Institutional histories, seasonal floodplains (mares), and livelihood impacts of fish stocking in the Inner Niger River Delta of Mali

The Community-based Fish Culture in Seasonal Floodplains and Irrigation Systems (CBFC) project is a five year research project supported by the Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF), with the aim of increasing productivity of seasonally occurring water bodies through aquaculture. The project has been implemented in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Mali and Vietnam, where technical and institutional options for community based aquaculture have been tested. The project began in 2005 and was completed in March 2010. The seasonally flooded depressions in the Inner Niger Delta (known as mares) represent a critical fishery resource for the inhabitants of the village of Komio, and at present, access is open to all residents. A proposal to build stocked fish enclosures in the main village mare presents potential benefits and risks. On one hand, overall productivity in the mare could be significantly increased, providing important sources of protein and cash during the annual drought period, when few livelihood activities can be performed and when village livelihoods are at their most vulnerable. Enhanced productivity in mares may also decrease local household pressures for seasonal labor migration. On the other hand, a resulting increase in the value of these mares may encourage elite capture of project benefits or rentseeking by certain village leaders of the landowning Marka ethnic group. Using qualitative interviews and focus group discussions, the study provides evidence of how local institutional and leadership capacity for equitable common property resource management have evolved since the introduction of irrigated farming systems (known as PΘrimΦtres IrriguΘs Villageois or PIVs) in the 1990s.Fishing rights, River fisheries, Livelihoods

Comparison of data-driven methods for downscaling ensemble weather forecasts

International audienceThis study investigates dynamically different data-driven methods, specifically a statistical downscaling model (SDSM), a time lagged feedforward neural network (TLFN), and an evolutionary polynomial regression (EPR) technique for downscaling numerical weather ensemble forecasts generated by a medium range forecast (MRF) model. Given the coarse resolution (about 200-km grid spacing) of the MRF model, an optimal use of the weather forecasts at the local or watershed scale, requires appropriate downscaling techniques. The selected methods are applied for downscaling ensemble daily precipitation and temperature series for the Chute-du-Diable basin located in northeastern Canada. The downscaling results show that the TLFN and EPR have similar performance in downscaling ensemble daily precipitation as well as daily maximum and minimum temperature series whatever the season. Both the TLFN and EPR are more efficient downscaling techniques than SDSM for both the ensemble daily precipitation and temperature

Comportement des dromadaires sur patures Sahelien et Subhumide au Mali : 2. Especes vegetales et quantites de fourrage ingerees

Trois expériences ont été conduites entre 2014 et 2015 sur 12 dromadaires mâles adultes à Niono et 12 à Sotuba pour identifier les espèces broutées et la quantité de matière sèche ingérée correspondante en zones sahélienne et subhumide. Les données ont été collectées par suivi quotidien de 4 dromadaires porteurs de sac de collecte de fèces choisis au hasard, conduits avec le reste du troupeau durant 12 jours. A Niono, 32 espèces végétales ont été broutées et 71 espèces à Sotuba. A Niono, les espèces les plus broutées ont été Acacia seyal (19 %), Acacia senegal 14,8%), Balanites aegyptiaca (12,6 %) pour les ligneux et Zornia glochidiata (12,6 %) et Schoenefeldia gracilis (6,1 %) pour les graminées. A Sotuba, ce sont Ziziphus mauritiana (14,9 %), Vitellaria paradoxum (10,5 %) et les graminées Cassia tora (7,4 %) et Hiptis suaveolens (6,2 %). Dans le menu figuraient les feuilles, les rameaux, les fleurs et les fruits des espèces végétales consommées. Le taux moyen de protéines de l’ingéré a été de 13,3 % à Niono contre 8,7 % à Sotuba. La digestibilité de la matière sèche a été de 47,9 % à Niono contre 41,2 % à Sotuba. La teneur en protéines digestibles a été de 66,8 ± 0,8 g/kg MS à Niono contre 62,0 ± 0,7 g/kg MS à Sotuba. La quantité de matière sèche ingérée a été de 5,6 ± 0,2 kg à Niono et 5,1 ± kg à Sotuba. La connaissance de ces informations permettra de mieux organiser la complémentation alimentaire des dromadaires afin d’optimiser  leurs productions en zones sahélienne et subhumide du Mali. Mots clés : dromadaires, ingestion pâturage, sahel, subhumide, Mali English Title: Dromedary behaviour on Sahelian and subhumid pasture of Mali: 2. Plant species and feed intake Three experiments were conducted on 30 adult male camels to identify species grazed and the amount of dry matter ingested in the Sahelian (Niono) and sub-humid (Sotuba), zones during the rainy, cold dry and hot dry, seasons. Data were collected by monitoring 4 camels carrying faeces collection bags conducted with the rest of the herd. In Niono, 32 plant species were grazed and 71 species in Sotuba. The menu included leaves, twigs, flowers and fruits of consumed plant species. The average protein level of ingest was 13.3% in Niono and 8.7% in Sotuba. The digestibility of the material was 47.9% in Niono and 41.2% in Sotuba. The digestible protein content was 66.8 ± 0.8 g / kg of dry matter (DM) at Niono and 62.0 ± 0.7 g / kg DM at Sotuba. The amount of dry matter ingested was 5.6 ± 0.2 kg at Niono and 5.1 ± kg at Sotuba. Knowledge of this information is a key element to better organize animal feed supplementation in order to optimize camel production in the sahelian and sub-humid zones of Mali. Keywords: camels, grazing ingestion, Sahel, subhumid, Mal

Agromorphological characterization of three (3) hybrid carrot varieties (Daucus carota), cultivated in the commune of Korhogo, in northern Côte d'Ivoire

The carrot (Daucus carota) is a biennial plant whose pivoting root plays a major role in feeding populations worldwide. Few studies have been carried out on the characterization of the agromorphological diversity of this species. Varieties were collected, in order to assess their agromorphological performances under the ecological conditions of Korhogo. The Amazonia, Pamela+, Bahia and Madona varieties were evaluated. The Amazonia variety, which is the most cultivated in the Korhogo region, was used as a control. The study was carried out using a completely randomized Fisher block system, comprising 4 treatments and 4 repetitions. The blocks were separated by a distance of 80 cm. In the same block, the elementary plots were spaced 50 cm apart. Each elementary plot consists of 6 seeding lines, spaced 25 cm, and comprising 72 plants. The measurements concerned some vegetative and agronomic characteristics. The results obtained showed that the Pamela+ variety, with a yield of 25 t/ha, was the most productive. It is also distinguished from other varieties by the length of the roots and the high number of leaves produced. The Bahia and Madona varieties showed similar characteristics and less efficient than those of the control (Amazonia). On the basis of the characteristics evaluated, the Pamela+ variety was the most efficient and adapted to the agroecological conditions of the Korhogo region. However, the evaluation of certain characteristics will confirm the results of this study

Physicochemical and Nutritional Properties of Varieties of Carrot (Daucus carota) grown in Region of Korhogo, North of Côte d’Ivoire

Very popular for its therapeutic and nutritional virtues, culture of carrot (Daucus carota) has developed in temperate zones of Asia and Europe but also in some tropical regions of Africa including Côte d'Ivoire. Agronomic factors, commercial and food requirements require selection of varieties with good nutritional values. In this study, physicochemical properties and nutritional values of four carrot varieties namely Amazonia, Bahia, Madona and Pamela+ were compared after cultivation and harvest in region of Korhogo. Results showed that, Amazonia, the control carrot variety stands out for its acidity and minerals levels. Bahia is the richest variety with high levels of carbohydrate and protein. Madona is the most basic, wettest and fatest carrot. For a long storage, Pamela is most interesting variety. To our knowledge, it is the first time that physicochemical and nutritional parameters of carrot varieties in region of Korhogo have been studied. Future research on these carrot varieties will be studied of their post-harvest conservation, their sensory analysis and their transformation

Characterization of maize producing households in the dry savanna of Mali

Maize is one of the three most important staple foods in Mali. Zones in the country with high potential for producing maize are limited to areas where the probability of drought risk is between 20 and 40%, meaning that recurring droughts have long handicapped maize production. In an attempt to alleviate drought stress on maize production, a household survey was conducted in the two Local Government Areas of Bougouni and Koutiala, both in the Sikasso Region, during the 2007/2008 production period. These two districts were selected following an environmental characterization of drought zones in Mali. The survey was mainly oriented towards maize based farming systems. Six sample villages were selected within each of the two districts. The sample population was defined as maize farming households. A total of 150 households were randomly selected and interviewed with structured questionnaires. Interviews were conducted by trained enumerators using a formal household survey. The purpose of the study is to provide both quantitative and qualitative feedback from farmers to researchers and to the B&MGF on the impact that improved maize varieties developed in the past have had upon the livelihoods of households and to provide a detailed database for the projection of expected outcomes with the deployment of new drought tolerant maize varieties under the B&MGF drought tolerant maize project. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were used to extract from our set of variables those orthogonal linear combinations of the variables that best captured the common information. Most successful was the one proposed by Filmer and Pritchett (1998; 2001) called the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). To assess the variables affecting the adoption of improved maize varieties, the Tobit model was used. The results show that 99% of household heads are male. The size of a household is 22 persons, on average. About 47% of the household’s members are available for farm work. About 59% of household heads are illiterate, an important factor concerning the adoption of new technology. These household heads make decisions about 84% of farming activities; 86% of the households involved in the study belonged to at least one farmers’ organization in order to have easy access to inputs

Evaluation de l’efficacite de quatre formulations de chlorpyriphos ethyl contre la cochenille Farineuse du manguier Rastrococcus invadens Williams (Homoptera : Pseudococcidae) : bilan de dix annees d’experimentation en Côte D’Ivoire

La cochenille farineuse du manguier, Rastrococcus invadens (Homoptera : Pseudococcidae) est l’un des principaux ravageurs du manguier en Côte d’Ivoire, particulièrement dans la région nord qui fournit les mangues exportées. En attendant la mise en place de la lutte biologique envisagée, et devant l’ampleur des dégâts pouvant favoriser des traitements abusifs de la part des producteurs, des expérimentations ont été initiées pour sélectionner des insecticides efficaces en vue de leur homologation. Sur station de recherche, le premier screening a concerné 8 formulations d’insecticides appliquées à doses fortes (2 litres / ha) sur 100 m² de parcelle élémentaire de manguiers. Ensuite, pour chaque formulation retenue, trois doses ont été testées (2 litres / ha, 1 litre / ha et 0,5 litre / ha) sur 200 m². En milieu paysan, la dose optimale a été confirmée sur au moins 20 ha dans des essais couples. Le screening préliminaire a mis en évidence l’efficacité des formulations à base de chlorpyrifos éthyl avec une rémanence de 4 semaines. L’évaluation de 3 doses de ces formulations en station a permis de retenir la dose efficace de 1 litre / ha soit 480 g dechlorpyrifos-éthyl / ha. Les tests réalisés en milieu paysan ont confirmé l’efficacité des 4 formulations de chlorpyrifos-éthyl contre le ravageur : Dursban 4 E, Cyren 480 EC, Pyriforce 480 EC et Pyrical 480 EC. L’exécution raisonnée des traitements permet à la lutte chimique de s’intégrer harmonieusement dans un programme de gestion intégrée de la cochenille farineuse.Mots clés : Rastrococcus invadens, cochenille farineuse du manguier, lutte chimique, chlorpyrifos-éthyl.EVALUATION OF FOUR FORMULATIONS OF CHLORPYRIPHOS ETHYL AGAINST THE MANGO MEALY BUG Rastrococcus invadensWILLIAMS  (HOMOPTERA : PSEUDOCOCCIDAE) : ASSESSMENTOF TEN YEARS  EXPERIMENTATION IN CÔTE D’IVOIREThe mango mealy bug, Rastrococcus invadens (Homoptera,  Pseudococcidae) is one of the main pests of mango in Côte d’Ivoire,  particularly in the northern region that provides the exported mangoes. Before the using of biological control considered, and faced with the extent of damages that may promote abusive treatment by the producers,  experiments were initiated to select effective insecticides for their approval. On research station, the first screening has involved eight formulations of insecticides applied at high doses (2 L / ha) of 100 m² plot of mango trees. Then, for each formulation selected, three doses were tested (2 liters / ha, 1 liter / ha and 0.5 l / ha) on 200 m². On-farm, the optimal dose was confirmed at least 20 ha in trials couples. The preliminary  screening has shown the effectiveness of formulations containing  chlorpyrifos ethyl with a remanence of 4 weeks. The evaluation of three  doses of these formulations on station allowed to retain the effective dose of 1 l / ha or 480 g of chlorpyrifos-ethyl / ha. The on-farm tests have  confirmed the effectiveness of four formulations of chlorpyrifos-ethyl against the pest: Dursban 4 E, Cyren 480 EC, Pyriforce 480 EC and Pyrical 480 EC. The rational treatment allows to chemical control to integrate  seamlessly into an integrated management program against the mealy  bug.Key words : Rastrococcus invadens, mango mealy bug, chemical control, chlorpyrifos ethyl

Bacteriologie de l’otite moyenne suppuree chronique de l’enfant au mali

Introduction: L’otite moyenne suppurée chronique est une affection fréquente chez l’enfant. Plusieurs facteurs peuvent favoriser l’installation d’un tel processus infectieux (rhinopharyngites, otites mal traitées …). L’identification du germe causal de l’otite est une étape essentielle pour mener un traitement adéquat. But : Déterminer l’écologie bactérienne des otites purulentes chroniques de l’enfant dans notre unité. Patients et méthodes : L’étude menée de novembre 2010 à octobre 2011 a concerné 76 jeunes patients (40 filles et 36 garçons âgés de 6 à 180 mois avec une moyenne d’âge de 52,73 mois) présentant une otite moyenne suppurée chronique. L’otorrhée purulente des 76 patients (80 oreilles) a été prélevée. Celle-ci était recueillie à l’oreille d’un écouvillon stérile après nettoyage du conduit auditif externe et conduit le même jour au laboratoire pour examen bactériologique. Résultats : 94,74% des prélèvements étaient positifs et 5,26% étaient stériles. Parmi les prélèvements positifs 75% étaient monomicrobiens et 25% plurimicrobiens. Staphylococcus aureus (41,31%), proteus mirabilis (34,79%) sont les principales espèces bactériennes responsables d’otite moyenne suppurée chronique chez l’enfant dans notre unité. Conclusion : Ainsi le rôle pathogène de staphylococcus aureus est prépondérant dans les otites moyennes suppurées chroniques de l’enfant dans notre unité. Mots-clés : bactériologie - otite moyenne suppurée chronique - enfant.

Crystal Structure of Spy0129, a Streptococcus pyogenes Class B Sortase Involved in Pilus Assembly

Sortase enzymes are cysteine transpeptidases that mediate the covalent attachment of substrate proteins to the cell walls of Gram-positive bacteria, and thereby play a crucial role in virulence, infection and colonisation by pathogens. Many cell-surface proteins are anchored by the housekeeping sortase SrtA but other more specialised sortases exist that attach sub-sets of proteins or function in pilus assembly. The sortase Spy0129, or SrtC1, from the M1 SF370 strain of Streptococcus pyogenes is responsible for generating the covalent linkages between the pilin subunits in the pili of this organism. The crystal structure of Spy0129 has been determined at 2.3 Å resolution (R = 20.4%, Rfree  = 26.0%). The structure shows that Spy0129 is a class B sortase, in contrast to other characterised pilin polymerases, which belong to class C. Spy0129 lacks a flap believed to function in substrate recognition in class C enzymes and instead has an elaborated β6/β7 loop. The two independent Spy0129 molecules in the crystal show differences in the positions and orientations of the catalytic Cys and His residues, Cys221 and His126, correlated with movements of the β7/β8 and β4/β5 loops that respectively follow these residues. Bound zinc ions stabilise these alternative conformations in the crystal. This conformational variability is likely to be important for function although there is no evidence that zinc is involved in vivo