Climate Change Effect on Water Use Efficiency under Selected Soil and Water Conservation Practices in the Ruzizi Catchment, Eastern D.R. Congo

peer reviewedConcerns have been raised on the effectiveness and sustainability of Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) practices as adaptation options to climate change and high intra– and inter–annual rainfall variabilities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This study was conducted in the Ruzizi Plain, a dryland area, to assess the performance of maize (Zea mays L.) under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 4.5 and 8.5) and two SWC practices (tied ridges and conventional tillage). The AgMIP’s Regional Integrated Assessment (RIA) approach was used to simulate Water Use Efficiency (WUE) under the Cropping System Model–Crop Environment Resource Synthesis (CSM–CERES–Maize) of the Decision Support System for Agro–technology Transfer (DSSAT). The model was calibrated using experimental data from nine cropping seasons (2011–2018) and 100 farms. The model sensitivity was assessed as a function of temperature, water, and SWC practices for the same environments. Initial conditions of crop management practices were used as input data for CSM–CERES–Maize. Current climate data were extracted from AgMERRA datasets corrected with local data for the period of 1980 to 2021. Future climate projections (2022–2099) were obtained after down−scaling the data from the 29 General Circulation Models (GCMS) of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 (CMIP5) and subsetted to five GCMs based on climate regimes. GCMS results were a strong indicator that climate change in this DRC dryland will result in an increase in average annual temperatures for both RCP 4.5 and 8.5, with the highest increase (3.05 ◦C) under hot/dry conditions for RCP8.5 and the lowest (1.04 ◦C) under cool/dry conditions for RCP 4.5. All the models selected for five climate regimes for 2022–2099 showed no change in the rainfall trends for RCP 4.5 (p > 0.05). The models projected yield declines of 5–25%, with less yield losses under tied ridges as an adaptation practice. The use of efficient SWC practices could therefore be a promising strategy in reducing potential losses from climate change in drylands of eastern DRC

ABUNDANCE AND DIVERSITY OF NATIVE FORAGE SPECIES IN PASTORAL KARAMOJA SUB-REGION, UGANDA

Low input pastoral production systems rely exclusively on natural forage resourcesin space and time. Information on the abundance and diversity of such pastures is vitalin improving livestock production and managing the biodiversity of grazing landscapes. Thisstudy documented grass and browse forage species utilised in pastoral Karamoja, and determinedtheir relative abundance by district, season and grazing land cover. Up to 65 grass and110 browse species were utilised in Karamoja Sub-region. In situ assessments revealed thatChloris, Hyparrhennia, Sporobolus, Pennisetum, Aristida, Cynodon, Eragrostis, Setaria, andPanicum grasses had higher relative abundance. Triumfetta annua, Indigofera erecta, Acaciadrepanolobium, Grewia holstii, Acacia kirkii, Acacia mellifera, Acacia tortolis, Maeruapseudopetalosa, Acacia oerfota, and Ocimmum canum woody species were the most abundant.From the community assessment, Hyparrhennia, Chloris, Panicum, Bracharia, Eragrostis, and Setaria grasses and Acacia mellifera, Cadaba farinose, Acacia oerfota, Acaciadrepanolobium, Caparis tormentosa, Maerua pseudopetalosa and Hisbiscus micrantha woodyplants were identified as the most abundant among the grazing land cover. The grass andbrowse forage species varied by season, location, and land cover type. The study also founddetailed local knowledge of grass and browse forage species in the community. This study hasshown the existence of high diversity among grass and browse forage species with differentiatedrelative abundance across space and time. This, and the detailed communal culturalknowledge, form a basis for the improvement of livestock production as well as biodiversityconservation in Karamoja sub-region

A Cross-sectional Study to Assess Bacteriological Quality of Fresh Vegetable Salads and Associated Risk Factors in Food Service Establishments in Mwanza City

This study examined the bacteriological quality of fresh vegetable salads and associated risk factors in restaurants and street food vendors in Nyamagana and Ilemela municipalities, Mwanza City, Tanzania. Thirty samples of vegetable salads (i.e., Kachumbari), along with 30 swabs from hands and chopping boards, were collected and analyzed. High contamination levels exceeding acceptable limits were observed with total bacterial counts, S. aureus, and E. coli ranging from 3.6 to 6.7 log CFU/g. All Kachumbari samples (100%) were unsatisfactory, and 17 (56.7%) had unsatisfactory E. coli levels. Moreover, 22 samples (73.3%) had unsatisfactory S. aureus levels, and 10 samples (33.3%) showed unsatisfactory Salmonella spp. contamination. Further, Kachumbari from street food vending sites had a significantly (p < 0.05) higher TBC mean value (6.5 ± 0.3 log CFU/g) than the one from restaurants (5.2 ± 0.6 log CFU/g). On the other hand, chopping boards and hands had high total counts ranging from 3.5 to 4.7 log CFU.cm-2. Also, the type of chopping board was significantly related to the S. aureus contamination levels in the Kachumbari salads (p < 0.05). The presence of both hygiene indicator microorganisms and pathogens indicates a potential public health risk associated with the consumption of Kachumbari. Urgent intervention measures are required to enhance handling practices, personal hygiene, and overall safety throughout the food value chain, thus ensuring the quality and safety of vegetable salads in food service establishments

Pregnant Women Level of Satisfaction on Quality of Care in Reproductive and Child Health clinic at Huruma Designated District Hospital in Rombo District, Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

Background: The clients’ level of satisfaction is an important measure in assessing the quality of health care services provided in health facilities, and is important in enhancing the utilisation of health care services.Objectives: This study aimed to determine pregnant women’s level of satisfaction on the quality of care in the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) clinic at Huruma Designated District Hospital, Rombo Kilimanjaro.Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2018 using the Donabediean model. Using systematic sampling, 270 pregnant women were selected to participate in the study. Data was collected using a pre-tested Service Quality(SERVQUAL) questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were performed using univariate and bivariate analysis, and one sample t-test to compare mean gap scores. The principal component analysis was employed to identify key items that measure the quality of care. A p-value of <.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Overall, pregnant women’s level of satisfaction on the quality of care in the Reproductive and Child Health clinic at Huruma DDH was 48.5%. The overall mean gap score (±SD) for the level of satisfaction was -0.53 (±1.69) signifying dissatisfaction with the quality of care. The overall level of satisfaction was associated with level of education (p<.001), occupation (p=.003), residence (p=.035).The levels of dissatisfaction in the 5 service dimensions were: empathy (-0.05), responsiveness (-0.09), assurance (-0.10), tangible (-0.13), and reliability (-0.17).Conclusion: Overall, pregnant women were dissatisfied with the quality of care provided. Pregnant women who are educated, being employed, and residing in Rombo were more likely to report dissatisfied with the quality of care. To improve the quality of care, lack of adequate staff and inadequate knowledge of the staff at RCH, and improvement in staff-clients interactions, and keeping scheduled appointments need to be improved

Effect of Applying Low Rates of Agricultural Lime and Chicken Manure on Selected Soil Properties on Ferralsols of Lake Victoria Agro-Ecological Zone, Uganda

Ferralsols form a dominant type of soil on which most crops are grown in the Lake Victoria agro-ecological zone. Soil acidity has been recognized among the most important agricultural problems in such soils, which adversely affect crop production and productivity. A study was conducted with the objective of determining the effect of applying low rates of lime and chicken manure on selected soil chemical properties. Using a Split Plot Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design, agricultural lime (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 & 2.0 t·ha-1) as the main plot and chicken manure (0.0, 1.0, 2.0 & 3.0 t·ha-1) as sub-plot were applied, replicated three times. The test crop was common bean var. NABE 15. The experiment was conducted for three rainy seasons, two seasons on-station and one season on-farm on Ferralsol soil in the Lake Victoria crescent of central Uganda. The results showed that applying low rates of lime with chicken manure significantly (p This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Land Cover and Soil Properties Influence on Forage Quantity in a Semiarid Region in East Africa

Soil properties contribute to the widely recognised resilience of semiarid areas. However, limited attention has been given in providing a scientific basis of how semiarid soil properties in the various land covers occur and how they influence forage quantity. This study investigated the influence of different soil properties and land cover types on herbaceous biomass quantity in the Karamoja subregion of Uganda. A completely randomized design in three land cover types (thickets and shrublands, woodlands, and savannah grasslands) was implemented. In each vegetation type, 50 × 40 m plots were demarcated with nested plots to facilitate clipping of the herbaceous layer. Composite soil samples at two depths (0–15 cm, 15–30 cm) were obtained from each plot. The results showed that soil properties varied across land cover types. Soil pH ranged between 6.9 and 8.1 and SOM, N, P, and K were generally low in all land cover types. Soil hydraulic properties revealed the existence of rapid to very rapid permeability in thickets/shrublands, grasslands, and woodlands. Percent change in soil properties (0–15 cm to 15–30 cm) was highest in P, Ca, Mg, Na, and SOM. In the grasslands, P positively (p≤0.01) influenced herbaceous biomass, whereas pH, K, Na, % sand, and % clay, N, and SOM had a negative relationship with herbaceous biomass (p≤0.05). Herbaceous biomass in the thickets/shrublands was negatively influenced by P, Ca, and Mg and % clay and positively by N and % silt (p≤0.05). Only N and SOM were significant determinants of herbaceous biomass in the woodlands (p≤0.05). The low level of soil nutrients observed in this study reveals the fragility of semiarid soils, indicating the need for sustainable landscape management

Effect of applying low rates of lime and manure on bean growth and yield on Ferralsols of Lake Victoria crescent agro-ecological Zone-Central Uganda

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of applying low rates of lime and chicken manure on bean (var. NABE 15) growth and yield on Ferralsols. Using split plot factorial randomized complete block design, lime (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 t ha-1) as the main plot and chicken manure (0.0, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 t ha-1) as sub plot, were replicated three times. The experiment was conducted for three rainy seasons, two seasons’ on-station and one season on-farm using promising combinations from the on-station experiments. In Mukono, increased grain yield of 117% over the control was observed at 2.0 t ha-1 lime with 1.0 t ha-1 manure. Applying 1.5 t ha-1 lime with 2.0 or 3.0 t ha-1 manure resulted in a yield increase of 81.1 and 103.6% over the control respectively. Applying 0.5 t ha-1 lime or 1.0 and 2.0 t ha-1 manure alone caused minimal yields. In Masaka 0.5 t ha-1 lime with 3.0 t ha-1 manure, resulted in 95% yield increase over the control. The control and 0.5 t ha-1 lime yielded the least. All the BCRs were less than one; there was net gain in nutrients (N . P . K) for the subsequent crop.This article is published as Kabango, F., Byalebeka, J., Semalulu, O., Lenssen, A. W., Majaliwa, M. J. G., & Kyebogola, S. (2022). Effect of applying low rates of lime and manure on bean growth and yield on Ferralsols of Lake Victoria crescent agro-ecological Zone-Central Uganda. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 18(12), 1110-1120. doi:10.5897/AJAR2022.16176. Posted with permission.Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License</a