Role of small-scale farmers in making agricultural market information systems relevant and sustainable in Bugiri district, Uganda

The study aimed at establishing the role of small-scale farmers in making agricultural market information systems relevant and sustainable in Bugiri district. This study employed a case study research design and adopted a qualitative research approach. Purposive sampling method was used to select respondents with in-depth information and knowledge relating to the topic under study. Data was collected using focus group discussions and unstructured interviews methods. Major findings reveal that market information is still largely focused on prices and does not give details about quality and quantities. Small-scale farmers’ access to and utilization of market information is still limited but gradually improving. There is no systematic infrastructure for timely collection and dissemination of information in an appropriate medium to all stakeholders. The study concludes that value chain development is crucial for the success of market information systems and it is therefore imperative that information be provided on different areas along the chain. The study recommends establishment of village/parish information centres and display boards to inform small-scale farmers about up-to-date market information

EXAMINING TECHNICAL ISSUES OF THE WORLD DIGITAL LIBRARY IN UGANDA: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

With the agreement and subsequent signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Library of Congress (LC) and the National Library of Uganda (NLU) in 2009, NLU became an active partner institution of the World Digital Library (WDL). Since then, technical processes related to digitizing Uganda’s cultural heritage have been managed. These include: identification of digitizable cultural materials/content selection, scanning, metadata, preservation and conservation and the creation of the Uganda Digital Repository. The aim of this paper was to examine the challenges encountered in managing the technical activities and propose solutions for better management of the WDL in Uganda. Objectives included: to examine the technical services involved in the digitisation process; to identify challenges faced in executing the technical processes; and to identify solutions to the challenges. Data collection was effected through analysis of WDL literature relevant to technical activities in general and the WDL (Uganda) in particular; participant observation of technical processes; and a Focus Group Discussion with employees. Personal experience also applied in explaining some aspects of the research. The paper should generate critical information and debate on the management of WDL technical processes, the challenges, and also strategies to overcome the challenges. The paper should benefit the project administrators, staff and other stakeholders in working towards better performance of the WDL in general and WDL (Uganda) in particular

From despair to hope: Cancer indigenous knowledge practices (CIK) in Uganda

Cancer indigenous knowledge (CIK) through ethnobotanical research has been able to identify plants with anti-cancer agents. These medicinal plants are used to prevent and treat various types of cancer to improve the survival rate and quality of life. This study aimed to examine the CIK practices in Uganda. The study-specific objectives included: to establish the information needs of the cancer patients in Uganda; to identify the types of cancers in Uganda; to examine the CIK practices in Uganda (CIK); to examine the factors that could either promote or hinder the access and utilisation of CIK in Uganda. A phenomenological research design with a qualitative approach was adopted. Data were collected through face-to-face in-depth interviews with the CIK practitioners, cancer patients, and managers of CIK to ascertain the CIK practices in Uganda. The findings show that factors that facilitated access were: side effects from conventional treatment, information from trusted sources, availability of herbs, and the increased interest in CIK. The study further identified factors hindering access which include: non-documentation, non-government support, poor perception of CIK, and lastly, non-availability of the documented CIK. Lastly, the study recommends that the government of Uganda through the MoH should streamline traditional medicine into the health system; CIK practitioners to engage in research and promote documentation of the available CIK practices; IK practitioners to carry out public sensitization on what IK is and what it is no

Documenting and disseminating agricultural indigenous knowledge for sustainable food security in Uganda

There is a wealth of agricultural indigenous knowledge (AIK) in Uganda, which is useful in livestock keeping, crop management and food processing and storage as well as soil and water management. Unfortunately, this AIK is becoming less visible and irrelevant in some communities because of the adoption of modern methods of farming. In fact, a lot of AIK has remained largely undocumented which threatens its sustained utilisation. One of the bottlenecks of the effective utilisation of AIK is access to relevant and usable indigenous knowledge for the diverse stakeholders in the agricultural sector including farmers. It seems farmers in Uganda are adopting modern methods of agriculture at the expense of the AIK because of the less perceived benefits that AIK promises because crops planted using AIK have often faced pests and diseases and not yielded much. The problem is perhaps compounded because of increasing population growth, land fragmentation as well as migration to urban areas. This phenomenon raises the question of how AIK can be conserved. This paper is based on a study that investigated how Agricultural Indigenous Knowledge (AIK) is documented and disseminated in addition to identifying the challenges faced in its management for sustainable food security in Uganda’s district of Soroti. Data in this study was collected through interviews, focus group discussions, document reviews and participant observation. The study findings revealed that despite the advent of modern farming methods, many small-scale farmers in the Soroti district continue to embrace indigenous knowledge in farming such as in managing soil fertility, controlling pests and diseases, controlling weeds, soil preparation, planting materials, harvesting and storage of indigenous root crops and animals. The study concludes that indigenous knowledge is still widely used but most of it is not documented nor fully understood by some members of the community; and that the Iteso and Kumam cultures have some restrictions on who acquires the knowledge. Thus the study recommends that AIKs be recorded for posterity, AIK should be researched upon further, be thoroughly documented and made freely available to anyone who needs it. On the whole, AIK in Soroti district requires attitudinal, behavioural, and methodological changes to give it a scientific touch. Moreover, small-scale farmers should be involved in agricultural extension services rather than leaving the work to formally trained officers who may have little attachment to specific cultural practices in the areas they operate.Keywords: Documenting, Disseminating, Agricultural Indigenous Knowledge, Sustainable Food security, Ugand

EXAMINING TECHINICAL ISSUES OF THE WORLD DIGITAL LIBRARY IN UGANDA

WDL -Internet based information resource co-sponsored by the LC and UNESCO In 2005, Dr James Billington approached UNESCO with a proposal - an online collection of unique materials - to access the documented heritage The LC and UNESCO entered into an agreement to develop a prototype of the Digital Librar

Enhancing democracy and good governance; a curriculum proposal for information/knowledge management professionals (IKMPs) in the SCECSAL region.

This paper seeks to advance the case for designing an information and knowledge management curriculum (IKMC) to produce information and knowledge management professionals (IKMPs) in the Standing Conference of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa Library and Information Associations (SCECSAL) region. It highlights challenges and solutions and proposes a model IKMC. A version of this paper was presented at the XIXth Standing Conference of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa Library and Information Associations (SCECSAL) 2010.Purpose – This paper seeks to advance the case for designing an information and knowledge management curriculum (IKMC) to produce information and knowledge management professionals (IKMPs) in the Standing Conference of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa Library and Information Associations (SCECSAL) region. It highlights challenges and solutions and proposes a model IKMC. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on the analysis of literature on Library and Information Science (LIS) curriculum design, implementation and review; research findings by renowned LIS curriculum experts; discussions and sharing experiences with colleagues in LIS education institutions – Eastern African School of Library and Information Science and LIS departments at the Uganda Christian University and Kyambogo University in addition to the author’s research and publications on curriculum design and management. Findings – The paper posits that the SCECSAL region is already in the Information and Knowledge Society (IKS) and that appropriate information and knowledge (IK) are pre-requisites to the promotion and sustainability of democracy and good governance (Gg). It emphasises that information and knowledge management (IKM) are the corner stones of the IKS, because they constitute the framework of theory and competencies vital in managing information and knowledge. Furthermore, effective IKM is the pillar of producing the IKMPs themselves, a product of appropriate and well managed IKMC. The paper proposes an IKMC Model capable of producing IKMPs in the SCECSAL region. Originality/value – The proposed curriculum model should be the framework to be adopted by the LIS education and training institutions in the SCECSAL region to produce IKMPs with theory and competencies to manage the IKS towards enhancing democracy and Gg

Hypophosphatemia after high-dose iron repletion with ferric carboxymaltose and ferric derisomaltose-the randomized controlled HOMe aFers study

Background In patients with iron deficiency anemia, ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) and ferric derisomaltose (FDI) allow high-dose iron repletion. While FCM is reported to induce hypophosphatemia, the frequency of hypophosphatemia after an equivalent dosage of FDI had not been assessed prospectively. Methods In the prospective, single-center, double-blind HOMe aFers study, 26 women with iron deficiency anemia (hemoglobin < 12 g/dL plus either plasma ferritin ≤ 100 ng/mL or a plasma ferritin ≤ 300 ng/mL and transferrin saturation (TSAT) ≤ 30%) were randomized to a single intravenous infusion of 20 mg/kg body weight (up to a maximum of 1000 mg) FCM or FDI. The primary endpoint was the incidence of hypophosphatemia (plasma phosphorus levels < 2.0 mg/dL at day 1, day 7 ± 2, and/or day 35 ± 2 after the infusion). In order to investigate potential skeletal and cardiovascular implications, we assessed changes in other components of mineral and bone metabolism, left ventricular function, and arrhythmias. Results Hypophosphatemia occurred more frequently in women treated with FCM (9 out of 12 [75%]) than in those treated with FDI (1 out of 13 [8%]; p = 0.001). Within 24 h after iron supplementation, women in the FCM group had significant higher plasma intact FGF23 (p < 0.001) and lower plasma 1.25-dihydroxyvitamin D (p < 0.001). As an indicator of urinary phosphorus losses, urinary fractional phosphorus excretion was higher in the FCM group (p = 0.021 at day 7 ± 2 after iron supplementation). We did not observe differences in skeletal and cardiovascular markers, potentially because of the limited number of participants. Conclusions While both FCM and FDI provide efficient iron repletion in participants with iron deficiency anemia, FCM induced hypophosphatemia more often than FDI. Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov NCT02905539. Registered on 8 September 2016. 2015-004808-36 (EudraCT Number) U1111-1176-4563 (WHO Universal Trial Number) DRKS00010766 (Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien

ABSTRACTS OF PRESENTATIONS

Second International Conference on African Digital Libraries and Archives, abstracts of presentation

Experts views on the dileemmas of African writers: contributions, challenges and prospects

No Abstrac

Inter-sectoral approach to information literacy in Uganda

The paper presents the background to Information Literacy, defines what Information Literacy (IL) is, and discusses its importance to individuals, Business and Citizenship. It further discusses the inter-sectoral approach to IL right from the informal sector to the formal sectors of Higher Education and challenges faced in the process of becoming information literate. Conclusions are drawn highlighting the basic types of literacy that Uganda needs in the 21st Century. Additionally, recommendations of what should be done in order to make Ugandan citizens information literate in order to reap the benefits of an information literate society are presented. University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal Vol. 7(2) 2005: 61-8