Farmers' perception of climate change and climate-smart agriculture in northern Benin, west Africa

Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is an approach that identifies actions needed to transform and reorganize agricultural systems to effectively support agricultural development and ensure food security in the face of climate change. In this study, we assessed farmers’ perception of climate change, available CSA practices (CSAP) and the determinants of CSAP adoption in northern Benin. A list of CSAP was generated from a workshop with different stakeholders. Face-to-face interviews were then carried out with 368 farmers selected based on stratified random sampling in the study area. Binomial generalized mixed-effect models were run to analyze the relation between socio-demographic characteristics and the use of CSAP. CSAP were evaluated using a three-point Likert scale and the frequency of agreement with the statement that the selected practices meet the pillars of CSA. More than 60% of farmers had heard about climate change, and more than 80% had observed changes in temperature, rainfall amounts and distribution. Thirty-one CSAP were identified in the area, and only 11 were known by more than 50% of farmers. Out of the 12 selected CSAP for the assessment of adoption and evaluation, seven (7) were used by more than 50% of those who knew them. Farmers agreed with the statements that the evaluated practices improved farm productivity and adaptation to climate change but did not mitigate climate change. Ethnic group and education level were the two major factors that significantly determined the use of the evaluated CSAP

Impact of CS-IPM on key social welfare aspects of smallholder farmers' livelihoods

Open Access JournalAll stakeholders, especially households that depend on agriculture, must come up with every avenue available to improve farm productivity in order to raise yields due to the constraints posed by climate change on food production systems. Sufficient increments in yields will address the challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition among vulnerable households, especially smallholder ones. Yield increases can be achieved sustainably through the deployment of various Climate Smart Integrated Pest Management (CS-IPM) practices, including good agronomic practices. Therefore, CS-IPM practices could be essential in ensuring better household welfare, including food security and nutrition. With such impact empirically documented, appropriate policy guidance can be realized in favor of CS-IPM practices at scale, thus helping to achieve sustainable food security and food systems. However, to this end, there is yet limited evidence on the real impact of CS-IPM practices on the various core social welfare household parameters, for instance, food security, household incomes, gender roles, and nutrition, among others. We contribute to this body of literature in this paper by reviewing various empirical evidence that analyzes the impact of respective CS-IPM practices on key social welfare aspects of smallholder farm households in developing countries around the world. The review finds that CS-IPM practices do increase households’ adaptation to climate change, thus enhancing soil and crop productivity, thereby ensuring food and nutrition security, as well as increasing market participation of CS-IPM adopters, thus leading to increased household incomes, asset accumulation, and subsequently better household food and nutrition security via direct own-farm produce consumption and market purchases using income. CS-IPM practices also enhance access to climate-related information, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve biodiversity, and enhance dietary diversity through improved crop and livestock varieties and also reduce variable farm production costs. Therefore, there would be multiple welfare gains if CS-IPM practices were scaled up

Native phytoseiid mites as indicators of non-target eVects of the introduction of Typhlodromalus aripo for the biological control of cassava green mite in Africa

Article purchasedThe need to evaluate non-target effects of classical biological control of arthropod pests has received considerable attention in recent years. We determined with repeated field surveys the changes in abundance and distribution of the phytoseiid mite fauna in cassava fields resulting from the introduction of the neotropical phytoseiid Typhlodromalus aripo into two countries—Malawi and Mozambique—in southern Africa for the biological control of Mononychellus tanajoa. Typhlodromalus aripo abundance was similar, while the abundance of the target pest M. tanajoa declined progressively, during the 2 years after the introduction of T. aripo into the target countries. We did not detect any changes in the abundance of the most common native phytoseiids mites—Euseius baetae, Euseius bwende and Ueckermannseius saltus—on cassava in Mozambique. In contrast, the abundance of two of the most common native phytoseiids, Euseius fustis and Iphiseius degenerans, on cassava in Malawi were apparently facilitated—i.e., their abundance was enhanced by the introduction of T. aripo; while the abundance of a third species, U. saltus, was not affected. For only one species, E. baetae, within-plant distribution shifted to the lower parts of the cassava canopy as a result of the introduction of T. aripo, which resides in the upper parts of the cassava canopy, but without any measurable negative effects on biological control of M. tanajoa. While the overall abundance of phytoseiid mites found on non-cassava vegetation was not affected by T. aripo introduction, there were some changes in relative abundance of some species in Malawi. Possible mechanism for the increase in abundance of I. degenerans and E. fustis in Malawi, and changes in within-plant distribution of E. baetae and I. degenerans in Mozambique and Malawi, respectively, are discussed. The methodology developed for assessing potential non-target effects of T. aripo introduction into southern Africa has significantly advanced classical biological control efforts against an economically important cassava pest

Attributes influencing parental decision-making to receive the Tdap vaccine to reduce the risk of pertussis transmission to their newborn – outcome of a crosssectional conjoint experiment in Spain and Italy

Pertussis vaccination of parents and household contacts (‘cocooning’) to protect newborn infants is an established strategy in many countries, although uptake may be low. Many aspects may influence such decision-making. We conducted a cross-sectional survey (NCT01890447) of households and other close contacts of newborns aged ≤6 months (or of expectant mothers in their last trimester) in Spain and Italy, using an adaptive discrete-choice experiment questionnaire. Aims were to assess the relative importance of attributes influencing vaccine adoption, and to estimate variation in vaccine adoption rates and the impact of cost on vaccination rates. Six hundred and fifteen participants (Spain, n = 313; Italy, n = 302) completed the survey. Of 144 available questionnaire scenarios, the most frequently selected (14% of respondents in both countries) were infant protection by household vaccination at vaccination center, recommendation by family physician and health authorities, with information available on leaflets and websites. The attribute with highest median relative importance was ‘reduction in source of infection’ in Spain (23.1%) and ‘vaccination location’ in Italy (18.8%). Differences between other attributes were low in both countries, with media attributes showing low importance. Over 80% of respondents indicated a definite or probable response to vaccine adoption (at no-cost) with estimated probability of adoption of 89–98%; applying vaccine costs (25€ per person) would reduce the probability of uptake by 7–20% in definite/probable respondents. Awareness of these determinants is helpful in informing Health Authorities and healthcare practitioners implementing a cocooning strategy for those populations where maternal immunization is not a preferred option

Attributes influencing parental decision-making to receive the Tdap vaccine to reduce the risk of pertussis transmission to their newborn - outcome of a cross-sectional conjoint experiment in Spain and Italy

Pertussis vaccination of parents and household contacts (‘cocooning’) to protect newborn infants is an established strategy in many countries, although uptake may be low. Many aspects may influence such decision-making. We conducted a cross-sectional survey (NCT01890447) of households and other close contacts of newborns aged ≤6 months (or of expectant mothers in their last trimester) in Spain and Italy, using an adaptive discrete-choice experiment questionnaire. Aims were to assess the relative importance of attributes influencing vaccine adoption, and to estimate variation in vaccine adoption rates and the impact of cost on vaccination rates. Six hundred and fifteen participants (Spain, n = 313; Italy, n = 302) completed the survey. Of 144 available questionnaire scenarios, the most frequently selected (14% of respondents in both countries) were infant protection by household vaccination at vaccination center, recommendation by family physician and health authorities, with information available on leaflets and websites. The attribute with highest median relative importance was ‘reduction in source of infection’ in Spain (23.1%) and ‘vaccination location’ in Italy (18.8%). Differences between other attributes were low in both countries, with media attributes showing low importance. Over 80% of respondents indicated a definite or probable response to vaccine adoption (at no-cost) with estimated probability of adoption of 89–98%; applying vaccine costs (25€ per person) would reduce the probability of uptake by 7–20% in definite/probable respondents. Awareness of these determinants is helpful in informing Health Authorities an

Notes for genera: basal clades of Fungi (including Aphelidiomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Caulochytriomycota, Chytridiomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Glomeromycota, Kickxellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota and Zoopagomycota)

Compared to the higher fungi (Dikarya), taxonomic and evolutionary studies on the basal clades of fungi are fewer in number. Thus, the generic boundaries and higher ranks in the basal clades of fungi are poorly known. Recent DNA based taxonomic studies have provided reliable and accurate information. It is therefore necessary to compile all available information since basal clades genera lack updated checklists or outlines. Recently, Tedersoo et al. (MycoKeys 13:1--20, 2016) accepted Aphelidiomycota and Rozellomycota in Fungal clade. Thus, we regard both these phyla as members in Kingdom Fungi. We accept 16 phyla in basal clades viz. Aphelidiomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Caulochytriomycota, Chytridiomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Glomeromycota, Kickxellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota and Zoopagomycota. Thus, 611 genera in 153 families, 43 orders and 18 classes are provided with details of classification, synonyms, life modes, distribution, recent literature and genomic data. Moreover, Catenariaceae Couch is proposed to be conserved, Cladochytriales Mozl.-Standr. is emended and the family Nephridiophagaceae is introduced

Effects of school physical education and aerobic training on risk factors of atherosclerosis in Beninese adolescents

This study aimed at the effects of school physical education (SPE) and aerobic training pursued during 12 weeks, on the lipid profile in Beninese adolescents. One hundred and five (105) adolescents aged 13 to 18 years and living in the city of Porto-Novo served as the subjects. The group was randomly organized in three groups : a control group (G1 ; N = 24), a group (G2 ; N = 20) that was exposed to two weekly hours of SPE and a third group (G3 ; N = 61) that, in addition to the two weekly hours of SPE benefitted from a specific aerobic training (mixed programmes). Total cholesterol (TC), plasma triglyceride (TG), HDL - Cholesterol (HDL-C) and a Biologic Index of Atherogenicity (BIA) were assessed in all participants before and after a 12 week period. The results showed that twenty four hours of SPE at the rate of two weekly hours, didn't significantly impact the parameters studied in the G2 subjects (p> 0.05). However, the mixed programme significantly induced a decrease in HDL-C and an improvement of BIA in the adolescents (p < 0.05). The mixed programme did not significantly influence either TG or TC in the G3 subjects. It is concluded from the results that training at a high intensity is not favourable for improving atherosclerosis risk profile in the adolescent population of our study. African Journal for Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance Vol. 13 (1) 2007: pp. 71-8

Distribution, incidence and severity of cassava diseases and pests in Mozambique

Two countrywide surveys were conducted in April-May and May-June 2004 throughout the cassava growing belt of Mozambique including several provinces: Gaza, Inhambane, Sofala, Manica, Zambezia, Nampula and Cabo Delgado. Both surveys were planned to assess the distribution, incidence and damage severity of diseases and pests that affect cassava production in Mozambique. Using the methodology developed by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), 202 and 175 cassava fields between 4-8 months old were sampled for pests and diseases in April-May 2003 and May-June 2004, respectively. The results of both surveys showed in the case of diseases that cassava mosaic disease (CMD) was found to be the most widespread disease in Mozambique although the distribution, incidence, and severity varied among provinces, among fields and within fields. The most severe damage was recorded in Gaza, Sofala and Nampula where the average scores were above 3 on a 1-5 damage scale but only in a limited number of sample fields. In other provinces, the disease was either absent or damage symptoms were slight to moderate (2-3). The DNA analysis of the leaf samples coIlected in 2004 throughout the country revealed the presence of several strains of CMD virus including, the African Cassava Mosaic Virus (ACMV), the Eastern African Cassava Mosaic Virus (EACMV), and a combination of both African and EastAfrican Cassava Mosaic Virus (ACMV+EACMV) in 80.5% and 7.6% of the field samples respectiveIy. The devastating East African Cassava Mosaic Virus - Ugandan Strain (EACMVUG2) was absent from all sampled fields. The presence of cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) was confirmed as a serious threat particularly in two of the three Northern provinces of Zambezia and Nampula and at lesser extent in Cabo Delgado. However, the severity was the highest in Zambezia and in the district of Nakala in Nampula province. The other known common tropical diseases of cassava such as the cassava bacterial blight (CBB) and cassava anthracnose disease (CAD) were of minor importance. The cassava green mite (CGM), Mononychellus tanajoa Bondar remained a problem in the southern provinces (Gaza, Inhambane) where the exotic predatory mites Typhlodromalus aripo De Leon was not yet established.. CGM infestations were followed by whitefly (WF) infestations in a rank-order hierarchy of infestation rates. Although generally known as vectors of the cassava mosaic disease (CMD), the high whitefly population densities recorded in some locations (>lo0 adults per plant, e.g. in Zambezia province), was considered a direct pest causing considerable leaf damage and covering plants with sooty molds. The incidence and damage severity of other common pests of cassava (i.e. cassava mealybug, termites, and grasshoppers) appeared insignificant