially rangeland) governance. Yet, in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), this attribute is yet to be fully understood and/or mainstreamed in natural resource management. This suggests the need for renewed learning on how actors are (dis)engaged in rangeland governance. With a litany of studies focusing on rangeland transformation, complementary evidence which unpacks actor’s participation in rangeland management are required in SSA. Through a survey of 333 households from 12 pastoral communities in Cameroon’s Western Highlands, this paper (i) maps the interactions of rangeland actors, (ii) analyzes actors’ participation in rangeland institutions and in the implementation of management approaches, and (iii) discusses their potential implications for rangeland governance. Using the socioecological coevolution approach as analytical lens, the study revealed the following: (1) state and non-state actors demonstrate overlapping interests, and form temporary alliances to pursue these interests, (2) pastoral households’ participation demonstrate a wavy tendency—with activity-specific participation in decision making and grazing activities (facilitated by catalyzing agents) as opposed to nominal and passive participation in arbitrary boundary setting. (3) The wavy participation spectrum translates to suboptimal resource use, differential and fragmented engagements, and adaptation to changing resource circumstances. The results enhance our understanding of actor dynamics in socioecological systems, and provides relevant information to support Cameroon’s environmental management policy with emphasis on her cattle rearing kingdoms.

Gender, ICT, and Micro-Loans for Small Business Operations in Ghana

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Alice S. Etim ◽  
David N. Etim
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Loan Default ◽  
Business Operations ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Ict Tools ◽  
Sub Saharan

In many underserved communities in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including those in Ghana, there are microfinance institutions (MFIs) that provide small non-collateralized loans (or micro-loans) to entrepreneurs, including women entrepreneurs. The micro-lending activities, especially those channeled through entrepreneurship programs, were reported as being helpful and allowed for financial inclusion. However, Anaman and Pobbi evaluated performance and reported that some of the MFIs were becoming a burden because of steep interest rate charges and loan default, raising a need for borrowers to use relevant information and communication technology (ICT) tools and services to support business operations. This chapter reports a study on the differences in attitudes of female versus male borrowers of micro-loans and their use of ICT to support small business operations in Ghana.

scholarly journals Recent Developments in Vaccines for Bovine Mycoplasmoses Caused by Mycoplasma bovis and Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 549
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Dudek ◽  
Ewelina Szacawa ◽  
Robin A. J. Nicholas
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Coverage ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Mycoplasma Bovis ◽  
Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia ◽  
Cattle Industry ◽  
Mycoplasma Mycoides ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Cattle Rearing

Two of the most important diseases of cattle are caused by mycoplasmas. Mycoplasma bovis is a world-wide bovine pathogen that can cause pneumonia, mastitis and arthritis. It has now spread to most, if not all, cattle-rearing countries. Due to its increasing resistance to antimicrobial therapy, vaccination is the principal focus of the control of infection, but effective vaccines are currently lacking. Despite being eradicated from most parts of the world, Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides, the cause of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), continues to plague sub-Saharan Africa, affecting at least 25 countries. Numerous new experimental vaccines have been developed over the last 20 years to improve on protection afforded by the T1/44, a live vaccine in continuous use in Africa for over 60 years, but none so far have succeeded; indeed, many have exacerbated the disease. Tools for diagnosis and control are adequate for eradication but what is necessary are resources to improve vaccine coverage to levels last seen in the 1970s, when CBPP was restricted to a few countries in Africa. This paper summarizes the results of the main studies in the field of experimental mycoplasma vaccines, reviews data on commercially available bacterin vaccines and addresses issues relating to the search for new candidates for effective vaccines to reduce economic losses in the cattle industry caused by these two mycoplasmas.

scholarly journals Seasonality in hyperglycemic emergencies in a Health Facility in Sub-Saharan Africa: The roles of geographic location, infection, and knowledge of diabetes mellitus status

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-24
Author(s):  
Onyegbutulem Henry Chijioke ◽  
Ogochukwu Nwanne ◽  
David Samuel Olorunfemi ◽  
Sunny Chinenye
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Precipitating Factors ◽  
Diabetes Mellitus Status ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Two Peaks

Hyperglycemic emergencies (HEs) are acute complications of diabetes mellitus and they carry high morbidity and mortality. Studies have reported a seasonal pattern in the frequency of occurrence of both types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus and even Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. No such association has been suggested for HEs. The study was conducted at the Asokoro District Hospital, Located in Abuja, Nigeria to examine a seasonal pattern in the frequency of hyperglycemic emergencies. The initial observation of an obvious fluctuation in the number of admitted cases of hyperglycemic emergencies motivated this prospective study which ran for a period of six years. It involved collecting the relevant information using a questionnaire from all HEs patients admitted to the medical ward from the first of January, 2008 to the 31st of December, 2013. Required investigations were done. The precipitating factors for HEs were looked for. The number of cases per month was noted for each year. The Statistical package used for analysis was STATA version 11. Round the year Abuja Climatic changes were monitored on the website of the Nigerian Meteorological station. Four hundred and fifty-one (451) patients with hyperglycemic emergency were enrolled for this study. Most of the patients, (55%), were in the middle-age bracket. Fifty-six per cent (56%), were not previously known to be living with diabetes mellitus. Infections, particularly of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracks, were the commonest precipitating factors. Variation in the frequency of HEs was observed, with two peaks: one in April and a smaller peak in December. There is seasonal variation in the frequency of presentation of Hyperglycemic emergencies. This may have been influenced by exogenous factors such as geographic location, infection, and the fact that most of the patients never knew they had diabetes mellitus.

Solid Waste Generation and Management in Yobe State, Problems and Mitigations

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-76
Author(s):  
Gana, A. H.
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Local Level ◽  
The State ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
State Governments ◽  
Waste Generation ◽  
Sub Saharan

Waste management has been a serious topic of discussion among many countries (developed and developing) over the last few decades. People’s attitude towards uncontrollable waste generation and indiscriminate disposal of waste has increased recently, with these, some countries especially in Sub-Saharan-Africa have non-existent waste management policy and institution framework. In Nigeria local governments have the responsibility to manage waste at local level. During the study quantitative method was deployed, where questionnaire was administered to the respondents. 220 questionnaires were distributed across the state, 100 questionnaires were filled with (45%) return rate. About 93% of the respondents are male and 95% of the respondents have tertiary education. The results showed that most respondents are aware of waste management. 49% of the respondents dump their waste on roadsides and 63% believed that people’s attitudes towards waste disposal should change as it is unethical. The study advocates for a holistic strategy to mitigate indiscriminate generation and disposal of waste in the state. Governments and communities should work together in devising a means to improve waste management. Keywords:Waste, generation, disposal, problem, mitigation and management.

scholarly journals PO 8471 A SURVEY OF CURRENT CLINICAL DATA MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A41.3-A42
Author(s):  
Hanne Landuyt ◽  
Harry Van Loen ◽  
Bai L Dondeh ◽  
Badou M Gaye ◽  
Yven Van Herrewege
Keyword(s):  
Data Management ◽  
Clinical Data ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Personalised Feedback

BackgroundInformation on clinical data management (CDM) practices in clinical trials in sub-Saharan Africa is scarce. As part of ALERRT (the African coalition for Epidemic Research, Response and Training, an EDCTP-funded project) we want to gauge current CDM and ICT practices and identify possible gaps within different research institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. This information will be used to develop a scalable, GCP-compliant, robust CDM/ICT infrastructure suitable for resource-poor settings and response-ready in the event of an outbreak.MethodsAn online survey was designed to assess the experience of the participating sites with the various CDM processes, CDM documentation and facilities, the availability of dedicated staff and their experience with GCP. In addition, ICT features essential to CDM will be assessed. Lastly, information on the use of CDM software will be obtained. Respondents can request to receive personalised feedback (aimed to improve their CDM practices) based on their results. The survey, in English and French, will be sent out to 100 sites in sub-Saharan Africa. Sites with intermittent internet connections will receive an MS-Office Word-version of the survey.ResultsThe survey will be closed after a month. Personalised feedback (if requested) will be sent to the respondents. Descriptive analysis of the survey results will be done, and results will be used to design standard data management tools, tailored to the needs of research sites in sub-Saharan Africa and suitable for emergency research. Both results and tools will be disseminated to the scientific community.ConclusionThe results of this survey will provide relevant information on the current CDM and ICT practices in sub-Saharan Africa. Potential pitfalls will be identified and opportunities for improvement will be addressed. Furthermore, the survey will offer a chance to exchange ideas between African and European partners on how to implement good CDM and ICT practices.

scholarly journals Protocol for a scoping review of research on abortion in sub-Saharan Africa

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0254818
Author(s):  
Kenneth Juma ◽  
Ramatou Ouedraogo ◽  
Meggie Mwoka ◽  
Anthony Idowu Ajayi ◽  
Emmy Igonya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scoping Review ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Safe Abortion ◽  
Scoping Reviews ◽  
Ethical Approval ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Research Investments

Introduction Unsafe abortion is a leading cause of maternal mortality, and access to safe abortion services remains a public health priority in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A considerable amount of abortion research exists in the region; however, the spread of existing evidence is uneven such that some countries have an acute shortage of data with others over-researched. The imbalance reflects the complexities in prioritization among researchers, academics, and funders, and undeniably impedes effective policy and advocacy efforts. This scoping review aims to identify and map the landscape of abortion research in SSA, summarize existing knowledge, and pinpoint significant gaps, both substantive and geographic, requiring further investigation. This review will provide direction for future research, investments, and offer guidance for policy and programming on safe abortion. Materials and methods We utilize the Joanna Briggs Institute’s methodology for conducting scoping reviews. We will perform the search for articles in 8 electronic databases (i.e., PubMed, AJOL, Science Direct, SCOPUS, HINARI, Web of Knowledge, CINAHL, and WHO Regional Databases). We will include studies written in English or French language, produced or published between January 1, 2011, and July 31, 2021, and pertain directly to the subject of abortion in SSA. Using a tailored extraction frame, we will extract relevant information from publications that meet the inclusion criteria. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis in response to key review questions. Ethics and dissemination Formal ethical approval is not required, as no primary data will be collected. The findings of this study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

scholarly journals Hybrid Peacebuilding Approaches in Africa: Harnessing Complementary Parallels

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
MaryAnne Iwara
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
International Peacebuilding ◽  
Management Approaches ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Customary Practices

Many of the most pressing conflicts across sub-Saharan Africa today—including violent extremism, sexual and gender-based violence, pastoralist/farmer conflicts, and criminal banditry—are shaped by local, community-level drivers. Despite these local drivers, however, international peacebuilding approaches often ignore or neglect bottom-up, grassroots strategies for addressing them. Often, international efforts to contribute to the prevention and management of local conflicts depend heavily on large-scale, expensive, and external interventions like peacekeepers, while under-investing in or by-passing traditional/customary mechanisms and resources that uphold locally defined values of peace, tolerance, solidarity, and respect. Recognizing that these traditional and customary practices themselves sometimes have their own legacies of violence and inequality, this policy note emphasizes the possibility of combining aspects of traditional peacebuilding mechanisms with international conflict management approaches to harness the benefits of both.

scholarly journals Household-oriented benefits largely outweigh commercial benefits derived from cattle in Mabalane District, Mozambique

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanley Karanja Ng'ang'a ◽  
Cecilia Ritho ◽  
Mario Herrero ◽  
Simon Fraval
Keyword(s):  
Social Status ◽  
Capital Accumulation ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Social Prestige ◽  
Pastoral Households ◽  
Large Herd ◽  
Crop Harvest ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
High Social Status

In Sub-Saharan Africa, research aimed at improving household livelihoods through cattle often targets commercial benefits while neglecting household-oriented benefits. The latter are rarely articulated, and their comprehensive role in livelihoods is little understood by policymakers. The main aim of this study was to assess household-oriented benefits of cattle as a basis for formulating appropriate policies. Data were collected from 192 households selected through multistage random sampling in Mabalane District of Mozambique in 2009. The main objectives of cattle raising were identified and ranked in order of importance by using the analytical hierarchy procedure. The vast majority (98%) of households kept cattle primarily to derive various types of household-oriented benefits such as draft power, financing, insurance, saving, social status and bridewealth. Only 2% of households kept cattle mainly for commercial benefits. The households secured financing, insurance and saving primarily by capital accumulation through herd expansion, for example after a good crop harvest, using the profit to purchase a young calf, an ox or a heifer. Households reporting social prestige as an important objective for raising cattle were mainly those already with high social status. In Mabalane District, a large herd of cattle is considered evidence of one’s ability to manage communally owned resources. This suggests that the functions of draft power, financing, insurance and saving play important roles in the livelihoods of most of agro-pastoral households in Mozambique—arguably more important than meat and milk. The reliance on financing, insurance and saving benefits of cattle, as well as the low level of milk and meat marketing, could be explained by the low level of development within the district, exacerbated by the civil war that ended in the 1990s.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document