The impact of smallholder commercialisation of organic crops on food consumption patterns, dietary diversity and consumption elasticities

The impact of smallholder commercialisation on food consumption patterns in a rural community of South Africa was investigated. The dietary diversity, nutrient intakes and consumption patterns of certified, partially certified and non-members of an organic farmers’ organisation were compared. Engagement in certified commercial organic farming promoted comparatively greater dietary diversity and improved nutrient intakes. While smallholder agriculture commercialisation has the potential to improve food consumption patterns and food quality through increased income and labour opportunities, caution should be exercised before claiming that such commercialisation can alleviate food insecurity and solve hunger in rural South Africa.agriculture, growth, smallholder, consumption, nutrition, Food Security and Poverty,

The Impact of Small Holder Commercialisation of Organic Crops on Food Consumption Patterns in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

The impact of smallholder commercialisation on food consumption patterns in a rural community of South Africa was investigated. The consumption patterns, dietary diversity and nutrient intakes of certified and partially certified members of an organic farmers' organisation were compared to data from a random sample of non-member households. Two consecutive survey rounds (n = 200) conducted in November 2004 and March 2005 enabled comparison of dietary diversity, nutrient adequacy (in terms of per household adult female equivalents for energy, iron, and vitamin A) and expenditure elasticities between seasons. Households with members engaged in certified comm ercial organic farming enjoyed greater dietary diversity, improved nutrient intakes com pared to households with members in conversion to organic production and households not engaged in commercial organic farming. Farm and non-farm income strongly and positively influenced nutritional adequacy for households of partially certified and certified members of the organisation. Marked differences in expenditure elasticities were found between the three groups. The results suggested that commercialisation of small holder agriculture has potential to improve food consumption patterns and food quality directly through income generated and indirectly through increased labour opportunities that result in wages and inkind food transfers. While commerciali sation of small holder agriculture shows potential for improving nutrition, caution should be exercised before claiming that such commercialisation can alleviate food insecurity and solve hunger in South Africa.food consumption, nutrition, farm households, small holder, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, D1, Q12,

Use of hot air engine to generate electricity from biogas: a critique for rural development in Tanzania

Rural electrification has high national priority because of several reasons. First, more than 90 per cent of the populations in Tanzania have no access to grid electricity and about 80% of this population lives in rural areas. Second, the poverty alleviation projects demand the incorporation of use of electricity in different economic projects. Third, a combination of high prices of fuel and environmental degradation and deforestation demand use of alternative renewable energy sources. The aim of this paper is to give a critical review and selected a suitable renewable energy by considering its ability to provide affordable, reliable and adequate electricity to household, energy-intensive agriculture and small businesses. Hot air engine designed to convert chemical energy of biogas to electricity was considered to be the most suitable technology for this purpose. In view of this, the paper has also described the technical constraints that prevent this technology from being adopted for this purpose and the alternative solutions that can be used to overcome them. It was concluded that it is possible to modify and produce a hot air engine that uses biogas, which produces sufficient and affordable electricity in rural communities in Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Science Vol. 31 (2) 2005: pp. 53-6

Attendance to care and treatment clinics (CTCs) and perceived effectiveness of Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHAs) in Newala district, Tanzania- a case of Luchinga

Maximum adherence to ART has been recommended for PLHAs for improving treatment outcome This is through regular attendance to CTC for follow up and refill and completion of prescribed doses as per schedule This study examined attendance rate to CTC and factors influencing attendance rate by PLHAs living in Luchinga ward enrolled to CTC at the district hospital as well as perception of stakeholders on the effectiveness of the treatment This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out in the ward between June to July 2009 About 30 of PLHAs 41 treatment supporters and 6 key informants were involved in the study Results from this study shows that attendance rate to CTC was poor by a significant portion of PLHAs About one-third of the interviewed PLHAs admitted to have attended less than 95 of the appointment and about 37 of treatment supporters indicated similar trend with regard to their patients Main factors for poor attendance to CTC included long distance patient felt better after taking few doses of ARV fear of stigma and patient feeling tired It was also noted that some patients fail to complete prescribed doses of ARV while at home Main reason indicated by respondents for this trend was side effects of drugs patient felt better and patient feel tired With regard to effectiveness of treatment although majority of respondents indicated ART to have improved health of PLHAs however a noticeable proportion of the respondents nearly one-third indicated the treatment hasn t improved health of PLHAs Reasons for lack of improvement as perceived by respondents were mainly poor nutrition due to poverty non-adherence to drugs and heavy workloads by PLHAs Based on these findings policy implications for improving the situation have been indicate

Assessment of radioactivity of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil and plants for estimation of transfer factors and effective dose around Mkuju River Project, Tanzania

Purpose. To establish pre-mining indicators to assess radiological impact as a result of release of radionuclides to environment during uranium mining at Mkuju River Project radioactivity of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil, plants, fruits and cereals. Methods. The High Purity Germanium detector was used to determine the radioactivity and the data were subsequently used to establish soil to plant transfer factors and annual effective dose. Findings. The results revealed a strong positive correlation (r) of 0.947 and 0.950 for 226Ra and 232Th, respectively, between values determined in soils and plants. Implicit in these finding is that the distribution of radionuclides in soils is directly proportional to the corresponding radionuclides in plants. Originality. The roots of wild grass had the highest specific radioactivity (Bqkg-1) for 226Ra (2.15 ± 0.02), 232Th (1.43 ± 0.02) and 40K (198.16 ± 1.72) and the roots of cabbage had the highest values for 226Ra (1.38 ± 0.04), 232Th (1.34 ± 0.03) and 40K (146.12 ± 1.02) among the food crops, an indication of a higher ability to uptake radionuclides from soil. Similarly, since the TFs were found higher in wild grass for 226Ra (0.0533 ± 0.04), 232Th (0.0374 ± 0.002) and 40K (0.5297 ± 0.05) and cabbage for 226Ra (0.0362 ± 0.03), 232Th (0.0360 ± 0.001) and 40K (0.4173 ± 0.05). Practical implications. It is an evident that these plants can serve as good bio indicators to assess release of radionuclides from inside the mining site to the public domain. Moreover, the annual effective dose (mSvy-1) for 40K (0.23 ± 0.02), 226Ra (0.046±0.004) and 232Th (0.073 ± 0.006) in edible crops when consumed in the vicinity of the MRP before the mining operations were, as expected, insignificant.Мета. Встановити показники радіологічного впливу викиду радіонуклідів на навколишнє середовище під час видобутку урану на родовищі “Мкужу-Рівер”, а саме 226Ra, 232Th та 40K у ґрунті, рослинах, фруктах та злаках. Методика. Для визначення радіоактивності використовувався детектор високочистого германію. Отримані дані були використані для визначення факторів переносу й ефективної дози для ґрунту і рослин. Результати. Результати виявили сильну позитивну кореляцію (r) 0.947 і 0.950 226Ra та 232Th, відповідно, між отриманими значеннями в ґрунтах та рослинах. Розподіл радіонуклідів у ґрунтах прямо пропорційний відповідним радіонуклідам рослин. Наукова новизна. Найвища питома радіоактивність (Бк/кг-1) зафіксована в коріннях трави – 226Ra (2.15 ± 0.02), 232Th (1.43 ± 0.02) та 40K (198.16 ± 1.72), а корені капусти мають найвищі значення радіоактивності серед харчових культур – 226Ra (1.38 ± 0.04), 232Тh (1.34 ± 0.03) та 40 К (146.12 ± 1.02), що свідчить про більш високу здатність поглинати радіонукліди з ґрунту. Аналогічно, найвищий фактор переносу зафіксований у коріннях трави – 226Ra (0.0533 ± 0.04), 232Тh (0.0374 ± 0.002) та 40К (0.5297 ± 0.05) та капусти – 226Rа (0.0362 ± 0.03), 232Тh (0.0360 ± 0.001) та 40К (0.4173 ± 0.05). Практична значимість. Встановлено, що рослини можуть служити хорошими біоіндикаторами для загальнодоступної оцінки викиду радіонуклідів із гірничодобувної ділянки. Крім того, щорічна ефективна доза (мСв-1) для 40К (0.23 ± 0.02), 226Rа (0.046 ± 0.004) та 232Тh (0.073 ± 0.006) в їстівних культурах, що споживаються в околицях уранового родовища “Мкужу-Рівер” до початку його розробки, як і очікувалося, є незначною.Цель. Установить показатели радиационного воздействия выброса радионуклидов в окружающую среду при добыче урана на месторождении “Мкужу Ривер”, а именно 226Ra, 232Th та 40K в почве, растениях, фруктах и злаках. Методика. Для определения радиоактивности использовался детектор высокочистого германия. Полученные данные были использованы для определения факторов переноса и эффективной дозы для почвы и растений. Результаты. Результаты выявили сильную положительную корреляцию (r) 0.947 и 0.950 226Ra и 232Th, соответственно, между полученными значениями в почвах и растениях. Распределение радионуклидов в почвах прямо пропорционально соответствующим радионуклидам растений. Научная новизна. Наивысшая удельная радиоактивность (Бк/кг-1) зафиксирована в корнях травы – 226Ra (2.15 ± 0.02), 232Th (1.43 ± 0.02) и 40K (198.16 ± 1.72), а корни капусты имеют наивысшие значения радиоактивности среди пищевых культур – 226Ra (1.38 ± 0.04), 232Тh (1.34 ± 0.03) и 40 К (146.12 ± 1.02), что свидетельствует о более высокой способности поглощать радионуклиды из почвы. Аналогично, наивысший фактор переноса зафиксирован в корнях травы – 226Ra (0.0533 ± 0.04), 232Тh (0.0374 ± 0.002) и 40К (0.5297 ± 0.05) и капусты – 226Rа (0.0362 ± 0.03), 232Тh (0.0360 ± 0.001) и 40К (0.4173 ± 0.05). Практическая значимость. Установлено, что растения могут служить хорошими биоиндикаторами для общедоступной оценки выброса радионуклидов с горнодобывающего участка. Кроме того, ежегодная эффективная доза (мСВ-1) для для 40К (0.23 ± 0.02), 226Rа (0.046 ± 0.004) и 232Тh (0.073 ± 0.006) в съедобных культурах, потребляемых в окрестностях уранового месторождения “Мкужу-Ривер” до начала его разработки, как и ожидалось, является незначительной.The authors gratefully acknowledge the owners of MRP, the Uranium One, for permission to take samples in the area. The technical assistance and the logistical support provided by Mr. Beria, Site Manager, and John Ntukula, Environmental Manager, for supplying valuable background information and transport to sampling points is highly appreciated. The authors would also like to thank Mr. Mujuni Rweyemamu of TAEC for his assistance in radioactivity measurement of the samples. Thanks also go to COSTECH for financial support, and the TAEC for granting a study leave

Cereal Banks or Seed Banks? An Experience from Makoja Arid Village, Dodoma, Tanzania

Cereal Banks, though important, have failed to become sustainable. The banks have always been requiring close monitoring support or subsidies from an outside agency, but collapse when outside monitoring and subsidies end. Such trend has brought worries and made Cereal Banks labeled negative. Failing to become self-sustaining has called for an inventory to analyze the Cereal Bank benefits realized by the communities. In 2012, a cross section study was done involving 80 households in Makoja Village, Dodoma Region. Makoja Village communities are poor, living in arid land and are chronically food insecure. Surprisingly, significant proportion (89 %) of the respondents acknowledges the Community Cereal Bank as the source of seeds to next season. Poor Makoja Community views the Cereal Bank as the Seed Bank to ensure availability of seeds hence food availability. Cereal banks are essentially not failed attempts but rather require continuing support to ensure production and food security of engaged community. The international development community should explore various outputs realised as benefits by engaged communties before terming them unsuccessful. However, there is a need to increase a pace to promote Community Seed Production Systems to assure improved crop production and household  food security. Keywords: Cereal Bank, Seed Bank, Food Insecurit

Measuring and validating food insecurity in Embo, using the food insecurity scale and index

Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.Measurement of household food insecurity is needed to identify the magnitude of food insecurity and assess the impact of development interventions. However, there is no commonly agreed measure of household food insecurity. While researchers continually experiment with new measures, the resultant measures are often complex and include numerous variables that still do not distinguish clearly between the food secure and the food insecure. This study set out to prepare a quick and convenient tool to measure household food security, using common household demographic and socio-economic variables commonly collected through a variety of household surveys. This has minimised data collection costs and assisted national food security units to continually measure and monitor household food insecurity. Food insecurity levels were estimated using data from a baseline survey conducted in a community in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Food security was estimated using a number of measures, including food quantity (adequacy), dietary diversity, dietary quality, coping strategies employed and the Coping Strategies Index. The study found that household food availability varied across the two seasons over which data were collected. Only the percentile of sample households with adequate food intakes (one third of the samples) consumed enough food during the lean period when agricultural production was low. Households with inadequate food intakes also had consumed insufficient energy and lower micronutrient intakes during the period when agricultural produce was more abundant. Energy, iron and protein consumption was positively related to the consumption of adequate food. Energy intake was a relatively good indicator of protein and micronutrient intakes during the leaner period. Consumption of foods from three food groups, namely cereals, legumes and vegetables and fruits were necessary for adequate food intake. Cereals were the most important foods, forming the base of most meals, while fats and animal sourced foods were not widely consumed. Diversifying consumption through fruits and vegetables contributed significantly and positively to improved household food intakes. Household dietary diversity and dietary quality improved during the period of plenty. The application of coping strategies was strongly related to household food intake and diversity. Engaging in more coping strategies and having resultant higher Coping Strategy Index scores was strongly associated with household food inadequacy intakes and low food diversity scores. As expected, sampled households employed more coping strategies during the lean season. The strong and significant relationships between the Coping Strategies Index scores, the number of coping strategies practised by households and the household food intake indices (the Household Food Intake Index and Nutrient Adequacy Ratios) show that food intake is a strong indicator for household food security. The Household Food Insecurity Index and the Household Food Insecurity Scale were developed using 13 potential household demographic and socio-economic variables to identify the food-insecure households. The results of these two new measures were correlated with the results of the common measures reported above and found to be useful determinants of food security. The study found that while the Household Food Insecurity Index explained the influence of demographic and socio-economic variables in household food insecurity, the Household Food Insecurity Scale is more convenient in application (easy data management and computation process), and it is strongly related to the Coping Strategies Index scores. Both the Household Food Insecurity Scale and the Household Food Insecurity Index were useful tools to measure household food security and differentiate between food security and food insecure households in Embo Community. More research is recommended to further test the usefulness of the proposed measures in various settings

Evaluation of the Influence of Additional Beam Filtration on Image Quality and Patient Dose in X-ray Fluoroscopy Procedures

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of additional filtration on radiation dose and image quality for patients during hysterosalpingography (HSG) and retrograde urethrography (RUG) procedures. The influence of filtering on image quality for each phantom thickness was made using a combination of different filter thicknesses. Entrance surface air kerma (ESAK) rates to Perspex phantom were measured using a solid state detector for various added combination of filter materials. Fluoroscopic image contrast was assessed using a Leeds TOR-18FG test object with a range of filter materials and phantom thicknesses. Phantom studies demonstrated that the use of additional filter materials of up to 0.35 mm thickness of copper could be used without significant effect on the image quality. ESAK values were determined for 16, 20, 24 and 28 cm phantom. Phantom ESAK reduced by 63%, 63%, 64% and 65% for 16, 20, 24 and 28 cm, respectively, when using 0.35 mm Cu + 1 mmAl, without degrading image contrast. Three independent radiologists perceived no change in clinical image quality with added filtration. On adding 0.35 mm Cu and 1 mm Al, the KAP per examination for the HSG was reduced by 71%, while for the RUG was reduced by 75%.Key words: Additional filtration; image quality; patient dose; X-ray fluoroscopy procedure

Prevalence and antimicrobial sensitivity of Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli among underfives presenting with diarrhoea at hospitals in Mwanza City, Tanzania

Background: Escherichia coli is among the most common causes of diarrhoea in children below five years of age in developing countries. Diarrhoeal diseases rank the second most common cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Here we report the magnitude of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection among underfives with diarrhoea in Mwanza, Tanzania.Methods: This study was carried out at Nyamagana and Sekou Toure hospitals in Mwanza, Tanzania. Between July, 2015 and March, 2016, children aged < 5 years with diarrhoea were included in the study. Demographics and relevant information were recorded. Stool specimens were cultured onto MacConkey and Salmonella-Shigella Agars. CHROMagar STEC was used to identify STEC. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed to all pathogenic bacteria using disc diffusion method.Results: A total of 304 children were include in the study. The mean (±standard deviation) age of the enrolled children was 1.4 (±1.03) years. Out of 304 diarrhoea cases, 32 (10.5%) were positive for STEC and 12 (3.9%) were due to other pathogenic bacteria (Salmonella and Shigella species.). Of 32 STEC isolates, 22 (68.8%) and 20 (62.5%) were resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole respectively and 3 (9.4%) were found to produce extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBL). Use of water from wells (p=0.006) was found to be the predictor of the presence of pathogenic bacteria.Conclusion: Clinicians should consider STEC as the potential pathogens causing diarrhoea in the region. More than 60% of pathogenic bacteria were resistant to commonly prescribed antimicrobials like amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. There is a need to emphasize on the provision of safe water, health education together with improvements in sanitation and personal hygiene as key strategies to reduce these infections