Isolation and molecular identification of yeast strains from “Rabilé” a starter of local fermented drink

“Rabilé” is dried yeast harvested from Sorghum beer, used as a traditional starter culture but more especially as ingredient in sauce and food cooking in Burkina Faso. The present study aimed to isolate and identify indigenous yeast flora of “Rabilé”. Standard microbiological process was carried out to value and isolate yeast in different samples of “Rabilé” coming from four localities of Burkina Faso. Phenotypical method and molecular method (PCR and RFLP) were used for yeast  strains characterization and identification. The results showed that yeast counts ranged from 9.49 to 10.35 log cfu/g of “Rabilé”. A total of twenty yeast strains were isolated. Based on phenotypical characters three genera were detected: Candida (40%), Saccharomyces (35%) and Rhodotorula (25%). Molecular identification revealed two specific strains among yeasts isolated as S. cerevisiae with a frequency of 35% and R. mucilaginosa with a frequency of 25%. This data highlights the diversity of indigenous yeast flora of “Rabilé”.Key words: Rabilé, yeast, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), traditional starter culture

Proprietes hydriques des sols dans deux zones a ecosystemes contrastes au Sahel

Les sécheresses répétées du Sahel et la pression de la population ont eu un impact négatif sur l’environnement ont conduit à la dégradation des ressources naturelles. Mais depuis ces deux dernières décennies, l’état des ressources au Sahel est mitigé. C’est ainsi que, dans certaines zones, on parle de la perte de certaines fonctions du sol. Cette étude menée dans le Sahel et dans deux zones à écosystèmes contrastés a porté sur la détermination des propriétés hydrodynamiques et la caractérisation des sols en fonction de l’occupation des terres afin de déterminer la capacité du sol à soutenir certaines fonctions. Elle analyse l’influence de l’occupation des terres sur les propriétés hydriques des sols. Elle a utilisé un échantillonnage de sol, des mesures de densité apparente, d’humidité et l’infiltrométrie à succion contrôlée à trois niveaux de tensions en fonction de l’occupation des terres. L’analyse statistique donne des différences significatives en ce qui concerne la variation de l’argile avec la profondeur, très significatives pour l’analyse texturale en fonction de l’occupation des terres. Pour les propriétés hydriques, seule la conductivité hydraulique à la tension (-5) et la taille des pores par sites donnent une différence significative. Les résultats montrent une dégradation de la texture qui induit celle de la porosité texturale et de forte valeur de conductibilité hydraulique à Koalma.Mots clés : Conductivité hydraulique ; texture du sol ; occupation des terres ; dégradation ; Sahe

Challenges for Creating and Sustaining A Green Revolution in Africa

Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Low-cost adaptation options to support green growth in agriculture, water resources, and coastal zones

The regional climate as it is now and in the future will put pressure on investments in sub-Saharan Africa in water resource management, fisheries, and other crop and livestock production systems. Changes in oceanic characteristics across the Atlantic Ocean will result in remarkable vulnerability of coastal ecology, littorals, and mangroves in the middle of the twenty-first century and beyond. In line with the countries' objectives of creating a green economy that allows reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved resource efficiency, and prevention of biodiversity loss, we identify the most pressing needs for adaptation and the best adaptation choices that are also clean and affordable. According to empirical data from the field and customized model simulation designs, the cost of these adaptation measures will likely decrease and benefit sustainable green growth in agriculture, water resource management, and coastal ecosystems, as hydroclimatic hazards such as pluviometric and thermal extremes become more common in West Africa. Most of these adaptation options are local and need to be scaled up and operationalized for sustainable development. Governmental sovereign wealth funds, investments from the private sector, and funding from global climate funds can be used to operationalize these adaptation measures. Effective legislation, knowledge transfer, and pertinent collaborations are necessary for their success

Economic and psychological burden of scheduled surgery cancellation in a sub-Saharan country (Burkina Faso)

Background: Cancellation of scheduled surgery creates a financial burden for hospitals, caregivers and patients. Cancellation causes emotional stress, which impacts on outcomes. In poor countries where the adequacy of healthcare is limited, the ethical dilemma created by scheduled surgery cancellation is particularly important.Objective: To identify the incidence, cost and emotional impact of elective surgical cancellation in a teaching hospital in BurkinoFaso.Methods: A four month, prospective, observational study was undertaken in a teaching hospital (Yalgado Ouedraogo). All surgical patients were eligible. The causes of cancellation, financial cost and patients’ emotional response were assessed. The cost was estimated using a tool adapted for the economic cost of African job types.Results: During the study period, 1 088 cases were scheduled to undergo inpatient surgery. Of these, 239 cases (21.9%) were cancelled. Among the cancelled cases, 237 were cancelled during preparation in the surgical ward and two cases were cancelled in the operation room. A large number of the patients were housewives (n = 87). The highest cancellation rate (35.9%) was found in general surgery. Cancellation was judged avoidable in 214 cases (89.5%). The total cost of surgery cancellation to the hospital was US$19 147 (mean value US$ 80 per patient). Patients lost a mean of US$62.70, which represented 117.6$ 4 989 ). Cancellation caused a negative emotional reaction in 205 patients (85.7%) and ‘sadness’ was the most frequent (54.8%; n = 131). Cancellation resulted in 163 days of work lost.Conclusion: Based on income, the cost of day of surgery cancellation was high in Burkina Faso.Keywords: cost, emotional reaction, psychology, surgery cancellatio