Mesure de l’efficacité technique des riziculteurs du bassin du fleuve Sénégal

Ce travail a pour objectif de mesurer l’efficacité technique des riziculteurs du bassin du fleuve Sénégal et d’analyser les déterminants de leur inefficacité. Les estimations ont montré que, s’il avait été efficace, le riziculteur moyen aurait pu accroître sa production actuelle de 30 % sans inputs additionnels, contre une marge de progrès potentielle de 86 % pour le riziculteur le moins performant. Les facteurs qui impactent significativement l’efficacité sont le lieu de résidence, le genre, la taille du ménage, le niveau d’instruction, l’ethnie, la distance entre la maison et la parcelle, et le nombre de parcelles cultivées.This article aims at investigating whether rice producers in Senegal have reached their maximal production regarding their available inputs and what are the determinants of their inefficiency. The estimations show that, if he were efficient, the mean producer would increase his actual output by 30% without further inputs while the less performant producer would record a potential margin of progress of 86%. The efficiency determinants are mainly the place of residence, the gender, the household size, the level of education, the ethnicity, the walking distance between the house and the plot and the number of plots farmed

Antibiotic susceptibility profile of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from acute respiratory infection in Dakar: a cross sectional study

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a pathogen causing pneumonia, meningitis, otitis and bacteraemia. Nowadays, S. pneumoniae is developing antibacterial resistance, particularly for those with reduced susceptibility to penicillin. The objective of this study was to assess the susceptibility profile of S. pneumoniae strains isolated from acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in children younger than 5 years of age in Dakar, Senegal. S. pneumoniae strains were isolated from broncho-alveolar lavages (BALs), nasopharyngeal swabs, and middle ear secretion from children in the Paediatric Department of Abass Ndao University Teaching Hospital and Paediatric Department of Roi Baudouin Hospital in Dakar, Senegal. The strains were cultivated on Columbia agar supplemented with 5% of horse blood and gentamicin (6 mg/L). Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using E-test method. A total of 34 strains of S. pneumoniae were isolated and identified in this study, among them 7 strains (20.58%) showed penicillin-resistance. Antibiotics such as amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (MIC90=0.036 μg/mL), cefuroxim (MIC90=0.38 μg/mL), cefixim (MIC90=1.5 μg/mL), as well as macrolides (azithromycin MIC90=1.5 μg/mL, clarithromycin MIC90=0.125 μg/mL) and fluoroquinolone (levofloxacin MIC90=1 μg/mL, ofloxacin MIC90=2 μg/mL) were mostly active. However, all S. pneumoniae strains were resistant to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (MIC90: 32 μg/mL). Except of S. pneumoniae strains penicillin-resistance or reduced susceptibility, most strains were susceptible to β-lactams antibiotics commonly used in ARI treatment. Continuous surveillance of antimicrobial resistance patterns of pneumococcus strains is still crucial for effective control of ARIs in children

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

Review Paper: Chaine de valeur riz en Afrique de l’Ouest : Performance, enjeux et défis en Côte d’Ivoire, Guinée, Libéria, Mali, Sierra Léone et Sénégal

L’objectif de l’étude est d’analyser la structuration de la chaine de valeur riz en Afrique de l’Ouest en vue d’identifier les facteurs de performance, de relever les enjeux et défis. L’étude consiste en une évaluation du potentiel des activités de production, de transformation et de commercialisation liées aux besoins du marché. Le cadre d’analyse est « chaîne des valeurs » basée sur une approche institutionnelle de gouvernance, de structuration, de conduite et de performance. La Structure réfère à la cartographie des acteurs. La Conduite met en oeuvre le fonctionnement du système, le rôle des différents acteurs et les fonctions de soutien. La Performance au fonctionnement du marché procède à une analyse coût / bénéfice pour chaque groupe d’acteurs. L’étude indique que la riziculture repose essentiellement sur de petites exploitations familiales avec une superficie moyenne variant entre 0,25 et 4 ha selon les écologies et les pays. Ce diagnostic révèle une émergence des flux de commerce du riz local avec un intéressement de la demande locale. Il n’en demeure pas moins que l‘offre locale demeure insuffisante pour la majorité des pays. Les services de soutien de la chaine de valeur sont souvent inopérants. La recherche est peu dotée en ressources humaines et financières et ses infrastructures sont vétustes. L’outil de conseil est inapproprié pour une grande cible de producteurs analphabètes. Le secteur de financement est peu impliqué et souvent inopérant par rapport aux produits offerts vis-à-vis de la demande. La chaîne de valeur riz est compétitive, mais durablement peu assurée. La capacité locale à approvisionner le marché ne progresse pas aussi rapidement que la demande. Cela s’explique par de diverses difficultés dans la production avec des rendements très faibles, des frais de transaction élevés et d’une consommation intérieure en croissance permanente. Les défis majeurs restent l’accroissement de l’offre locale et sa qualité par rapport à la demande du marché, l’amélioration de l’usinage et la mise en marché dans des conditions de compétitivité durable.Mots clef: chaine de valeur, riz, acteurs, coût, marge, offre, demande, échange, performanceEnglish Title: Rice value chain in West Africa: Performance, issues and challenges in Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone and SenegalEnglish AbstractThe objective of the study is to analyze the structure of the rice value chain in West Africa in order to identify the factors of performance, to address the issues and challenges. The study consists of an assessment of the potential of the production, processing and marketing activities related to market demand. The framework of analysis is "value chain" based on an institutional approach to governance, structure, conduct and performance. The Structure refers to the mapping of actors. Conduct implements the functioning of the system, the role of different actors and the support functions. The Performance of the market performs a cost-benefit analysis for each group of actors. The study indicates that rice farming is mainly based on small family farms with an average area of 0.25 and 4 ha depending on ecologies and countries. This diagnosis reveals the emergence of local rice trade flows with an interest in local demand. The fact remains that the local supply is still insufficient for the majority of countries. The support services of the value chain are often inoperable. Research is poorly endowed with human and financial resources and its infrastructure is dilapidated. The extension tool is inappropriate for a large target of illiterate producers. The financing sector is little involved and often inoperant compared to the products offered with regard to demand. The rice value chain in West Africa is competitive, but uninsured. The local capacity to supply the market does not progress as quickly as demand. This is due to various difficulties in production with very low yields, high transaction costs and domestic consumption in constant growth. The major challenges remain the increase of local supply and its quality in relation to market demand, the improvement of milling and marketing in conditions of sustainable competitiveness.Keywords: value chain, rice, actors, cost, margin, supply, demand, exchange, performanc