An Assessment Of The Performance Of The Different Types Of Biomass (Agricultural) Waste When Used As Fuels In A Gasifier Stove.

Introduction: The world is experiencing adverse climatic changes due to the high demand for biomass energy with an increasing population. Many forests are being cut down to meet the biomass energy demand. A lot of research to identify alternative fuels especially from agricultural waste is being tried. Pinewood, pine cones, maize cobs, and wood shavings are among the fuels that are regarded as a waste but can be used in a gasifier stove as alternative fuels amidst the depleting forests.  Methodology:   The study was conducted from the Biomass Resource and Training Center of Nyabyeya Forestry College located in Masindi near Budongo Forest, Uganda. From the results, Wood shavings had the lowest specific fuel consumption of 90g/liter as compared to pine wood with 101g/liter, maize cobs with 103g/liter, and pine cones with the highest of 107g/liter.  Results:  maize cobs were found to be a better alternative fuel for the gasifier stove use, this is because their time to boil 2.5 liters of water is about 12 minutes, the burning rate is 20g/min, the specific fuel consumption was about 104g/liter and had the best thermal efficiency of about 33% with the specific gasifier stove.  Recommendation: Maize cobs are recommended for use in the gasifier stoves, apart from the scientific evidence, maize cobs have other benefits associated with their wide availability and cheap or no cost since they exist as agricultural wastes, this would help in reducing the pressure on forests for wood fuels like charcoal and firewood. Conclusion: Pine cones had the lowest time to boil of 9.5 minutes compared to maize cobs with 12.25 minutes and pinewood with the highest which was 13.25 minutes

Existing Human factors Risks in Eastern Africa Aviation Operation: Focus on skill Risks and Aeromedical factors. A Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Aviation safety in the Africa region has continued to be a concern for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the industry as a whole. ICAO’s 2012 accident statistics show that Africa had an accident rate of 5.3 per one million departures with 3% of the worldwide traffic distribution. A study set out to examine the existing human factors risks in the region’s aviation operation with a particular focus on skill and aeromedical risks exist in the Eastern African region. Methodology: A cross-sectional study research design was used with quantitative methods of data collection applied; perceptual information was collected by the use of a survey. Results: Four categories of variables investigated skills required for the job and had a positive moderately strong correlation with values between 0.4-0.6 and were statistically significant with p ˂0.05. Another four had a weak positive correlation which is less than 0.4. Eleven out of fifteen categories of the aeromedical variables had a positive moderately strong correlation with values between 0.4-0.6. Four had a weak positive correlation which was less than 0.4. Results did show current skill-related risks in public safety, operations monitoring, quality control, troubleshooting, design and telecommunications, and public safety. Most of the above skills had a direct correlation with each other.  Conclusions: Aeromedical factors affecting performance included fitness and health, stress, time pressure, and deadlines, sleep-related issues, fatigue, cigarette smoking, alcohol, pain, and nervousness. Recommendations: There is a need for redefining human factors risks in Eastern Africa and incorporating them in the curriculum at all levels to ensure that individuals are capable of functioning effectively and safely in a range of situations and environments continuous as well as aeromedical assessment should be designed to fully capture the existing skill related and aeromedical risks in the region and improve the region’s safety record

Identity of Fusarium species associated with collar rot and wilt in passion fruit (Passiflora edulis)

Background: Despite the immense contribution of passion fruits to people’s livelihood on a global scale, the crop’s productivity remains low owing to fungal diseases causing up to 100% loss. Fungi are highly variable and the identity of species or variates responsible for recently devastating passion fruit wilt and collar rot diseases had not been characterized. This study was aimed at identifying pathogens causing wilt and collar rot symptoms in passion fruits. Methodology: Fungi were isolated from diseased samples collected from three locations in Central Uganda to identify Fusarium spp associated with collar rot and wilting of passion fruit. This was established by differentiating mycelium pigmentation on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA), examining slides at X40 magnification under a light microscope for specific macro and microconidia, and amplification with specific Transcription Elongation Factor-1α, TEF 1α primers for identification of Fusarium spp. Results: It was revealed that wilting was associated with a single species, out of 6 selected isolates from the suspected wilted plant, 3 were Fusarium spp associated with the disease in the field but only one of these isolates was proved to be a pathogenic type Fusarium oxysporium. Collar rot was associated with one pathogenic Fusarium spp out of the 6 selected isolates. Conclusion: The results indicate that collar rot and Fusarium wilt are each caused by specific strains of Fusarium pathogens. Recommendation: The identification of pathogenic Fusarium in farmers’ orchards is a starting point for designing effective disease management measures against the predominant fungal pathogenic variants in passion fruits. 

PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES’ OPERATIONALIZATION ON SCALING-UP BLACK SOLDIER FLY LARVAE AS AN ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN SOURCE FOR LIVESTOCK FEED. A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF NKOZI SUB-COUNTY IN MPIGI DISTRICT.

Background: Demand for proteins has increased beyond supply due to the duo competition between humans and animals. Flora and fauna are depleted for proteins used in livestock feeds, this has raised production costs. Current protein insecurity can be solved by the black soldier fly larvae technology that uses organic waste to produce nutritive biomass rich in proteins. However, the innovation has not scaled up among farmers even though participatory approaches have always been employed to scale up different agricultural innovations. Methodology A cross-sectional study design with both qualitative and quantitative approaches was used with a sample of 397 respondents selected randomly and purposively among the livestock sector stakeholders. Results The animal sector has not effectively employed participatory approaches unlike the crop sector since most livestock farmers get extension and advisory services from radios and fellow farmers and share knowledge on innovations from farmer research groups and On-farm demonstrations which show a higher percentage of participatory approaches utilized by the farmers. Conclusion Effort is required to emphasize farmer research groups and On-farm demonstrations with the help of researchers, district veterinary officers, and Sub-County animal husbandry officers to scale up BSFL breeding among livestock farmers as an alternative protein for livestock feed. Recommendation The animal sector should streamline training and knowledge sharing of research findings to farmers instead of being only service providers i.e treating sick animals and selling drugs; more emphasis also should be put on training more animal scientists to bridge the gap between animal research scientists, Veterinary Officers, husbandry officers, and farmers to allow sharing of knowledge and diffusion of innovations like BSFL breeding using participatory approaches, the animal sector should put in place demonstration centers at both national and village level to allow farmers appreciate the innovation before taking it up