Spatial and temporal variation of malaria entomological parameters at the onset of a hydro-agricultural development in central Côte d'Ivoire

A deeper understanding of the ecology and small-scale heterogeneity of malaria transmission is essential for the design of effective prevention, control and elimination interventions. The spatial and temporal distribution of malaria vectors was investigated in five villages in close proximity to a hydro-agricultural system in Côte d'Ivoire over the course of construction and the early phase of irrigated rice farming.; The study was carried out in five villages (Raffierkro, N'Douakro, Ahougui, Kpokahankro, Koffikro) near Bouaké, central Côte d'Ivoire, between early 2007 and late 2009. In each village, mosquitoes were collected by human landing catches and identified morphologically at genus and species level, and entomological parameters were determined. Plasmodium infection was assessed by dissection and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.; A total of 19,404 mosquitoes belonging to the genus Anopheles were sampled during 328 human-night catches. Before the construction of the hydro-agricultural system, comparable densities of Anopheles gambiae were observed in all villages. In subsequent years, densities in Raffierkro and Ahougui were significantly higher than the other villages [Kruskal-Wallis (KW) test = 31.13, p > 0.001]. The density of Anopheles funestus in the five villages was comparable in the early stage of the project, while a high density was reported in Koffikro at the end (KW test = 11.91, p = 0.018). Transmission of Plasmodium falciparum is perennial in the study area. Over the course of the study, high entomological inoculation rates (EIRs) were found: 219-328 infectious bites per person per year with An. gambiae. For An. funestus considerably lower EIRs were observed (5.7-39.4). Changing patterns of An. gambiae were not correlated with malaria transmission.; In this study setting, located in the bioclimatic transition zone of Côte d'Ivoire, rice cultivation was not observed to increase malaria transmission. The entomological parameters recorded until the onset of rice-growing activities in a hydro-agricultural system presented considerable heterogeneity both in space and time; a strong increase of Anopheles mosquitoes was observed in two of the five villages located in close proximity to the dam and irrigated rice fields. Malaria still is a main public health problem in all villages that require adequate control measures

ON THE USE OF PRODUCTIVITY-INCREASING TECHNOLOGIES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: THE CASE OF INLAND VALLEY SWAMP RICE FARMING IN SOUTHERN MALI

There is no improved seed-fertilizer technology available that can generate the needed growth in agricultural production in Sub-Saharan Africa to meet food demand by the rapidly increasing population. This paper identifies factors associated with inland valley swamp rice farmers' decisions to adopt "improved" varieties and/or fertilizer. To achieve this objective, input-specific logistic models were estimated using survey-generated data collected from a random sample of 221 rice plots (one per farmer) selected from a purposive sample of 12 Mali-Sud bas-fond villages during the 1995-96 cropping season. The model estimation results show that the farther the village is from the closest market, the lower the probability to adopt the "improved" variety, increasing the size of the rice plot will decrease this probability, and men are more likely to adopt "improved" varieties than women because men have access to credit through CMDT, and more alternative sources of income to finance input purchases than women. For fertilizer, the use of "improved" varieties, the presence of water control infrastructure, and the village experience in cotton production increase the likelihood that a farmer will apply this input. The significance of the village experience in cotton production and women limited access to credit suggests that one of the constrains to a wider use of modern inputs is the absence of a reliable source of these inputs and/or seasonal credits. The significance of village distance to the closest market and the presence of water control the likelihood of using these inputs suggests that there exits some technological payoff associated with well-functioning markets and road improvements because such investments reduce the effective distance between the farm and the market.Crop Production/Industries, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

CAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN THE MARGINAL LANDS CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVING FOOD SECURITY IN THE SAHELIAN AFRICAN COUNTRIES: AN EVIDENCE FROM THE BAS-FOND RICE PRODUCTION IN MALI

To improve national food security, successive Mali governments have always focused on expanding and intensifying production in the government-managed irrigation schemes (Office du Niger), which account for about 50% of domestic rice production. Because the cost of expanding and rehabilitating those schemes is high, the government is looking for complementary cost-effective ways to achieve this goal. The government could increase domestic rice supply by investing in improving the farmer-managed inland valley swamps. Although the government has paid little attention to those marginal lands, farmers have been growing rice in these areas using traditional technologies. This paper used data from a survey of 334 bas-fond farmers and secondary data to examine the potential contribution that these undeveloped bas-fonds could make to improve food security and rice exports in Mali. The study found that, if fully developed, the bas-fonds and flooded plains could produce more rice than is currently being supplied by the Office du Niger, or imported through commercial imports or food aid. As expected, rice yields in the bas-fonds are lower than in the Office du Niger. However, bas-fonds rice production is both financially profitable and provides a higher return per day of family labor than the competing upland crops (maize, sorghum/millet and cotton). In addition, the estimated domestic resources cost ratios show that, compared to the Office d u Niger, bas-fond rice production represents a better use of domestic resources, both for producing rice for home consumption and for the market.Crop Production/Industries, Food Security and Poverty, Land Economics/Use,

La lutte contre les schistosomoses en Afrique de l'Ouest

Deuxième endémie parasitaire du Mali, les schistosomoses sont irrégulièrement réparties dans le pays. #Schistosoma haematobium atteint 2 millions et demi de sujets et est assez largement répandu. #S. mansoni est focalisé dans les régions rizicoles du centre du pays, le pays dogon et la région de Kayes. La lutte contre les schistosomoses a commencé dans les années soixante-dix par des programmes localisés. Ces programmes ont été réunis en un programme national de lutte en 1982. La décentralisation et l'intégration des activités aux structures nationales de santé a été décidée en 1986. La mise en oeuvre du programme national de lutte a débuté aussitôt après par la formation des équipes périphériques et l'équipement des structures sanitaires. Les stratégies de base retenues sont le dépistage des cas et la chimiothérapie à la fois dans les centres de santé et les écoles. L'éducation pour la santé, l'assainissement et l'approvisionnement en eau potable sont associés. Une surveillance épidémiologique est organisée. Trois phases successives ont conduit le programme national de lutte à être intégré à l'ensemble des activités des structures de santé périphériques. Les difficultés rencontrées sont évoquées. (Résumé d'auteur