Puut kestävän toimeentulon lähteenä Afrikan Sarvessa : tutkimuksia suitsukkeesta, mirhasta ja muista metsän keruutuotteista Somaliassa ja Keniassa

Dryland ecosystems support the livelihood of millions of people in the Horn of Africa. However, these ecosystems have been exploited and affected by continuous overgrazing, fire and tree cutting. The general aim of the study was to find ways of improving the adaptive strategy and livelihood of the rural communities, and promoting ecosystem sustainability in the Horn of Africa, using Kenya and Somalia as specific case studies. The theoretical framework of the study was based on the conceptual framework for sustainable development or sustainability. The study examined the non-wood forest products (NWFPs), both for food and non-food commodities, harvested to overcome food insecurity. It paid particular attention to the role of the aromatic resin bearing species of Boswellia and Commiphora in poverty alleviation and climate change adaptation in the region. It also examined the rural communities’ views on the causes, effects and socio-economic impacts of resource degradation. Socio-economic field surveys were conducted in Wajir district of north-eastern Kenya and three districts in Somalia, Addado, Buhodle and Galka’ayo. A systematic literature review was also employed to identify, select and critically review the current information on socio-economic contributions of aromatic resins in the Horn of Africa. Qualitative analyses from surveys, group discussions and key informant consultations were used in processing the data. The research identified several woody species which provide both food and nonfood products. The results emphasised the potential for using Boswellia and Commiphora species as agroforestry trees, for not only improving the economic conditions of the farmers, but also for increasing land productivity. The study highlighted forest degradation, droughts, building of reservoir and over-grazing as the main factors causing land degradation in the study areas. Farmers’ adoption of new agroforestry management techniques in general, and those for Boswellia and Commiphora species in particular has a distinct role in biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation in the Horn of Africa. This would also enhance ecosystem sustainability and improve rural livelihood security and thereby facilitate poverty alleviation. Keywords: Acacia-Commiphora woodlands, agro-pastoralists, non-wood forest products, frankincense, myrrh, Horn of Africa, Somalia, Kenya.Kuivat alueet antavat toimentulon miljoonille ihmisille Afrikan Sarven alueella. Nämä alueet ovat kuitenkin jatkuvasti kärsineet ylilaidunnuksesta, maastopaloista ja puuston liikahakkuista. Tutkimuksen yleinen tavoite oli löytää keinoja maaseutuyhteisöjen sopeutumisstrategian ja ekosysteemien kestävyyden parantamiseen Afrikan Sarvessa, esimerkkeinä Kenia ja Somalia. Teoreettisena viitekehyksenä olivat kestävyyden ja kestävän kehityksen käsitteet. Työssä tutkittiin sekä ruokana käytettyjä että muita puista saatavia keruutuotteita (Non-Wood Forest Products, NWFP) ruokaturvan ja toimeentulon parantamisen näkökulmasta. Erityinen huomio kiinnitettiin aromaattisia pihka-aineita eli suitsuketta ja mirhaa tuottaviin Boswellia- ja Commiphora-sukujen puulajeihin köyhyyden vähentämistä ja ilmastonmuutokseen sopeutumista edistävinä tekijöinä tällä maantieteellisellä alueella. Tutkimus selvitti myös paikallisyhteisöjen näkemyksiä luonnonvarojen ehtymisen syistä, ilmenemismuodoista ja yhteiskunnallis-taloudellisista vaikutuksista. Haastattelututkimusten kenttätyö tehtiin Wajirin piirikunnassa Koillis-Keniassa ja kolmessa piirikunnassa (Addado, Buhodle ja Galka’ayo) keskisessä Somaliassa. Yksityiskohtaisen kirjallisuusanalyysin avulla kartoitettiin nykyinen tietämys kyseisten aromattisten pihka-aineiden yhteiskunnallis-taloudellisesta merkityksestä Afrikan Sarven alueella. Haastattelututkimusten, ryhmäkeskustelujen ja avainhenkilöiden konsultoinnin antama aineisto analysoitiin kvantitatiivisin menetelmin. Tutkimuksessa tunnistettiin useita puulajeja, jotka ovat tärkeitä ruoan, karjanrehun ja maaseutuyhteisöjen toimentuloa tukevien myyntituotteiden tuottajina. Tulokset korostavat aromaattisia pihka-aineita tuottavien Boswellia- ja Commiphora-puiden potentiaalista merkitystä peltometsäviljelyn lajeina. Nämä puut eivät ainoastaan paranna paikallisyhteisöjen taloutta vaan ne myös yleisesti lisäävät maankäytön tuottavuutta ja kestävyyttä. Metsäkato, kuivuus, vedenkeräysaltaiden rakentaminen ja ylilaiduntaminen todettiin keskeisiksi syiksi maa-alueiden kunnon heikentymiseen. Biologisen monimuotoisuuden ja ilmastonmuutokseen sopeutumisen vahvistaminen Afrikan Sarven alueella hyötyisi merkittävästi peltometsäviljelyn järjestelmällisemmästä ja monipuolisemmasta soveltamisesta, ja tässä kehityksessä Boswellia- ja Commiphora-puiden hoidolla ja kestävällä käytöllä on keskeinen merkitys. Tuloksena on sekä tuotantoekosysteemien kestävyyden vahvistuminen että maaseutuyhteisöjen toimeentulon parantuminen, mikä myös edistää köyhyyden vähentymistä. Avainsanat: Acacia-Commiphora savannimetsä, Boswellia, Commiphora, paimentolaiset, viljelijä-paimentolaiset, aromaattiset pihka-aineet, metsän keruutuotteet, aavikoituminen, toimeentulo, ruokaturva, ilmastonmuutokseen sopeutuminen, maa-alueiden heikentyminen, Afrikan Sarvi, Somalia, Kenia

Boswellia and Commiphora Species as a Resource Base for Rural Livelihood Security in the Horn of Africa: A Systematic Review

The dryland vegetation and particularly the Acacia-Commiphora woodlands support the livelihoods of approximately 52 million rural households in the Horn of Africa. Aromatic resins are valuable non-wood forest products (NWFPs) derived from Boswellia and Commiphora species in the drylands of this region. The study seeks to answer the following main questions: “What are the ecological and livelihood roles of resin producing species, and the role that people have in either degrading or restoring these ecosystems?” “Who are the participants in frankincense and myrrh production, processing, and trade, and how do these people interact?” “What is the current and potential future economic impact of frankincense and myrrh production and trade at the household level?” “What are the barriers to enhanced economic outcomes?” The study involves the use of PRISMA method—a systematic methodology to identify, select and analyze the recent literature on aromatic resins in relation to such factors as socio-economic situation, livelihood security, value chain, climate change adaptation, ecology and sustainable development in the Horn of Africa. Systematic identification of publications was conducted using several sources, including but not limited to electronic databases for literature search. Web of Science, Social Science Citation Index and Google Scholar and various scientific journals were investigated using search terms and restrictions. A total of 991 references were retrieved, but literature only published between 2003 to 2017 was selected, which led to the use of 51 works for full-text assessment. The results indicate that of the 51 selected studies, 45% focused on ecology and sustainable management, 31% on economic contribution and livelihood security, 20% on production and value chain development, and 4% on climate change adaptation and mitigation. It could be concluded that farmers’ adoption of Boswellia and Commiphora species as economic tree crops in the Horn of Africa has a distinct role in biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation by contributing to the sustainability of ecosystem functioning as well as improving household incomes and the rural livelihood security in general, and thereby facilitating poverty alleviation

Boswellia and Commiphora Species as a Resource Base for Rural Livelihood Security in the Horn of Africa: A Systematic Review

The dryland vegetation and particularly the Acacia-Commiphora woodlands support the livelihoods of approximately 52 million rural households in the Horn of Africa. Aromatic resins are valuable non-wood forest products (NWFPs) derived from Boswellia and Commiphora species in the drylands of this region. The study seeks to answer the following main questions: “What are the ecological and livelihood roles of resin producing species, and the role that people have in either degrading or restoring these ecosystems?” “Who are the participants in frankincense and myrrh production, processing, and trade, and how do these people interact?” “What is the current and potential future economic impact of frankincense and myrrh production and trade at the household level?” “What are the barriers to enhanced economic outcomes?” The study involves the use of PRISMA method—a systematic methodology to identify, select and analyze the recent literature on aromatic resins in relation to such factors as socio-economic situation, livelihood security, value chain, climate change adaptation, ecology and sustainable development in the Horn of Africa. Systematic identification of publications was conducted using several sources, including but not limited to electronic databases for literature search. Web of Science, Social Science Citation Index and Google Scholar and various scientific journals were investigated using search terms and restrictions. A total of 991 references were retrieved, but literature only published between 2003 to 2017 was selected, which led to the use of 51 works for full-text assessment. The results indicate that of the 51 selected studies, 45% focused on ecology and sustainable management, 31% on economic contribution and livelihood security, 20% on production and value chain development, and 4% on climate change adaptation and mitigation. It could be concluded that farmers’ adoption of Boswellia and Commiphora species as economic tree crops in the Horn of Africa has a distinct role in biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation by contributing to the sustainability of ecosystem functioning as well as improving household incomes and the rural livelihood security in general, and thereby facilitating poverty alleviation

Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial

SummaryBackground Azithromycin has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19 on the basis of its immunomodulatoryactions. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of azithromycin in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19.Methods In this randomised, controlled, open-label, adaptive platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19Therapy [RECOVERY]), several possible treatments were compared with usual care in patients admitted to hospitalwith COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 176 hospitals in the UK. Eligible and consenting patients wererandomly allocated to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus azithromycin 500 mg once perday by mouth or intravenously for 10 days or until discharge (or allocation to one of the other RECOVERY treatmentgroups). Patients were assigned via web-based simple (unstratified) randomisation with allocation concealment andwere twice as likely to be randomly assigned to usual care than to any of the active treatment groups. Participants andlocal study staff were not masked to the allocated treatment, but all others involved in the trial were masked to theoutcome data during the trial. The primary outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality, assessed in the intention-to-treatpopulation. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936.Findings Between April 7 and Nov 27, 2020, of 16 442 patients enrolled in the RECOVERY trial, 9433 (57%) wereeligible and 7763 were included in the assessment of azithromycin. The mean age of these study participants was65·3 years (SD 15·7) and approximately a third were women (2944 [38%] of 7763). 2582 patients were randomlyallocated to receive azithromycin and 5181 patients were randomly allocated to usual care alone. Overall,561 (22%) patients allocated to azithromycin and 1162 (22%) patients allocated to usual care died within 28 days(rate ratio 0·97, 95% CI 0·87–1·07; p=0·50). No significant difference was seen in duration of hospital stay (median10 days [IQR 5 to >28] vs 11 days [5 to >28]) or the proportion of patients discharged from hospital alive within 28 days(rate ratio 1·04, 95% CI 0·98–1·10; p=0·19). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at baseline, nosignificant difference was seen in the proportion meeting the composite endpoint of invasive mechanical ventilationor death (risk ratio 0·95, 95% CI 0·87–1·03; p=0·24).Interpretation In patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19, azithromycin did not improve survival or otherprespecified clinical outcomes. Azithromycin use in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 should be restrictedto patients in whom there is a clear antimicrobial indication