Assessing the Climate-Smartness of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP): What can we learn from Benin, Guinea, Niger, Togo and Chad projects?

This info note summarizes the findings from participatory assessments of the climate-smartness of World Bank funded West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP)”. This activity was implemented by CCAFS West Africa regional programme in partnership with CORAF under the Capacitating Stakeholders in Using Climate Information for Enhanced Resilience in the Agricultural Sector in West Africa (CaSCIERA-WA) project to strengthen the capacity of country stakeholders of WAAPP to mainstream and implement CSA in their activities in West Africa

Mise en place de la plateforme d’innovation des chaînes de valeur agricoles climato-intelligentes dans la région de Tillaberi au Niger

Pays sahélien, le Niger a un climat qui se caractérise par une grande variabilité interannuelle de la pluviométrie, se traduisant par des années sèches récurrentes depuis 1968 (PANA, 2006). Ces phénomènes qui s’expliquent en partie par le phénomène du changement climatique impactent négativement la production agricole, compromettant ainsi, les efforts de développement économique et social du pays. Cette situation est encore plus ressentie dans la région de Tillabéri, région la plus chaude du pays avec une pluviométrie moyenne annuelle ne dépassant guère 350 mm (PANA, 2006). L’analyse du profil des risques climatiques de la région fait ressortir que les principaux aléas sont la sécheresse, les inondations et les vents forts. Les conséquences de ces risques pour la région sont nombreuses. On peut citer entre autres, la dégradation des terres agricoles, pastorales et forestières, l’ensablement du fleuve Niger, l’ensablement des vallées et la prolifération des ennemis de cultures. Toutefois, il existe des potentialités de développement du secteur agricole à saisir dans un contexte de changement climatique à travers le développement d’une Agriculture Intelligente face au Climat (AIC). C’est dans cette optique et en réponse aux différents aléas, que plusieurs chaînes de valeur résilientes ont été identifiées lors d’un atelier regroupant les différents acteurs de développement de la région (Tougiani et al., 2020). Dans la perspective de création d’une plateforme d’innovation que les plus aptes à renforcer la résilience des populations face au changement climatique, ont été retenues. Il s’agit des chaînes de valeur mil, riz et valeur viande rouge. Le présent rapport est structuré en 7 parties essentielles

Projet UE-FIDA « Développement de chaînes de valeur et de paysages intelligents face au climat pour accroitre la résilience des moyens de subsistance en Afrique de l’Ouest » Rapport de l’atelier sur le développement de profil de risque climatique pour la région de Tillabéri, Niger

Du 9 au 11 Décembre 2020, s’est déroulé, au Niger, dans la salle de réunion de la Direction Régionale de l’Institut National de la Statistique de Tillabéri, l’atelier des acteurs régionaux pour le développement du profil de risque climatique de la région de Tillabéri. L’atelier a été organisé dans le cadre du projet de « développement de chaînes de valeur et paysage climato-intelligents pour accroitre la résilience des moyens de subsistance en Afrique de l’Ouest », financé par l’Union européenne (UE) et mis en œuvre par le projet « Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security » (CCAFS) au Mali, Niger et Sénégal en partenariat avec les instituts de recherches agricoles nationaux (INRAN, ICRISAT)

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Insecticidal effect of Jatropha curcas L. seed oil on Callosobruchus maculatus Fab and Bruchidius atrolineatus Pic (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) on stored cowpea seeds (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) in Niger

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Epidémie de la panachure jaune du riz: une contrainte biotique majeure de la production rizicole dans les périmètres irrigués du Niger: Rice yellow mottle epidemic: a major biotic constraint of rice production in the irrigated perimeters of Niger Republic

La panachure jaune du riz, causée par le Rice Yellow Mottle Virus (RYMV), est présente au Niger depuis plus de trois décennies, avec des pertes importantes de récoltes. Une réévaluation de cette maladie sur les périmètres irrigués a été faite pour estimer son incidence et les pertes de récoltes qu’elle engendre. L’étude a consisté à: (i) surveiller l’épidémie dans quelques périmètres rizicoles sur deux campagnes, (ii) calculer les pertes de production en grains enregistrées et (ii) caractériser quelques isolats du virus. Elle a révélé que la maladie est toujours présente dans les périmètres irrigués du pays. Son incidence moyenne est de 5 à 30%, en saison sèche et en saison humide, elle varie entre 5 et 70%, avec des niveaux d’infestation variables d’un périmètre à l’autre. Les pertes moyennes de production en grains enregistrées en champ paysan sont variables selon les sites et oscillent entre 27,17% et 63,26% en saison humide où lesdites pertes ont été plus importantes. Ces résultats montrent que l’épidémie de la panachure jaune du riz est toujours très fréquente au Niger et constitue une contrainte majeure de la production rizicole, dominée par la prévalence d’isolats de contournement de la résistance e et l’utilisation presque exclusive de deux principales variétés de riz que sont IR1529-680-3-1 et Kogoni91-1. The rice yellow mottle due to Rice Yellow Mottle Virus (RYMV) is present in Niger Republic for more than three decades, with significant crop losses. A reassessment of this disease on irrigated areas has been made, to estimate its incidence and the crop losses it causes. The study consisted of: (i) monitoring the epidemic in a few rice-growing perimeters over two seasons, (ii) calculating the recorded grains production losses and (ii) characterizing some isolates of the virus. It revealed that the disease is still present in the country's rice irrigated perimeters. Its average incidence is 5-30% in the dry season and in the wet season it varies between 5 and 70%, with varying levels of infestation depending on the perimeter. Average grains production losses recorded in the producer’s field vary from site to site and range from 27.17% to 63.26% in the wet season when these losses were greater. These results show that the Rice yellow mottling epidemic is still very frequent in Niger Republic and constitutes a major constraint of rice production, dominated by the prevalence of Resistance Breaking isolates (RB) and the almost exclusive use of two main rice varieties which are IR1529-680-3-1 and Kogoni91-1

Levels of soil pollution by pesticides in market gardening sites in the department of Madaoua, Niger

In Madaoua Department-Niger, market gardeners have adopted peasant practices of using pesticides that can pollute the soil. The objective of this study is to quantify pesticide residues in the soils of these market garden sites in order to highlight their level of pollution. Sixteen (16) composite soil samples, including five (5) in Galma, six (6) in Madaoua and five (5) in Sabon Guida were taken in the first twenty centimeters using an auger. The extraction and analysis of pesticide residues were carried out by the QuEChERS method. Residues of twenty-seven (27) pesticides belonging to eight (8) chemical families were quantified in soils at average concentrations ranging from 3.6 to 678 µg.kg-1. According to the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of pesticides fixed in the soil in the Netherlands, Canada, the United States and India, 44.44% of the quantified residues have average concentrations, which are 1.01 to 2194 times higher than MRLs in soils. Pesticides with average concentrations above their MRLs are: DDT (84.2-238 µg.kg-1), aldrin (9.6-20 µg.kg-1), dieldrin (3.6-5.67 µg.kg-1), alpha-endosulfan (126.4-227.7 µg.kg-1), beta-endosulfan (59.4-113.8 µg.kg-1), heptachlor (40.6-146.8 µg. kg-1), lindane (34.8-109.7 µg.kg-1), dicofol (54-86.8 µg.kg-1), chlorpyrifos methyl (164.8-278.6 µg.kg-1), pyrimifos methyl (144.4-277.2 µg.kg-1), profenofos (53.6-94.2 µg.kg-1) and malathion (193.4-304.5 µg.kg-1). The very high concentrations of lindane are worrying. Indeed, they exceed its MRL by 696 to 2194 times (0.05 µg.kg-1). Some pesticides such as DDT, aldrin, dieldrin, endosulfan, and lindane are even banned according to Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention for health or environmental reasons.  This study therefore revealed soil pollution by pesticide residues from the market garden sites investigate

Aflatoxin Contamination of Maize, Groundnut, and Sorghum Grown in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger and Aflatoxin Exposure Assessment

Aflatoxin contamination of staple crops by Aspergillus flavus and closely related fungi is common across the Sahel region of Africa. Aflatoxins in maize, groundnut, and sorghum collected at harvest or from farmers’ stores within two weeks of harvest from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger were quantified. Thereafter, aflatoxin exposure values were assessed using per capita consumption rates of those crops. Mean aflatoxin concentrations in maize were high, 128, 517, and 659 µg/kg in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, respectively. The estimated probable daily intake (PDI) of aflatoxins from maize ranged from 6 to 69, 29 to 432, and 310 to 2100 ng/kg bw/day in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, respectively. Similarly, mean aflatoxin concentrations in sorghum were high, 76 and 259 µg/kg in Mali and Niger, respectively, with an estimated PDI of 2–133 and 706–2221. For groundnut, mean aflatoxin concentrations were 115, 277, and 628 µg/kg in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, respectively. Aflatoxin exposure values were high with an estimated 9, 28, and 126 liver cancer cases/100,000 persons/year in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, respectively. Several samples were extremely unsafe, exceeding manyfold regulatory levels of diverse countries (up to 2000 times more). Urgent attention is needed across the Sahel for integrated aflatoxin management for public health protection, food and nutrition security, and access to trade opportunities