Unpacking postharvest losses in Sub-Saharan Africa : a meta-analysis

Reducing postharvest losses (PHL) is key to food and nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa. However, knowledge of PHL magnitudes is limited. For instance 85% of loss estimates generated using appropriate methodologies did not qualify for statistical meta-analysis because a standard deviation was not assigned to them nor could be computed. Many datasets do not account for the interaction of various loss agents, and are single-point measurements which omit influence of exogenous factors such as local food use patterns, practices, and coping strategies. Overall, technologies for loss mitigation need to address dynamics of supply chains, and more rigorous PHL assessment is needed

Understanding needs and potentials for gender-balanced empowerment and leadership in climate change adaptation and mitigation in Africa

The past years were marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downfall, the 5th anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement, and the end of the African Women’s Decade. According to the latest projections, African countries will continue to face increasing inequalities, as well as risks to human health, water and food security, due to climate change. African countries are also struggling to reduce gender-related power imbalances in adaptation and mitigation that magnify existing vulnerabilities, particularly those of women. Therefore, any advances made in this narrative are significant. This paper investigates the needs and potential for gender-balanced leadership/empowerment in adaptation and mitigation based on climate change experts’ views on the advances made in Africa. This is complemented by a bibliometric analysis of the literature published on the topic between the years 2015 and 2022. The study suggests that although women’s influence on climate change related decisions is growing, a series of barriers need to be overcome, among which are lack of knowledge and political will. The COVID-19 pandemic is seen as having both positive and negative potentials for gender-balanced leadership/empowerment. The findings provide a premise for identifying possible directions of further actions towards gender-balanced leadership/empowerment in climate change in African countries

Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Ceratothripoides claratris (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on Tomatoes in Thailand

Ceratothripoides claratris Shumsher is one of the most important thrips pest of tomatoes in central Thailand. Hence we conducted studies to determine the intra- and inter-plant distribution of C. claratris on tomatoes in two types of greenhouses, i.e., open-plastic and closed net house. The experiments were conducted on the campus of the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Thailand. Both adults and larvae of C. claratris showed foliage-biased distribution. Sex ratios of adult C. claratris did not significantly differ on flowers and leaves, whereas on fruits males significantly outnumbered females. On flowers, no diurnal periodicity of occurrence of C. claratris was detected. Generally, thrips infestation commenced in the lower parts of the tomato plants and gradually spread to the higher strata of the plants. Depending on the greenhouse type and the stem system thrips infestation differed significantly over time in the lower but not in the uppermost strata of the plants. In the net house, infestations of C. claratris commenced one week after planting of the tomato seedlings. Soon after the peak in infestations, thrips numbers dramatically decreased. Estimates of Taylor’s power showed that C. claratris had an aggregated distribution pattern on the foliage of tomato plants. The importance of these findings for future monitoring programs of C. claratris infestations on tomatoes is discussed

Integrated participatory approach reveals perceived local availability of wild edible plants in Northwestern Kenya

Availability is a crucial aspect of wild edible plants (WEPs) consumption by indigenous communities. Understanding the local perception of this availability helps to determine, which contribution WEPs can make to rural communities. We used an integrated participatory approach to investigate important parameters and themes that infuenced the perception of availability of woody WEPs. We demonstrate the approach in three communities in Turkana County, Kenya. By availability, we referred to the ease of accessing, harvesting, transporting, and processing WEPs for consumption. We conducted three focus group discussions (FGDs). We asked FGD participants to list, score, and discuss availability. We used logistic regression and mixed-content analysis to identify important parameters and themes, respectively. The most important WEPs were the toothbrush tree (Salvadora persica L.), Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.), and mbamba ngoma (Balanites rotundifolia (Tiegh.) Blatt.). Distance, seasonality, price, and adequacy of harvested WEPs for household consumption were important parameters. Culture and tradition, distribution of WEPs, seasonality, and climate change emerged as important themes. We showed the importance of using an integrated participatory approach when assessing the perception of WEPs’ availability by local communities and could be used in comparable arid and semi-arid areas with semi-nomadic pastoralists across Africa

MASSAI: Multi-Agent System for Simulating Sustainable Agricultural Intensification of smallholder farms in Africa.

The research and development needed to achieve sustainability of African smallholder agricultural and natural systems has led to a wide array of theoretical frameworks for conceptualising socioecological processes and functions. However, there are few analytical tools for spatio-temporal empirical approaches to implement use cases, which is a prerequisite to understand the performance of smallholder farms in the real world. This study builds a multi-agent system (MAS) to operationalise the Sustainable Agricultural Intensification (SAI) theoretical framework (MASSAI). This is an essential tool for spatio-temporal simulation of farm productivity to evaluate sustainability trends into the future at fine scale of a managed plot. MASSAI evaluates dynamic nutrient transfer using smallholder nutrient monitoring functions which have been calibrated with parameters from Malawi and the region. It integrates two modules: the Environmental (EM) and Behavioural (BM) ones. •The EM assess dynamic natural nutrient inputs (sedimentation and atmospheric deposition) and outputs (leaching, erosion and gaseous loses) as a product of bioclimatic factors and land use activities. •An integrated BM assess the impact of farmer decisions which influence farm-level inputs (fertilizer, manure, biological N fixation) and outputs (crop yields and associated grain). •A use case of input subsidies, common in Africa, markedly influence fertilizer access and the impact of different policy scenarios on decision-making, crop productivity, and nutrient balance are simulated. This is of use for empirical analysis smallholder's sustainability trajectories given the pro-poor development policy support

Diversity, host plants and potential distribution of edible Saturniid Caterpillars in Kenya

Saturniids are big colorful caterpillars with spines on their bodies, usually found in shrubs and trees in Sub-Saharan Africa. They are rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals. The study identifies edible saturniids, diversity, their host plants, their current distribution and to predict possible effects of climate change on their distribution. The paper provides detailed information (including photographs) of seven species of edible saturniids namely Gonimbrasia zambesina, Gonimbrasia krucki, Bunaea alcinoe, Gonimbrasia cocaulti, Gonimbrasia belina, Gynanisa nigra and Cirina forda. Despite being highly nutritious, the diversity of edible saturniid caterpillars has not been studied in Kenya.Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and DevelopmentBioInnovate Africa ProgrammeAustralian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR

Common host-derived chemicals increase catches of disease-transmitting mosquitoes and can improve early warning systems for rift valley fever virus

Rift Valley fever (RVF), a mosquito-borne zoonosis, is a major public health and veterinary problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Surveillance to monitor mosquito populations during the inter-epidemic period (IEP) and viral activity in these vectors is critical to informing public health decisions for early warning and control of the disease. Using a combination of field bioassays, electrophysiological and chemical analyses we demonstrated that skin-derived aldehydes (heptanal, octanal, nonanal, decanal) common to RVF virus (RVFV) hosts including sheep, cow, donkey, goat and human serve as potent attractants for RVFV mosquito vectors. Furthermore, a blend formulated from the four aldehydes and combined with CO2- baited CDC trap without a light bulb doubled to tripled trap captures compared to control traps baited with CO2 alone. Our results reveal that (a) because of the commonality of the host chemical signature required for attraction, the host-vector interaction appears to favor the mosquito vector allowing it to find and opportunistically feed on a wide range of mammalian hosts of the disease, and (b) the sensitivity, specificity and superiority of this trapping system offers the potential for its wider use in surveillance programs for RVFV mosquito vectors especially during the IEP.The support through a scholarship to DPT by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is greatly acknowledged. This research was funded by Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google. We are grateful to Francis Mulwa and James Wauna for assistance in field experiments and other individuals at the communities who helped in the same capacity. We acknowledge the technical assistance of Dunston Betti, John Gachoya and Joel Lutomiah, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and James Mutysia of Walter Reed Project (WRP), Nairobi. Our sincere gratitude to Dr. Salifu Daisy, Mrs Caroline Tigoi, and Mr. Benedict Orindi, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi. We appreciate the services of the chiefs at the trapping communities both at Marigat and Ijara districts. The Arbovirus Incidence and Diversity Project consortium-icipe, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), Kenya Ministry of Livestock-Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), KEMRI, Kenya Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).www.plosntds.orgam2013ab201

Ecology: a prerequisite for malaria elimination and eradication

* Existing front-line vector control measures, such as insecticide-treated nets and residual sprays, cannot break the transmission cycle of Plasmodium falciparum in the most intensely endemic parts of Africa and the Pacific * The goal of malaria eradication will require urgent strategic investment into understanding the ecology and evolution of the mosquito vectors that transmit malaria * Priority areas will include understanding aspects of the mosquito life cycle beyond the blood feeding processes which directly mediate malaria transmission * Global commitment to malaria eradication necessitates a corresponding long-term commitment to vector ecolog

Protocol for a Trial Assessing the Impacts of School-Based WaSH Interventions on Children’s Health Literacy, Handwashing, and Nutrition Status in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Diarrhea, soil-transmitted helminth infection and malnutrition are leading causes of child mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). To reduce the prevalence of these diseases, effective interventions for adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) should be implemented. This paper describes the design of a cluster-randomized controlled trial that will compare the efficacy of four school-based WaSH interventions for improving children’s health literacy, handwashing, and nutrition. Interventions consisted of (1) WaSH policy reinforcement; (2) low-, medium-, or high-volume health education; (3) hygiene supplies; and (4) WaSH facilities (e.g., toilets, urinals, handwashing basins) improvements. We randomly allocated school clusters from the intervention arm to one of four groups to compare with schools from the control arm. Primary outcomes were: children’s health literacy, physical growth, nutrition status, and handwashing prevalence. Secondary outcomes were: children’s self-reported health status and history of extreme hunger, satisfaction with WaSH facilities, and school restrooms’ WaSH adequacy. We will measure differences in pre- and post-intervention outcomes and compare these differences between control and intervention arms. This research protocol can be a blueprint for future school-based WaSH intervention studies to be conducted in LMICs. Study protocols were approved by the ethics committees of the University of Bonn, Germany, and the University of the Philippines Manila. This trial was retroactively registered, ID number: DRKS00021623