Research−implementation organisations and their role for sustainable development

Over the past decade, considerable progress has been made by higher education institutions (HEIs) to align with sustainable development goals. Specifically, aspects of sustainable development have been integrated into the existing mandates of HEIs – education, research and operations. The main objective of the current study was to assess a sub-group of African HEIs that have an explicit mandate for implementation science and pursue development assistance-type services and to describe their added value to advance sustainable development. We conducted a qualitative situational assessment, including 22 institutions from 13 countries. Interviews and surveys were done with 42 participants composed of director-level representatives and staff members engaged both in research and implementation. The data were subjected to qualitative content analysis. The main strengths of the participating organisations vis-à-vis implementation projects and wider sustainable development were the quality of implementation, local relevance of the research and uptake of research evidence into policy and practice. A major weakness was the challenge of operating such a bi-sectoral model, while maintaining high-level performance in both areas. Yet, the examined research implementation institutions draw from and combine the competences of research, education and implementation and have a distinctive role to play in the attainment of sustainable development, especially when operating by an optimised support system and within strong research ecosystems. Based on our study, we provide a definition of research implementation organisations that may serve institutions to enhance their standing, their operations and their significance for sustainable development

Lay attitudes and misconceptions and their implications for the control of brucellosis in an agro-pastoral community in Kilombero district, Tanzania

Funding: The research for this paper was carried out within the framework of the DELTAS Africa Initiative [Afrique One-ASPIRE /DEL-15-008] (to CMM). Afrique One-ASPIRE is funded by a consortium of donor including the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Planning and Coordinating (NEPAD) Agency, the Wellcome Trust [107753/A/15/Z] and the UK government. The authors were funded by Afrique One ASPIRE to conduct this study.Brucellosis is a priority zoonotic disease in Tanzania that causes ill-health in people and affects livestock productivity. Inadequate awareness and behavior risking transmission can impede control efforts. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 333 livestock owners in three villages in the Kilombero district, Tanzania, to understand their awareness, knowledge and behavior associated with brucellosis. Six Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), two in each village, were conducted, as well as an additional FGD with male herders from one of the villages. Factors associated with knowledge on brucellosis, food consumption and animal husbandry behavior risking transmission of this disease, were identified using generalized linear models. Predictors for knowledge of brucellosis were being male and having a higher educational level, while age was positively associated with a higher level of knowledge. Faith and ethnicity were associated with the performance of practices risking transmission. Following traditional religion and belonging to the Wamaasai ethnicity significantly increased the odds of carrying out these practices. Qualitative analysis gave insight into risk practices and reasoning. Of the 333 respondents, 29% reported that they had experienced abortions in their herds, 14% witnessed retained placentas, and 8% had seen still-births in their cattle within the previous year. However, survey results also showed that only 7.2% of participants had heard about brucellosis as a disease in livestock. Of those who had heard about brucellosis in livestock, 91% associated abortions with it and 71% knew that humans can get infected through raw milk consumption. People overwhelmingly attributed symptoms and transmission of brucellosis in livestock to infection with trypanosomiasis and to supernatural reasons instead. In the community, consumption of raw milk was valued and handling of aborted material was not considered a risk for infection. This agro-pastoralist community holds on to long-held beliefs and practices and lacks understanding of the biomedical concept of brucellosis. Transmission routes and symptoms of brucellosis in humans and livestock are completely unknown. The disparity between risk perception and actual transmission risk related to animal handling and consumption of animal products presents a challenge for disease awareness communication. This study recommends focused community engagement and sensitization to address the limited awareness and misconceptions among agro-pastoralists.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Influence of the agrochemicals used for rice and vegetable cultivation on insecticide resistance in malaria vectors in southern Côte d’Ivoire

Background Vector control can contribute to the development of resistance to insecticides in malaria vectors. As the swamps and wetlands used for some agricultural activities constitute productive breeding sites for many mosquito species, agricultural pest control may increase the selection pressure for insecticide resistance in mosquitoes. Understanding the use of agrochemicals by farmers is important to plan and initiate effective integrated pest and vector management interventions. Methods A knowledge–attitude–practice study, using questionnaires, was undertaken with 102 rice farmers in Tiassalé and 106 vegetable farmers in Dabou (South Côte d’Ivoire) in order to generate information on pesticide usage. In addition, insecticide susceptibility bioassays were conducted using adult mosquitoes obtained from larvae collected within farms, and the persistence of agricultural pesticides in the farming environment, including sediment and mosquito breeding site water, was investigated by HPLC. Results Herbicides and insecticides appeared to be the most frequently used pesticides for both crops. Amino phosphonates (mostly glyphosate) represented the most used herbicides (45 % for rice up to 89 % for vegetables). Pyrethroids appeared to be the most used insecticides (accounting for 90 % of all the insecticide use reported). Approximately 75 % of respondents had not been to school and do not understand product labels. Only about 45 % of farmers respect the recommended pesticide dosage and about 10–15 % of pesticides used for rice and vegetable, respectively, are not recommended for these crops. As per WHO criteria, the mosquito local populations from the two localities were resistant to three of the four insecticides tested, as mortalities were less than 35 % for deltamethrin, DDT and bendiocarb. Higher susceptibility was observed for malathion, although the population was considered resistant in Dabou (80 % mortality) and susceptible in Tiassalé (98 % mortality). With the exception of glyphosate, residues from each of six chemicals tested for were detected in each of the sites visited in the two localities. Conclusion The study describes the use of insecticides and herbicides on crops and highlights the importance of considering agriculture practices when attempting to manage resistance in malaria vectors. Inter-sectoral collaboration between agriculture and public health is required to develop efficient integrated pest and vector management interventions

Typology, technical efficiency and scale economy of dibiteries in Dakar, Senegal

In recent years, a profound transformation has been observed in the eating habits of the populations of African cities, induced by accelerated socioeconomic and demographic growth. In Senegal, these changes have manifested in the proliferation of collective informal catering enterprises, such as the '; dibiteries; ', where the roasted meat of sheep is prepared and sold. The rise of the average household income has contributed substantially to increasing levels of meat consumption, leading to the expansion of the; dibiteries; . The purpose of the current work was to evaluate the managerial performance of these establishments in Dakar, Senegal.; To achieve this, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 152 ; dibiteries; using a questionnaire. Efficiency scores were determined via the data envelopment analysis method. The pure technical scores thereby obtained were subsequently used as dependent variables in a Tobit model to identify the socioeconomic determinants of; dibiterie; efficiency.; The resulting average score of the; dibiteries; suggests that the majority are operating inefficiently (79.6%). Moreover, it was demonstrated that this inefficiency seems to be related to scale rather than technical issues. However, few of the; dibiteries; assessed (20.4%) were nevertheless in a situation of constant scale economy. Among the socioeconomic variables tested, experience, leadership (family or individual-run), the ownership status of the restaurant building (own or lease) and the type of workforce (family, recruited, mixed or without) had a significant impact on the efficiency of the establishments.; The scale economy and waste reduction in food production can result in economic gains that can in turn be used in the safety of finished products. Indeed, by following best practices,; dibiteries; can make gains which could be used to invest in good hygiene practices on handwashing, cleaning and disinfecting grilling tools, optimizing work space and training staff

Pratique d’Interdits Alimentaires: Entre Logique Identitaire, Enjeux Sanitaires Et Conservation De La Biodiversité Chez Les Agni De Bongouanou (Côte d’Ivoire)

Social norms are depriving Agni communities of Bongouanou in central-eastern Côte d’Ivoire of certain foods adding to a state of food insecurity. Based on significant cases of food restrictions, this study analyzed nutritional practices that position individuals and groups in social normative frameworks. This work focused on institutional frameworks where health and food taboo aspects were most shared. This study aims to analyze the social imaginaries associated with food restriction and their link to health in a context of food insecurity. More particularly, it aims at exploring beliefs and representations associated with health risks due to food restrictions. Based on a qualitative approach using data collection techniques as direct observation, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, this study was conducted in four villages where the consumption of catfish by local populations is totally prohibited. Social identity theory and the cultural materialism perspective were used for analysis and interpretation of knowledge and beliefs associated with food restrictions. The non-consumption of catfish from the Socotè Lake participated to sociability and the preservation of the indigenous "Agni of Bongouanou" identity. Additionally, food restrictions are determinants of physical and reproductive health of members of the social group. In fact, the collective imaginary of Agni from Bongouanou establishes a causal link between the consumption of this restricted food and health problems. Finally, it has emerged that this food practice could impact the cultural well-being of the community while contributing to the conservation of biodiversity

Producing knowledge on and for transitional justice : reflections on a collaborative research project

Scholars and research funding institutions have pursued North-South research partnerships as one possible redress for the divisions and inequalities that characterize research and knowledge production practices in the field of transitional justice. Policies and guidelines have been developed to shape the nature of these partnerships, to ensure mutual benefit, and to ensure a collaborative knowledge production process. However, critical reflections about the way these partnerships play out in practice are scant. In this chapter we will thus reflect on our team’s experiences in implementing what was planned as a collaborative North-South research project. We highlight questions of positionality, emotions and ethics in shaping and ‘doing’ partnerships. Drawing on a series of vignettes, extracted from a reflective conversation our project team had at the workshop that concluded our project, we make sense of these experiences within the larger debates on North-South relations in transitional justice scholarship and peacebuilding more generally

Poor mental health of livestock farmers in Africa: a mixed methods case study from Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Agriculture represents the mainstay of African economies and livestock products are essential to the human population's nutritional needs. However, in many developing countries, including Ghana, livestock production fails to meet demand due to population growth and negative effects of climate change. One of the challenges to production is livestock loss affecting farmers. However, despite stressful events experienced, livestock farmers' mental health is poorly documented. This study aims to identify the root causes of livestock losses and their influence on pastoralists' mental health. METHODS: We conducted a mixed methods study in two districts in the Northern and Southern Belts of Ghana. Using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 and guided interviews, we collected quantitative and qualitative data from 287 livestock farmers and 24 key-informants respectively. Mental health scores were categorized using standard guidelines. We evaluated the factors that explained variations in mental wellbeing using general linear models (α = 0.05). RESULTS: About 85% (240/287) of the livestock farmers lost cattle within 1 year. Of these, 91% lost cattle to animal diseases, 50% to theft and 27% to pasture shortages. Qualitative findings reveal that due to poor access to veterinary services, farmers treat livestock diseases themselves with drugs from unregulated sources and often sell diseased cows for meat to recover losses. Findings showed that 60% of livestock farmers had poor mental health. Of those, 72% were depressed, 66% anxious and 59% stressed. Mental wellbeing was negatively associated with the number of adverse events experienced, proportion of livestock lost to most of the major loss factors, emotional attachment to livestock and self-reported physical illnesses in farmers, but positively associated with increasing herd size [F (8,278) = 14.18, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.29]. CONCLUSIONS: Livestock diseases are the leading cause of losses to livestock farmers, whose mental wellbeing is negatively affected by these losses. Although an adaptive strategy by farmers to compensate for poor veterinary services, the arbitrary use of veterinary drugs and sale of diseased cattle pose health risks to the public. Further research to evaluate the performance of veterinary services in Ghana, mental health problems and risk to human health due to potential high-risk meat entering the food chain, is needed

Production Et Consommation Du Tchapalo À Abidjan : Typologie Des Brasseuses Et Des Consommateurs

The tchapalo, traditional Ivorian beer, formerly produced in northern Côte d'Ivoire, has overflowed the geographical limits of its production. Its consumption is becoming more momentum in Abidjan. For a better knowledge of actors and a valorization of this beverage, this work was conducted through a survey of 385 brewers and 77 tchapalo consumers selected in 3 areas of Abidjan. Results showed that tchapalo is produced exclusively by Burkinabe women (45.5%) and the Ivorian women came from northern part of Côte d'Ivoire (53.2%), mainly women of the Lobi ethnic group (90.2%). Tchapalo production was a significant source of income for these women. The biggest consumers of tchapalo came from the Akan ethnic group which represented 52.5% of respondents. Because of its financial accessibility (300 CFA francs per liter), tchapalo is consumed by all socio-economic and professional groups, particularly foremen (41%) and laborers (31.7%). Consumers who found therapeutic principles to the tchapalo represented 54.3% of respondents. Furthermore, over 95% of respondents preferred to consume into tchapalo production area to meet friends and also to maintain fraternity links with brewers. However, 25.7% of consumers chose to consume in a specific tchapalo production area for the taste of the beverage and 25.5% due to welcome that their reserves the producer. Favorite consumption moments were afternoons and evenings