An Analysis of the Current Production Trends of Farm Enterprises in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya

An economic analysis of small-scale farming enterprises in Kenya was carried out in Trans-Nzoia district. It focused on growing of beans, maize and goat rearing, to a less extent. The study aimed at establishing current production trends of the farming practices. The study adopted a survey research design in which interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data from the Agricultural Officer at the Trans-Nzoia district headquarters, the extension staff and selected farmers. A total of 357 respondents were selected using simple cluster sampling technique. The findings of the study indicated that the current production levels of beans, maize in the district have been declining over the years. Despite continued planting, the people have remained poor. Analysis and comparison of the economic returns per acre revealed that more maize is produced per acre than beans. The study recommends that the government of Kenya and the respective departments should give the necessary attention to agricultural issues by providing support services for small scale farmers. Involving the small scale farmers in self-help rehabilitation measures, greater reliance on mobilization of grass root resources particularly among the poor and women would go a long way to enhance and increase production levels. Keywords: Current Production Trends, Farm Enterprises, Trans-Nzoia County, Keny

Assessment of pollution impacts on the ecological integrity of the Kisian and Kisat rivers in Lake Victoria drainage basin, Kenya

Macro-invertebrate assemblages were used as bioindicators to assess the ecological integrity of Rivers Kisat (influenced by urban development) and Kisian (influenced by agriculture) using community attributes and the Index of Biotic Integrity. Six stations, three per river, were selected to correspond to different impact types and intensities along the rivers. Physico-chemical parameters and nutrients were determined for each station on a monthly basis from November 2007 to April 2008. Two-way analysis of variance was used to compare water quality and nutrient parameters, and macro invertebrate community attributes between the two rivers, with the river and station as the main factors. Significant differences were accepted at 95% confidence level. There were inconsistencies in the variation of physico-chemical parameters along the two rivers. However, River Kisat recorded higher values for all physico-chemical parameters considered, except pH and DO. Different indices and metrics representing the structural and functional organization of macro invertebrates were computed and evaluated for responsiveness to physico-chemical parameters and nutrient levels. Macro invertebrate diversity, richness and evenness values failed to delineate stations according to the different levels of degradation they were experiencing. However, the differences were captured by the index of biotic integrity, which separated stations into different classes of quality. River Kisat stations in urban areas scored lowest index values, less than 15 out of 25, while two river Kisian stations scored the highest value, more than 19. The index provided evidence of response to changes in ecosystem integrity exhibited by resident macro invertebrate assemblages to pollution arising from both point and nonpoint sources.Key words: Urban rivers, water quality, physico-chemical parameters, macro invertebrates

Role of Bryophytes And Tree Canopy In Mist Trapping In Mt. Marsabit Forest

Mt. Marsabit forest, is an isolated Tropical Rain Forest, oasis, located 560 Km north of Nairobi, Kenya; and surrounded by deserts of Chalbi, Kaisut and Bubisa. The forest is under threat mainly by anthropogenic effects before the forest biota is studied. This research was to investigate the role of bryophytes and forest canopy in trapping mist water, for supporting Mt. Marsabit forest community development. The experiments were located 1450 m. asl windward of Mt. Marsabit. Stem simulates of varying circumferences were dressed with bryophytes and bryophytes mounted mist traps were located on same site. The water retention capacity was 6 times own dry weight with a hygroscopic capacity of 13%. The mist water trapped by bryophytes was 8 liters of water / m ²/ mist day translating to 196 mm of rainfall per year. The stem simulates of 20 cm circumference, 50 cm long trapped 30 ml of water per mist day using surface area of 0.05 m² translating to 914 ml of water per m² per mist day equivalent to 65 mm of rainfall per year. The study revealed that vegetation is an important catchments area surface (attract rain) whose loss leads to reduced water resource for plant and animal use; climate moderation. Further, mist water is the compensation factor that supports the forest ecosystem. The cooling effect of water is lost with the loss of vegetation. The loss of water leads to drier environment with climate change as the ripple effect. The change in river regimes and the general hydrologic cycle is due to loss in vegetation, where mist water was not accounted for by science. The mist water resource is renewable water resource that can be used to recharge ground water, conserve and rehabilitate forest and provide water for domestic, agricultural and industrial use

Domestic water scarcity and rain water harvesting in non-perennial river basins Sri Lanka, Case-study Maspotha and Ganewaththa villages in Daduru Oya basin

Rainwater Harvester (RWH) has a long history in Sri Lanka. Spatial water scarcity within theintermediate zone has masked by the aggregative statistics. Sufficient number of natural and manmade water sources available within the zone. But most of them get dried in advance of dry season.Urbanization and population increase have been amplified the ground water extraction. Maspotha andGanewaththa areas have been identified as most dried areas in Daduru Oya basin. Objective of thisstudy is to identify the natural and physical resource availability to introduce RWH systems. Randomlyselected households samples were interviewed. Secondary data were collected from InternationalWater Management Institute and from other relevant government offices. Multiple regression analysiswas done to identify significant factors. Descriptive analysis was done from other collected data.Land fragmentation and the urbanization are sign ificantly affected for the present increment of spatialdrought frequency. 55 percent of households use their own well for drinking water and 30 percent ofhouseholds use community wells for drinking water. Ownership, water availability and the proximityto water source determine the amount of water usage. The pattern of the domestic water usage hasbeen changed over the time and 15 percent of households have water sealed bathrooms. The averageroof area and the average rainfall have shown positive sign for application ofRWH systems. Introducingthe RWH is difficult because of lack of technical knowledge and modest experiences about RWHwithin community. Satisfactory domestic water supply in close proximity would make more direct andindirect benefits

Simulated Impacts of Climate Change on Surface Water Yields over the Sondu Basin in Kenya

Potential impacts of climate change on surface water yields over the Sondu River basin in the western region of Kenya were analysed using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model with climate input data obtained from the fourth generation coupled Ocean-Atmosphere European Community Hamburg Model (ECHAM4) using the Providing Regional Climates for Impacts Studies (PRECIS) model. Daily time step regional climate scenarios at a spatial grid resolution of 0.44Ëš over the Eastern Africa region were matched to the Sondu river basin and used to calibrate and validate the SWAT model.Analysis of historical and projected rainfall over the basin strongly indicated that the climate of the area will significantly change with wetter climates being experienced by 2030 and beyond. Projected monthly rainfall distribution shows increasing trends in the relatively dry DJF and SON seasons while showing decreasing trends in the relatively wet MAM and JJA seasons. Potential changes in water yields resulting from climate change were computed by comparing simulated yields under climate change scenarios with those simulated under baseline conditions. There was evidence of substantial increases in water yields ranging between 88% and 110% of the baseline yields by 2030 and 2050 respectively. Although simulated water yields are subject to further verification from observed values, this study has provided useful information about potential changes in water yields as a result of climate change over the Sondu River basin and in similar basins in this region

Pitting of malaria parasites and spherocyte formation

BACKGROUND: A high prevalence of spherocytes was detected in blood smears of children enrolled in a case control study conducted in the malaria holoendemic Lake Victoria basin. It was speculated that the spherocytes reflect intraerythrocytic removal of malarial parasites with a concurrent removal of RBC membrane through a process analogous to pitting of intraerythrocytic inclusion bodies. Pitting and re-circulation of RBCs devoid of malaria parasites could be a host mechanism for parasite clearance while minimizing the anaemia that would occur were the entire parasitized RBC removed. The prior demonstration of RBCs containing ring-infected erythrocyte surface antigen (pf 155 or RESA) but no intracellular parasites, support the idea of pitting. METHODS: An in vitro model was developed to examine the phenomenon of pitting and spherocyte formation in Plasmodium falciparum infected RBCs (iRBC) co-incubated with human macrophages. In vivo application of this model was evaluated using blood specimens from patients attending Kisumu Ditrict Hospital. RBCs were probed with anti-RESA monoclonal antibody and a DNA stain (propidium iodide). Flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy was used to compare RBCs containing both the antigen and the parasites to those that were only RESA positive. RESULTS: Co-incubation of iRBC and tumor necrosis factor-alpha activated macrophages led to pitting (14% ± 1.31% macrophages with engulfed trophozoites) as opposed to erythrophagocytosis (5.33% ± 0.95%) (P < 0.01). Following the interaction, 26.9% ± 8.1% of the RBCs were spherocytes as determined by flow cytometric reduction in eosin-5-maleimide binding which detects RBC membrane band 3. The median of patient RBCs with pitted parasites (RESA+, PI-) was more than 3 times (95,275/μL) that of RESA+, PI+ RBCs (28,365/μL) (P < 0.01). RBCs with pitted parasites showed other morphological abnormalities, including spherocyte formation. CONCLUSION: It is proposed that in malaria holoendemic areas where prevalence of asexual stage parasites approaches 100% in children, RBCs with pitted parasites are re-circulated and pitting may produce spherocytes

Factors associated with risky sexual behavior among HIV negative partners in HIV discordant relationships in Nairobi, Kenya

Introduction: Whereas risky sexual behavior influences HIV acquisition, little information is available on risk taking practices among negative partners in HIV discordant relationships in our settings. This study sought to determine the associated factors among this population in Nairobi.Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study and 133 HIV negative partners participated in the study.Results: Out of the 133 participants, 66.9% were male and 33.1% were female. Overall, 44.4% of the study participants reported inconsistent condom use, 14.3% reported having another sexual partner and 30% reported ever engaging in sexual activities under the influence of alcohol. Monthly earnings (p- 0.02), alcohol use (p- 0.03) and the index partner being on anti-retroviral medication (p-0.02) were significantly associated with having another sexual partner. Focus group discussion findings showed that male gender, alcohol use and the duration of the relationship influenced the decision to use condoms while male gender influenced having another sexual partner.Conclusion: Risky sexual behavior practices still occur among the HIV negative partners in discordant relationships. More education and sensitization should be made on the risks associated with this behavior so as to reduce the risk of HIV infection from their infected partners.Afr J Health Sci. 2013; 26:324-33

Synthesis 2006

The purpose of this report is to summarize and synthesize activities and achievements of the CPWF through the end of 2006. The CPWF is a CGIAR Challenge Program designed to take on the global challenge of water scarcity and food security. It takes the form of an international, multi-institutional research-for-development initiative that brings together scientists, development specialists, and river basin communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America. It seeks to create and disseminate international public goods (IPGs) helpful in achieving food security, reducing poverty, improving livelihoods, reducing agriculture–related pollution, and enhancing environmental security. This Challenge Program is a three-phase, 15-year endeavor. Several years have passed since the start of Phase 1 (2003-2008) which began with an inception phase in 2003 and was followed by full CPWF launch in January 2004. Research projects began field operations in mid-2004. This synthesis report, then, only describes work carried out in the first two and a half years of the Program. During this time, CPWF has conducted its research on water and food in nine benchmark basins, organized around five different themes. This work is being implemented through “first call projects”, “basin focal projects”, “small grant projects” and “synthesis research”. This present report is one example of the latter. CPWF projects have made considerable progress in developing innovative technologies, policies and institutions to address water and food issues. Some projects focused on improving agricultural water productivity. Others focused on developing mechanisms to inform multi-stakeholder dialogue and negotiation, or explored ways to value water used to produce ecosystem services. Advances were also made in understanding water-foodpoverty links, and their regional and global policy context

Effect of Repeated Anthelminthic Treatment on Malaria in School Children in Kenya: A Randomized, Open-Label, Equivalence Trial.

BACKGROUND: School children living in the tropics are often concurrently infected with plasmodium and helminth parasites. It has been hypothesized that immune responses evoked by helminths may modify malaria-specific immune responses and increase the risk of malaria. METHODS: We performed a randomized, open-label, equivalence trial among 2436 school children in western Kenya. Eligible children were randomized to receive either 4 repeated doses or a single dose of albendazole and were followed up during 13 months to assess the incidence of clinical malaria. Secondary outcomes were Plasmodium prevalence and density, assessed by repeat cross-sectional surveys over 15 months. Analysis was conducted on an intention-to-treat basis with a prespecified equivalence range of 20%. RESULTS: During 13 months of follow-up, the incidence rate of malaria was 0.27 episodes/person-year in the repeated treatment group and 0.26 episodes/person-year in the annual treatment group (incidence difference, 0.01; 95% confidence interval, -.03 to .06). The prevalence and density of malaria parasitemia did not differ by treatment group at any of the cross-sectional surveys. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that repeated deworming does not alter risks of clinical malaria or malaria parasitemia among school children and that school-based deworming in Africa may have no adverse consequences for malaria. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT01658774