Using climate analogue tools to explore and build smallholder farmer capacity for climate smart agriculture

Background: The phenomenon of climate change (CC) and its attendant challenges in agriculture have been widely document. Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) focuses on sustainable agriculture intensification for food sovereignty through the adoption of mitigation and adaptation practices. Agriculture provides the livelihood for 70% of rural poor in the developing world, so building farmer capacity in CSA is imperative for food security. Studies show that transformative change must be bottom-up – integrating scientific and ethical dimensions, using participatory research approaches that employ simple comprehensive tools for building participants’ capacity to adapt. Methods: The study uses the “Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security” (CCAFS) climate analogue and weather forecasting tools. These participatory learning tools allow participants to interrogate and explore their own geographical and climatic histories and to draw conclusions on climate variability. This study examined smallholder farmers’ understanding of CC and their resilience to it. The study consisted of 5 stages – selection of tools, planning and training of teams, meetings with community leaders and community members to select participants, focus group discussions, modelling sessions and community dissemination meetings. Results: Participants showed awareness of CC, explained in terms of rainfall variability, decreasing rainforest, increasing temperature and excessively long hot days. Farmers illustrated gendered perception of past and present landscapes, time use, past seasonal trends, vulnerabilities and access to key resources. They also observed that natural resources were declining, while population and social infrastructure increased. Participants modelled the shift in seasons and projected possible future scenarios. Finally, participants were willing to adopt climate smart agronomic practices. Conclusions: After establishing that farmers are aware of CC, follow-on-studies addressing the impediments to adaptation and provision of necessary tools and resources to facilitate adaptation must be carried out. This study can also be replicated among a larger smallholder population for increased capacity to practice CSA

Molecular Epidemiology of Anthrax Cases Associated with Recreational Use of Animal Hides and Yarn in the United States

To determine potential links between the clinical isolate to animal products and their geographic origin, we genotyped (MLVA-8, MVLA-15, and canSNP analysis) 80 environmental and 12 clinical isolates and 2 clinical specimens from five cases of anthrax (California in 1976 [n = 1], New York in 2006 [n = 1], Connecticut in 2007 [n = 2], and New Hampshire in 2009[n = 1]) resulting from recreational handling of animal products. For the California case, four clinical isolates were identified as MLVA-8 genotype (GT) 76 and in the canSNP A.Br.Vollum lineage, which is consistent with the Pakistani origin of the yarn. Twenty eight of the California isolates were in the A.Br.Vollum canSNP lineage and one isolate was in the A.Br. 003/004 canSNP sub-group. All 52 isolates and both clinical specimens related to the New York and Connecticut cases were MLVA-8 GT 1. The animal products associated with the NY and CT cases were believed to originate from West Africa, but no isolates from this region are available to be genotyped for comparison. All isolates associated with the New Hampshire case were identical and had a new genotype (GT 149). Isolates from the NY, CT and NH cases diverge from the established canSNP phylogeny near the base of the A.Br.011/009. This report illustrates the power of the current genotyping methods and the dramatically different epidemiological conditions that can lead to infections (i.e., contamination by a single genotype versus widespread contamination of numerous genotypes). These cases illustrate the need to acquire and genotype global isolates so that accurate assignments can be made about isolate origins

Global prevalence and genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus infection in 2015 : A modelling study

Publisher Copyright: © 2017 Elsevier LtdBackground The 69th World Health Assembly approved the Global Health Sector Strategy to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection by 2030, which can become a reality with the recent launch of direct acting antiviral therapies. Reliable disease burden estimates are required for national strategies. This analysis estimates the global prevalence of viraemic HCV at the end of 2015, an update of—and expansion on—the 2014 analysis, which reported 80 million (95% CI 64–103) viraemic infections in 2013. Methods We developed country-level disease burden models following a systematic review of HCV prevalence (number of studies, n=6754) and genotype (n=11 342) studies published after 2013. A Delphi process was used to gain country expert consensus and validate inputs. Published estimates alone were used for countries where expert panel meetings could not be scheduled. Global prevalence was estimated using regional averages for countries without data. Findings Models were built for 100 countries, 59 of which were approved by country experts, with the remaining 41 estimated using published data alone. The remaining countries had insufficient data to create a model. The global prevalence of viraemic HCV is estimated to be 1·0% (95% uncertainty interval 0·8–1·1) in 2015, corresponding to 71·1 million (62·5–79·4) viraemic infections. Genotypes 1 and 3 were the most common cause of infections (44% and 25%, respectively). Interpretation The global estimate of viraemic infections is lower than previous estimates, largely due to more recent (lower) prevalence estimates in Africa. Additionally, increased mortality due to liver-related causes and an ageing population may have contributed to a reduction in infections. Funding John C Martin Foundation.publishersversionPeer reviewe

The cost of balanced diets at the household level

No Abstract. Journal of the Ghana Science Association Vol. 1 (1) 1999: pp.57-6

The Zinc, Calcium, Copper, Manganese, Nonstarch Polysaccharide and Phytate Content of Seventy-Eight Locally Grown and Prepared African Foods

Suboptimal mineral nutrition may be prevalent in Africa; however, research is limited by the absence of reliable data on the mineral, dietary fiber and phytate content of local foods. For this reason, 75 Ghanaian foods and 3 Malawian cereal flours were analyzed for Zn, Ca, Cu, and Mn by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, nonstarch polysaccharide (NSP) was analyzed by the Englyst method, and phytic acid was analyzed using ion-exchange procedures; some foods were analyzed using the HPLC method. On a fresh weight basis (mg/100 g FW), legumes and animal products had the highest mineral content ranging from 1.2 to 8.5 (Zn), 49 to 4638 (Ca), 0.15 to 1.49 (Cu) and 0.06 to 2.67 (Mn), for animal products; and from 0.4 to 6.0 (Zn), 10 to 442 (Ca), 0.08 to 1.47 (Cu), and 0.28 to 14.12 (Mn) for legumes. In contrast, cereals had the lowest Ca and Cu content, ranging from 1.3 to 16 and from 0.01 to 0.19 (mg/100 g FW), respectively; roots, tubers, plantain, and vegetables had the lowest Zn content (0.1-0.9 mg/100 g FW). The NSP content of groundnuts and bean cakes (mg/ 100 g FW), and the phytate content of cereals and legumes (g/100 g FW) were higher than those of other plant foods (for NSP, 5.8-6.3 vs 0.2-4.6 for other plant foods; and for phytate, 66-279 for cereals; and 118-339 for legumes vs 0-118 for other plant foods). For cereal flours, over 90% of the inositol phosphates were inositol hexa- and pentaphosphates, compared to less than 65% in the fermented cereal products. The molar ratios of phytate:Zn (P:Z) of the cereal staples and most of the starchy staples were similar despite the higher phytate content of the former (8:34; for cereals vs 4:24 for cassava products and yams). Hence, decreasing the proportion of cereals to starchy staples would probably not improve the bioavailability of Zn. However, the addition of groundnuts, fermented locust bean seeds (dawadawa), or fermented kapok seeds (kangtong) to soups and stews, and the use of small fish would increase the mineral content of these dishes. © 1993 Academic Press. All rights reserved

The Zinc, Calcium, Copper, Manganese, Nonstarch Polysaccharide and Phytate Content of Seventy-Eight Locally Grown and Prepared African Foods

Suboptimal mineral nutrition may be prevalent in Africa; however, research is limited by the absence of reliable data on the mineral, dietary fiber and phytate content of local foods. For this reason, 75 Ghanaian foods and 3 Malawian cereal flours were analyzed for Zn, Ca, Cu, and Mn by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, nonstarch polysaccharide (NSP) was analyzed by the Englyst method, and phytic acid was analyzed using ion-exchange procedures; some foods were analyzed using the HPLC method. On a fresh weight basis (mg/100 g FW), legumes and animal products had the highest mineral content ranging from 1.2 to 8.5 (Zn), 49 to 4638 (Ca), 0.15 to 1.49 (Cu) and 0.06 to 2.67 (Mn), for animal products; and from 0.4 to 6.0 (Zn), 10 to 442 (Ca), 0.08 to 1.47 (Cu), and 0.28 to 14.12 (Mn) for legumes. In contrast, cereals had the lowest Ca and Cu content, ranging from 1.3 to 16 and from 0.01 to 0.19 (mg/100 g FW), respectively; roots, tubers, plantain, and vegetables had the lowest Zn content (0.1-0.9 mg/100 g FW). The NSP content of groundnuts and bean cakes (mg/ 100 g FW), and the phytate content of cereals and legumes (g/100 g FW) were higher than those of other plant foods (for NSP, 5.8-6.3 vs 0.2-4.6 for other plant foods; and for phytate, 66-279 for cereals; and 118-339 for legumes vs 0-118 for other plant foods). For cereal flours, over 90% of the inositol phosphates were inositol hexa- and pentaphosphates, compared to less than 65% in the fermented cereal products. The molar ratios of phytate:Zn (P:Z) of the cereal staples and most of the starchy staples were similar despite the higher phytate content of the former (8:34; for cereals vs 4:24 for cassava products and yams). Hence, decreasing the proportion of cereals to starchy staples would probably not improve the bioavailability of Zn. However, the addition of groundnuts, fermented locust bean seeds (dawadawa), or fermented kapok seeds (kangtong) to soups and stews, and the use of small fish would increase the mineral content of these dishes. © 1993 Academic Press. All rights reserved

Electronic Learning and Open Educational Resources in the Health Sciences in Ghana

Objectives: To determine whether a group of Ghanaian students are able to easily use electronic learning material and whether they perceive this method of learning as ac-ceptable.Setting: The University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS) and the School of Medical Sciences (SMS), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)Participants: One hundred and fifty third year medical students at SMS and nineteen fifth year medical students at UGMSMethods: Two e-learning materials were developed, one on the polymerase chain reaction and the other on total abdominal hysterectomy and these were distributed to selected medical students. Two weeks after the distribu-tion of the programmes, a one-page, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to the target groups of stu-dents at the two institutions.Results: Ninety three percent (139) of respondents at KNUST and 95% (18) at UG report having access to a computer for learning purposes. All of the UG students viewed the TAH programme; 82% (130) of the KNUST students viewed the PCR animations. All students who viewed the programmes at both institutions indicated that the e-learning pro-grammes were “more effective” in comparison to other methods of learning.Conclusion: Computer ownership or availability at both medical schools is sufficient to permit the distribution and viewing of e-learning materials by students and the medical students considered both programmes to be very helpful