Typologie des exploitations agropastorales du terroir de la NEMA (Sénégal, West Africa)

Dans le terroir de la Néma, pour améliorer les rendements dans un contexte de baisse drastique des superficies cultivables et de la fertilité des sols, les agro-pasteurs ont recours à une gestion intégrée des productions agricoles et animales. Ainsi, suivant leur structure, les exploitations agricoles présentent des formes d’organisation diverses. Pour appréhender cette diversité, deux approches ont été utilisées: l’approche socio-économique (enquête) pour définir les caractéristiques des exploitations et l’approche agronomique visant à évaluer les ressources agricoles. Le traitement des données a permis de distinguer suivant la production et l’utilisation des résidus de récolte, deux groupes d’exploitations : celles qui produisent et utilisent, outre les autres résidus, les résidus de sorgho (A) et celles qui ne produisent et n’utilisent pas ces derniers (B); et suivant la taille, trois groupes d’exploitations: celles de grande taille (B1), de taille moyenne (A et B2) et de petite taille (B3). Si la production et l’épandage du fumier sont généralisés dans les groupes d’exploitations A, B1 et B2, ils sont peu développés dans les petites exploitations (B3). Et ce, du fait de l’absence ou de l’insuffisance du cheptel et de l’outillage agricole dans ces dernières, mais aussi de la faiblesse de la main d’oeuvre. La main d’oeuvre suivant les groupes d’exploitations est évaluée à 3,4 actifs agricoles dans le groupe B3 contre 6,4 ; 7,8 et 17 actifs agricoles respectivement pour les groupes d’exploitations B2, A et B1.Mots clés: Résidus de récolte, gestion intégrée, fertilité, fumier, unités agricole

Diversité du peuplement ligneux d’une forêt dense en zone sub-humide : Cas de la forêt de Sakété dans le sud-Bénin en Afrique de l’Ouest

Cette étude réalisée en zone sub-humide présente les caractéristiques du peuplement ligneux de la forêt classée de Sakété située au sud-Bénin. La méthode de collecte des données sur la végétation a combiné la méthode d’inventaire floristique et celle dite de relevés itinérants. Le cortège floristique du peuplement ligneux actuel de la forêt classée de Sakété est constitué de 123 espèces réparties en 95 genres et 41 familles. Les Euphorbiaceae, les Leguminosae (16 espèces chacune) et les Rubiaceae (13 espèces) sont les mieux représentées. Trois types de formations végétales ont été définis : une forêt dense humide semi-décidue à Trilepiseum madagascariensis et Dichapetalum crassifolium, une forêt inondable à Anthonotha crassifolia et Symphonia globulifera et une forêt marécageuse à Anthostema aubryanum et Alchornea cordifolia. La richesse spécifique varie de 10 à 22 espèces ; les indices de diversité de Shannon et l’équitabilité de Pielou varient respectivement de 2,4 à 3,8 bits et de 0,5 à 0,8. La densité du peuplement (80 à 200 individus/ha) est relativement faible et témoigne d’une exploitation anarchique. La surface terrière du peuplement a varié de 12,9 à 20,2 m²/ha. La végétation de cet écosystème forestier, encore riche en espèces, présente cependant des signes de dégradation.Mots clés: Inventaire floristique, forêt classée, végétation, gestion durabl

Legume seed production for sustainable seed supply and crop productivity: case of groundnut in Tanzania and Uganda

Improvingagriculturalproductivityandproductionisaprerequisite to sustain rural livelihoods in developing countries of sub-Saharan Africa SSA).Thisrequiresincreaseduseofqualityseedofimproved and well-adapted crop varieties. Legumes are particularly critical in ensuring food and nutritional securities of the majority of farming households. However, their productivity has been constrained because of limited availability of quality seed, jeopardizing henceforth food security and rural livelihoods. The lack of interest in productionoflegumeseedsbypotentialseedproducers,especially the private sector, is attributable to limited information on the cost and profitability of producing these seeds. Using primary data collectedfromTanzaniaandUganda,weanalyzedthecoststructureof improved groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) seed production to assess viability. We adopted cost-benefit analysis framework to evaluate different seed production models. Results showed that groundnutseedpricevariedbetween1and2US$kg−1 forcertified andqualitydeclaredseedandbetween2and3.5US$kg−1 forearly generationseed.Overall,upto50%increaseintotalseedproduction costsresultedinreduceddropinthegrossmarginearned.However, when production costs increased by 75–100%, the gross margin droppedbyabout18%and50%inTanzaniaandinUganda,respectively. These findings indicated that groundnut seed could be providedtofarmersinremotecommunitiesatanaffordablepricewhile still keeping seed producers profitably in business. Availing these seeds to smallholder producers is a major step in achieving food securityandnutritionalhealthindevelopingcountries inSSA

Performances laitiere et economique des vaches metisses (gir x borgou) complementees avec la dreche de sorgho au paturage a panicum maximum C1 dans le nord-Benin

Dans les pays en développement, la demande en lait et produits laitiers ne cesse de croître. Pour cela, une expérimentation a été menée à la Ferme d’Elevage d’Okpara (FEO) au Bénin pour évaluer l’effet de la complémentation à base de la drêche de sorgho sur les performances laitières et économiques des vaches allaitantes (Gir x Borgou). Cette étude a porté sur 21 femelles âgées de 6,33 ± 0,57 ans dont le numéro de lactation est égal à 2,33 ± 0,57. Ces animaux ont été répartis en trois lots homogènes (lot 1 ; lot 2 et lot 3) de 7 animaux chacun, recevant respectivement 0, 1 et 2 kg de complément. L’aliment de base de ces animaux était le Panicum maximum var. C1 du pâturage. Les performances laitières étaient suivies pendant 98 jours. Après l’analyse de variance (ANOVA) à un effet sur le logiciel Minitab 17, les valeurs moyennes ont été comparées par le test de Tukey. En moyenne, le lot 1 a produit 1,14 ± 0,44 kg de lait par jour (kg lait/jour) ; le lot 2, 2,03 ± 0,54 kg lait/jour et le lot 3, 3,00 ± 0,41 kg lait/jour. Ces données sont significativement différentes (P<0,05) d’un lot à un autre. Les efficacités alimentaires ont été respectivement de 2,11 ± 0,03 et 1,61 ± 0,02 chez les lots complémentés. En investissant 100 F CFA dans la complémentation avec la drêche de sorgho, l’éleveur gagne 190 F CFA et 406 F CFA respectivement au niveau des lots 2 et 3. L’utilisation de la drêche de sorgho dans l’alimentation des vaches métisses pour la production de lait est donc très bénéfique. Mots clés : Vaches métisses, pâturage, drêche de sorgho, performances, Nord-Bénin.  English Title:  Dairy and economic performance of mixed cows (gir x borgou) complemented with sorgho brewer’s on <i>Panicum maximum</i> C1 grazing in Northen Benin In developing countries, the demand for milk and dairy products continues to grow. For this, an experiment was carried out at the Okpara Farm (FEO) in Benin to assess the effect of complementation with dry sorghum brewer’s on the milk and economic  performance of suckler cows (Gir x Borgou ). This study involved 21 females aged 6.33 ± 0.57 years whose lactation number was 2.33 ± 0.57. These animals were divided into three homogeneous lots (lot 1; lot 2 and lot 3) of 7 animals each, receiving 0, 1 and 2 kg of supplement respectively. The staple food of these animals was Panicum maximum var. C1 of the pasture. Milk performance was monitored for 98 days. After an effect analysis of variance (ANOVA) on Minitab 17 software, the mean values were compared by the Tukey test. On average, lot 1 produced 1.14 ± 0.44 kg of milk per day (kg milk / day); lot 2, 2.03 ± 0.54 kg milk / day and lot 3, 3.00 ± 0.41 kg milk / day. These data are significantly different (P<0.05) from one batch to another. Food efficiencies were 2.11 ± 0.03 and 1.61 ± 0.02, respectively, in the complemented lots. By investing 100 FCFA in the complementation with sorghum brewer’s, the farmer earns 190 FCFA and 406 FCFA respectively in lots 2 and 3. The use of sorghum brewer’s in the feeding of mixed-breed cows for the production of milk is therefore very beneficial. Key words: Mixed cows, pasture, sorghum brewer’s, performances, North-Benin

Interactions between convection and a moist vortex associated with an extreme rainfall event over southern West Africa

An intense mesoscale convective system (MCS) in the Guinea Coast region caused one of the highest ever recorded daily rainfall amounts at the Nigerian station Abakaliki on 12 June 2016 (223.5 mm). This paper provides a detailed analysis of the meso- and synoptic-scale factors leading to this event, including some so far undocumented dynamical aspects for southern West Africa. The MCS formed over the Darfur Mountains due to diurnal heating, then moved southwestward along a mid- to lower-tropospheric trough, and developed into a classical West African squall line in a highly sheared environment with pronounced midlevel dryness. Strong moisture flux convergence over Nigeria prior to the MCS passage led to extreme values in precipitable water and was caused by the formation of a local, short-lived heat low. According to the pressure tendency equation, the latter resulted from tropospheric warming due to MCS-forced subsidence as well as surface insolation in the resulting almost cloud-free atmosphere. In this extremely moist environment, the MCS strongly intensified and initiated the formation of a lower-tropospheric vortex, which resulted in a deceleration of the MCS and high rainfall accumulation at Abakaliki. Following the vorticity equation, the vortex formation was realized through strong low-level vortex stretching and upper-level vertical vorticity advection related to the MCS, which became “dynamically large” compared to the Rossby radius of deformation. Eventually, moisture supply and lifting associated with the vortex are suggested to promote the longevity of the MCS during the subsequent westward movement along the Guinea Coast

Capacity building efforts for rabies diagnosis in resource-limited countries in Sub-Saharan Africa: a case report of the central veterinary laboratory in Benin (Parakou)

Rabies has been listed as a priority zoonotic disease in many African countries and the countdown to reach the goal of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030 means that disease control measures need to be applied fast. In this context, an essential pillar of any national plan to control rabies is the implementation of reliable diagnostic techniques to ensure the success of field surveillance systems. Although many African countries have received international support for the control of rabies-some countries, like Benin, have not received a similar level of support. Indeed, until 2018, Benin was not able to diagnose rabies and rabies diagnosis in animals as well as humans relied solely on observed clinical symptoms. Although the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL) of Parakou had the equipment to implement two recommended tests, the lack of specific reagents and skills prevented the implementation of a rabies diagnostic service. Here we present the joint efforts of the national authorities in Benin, intergovernmental agencies, and non-governmental organizations to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the government's rabies control efforts. We have applied the Stepwise Approach toward Rabies Elimination (SARE) analysis, implemented rabies diagnostic capacities at the CVL of Parakou, characterized strains of rabies virus circulating in Benin, and finally integrated an inter-laboratory comparison program

Estimating and Decomposing Groundnut Gender Yield Gap: Evidence from Rural Farming Households in Northern Nigeria

Poverty among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa has been associated with low agricultural productivity emanating from gender yield gaps among other factors. Using data collected from smallholder groundnut producers in Nigeria, we analyzed the gender yield gap by applying the exogenous switching regression (ESR) model and Oaxaca–Blinder (OB) decomposition framework. Results from the two complementary approaches showed a significant gender yield gap in favor of male headed households (MHHs). The main and significant source of the gap was differences in resources/endowments. We found that involving female headed households (FHHs) in prerequisite yield augmenting activities like technology validation trials, testing, and demonstrations is critical in closing the existing yield gap

A Business Case for Enhanced Investments in the Groundnut Value Chain in Tanzania

Apart from providing food, agriculture contributes to economic growth and the livelihoods of people in both urban and rural areas through trade. This study analyzes the business case for groundnut farmers and off-takers in Tanzania and beyond to identify opportunities for enhancements along the commodity value chain. A systematic sampling was used to collect data from 300 groundnut farmers in 11 districts across seven agro-ecological zones through individual interviews. Of the farmers interviewed, 240 were from Tropical Legumes (TL) III project intervention districts and 60 were from non-intervention districts. Also, 123 off-takers were purposively selected from commercial areas. Secondary data was obtained from literature and the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute at Naliendele. Descriptive statistics, probit regression model, cost-benefit analysis and economic efficiency model were used for data analysis. The empirical results showed that a total of 17 improved groundnut varieties have been released with their adoption rate among groundnut farmers being 35%. The adoption rate was found to be influenced by age and gender, farmer group membership, availability of improved seed and seed cost. Results further showed that only 25% of the groundnut produced annually is used for subsistence purposes while 75% is for commercial purpose. It was further revealed that a farmer is assured of gaining at least TZS 475,000/ha annually by way of groundnut farming. However, only 31% economic efficiency in grain production was noted among farmers, as this was influenced by their level of education, experience and group membership. Finally, it was observed that about 21 t of groundnut grain varieties similar to those available in Tanzania is imported from neighboring Malawi and Zambia