Preliminary economic assessment of water resources of the Pangani River Basin, Tanzania

River basin managementWater useWater allocationEconomic evaluationDomestic waterIrrigation waterLivestockWater power

Preliminary economic assessment of water resources of the Pangani River Basin, Tanzania: economic values and incentives

River basinsEconomic analysisDomestic waterIrrigated farmingLivestockPolicyWater supplyFinancing

Curing reduces postharvest deterioration of biozyme® produced potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum L.)

Potato is among food crops that are heavily relied upon for food security assurance worldwide. Potato tubers are consumed in their fresh form and therefore require proper storage to prolong their life after harvest. Being succulent, massive losses result if bruised, exposed to light and low relative humidity. The present experiment was conducted to find optimal conductions that prolong the shelf-life of potato tubers grown using the biomass and succulence enhancing Biozyme® Potatoes were grown in a split plot experiment, arranged in a randomized complete block design. The experiment was replicated three times and repeated once. Main plots were assigned to potato cultivar (Tigoni and Asante), while subplots were assigned to Biozyme® foliar feed rate (0, 125, 250, 500 and 750 ml/ha). Each subplot was planted with 28 seed potato tubers spaced at 30 cm x 70 cm in four rows. A distance of 1 m separated adjacent subplots and main plots. After harvesting, ware potato tubers, from each treatment, were divided into four groups for four postharvest handling regimes (Cured + Dark, Cured + Room, Not Cured + Dark, and Not Cured + Room Storage). Each postharvest regime had 20 tubers, replicated four times. Weight loss, shrinkage and rotting percentages increased, but firmness decreased with increase in Biozyme® rate. The deterioration was counteracted by Curing and Dark Storage of the potato tubers that reduced weight loss, shrinkage and rotting, but increased firmness. Thus, foliar-feeding potato plants with 500 ml/ha Biozyme® followed by Curing and Dark Storage of harvested tubers are recommended to ensure high potato tuber yields and effective reduction of premature postharvest deterioration of the tubers during storage. KEYWORDS : Firmness, Rotting, Shelf-life, Shrinkage, Tuber handling, Weight loss

Effects of Agricultural Commercialization on Food Crop Input Use and Productivity in Kenya

The objective of this report is to analyze the effects of smallholder commercialization on food crop input use and productivity in rural Kenya. The main research issues were: (1) To examine the determinants of smallholder fertilizer use on food crops, with a focus on the effects of household and regional agricultural commercialization; (2) To examine the determinants of food crop productivity, again with a focus on the effects of commercialization; and (3) To discuss the implications of the findings for policy and additional research necessary to improve the contribution of cash cropping to rural food productivity growth and food security. A main premise of the paper is that the effects of commercialization are not uniform and cannot be generalized. The effects are hypothesized to differ both according to differences in the institutional/contractual arrangements between firms and smallholders, management decisions, and the level of credit and extension support provided to smallholders by the various private and parastatal firms involved in promoting smallholder cash crops.food security, food policy, food crop productivity, food crop input, Crop Production/Industries, Productivity Analysis, Downloads May 2008 - July 2009: 78, Q18,

Effects of Agricultural Commercialization on Food Crop Input Use and Productivity in Kenya

Crop Production/Industries, Downloads July 2008 - July 2009: 23,

Use of the nested polymerase chain reaction for detection of Toxoplasma gondii in slaughterhouse workers in Thika District, Kenya

Background. The widely used methods of diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii are serological. Current reports indicate a high seroprevalence of T. gondii in humans in Kenya. There is a need for more sensitive diagnostic tests, especially when the specific antibody titres are below detectable threshold levels. Use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the repetitive 529 base pair loci has been reported to be sensitive and specific.Objective. To detect T. gondii in a high-risk group of public health workers in Thika District, Kenya.Methods. In total, 87 human blood samples were collected from male slaughterhouse workers between 1 March 2013 and 25 June 2013. The DNA extracted was amplified by the nested PCR.Results. T. gondii was detected in 39.1% (34/87) of the workers. In the cow-sheep-goat slaughterhouses the prevalence ranged between 20% and 60%, while all the chicken slaughterhouse workers (6/6, 100%) tested positive. The difference in T. gondii positivity between the workers in the chicken slaughterhouse and those in the cattle-sheep-goat slaughterhouses was statistically significant (p=0.003).Conclusion. This study shows the presence of T. gondii in an asymptomatic high-risk group in Thika District, indicating the need for enhancement of public health awareness