Kenyan Agriculture: Toward 2000

This study of the Kenyan economy, which places particular emphasis on the agricultural sector, analyzes the production structure and demand patterns, the latter by income class. It discusses current policies and makes predictions for the situation in the year 2000. Then, for problems envisaged by this report and other observers for this future time, it considers a number of solution strategies

Optimisation of a somatic embryogenesis and transformation protocol for farmer-preferred cassava cultivars in Kenya

Cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz ) is a major food crop in developing countries, and holds potential for industrial use. It is, however, affected by various biotic and abiotic stresses that greatly affect its production. The existing regeneration and transformation protocols are not compatible with all cassava cultivars, thus efficient and robust transformation and regeneration protocols for farmer-preferred cultivars need to be optimised for ease of transfer of novel genes. The objective of this study was to develop an efficient transformation and regeneration protocol for a farmer-preferred Kenyan cassava cultivar. We cultured immature leaf lobe and stem explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, supplemented with varying concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), Picloram and \ue1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Plants were recovered on media with 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) and GA3 under a 16 hour light/8 hour darkness photoperiod regime. Results showed high regeneration and transformation frequencies for both cultivars. High frequencies of callus induction (>98%) for both cultivars, were obtained when 2,4-D and Picloram were used. Similarly, both auxins initiated somatic embryogenesis, with Picloram producing the highest frequency of somatic embryos (>92%) in TMS 60444, using stem explants. Gus assays revealed high frequencies of transformation of >77% (TMS 60444) and 60% (Kibanda meno mkubwa). This protocol offers promising perspectives for rapid improvement of these cultivars and, therefore, provides a platform for cleaning planting materials, as well as cassava genetic improvement programmes such as control of viral diseases.Le manioc ( Manihot esculenta Crantz ) est une culture vivri\ue8re de grande importance pour les pays en d\ue9veloppement, avec un potentiel pour l\u2019usage industriel. N\ue9anmoins, le manioc est sujet \ue0 des stress d\u2019origines biotique et abiotique, affectant sa production. Les protocoles de r\ue9g\ue9n\ue9ration et de transformation existante ne sont pas compatibles avec toutes les accessions de manioc. Ainsi, il est n\ue9cessaire de d\ue9velopper des protocoles de r\ue9g\ue9n\ue9ration et de transformation efficaces pour les accessions adopt\ue9es par les paysans, afin de faciliter les transferts de g\ue8nes d\u2019int\ue9r\ueat. L\u2019objectif de cet etude \ue9tait de d\ue9velopper un protocole de r\ue9g\ue9n\ue9ration et de transformation adapte a la vari\ue9t\ue9 de manioc. Des feuilles et tiges immatures ont \ue9t\ue9 cultiv\ue9es sur des media Murashige et Skoog (MS), auxquels diff\ue9rentes concentrations de 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acide (2,4-D), Picloram et \ue1-naphtal\ue8ne ac\ue9tique acide (NAA). Les plantes ont \ue9t\ue9 recouvertes de 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) et GA3 sous une photop\ue9riode de 16h jour/8h nuit. Les r\ue9sultats ont montr\ue9 des fr\ue9quences \ue9lev\ue9es de r\ue9g\ue9n\ue9ration et de transformation pour les deux cultivars Kibanda meno mkubwa et TMS 60444. Des fr\ue9quences \ue9lev\ue9es d\u2019induction de callosit\ue9s (>98%) ont \ue9t\ue9 obtenues pour les deux cultivars, lorsque 2,4-D et Picloram ont \ue9t\ue9 utilis\ue9s. De la m\ueame fa\ue7on, les deux embryogen\ue8ses somatiques initi\ue9es a l\u2019auxine, avec des explants de tiges et du Picloram ont exhibe la fr\ue9quence la plus \ue9lev\ue9e d\u2019embryon somatique (>92%) en TMS 60444. Des essais de Gus ont r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9s des fr\ue9quences \ue9lev\ue9es de transformation >77% (TMS 60444) et 60% (Kibanda meno mkubwa). Ce protocole offre des perspectives pour l\u2019am\ue9lioration rapide de ces cultivars, et par cons\ue9quent, fournit une plateforme pour la production de mat\ue9riels de culture propres, mais aussi servira d\u2019outil dans les programmes d\u2019am\ue9lioration g\ue9n\ue9tique visant la lutte contre les maladies virales

Forces Facing the Future of Kenyan Agriculture

Kenya's population growth rate of 4 percent per year 1s considered to be the single most important force that will face the future of Kenyan agriculture. This paper attempts to show that the high population growth rate will result in land scarcity and lack of employment and food

ADMISSION CHARACTERISTICS, DIAGNOSES AND OUTCOMES OF HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS REGISTERED IN AN AMBULATORY HIV-CARE PROGRAMME IN WESTERN KENYA

Objective: To determine admissions diagnosis and outcomes of HIV-infected patients attending. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Academic Model for prevention and Treatment of HIV/ AIDS (AMPATH) ambulatory HIV-care clinic in western Kenya. Results: Between January 2005 and December 2006, 495 HIV-infected patients enrolled in AMPATH were admitted. Median age at admission was 38 years (range: 19 - 74), 62% females, 375 (76%) initiated cART a median 56 days (range: 1- 1288) before admission. Majority (53%) had pre-admission CD4 counts <100 cells/ml and 23% had counts >200 cells/ml. Common admissions diagnoses were: tuberculosis (27%); pneumonia (15%); meningitis (11%): diarrhoea (11%); malaria (6%); severe anaemia (4%); and toxoplasmosis (3%). Deaths occurred in 147 (30%) patients who enrolled at AMPATH a median 44 days (range: 1 - 711 ) before admission and died a median 41 days (range: 1 -713) after initiating cART. Tuberculosis (27%) and meningitis (14%) were the commonest diagnoses in the deceased. Median admission duration was six days (range: 1 - 30) for deceased patients and eight days (range: I - 44) for survivors (P = 0.0024). Deceased patients enrolled in AMPATH or initiated cART more recently, had lower CD4 counts and were more frequently lost to follow-up than survivors (P<0.05 for each comparison). Initiation of cART before admission and clinic appointment adherence were independent predictors of survival. Conclusion: Although high mortality rate is seen in HIV-infected in-patients. Those initiating cART before admission were more likely to survive

The ASOS Surgical Risk Calculator: development and validation of a tool for identifying African surgical patients at risk of severe postoperative complications

Background: The African Surgical Outcomes Study (ASOS) showed that surgical patients in Africa have a mortality twice the global average. Existing risk assessment tools are not valid for use in this population because the pattern of risk for poor outcomes differs from high-income countries. The objective of this study was to derive and validate a simple, preoperative risk stratification tool to identify African surgical patients at risk for in-hospital postoperative mortality and severe complications. Methods: ASOS was a 7-day prospective cohort study of adult patients undergoing surgery in Africa. The ASOS Surgical Risk Calculator was constructed with a multivariable logistic regression model for the outcome of in-hospital mortality and severe postoperative complications. The following preoperative risk factors were entered into the model; age, sex, smoking status, ASA physical status, preoperative chronic comorbid conditions, indication for surgery, urgency, severity, and type of surgery. Results: The model was derived from 8799 patients from 168 African hospitals. The composite outcome of severe postoperative complications and death occurred in 423/8799 (4.8%) patients. The ASOS Surgical Risk Calculator includes the following risk factors: age, ASA physical status, indication for surgery, urgency, severity, and type of surgery. The model showed good discrimination with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.805 and good calibration with c-statistic corrected for optimism of 0.784. Conclusions: This simple preoperative risk calculator could be used to identify high-risk surgical patients in African hospitals and facilitate increased postoperative surveillance. © 2018 British Journal of Anaesthesia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Medical Research Council of South Africa gran