Quantifying Physical and Economic Losses of African Indigenous Vegetable Solanum aethiopicum Along the Commercial Supply Value Chain

This paper is based on research work done by the authors on African Indigenous vegetables with financial support from the European Union and Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) through its Promoting African & European Partnerships in Agricultural Research & Development (PAEPARD). This is part of the outputs of the project entitled “Enhancing nutrition security and incomes through adding value to indigenous vegetables in East and Central Uganda”. Abstract This study presents results of a research that was conducted in Uganda to expound the issues of Solanum aethopicum (Nakati) value chain supply, physical and economic quantification of losses in the supply chain. Specifically the study was designed to; (i) identify and map the value chain actors of an indigenous leafy vegetable S. aethiopicum production and marketing and (ii) quantify the physical losses along the S. aethiopicum vegetable supply chain and (iii) estimate the economic losses along the S. aethiopicum vegetable supply chain.A Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) was conducted at Namulonge, Kabanyoro, Busukuma and Zirobwe villages on 7th August 2016, 9th August 2016, 10th August 2016 and 12th August 2016, respectively with the farmers to understand the S. aethiopicum actors’ perception of value chain vegetable losses and mitigating solutions. At each supply chain stage namely field, transit, wholesale and retail. The losses were expressed as difference of the weight of vegetables that entered each stage and weighed again  when the value adding  stage is completed which became the quantity that enters the subsequent stage, thus the losses were determined as a percentage of those that never went to market in relation to the total potential from the field.The value chain actor mapping has revealed a short a short value chain with a number of value chain actors namely; 60 input suppliers, 40 farmer groups, 42 wholesalers, 48 retailers, 2 processors and 61 transporters.  With the exception of agro input supply node which handle pesticides, the rest of the actors handle fresh leafy vegetables that are prone to heavy weight losses due to wilting, rotting and transit contamination. The study further indicated that the physical quantities of S. aethopicum harvested varied in different farms, nonetheless, on average 1473.3 kgs per acre of S. aethopicum is harvested and of the harvested vegetables, 69.4kgs and 73.7 kgs get lost in the field and marketing process, respectively. This translates into S. aethopicum vegetable losses of 13.3% and 5.2% in the field and market points, respectively. Most of this loss occurred on-farm with 13.3% of the harvested crop not entering the commercial-supply chain followed by retail level, 3.5% losses and least at wholesale level of 1.7%. In terms of economic losses, sale of S. aethopicum earned farmers on average 567,233 Shs per acre, sizeable revenue of 26,700 Shs and 53,192 Shs get lost in the field and marketing process, respectively. This is equivalent to S. aethopicum revenue losses of 18% and 35.9% in the field and market points, respectively. Overall, 79,892 Shs of S. aethopicum revenues was lost in the commercial supply chain constituting 53.9% of the losses. Break down of revenue losses showed that at farm level, the loss is 18%, at wholesale level the losses are 10.2% and at retail level losses are 25.7%.It therefore can be concluded that there is a high physical and economic losses of leafy S. aethopicum vegetables at different stages in the supply chain. More research efforts could be focussed on technologies that reduce post-harvest losses such as drying and minimal processing technologies at farm level where greatest losses are experienced. Keywords: African indigenous vegetables, supply chain, economic loss, physical losses DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-2-0

Trends in outpatient malaria cases, following Mass Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLIN) distribution in epidemic prone and endemic areas of Kenya

Background: There were over 6 million case of malaria reported in Kenya in 2015 and it remains a major public health priority despite significant investments in interventions to control and prevent infections in high risk areas.Objectives: To analyse trends from 2011-2015, and report i) outpatient department (OPD) malaria case prevalence, ii) the proportion of confirmed malaria cases of all OPD cases stratified by age category, and iii) the proportion of the population potentially protected by long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), following mass distribution of LLINs in malaria epidemic prone and endemic areas.Design: A retrospective study.Setting: Kenya’s Coast endemic, Lake endemic and Highland epidemic zones.Subjects: All outpatient malaria cases reported in the District Health Information System.Results: The proportion of people who received mass LLINs ranged from 80-95% in epidemic prone and endemic areas of Kenya. The coastal endemic zone had the lowest number of reported malaria cases at almost 840,000 in 2011, compared with the lake endemic zone which reported 4.3 million total cases. Confirmed malaria cases of all the OPD morbidity increased by 1%, 20% and 4% in the Highland epidemic prone, the Lake and Coast endemic region in 2011 to 2015, respectively. There was a trend towards fewer cases across all three high risk regions from 2012-2013, but this reversed with increasing cases being reported in 2014-2015.Conclusion: Despite a high LLIN coverage malaria cases increased over time. There is need for patient-level studies to assess if LLINs are being used appropriately and to look towards other complimentary malaria prevention strategies

The effect of current Schistosoma mansoni infection on the immunogenicity of a candidate TB vaccine, MVA85A, in BCG-vaccinated adolescents: An open-label trial.

INTRODUCTION: Helminth infection may affect vaccine immunogenicity and efficacy. Adolescents, a target population for tuberculosis booster vaccines, often have a high helminth burden. We investigated effects of Schistosoma mansoni (Sm) on the immunogenicity and safety of MVA85A, a model candidate tuberculosis vaccine, in BCG-vaccinated Ugandan adolescents. METHODS: In this phase II open label trial we enrolled 36 healthy, previously BCG-vaccinated adolescents, 18 with no helminth infection detected, 18 with Sm only. The primary outcome was immunogenicity measured by Ag85A-specific interferon gamma ELISpot assay. Tuberculosis and schistosome-specific responses were also assessed by whole-blood stimulation and multiplex cytokine assay, and by antibody ELISAs. RESULTS: Ag85A-specific cellular responses increased significantly following immunisation but with no differences between the two groups. Sm infection was associated with higher pre-immunisation Ag85A-specific IgG4 but with no change in antibody levels following immunisation. There were no serious adverse events. Most reactogenicity events were of mild or moderate severity and resolved quickly. CONCLUSIONS: The significant Ag85A-specific T cell responses and lack of difference between Sm-infected and uninfected participants is encouraging for tuberculosis vaccine development. The implications of pre-existing Ag85A-specific IgG4 antibodies for protective immunity against tuberculosis among those infected with Sm are not known. MVA85A was safe in this population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02178748

AR-NAFAKA Project Maize Based Systems Component: 2016-2017 Progress

United States Agency for International Developmen

Helminths are positively associated with atopy and wheeze in Ugandan fishing communities: results from a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Parasitic helminths are potent immunomodulators and chronic infections may protect against allergy-related disease and atopy. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to test the hypothesis that in heavily helminth-exposed fishing villages on Lake Victoria, Uganda, helminth infections would be inversely associated with allergy-related conditions. METHODS: A household survey was conducted as baseline to an anthelminthic intervention trial. Outcomes were reported wheeze in last year, atopy assessed both by skin prick test (SPT) and by the measurement of allergen-specific IgE to dust mites and cockroach in plasma. Helminth infections were ascertained by stool, urine and haemoparasitology. Associations were examined using multivariable regression. RESULTS: Two thousand three hundred and sixteen individuals were surveyed. Prevalence of reported wheeze was 2% in under-fives and 5% in participants ≥5 years; 19% had a positive SPT; median Dermatophagoides-specific IgE and cockroach-specific IgE were 1440 and 220 ng/ml, respectively. S. mansoni, N. americanus, S. stercoralis, T. trichiura, M. perstans and A. lumbricoides prevalence was estimated as 51%, 22%, 12%, 10%, 2% and 1%, respectively. S. mansoni was positively associated with Dermatophagoides-specific IgE [adjusted geometric mean ratio (aGMR) (95% confidence interval) 1.64 (1.23, 2.18)]; T. trichiura with SPT [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.08 (1.38, 3.15)]; M. perstans with cockroach-specific IgE [aGMR 2.37 (1.39, 4.06)], A. lumbricoides with wheeze in participants ≥5 years [aOR 6.36 (1.10, 36.63)] and with Dermatophagoides-specific IgE [aGMR 2.34 (1.11, 4.95)]. No inverse associations were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to our hypothesis, we found little evidence of an inverse relationship between helminths and allergy-related outcomes, but strong evidence that individuals with certain helminths were more prone to atopy in this setting