Livelihood profiles and adaptive capacity to manage food insecurity in pastoral communities in the central cattle corridor of Uganda

Adaptive capacity is the capabilities, resources and institutions of a country or region to implement effective adaptation measures. This article aims to highlight pastoral communities’ differential adaptive capacity to buffer household food insecurity. We use mixed methods including case households and key informants to provide qualitative data on determinants of adaptive capacity. Subsequently cluster analysis is applied to combine survey data from respondent households on the basis of the livelihood capitals. Three distinct, heterogeneous livelihood profiles are identified. The Minimally-endowed face uncertain access to livelihood capitals; Large-herd Landlords are endowed with physical and financial capital – ownership of land and large numbers of livestock; while the Land-rich are endowed with natural capital – access to large sizes of land. This denotes different types of adaptive capacity and underscores the need for agricultural extension, technology transfer and other interventions to be differentiated based on the variance in adaptive capacity and challenges of the existing heterogeneous livelihood clusters. We argue that if such differences are not first identified, development strategies including those of agricultural extension could fail in their attempts to ensure sustainable household food security. Rather than being a homogenous community, pastoralists in the central cattle corridor of Uganda belong to three heterogeneous livelihood profile clusters. Each cluster is differentially endowed with livelihood capitals which denote different types of adaptive capacity. As an empirical study done at household level, this work contributes insights that can be considered in designing and undertaking studies of other rural communities, prior to planning and execution of interventions

Sero-prevalence and risk factors associated with occurrence of anti-Brucella antibodies among slaughterhouse workers in Uganda

Introduction Brucellosis is a febrile zoonosis occurring among high-risk groups such as livestock keepers and abattoir workers and is a public health priority in Uganda. The technical complexities of bacteriological and molecular methods make serological approaches the cornerstone of diagnosis of human brucellosis in resource limited settings. Therefore, proper application and interpretation of serological tests is central to achieve a correct diagnosis. Materials and methods We conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the seroprevalence and factors associated with anti-Brucella antibodies among slaughterhouse workers processing ruminants and pigs in three regions of the country with serial testing using a combination of the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and the BrucellaCapt test. An authorized clinician collected 543 blood samples from consenting abattoir workers as well as attribute medical and social demographic data. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine factors associated with anti-Brucella sero-positivity. Results and discussion The sero-prevalence among ruminant slaughterhouse workers ranged from 7.3% (95% CI: 4.8–10.7) using BrucellaCapt to 9.0% (95% CI: 6.3–12.7) using RBT. Slaughterhouse workers from the Eastern regions (AOR = 9.84, 95%CI 2.27–69.2, p = 0.006) and those who graze animals for alternative income (AOR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.91–6.63, p = 0.040) were at a higher risk of exposure to Brucella. Similarly, those who wore Personal Protective Equipment (AOR = 4.83, 95%CI:1.63–18.0, p = 0.009) and those who slaughter cattle (AOR = 2.12, 95%CI: 1.25–6.0, p = 0.006) were at a higher risk of exposure to Brucella. Those who slaughter small ruminants (AOR = 1.54, 95%CI: 1.32–4.01, p = 0.048) were also at a higher risk of exposure to Brucella. Conclusions and recommendations Our study demonstrates the combined practical application of the RBT and BrucellaCapt in the diagnosis of human brucellosis in endemic settings. Both pharmaceutical (e.g., routine testing and timely therapeutic intervention), and non-pharmaceutical (e.g., higher index of suspicion of brucellosis when investigating fevers of unknown origin and observation of strict abattoir hygiene) countermeasures should be considered for control of the disease in high-risk groups

Occurrence of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Serotypes in Uganda and Tanzania (2003 to 2015): A Review and Implications for Prospective Regional Disease Control

This research article published by the Journal of Agricultural Science, 2020Endemic foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) presents a global economic challenge to the livestock industry. The progressive control pathway for FMD (PCP-FMD) specifies successive steps through which a country/region can reduce FMD virus circulation and impact. These steps are reliant on understanding and obtaining knowledge on FMD epidemiology, to inform development of appropriate disease interventions like vaccination and quarantine programs. Currently, Uganda and Tanzania are in the early stages of the PCP-FMD. This review was undertaken to determine FMDV serotype distribution in Uganda and Tanzania between 2003 and 2015. The paper also presents the vaccine strains used in both countries for the same period viz avis the circulating topotypes. The review highlights four (O, A, SAT 1 and SAT 2) and five (O, A, SAT 1, SAT 2 and SAT 3) serotypes that occurred in Uganda and Tanzania respectively in the thirteen year period. Observations revealed that reported circulating serotypes O and A in the two countries belonged to similar topotypes, East African 2 (EA-2) and AFRICA respectively. The SAT 1 viruses in Tanzania belonged to topotype I and differed from the Ugandan SAT 1s that belonged to topotype IV. Similarly, the SAT 2s in both countries belonged to different topotypes: IV in Tanzania and I in Uganda. This review additionally, underscores the spatial distribution of FMDV serotypes in Uganda and Tanzania and highlights regions in both countries that had high serotype diversity. The paper recommends definitive disease diagnoses, molecular serotype characterisation and matched vaccination deployment for improved disease control

A gentle push towards improved hygiene and food safety through ‘nudge’ interventions

Most of the perishable food in low- and middle-income countries is sold in informal markets where food handlers are not usually trained in good hygienic practices. There are different approaches to improve food safety in those markets, some of which include capacity building. However, one-off trainings are not usually sustainable as behaviours are deeply rooted and often lead to unconscious practices that can increase risk of food contamination. Close follow-up is intense in terms of human and financial resources. Nudges have been described to influence behaviour with varying results, partly depending on whether they have been imposed on or co-created with the end-users. In this study we describe the human-centred-design process from identifying critical control points between slaughter and retail to co-creating nudges that could potentially lead to better compliance of meat handlers in Uganda with good hygienic practices. Three of the WHO “Five Keys To Safer Food” were selected as the target behaviours to improve. The qualitative research was implemented in the greater Kampala area between October 2020 to December 2021 and involved 119 meat handlers, pork joint customers, food safety and veterinary technical experts and over 20 project stakeholders. Findings from the initial ‘explore’ phase generated a number of insights on meat handlers’ perceptions and attitudes that were later used to generate ideas and solutions in cocreating nudges during the ‘experiment’ phase: 1) Meat handlers eat the pork they handle at work and have low risk perception; 2) Meat handlers feel their practices are acceptable; 3) Meat handlers see ‘broken windows’ which set the norm for unhygienic behaviour; 4) Meat handlers follow the path of least resistance; 5) Meat handlers keep up appearances for customers; and 6) Owners want to see returns on hygienic investments. Fourty-two early prototypes were co-created with potential end users and after several iterations, two nudge kits emerged, e.g. the “Keep Clean Loop” and the “Tricolour Kitchen”. In a subsequent pilot test we assessed if the nudges help reducing the burden of foodborne pathogens and if behaviour of meat handlers changes sustainably

Sero-prevalence and risk factors associated with occurrence of anti-Brucella antibodies among slaughterhouse workers in Uganda.

INTRODUCTION Brucellosis is a febrile zoonosis occurring among high-risk groups such as livestock keepers and abattoir workers and is a public health priority in Uganda. The technical complexities of bacteriological and molecular methods make serological approaches the cornerstone of diagnosis of human brucellosis in resource limited settings. Therefore, proper application and interpretation of serological tests is central to achieve a correct diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the seroprevalence and factors associated with anti-Brucella antibodies among slaughterhouse workers processing ruminants and pigs in three regions of the country with serial testing using a combination of the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and the BrucellaCapt test. An authorized clinician collected 543 blood samples from consenting abattoir workers as well as attribute medical and social demographic data. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine factors associated with anti-Brucella sero-positivity. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The sero-prevalence among ruminant slaughterhouse workers ranged from 7.3% (95% CI: 4.8-10.7) using BrucellaCapt to 9.0% (95% CI: 6.3-12.7) using RBT. Slaughterhouse workers from the Eastern regions (AOR = 9.84, 95%CI 2.27-69.2, p = 0.006) and those who graze animals for alternative income (AOR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.91-6.63, p = 0.040) were at a higher risk of exposure to Brucella. Similarly, those who wore Personal Protective Equipment (AOR = 4.83, 95%CI:1.63-18.0, p = 0.009) and those who slaughter cattle (AOR = 2.12, 95%CI: 1.25-6.0, p = 0.006) were at a higher risk of exposure to Brucella. Those who slaughter small ruminants (AOR = 1.54, 95%CI: 1.32-4.01, p = 0.048) were also at a higher risk of exposure to Brucella. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Our study demonstrates the combined practical application of the RBT and BrucellaCapt in the diagnosis of human brucellosis in endemic settings. Both pharmaceutical (e.g., routine testing and timely therapeutic intervention), and non-pharmaceutical (e.g., higher index of suspicion of brucellosis when investigating fevers of unknown origin and observation of strict abattoir hygiene) countermeasures should be considered for control of the disease in high-risk groups