La participation des producteurs au conseil agricole : Determinants et leçons apprises dans le departement de l’Atlantique au Benin

Au Bénin, le conseil agricole constitue un volet important de la politique agricole et participe à l’apprentissage des exploitants agricoles. La présente étude analyse les déterminants et les leçons apprises de la participation des producteurs au conseil agricole dans le département de l’Atlantique au Bénin. A cet effet, des données qualitatives et quantitatives ont été collectées à l’aide de guides d’entretien et de questionnaire auprès d’un échantillon aléatoire de 180 producteurs. L’analyse économétrique a montré que la participation au conseil agricole est déterminée par des facteurs intrinsèques aux producteurs, notamment l’appartenance à un groupement de producteurs ; l’accès aux institutions de microfinance ; la perception sur l’obtention des avantages en adhérant au conseil ; et le niveau d’instruction des exploitants agricoles. L’analyse qualitative, qui a servi de fil conducteur à l’analyse quantitative, met en exergue deux facteurs clés limitant l’accès des producteurs. Il s’agit de l’orientation du conseil agricole vers les exploitations agricoles les plus modernisées et la spécialisation et individualisation du conseil agricole. Cette étude apporte des orientations sur lesréflexions relatives à l’adéquation et l’adaptation du conseil agricole aux réalités socio-économiques de l’Afrique Subsaharienne. Ces orientations sont importantes pour une amélioration de la stratégie de mise en œuvre du conseil agricole dans un environnement de politique agricole en pleine mutation. Mots-clés : Vulgarisation agricole, Conseil agricole, Exploitants agricoles, Déterminants, Bénin.   English title: Farmers’ participation to agricultural advisory: drivers and lessons learnt in Atlantic department in Benin Agricultural advisory is an important part of learning and agricultural policies in Benin. This study analyses the determinants and lessons learned from the participation of farmers to agricultural advisory in the ‘Atlantique’ department of Benin. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected using semi-structured and structure interviews with a random sample of 180 farmers. The econometricanalysis highlights intrinsic factors affecting positively farmers’ participation, namely being membership of farmers’ organisations; access to microfinance institutions; perceiving a benefit in participating to; and the level of education. The qualitative analysis on perception highlights two key limiting farmers’ participation: the orientation of the agricultural advisory towards the most modernized farms; and the individualization and too specialization of the agricultural advisory. This study provides new ideas for improving the strategy for implementing agricultural advisory in a changing agricultural policy environment. These reflections will also contribute to enrich the debate on the adequacy and adaptation of agricultural advisory to the socio-economic realities of Sub-Saharan Africa. Keywords: Agricultural extension; Agricultural advisory; farmers; Determinants; Beni

Parasitoses digestives chez le jeune enfant en milieu extra-hospitalier tropical

Une étude copro-parasitologique est effectuée, dans un village du Sud-Togo, chez des enfants de 6 mois à 3 ans faisant l'objet d'un suivi nutritionnel. Ce travail montre que 42,5 % des enfants sont porteurs de parasites et 12,1 % polyparasités. Les parasites les plus fréquents sont : Giardia (21 %), Ankylostome (13 %) et Ascaris (12,5 %). Le parasitisme et le polyparasitisme s'observent respectivement à partir de 9 mois et 18 mois et leurs fréquences augmentent avec l'âge. En revanche, la fréquence des selles diarrhéiques décroît avec l'âge et aucun parasite ne semble directement et exclusivement à l'origine de ces diarrhées. La répartition des parasites et des selles diarrhéiques est indépendante du sexe. Aucune relation n'a été mise en évidence entre l'état nutritionnel et la fréquence des parasites et des selles diarrhéiques. Après traitement, les taux de réinfestation sont élevés pour Ankylostome (65 %), Tricocéphale (50 %) et Giardia (34,2 %). (Résumé d'auteur

Iron deficiency, cell-mediated immunity and infection among 6-36 month old children living in rural Togo

Relationships between iron deficiency, cell-mediated immunity (CMI) and morbidity were studied in 220 children in rural south Togo. Iron deficiency was defined by abnormal values of at least two biochemical indicators of iron status viz. (i) plasmat ferritin, (ii) transferrin saturation, (iii) erythrocyte protophorphyrin. In children without any sign of inflammation, the percentage of B lymphocytes was higher in iron-deficient than in iron-sufficient children (26.7 +/- 2.9 vs 18 +/- 1.5). Mature T lymphocyte and helper-inducer T lymphocyte percentages were lower (51.6 +/- 3.7 vs 62.2 +/- 1.6 and 32.5 +/- 2.4 vs 38.7 +/- 1.4, p <0.05 respectively). The number of mature T and helper-inducer T lympphocytes was inversely related to iron status. No alteration of the CMI function assessed by delayed skin hypersensitivity was observed. Prevalence of diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infections and febrile episodes was increased in iron-deficient children. (Résumé d'auteur

Early Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on Immunization Services in Nigeria

Background: By 11 March 2022, there were 450,229,635 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases and 6,019,085 deaths globally, with Nigeria reporting 254,637 cases and 3142 deaths. One of the essential healthcare services that have been impacted by the pandemic is routine childhood immunization. According to the 2018 National Demographic and Health Survey, only 31% of children aged 12–23 months were fully vaccinated in Nigeria, and 19% of eligible children in the country had not received any vaccination. A further decline in coverage due to the pandemic can significantly increase the risk of vaccine-preventable-disease outbreaks among children in Nigeria. To mitigate such an occurrence, it is imperative to urgently identify how the pandemic and the response strategies have affected vaccination services, hence, the goal of the study. Methods: The research method was qualitative, including in-depth interviews of healthcare workers and focus group discussions (FGDs) with caregivers of children aged 0–23 months. We selected one state from each of the three zones of Nigeria: northern, central, and southern. Within each state, 10 local government areas and 20 healthcare facilities were purposively selected. In each facility, 10 healthcare workers were invited for interviews. Overall, 517 healthcare workers were interviewed. For the focus group discussion, 30 communities were selected. Within each selected community, six consenting caregivers were included. Overall, 180 caregivers participated. The data were analyzed using thematic inductive content analysis. Results: Three significant impacts that were observed are: difficulties in accessibility to immunization services, declining immunization demand and uptake among caregivers due to varying factors, and erosion of vaccine confidence among both caregivers and healthcare workers. Movement restriction and lockdown had numerous major impacts, such as decreased general healthcare service delivery, increased transportation costs, fewer engagements that promote vaccine uptake, and cessation of mobile vaccination campaigns that target hard-to-reach communities. Moreover, misinformation, conspiracy beliefs about the pandemic and COVID-19 vaccines, and risk perception negatively influenced general vaccine confidence. Conclusion: The results of this early impact study show that immunization was directly affected by the pandemic and provide insights into areas where interventions are needed for recovery

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Lassa Seropositivity in Inhabitants of the Forest Region of Guinea: A Cross-Sectional Study

Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever endemic in West Africa, mainly transmitted to humans by multimammate rats. Several modes of virus transmission are suspected: aerosolisation of the virus, contact with infected rodent excreta, and consumption of rodent meat. Person-to-person transmission also occurs via contact with body fluids of infected persons (blood, urine) and is responsible for numerous outbreaks, mostly in healthcare facilities. Our objective was to precisely describe risk factors for Lassa fever in both rural and urban communities of forest Guinea. For each participant, a standardized questionnaire was completed and a blood sample tested for Lassa virus antibodies. A total of 1424 subjects were interviewed and 977 blood samples tested. The prevalence of Lassa virus antibodies was estimated at 12.9% and 10.0% in rural and urban areas, respectively. The two risk factors were: to have, in the past twelve months, undergone an injection, or lived with someone displaying a haemorrhage. Contrary to our expectation, no factors related to contact with rodents were identified. It is still probable that transmission occurs via indirect contact between rodents and humans in households, but our results highlight the importance of person-to-person transmission via close contact and nosocomial exposure

Malaria infection and disease in an area with pyrethroid-resistant vectors in southern Benin

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study aimed to investigate baseline data on malaria before the evaluation of new vector control strategies in an area of pyrethroid-resistance of vectors. The burden of malaria was estimated in terms of infection (prevalence and parasite density) and of clinical episodes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Between December 2007 and December 2008 in the health district of Ouidah - Kpomassè - Tori Bossito (southern Benin), a descriptive epidemiological survey of malaria was conducted. From 28 selected villages, seven were randomized from which a total of 440 children aged 0 to 5 years were randomly selected. Clinical and parasitological information was obtained by active case detection of malaria episodes carried out during eight periods of six consecutive days scheduled at six weekly intervals and by cross-sectional surveys of asymptomatic infection. Entomological information was also collected. The ownership, the use and the correct use of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) were checked over weekly-survey by unannounced visits at home in the late evening.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mean parasite density in asymptomatic children was 586 <it>P. falciparum </it>asexual forms per μL of blood (95%CI 504-680). Pyrogenic parasite cut-off was estimated 2,000 <it>P. falciparum </it>asexual blood forms per μL. The clinical incidence of malaria was 1.5 episodes per child per year (95%CI 1.2-1.9). Parasitological and clinical variables did not vary with season. <it>Anopheles gambiae </it><it>s.l</it>. was the principal vector closely followed by <it>Anopheles funestus</it>. Entomological inoculation rate was 5.3 (95%CI 1.1-25.9) infective bites per human per year. Frequency of the L1014F <it>kdr </it>(West) allele was around 50%. Annual prevalence rate of <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>asymptomatic infection was 21.8% (95%CI 19.1-24.4) and increased according to age. Mean rates of ownership and use of LLINs were 92% and 70% respectively. The only correct use of LLINs (63%) conferred 26% individual protection against only infection (OR = 0.74 (95%IC 0.62-0.87), p = 0.005).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The health district of Ouidah-Kpomassè-Tori Bossito is a mesoendemic area with a moderate level of pyrethroid-resistance of vectors. The used LLINs rate was high and only the correct use of LLINs was found to reduce malaria infection without influencing malaria morbidity.</p