Status of Cassava (Manihot Esculenta Crantz) in Côte d’Ivoire: From Production to Consumption and Evaluation of Technology Adoption

The current state of cassava production and technology level as well as commercialization and consumption aspects were studied in Côte d’Ivoire. The study involved a sample of 570 actors of the value chain randomly selected in three (3) agro ecological regions (south, west and centre). Using a baseline survey questionnaire, 150 producers, 195 transformers and 195 consumers were interviewed. Results showed that farmers and consumers households are in majority led by men (80 and 61%) while transformers households are led by women (81%). Concerning the level of adoption of cassava technologies, it was found that about 35% of cassava growers are aware about the new cassava varieties and more than 80% agreed to use them. The analysis performed in agro ecological regions revealed that traditional varieties are preferred (40 % to 90 %) to improved varieties. Improved varieties, Bocou 1 (10.67%), TMS4 (2)1425 (0.67%) and Bocou 2 (0.67%) are less preferred for cultivation in spite of high yields, food processing or taste qualities, respectively mentioned by farmers. More than 50 % of farmers agreed to adopt the Rapid Seed Multiplication technique. Contrary to the localities of Man (West) and Bonoua (South) where pounded cassava is more consumed (89.29% and 66%), dehydrated cassava (Attieke) food is the most consumed in other localities surveyed. In spite of the high yield of improved varieties and the desire of cassava growers to adopt new cassava technologies, research and extension services should be reinforced taking into account agro ecological specificities of production, commercialization and consumption

Impact of Swollen Shoot Disease on the Livelihoods of Smallholder Cocoa farmers in Côte d'Ivoire

The Cocoa Swollen Shoot Disease (CSSD) due to badnavirus species is endemic in West Africa and caused significant and irreversible economy losses for smallholder cocoa farmers in infected areas in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. The impact of the disease on the small farmers livelihoods has been investigated at cocoa farm households level in Côte d‘Ivoire. For that,  the propensity score matching method was used to construct a counterfactual and to compair group capturing the situation of affected households before the disease occuring on  their plantation, based on the observable characteristics of non affected households. A total of 800 cocoa farmers were randomly interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results shown significant differences of expenditures for children's schooling and health of household’s with plantations infected by the disease compared to non affected. It was also found that households with swollen shoot in their cocoa plantation use less modern health services and invest less in children's education

Impact of Swollen Shoot Disease on the Livelihoods of Smallholder Cocoa farmers in Côte d'Ivoire

The Cocoa Swollen Shoot Disease (CSSD) due to badnavirus species is endemic in West Africa and caused significant and irreversible economy losses for smallholder cocoa farmers in infected areas in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. The impact of the disease on the small farmers livelihoods has been investigated at cocoa farm households level in Côte d‘Ivoire. For that,  the propensity score matching method was used to construct a counterfactual and to compair group capturing the situation of affected households before the disease occuring on  their plantation, based on the observable characteristics of non affected households. A total of 800 cocoa farmers were randomly interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results shown significant differences of expenditures for children's schooling and health of household’s with plantations infected by the disease compared to non affected. It was also found that households with swollen shoot in their cocoa plantation use less modern health services and invest less in children's education

Impact of Swollen Shoot Disease on the Livelihoods of Smallholder Cocoa Farmers in Côte d'Ivoire

Cocoa Swollen Shoot Disease (CSSD) due to badnavirus species is endemic in West Africa and has been causing significant and irreversible economy losses for smallholder cocoa farmers in infected areas in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. The impact of the disease on the smallholder farmers’ livelihoods has been investigated at cocoa farm households level in Côte d’Ivoire. To this end,  the propensity score matching method was used to construct a counterfactual and to compare groups capturing the situation of affected households before the disease affects their plantations, based on the observable characteristics of non affected households. A total of 800 cocoa farmers were randomly interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The results showed significant differences in expenditures for children's schooling and health between households with plantations infected by the disease and those with non-infected plantations. It was also found that households with swollen shoot in their cocoa plantation used less modern health services and invested less in children's education. The results imply that swollen shoot control policies and strategies should take into account socioeconomic factors

Etude Histologique Des Organes Excreteurs Du Poulet De Races Dzaye Et Bochibolochie En Cote D’ivoire

Plusieurs études sur les poulets ont été menées sur les continents européens ; américain et asiatique. Mais suivant la littérature il existe peu de données relatives aux poulets africains, particulièrement ceux de la Côte d’Ivoire. La présente étude est menée sur le poulet africain Gallus gallus pour pallier l’insuffisance de données sur cette espèce. Elle porte sur des spécimens de Gallus gallus de races dites Dzaye et Bochibolochié en Côte d’Ivoire. L’étude concerne l’histologie du système excréteur du poulet Gallus gallus. L’observation à l’œil nu a permis d’une part la description générale de Gallus gallus et de son système excréteur. D’autre part des traitements histologiqueset une observation au microscope optique ont permis l’étude de la structure du système excréteur. Suite aux traitements histologiques et à l’observation au microscope optique, chaque lobule est composé d’une centaine d’unités rénales disposées de façon diffuse. Une unité rénale est constituée d’un cortex et d’une médulla. Le cortex est constitué de plusieurs glomérules. La médulla quant à elle est constituée de tubes contournés proximaux et distaux. La physiologie de chaque lobe serait la résultante de celle de toutes les unités rénales qui composent les lobules. Le fonctionnement du rein entier serait donc la résultante du fonctionnement des unités rénales.   Several studies on chickens have been carried out on European continents; American and Asian. But according to the literature, there is little data on African chickens, particularly those from the Ivory Coast. The present study is being carried out on the African chicken Gallus gallus to overcome the lack of data on this species. It concerns specimens of Gallus gallus of the so-called Dzaye and Bochibolochié races in Ivory Coast. The study concerns the histology of the excretory system of the chicken Gallus gallus. Observation with the naked eye allowed, on the one hand, a general description of Gallus gallus and its excretory system. On the other hand,histological treatments and observation under an optical microscope allowed the study of the structure of the excretory system. Following histological treatments and observation under an optical microscope, each lobule is made up of around a hundred renal units distributed in a diffuse manner. A kidney unit is made up of a cortex and a medulla. The cortex is made up of several glomeruli. The medulla is made up of convoluted proximal and distal tubes. The physiology of each lobe would be the result of that of all the renal units that make up the lobules. The functioning of the whole kidney would therefore be the result of the functioning of the renal units

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century