Assessment of routine surveillance data as a tool to investigate measles outbreaks in Mozambique

BACKGROUND: Measles remains a major public health problem in Mozambique despite significant efforts to control the disease. Currently, health authorities base their outbreak control on data from the routine surveillance system while vaccine coverage and efficacy are calculated based on mathematical projections of the target population. The aim of this work was to assess the quality of the measles reporting system during two outbreaks that occurred in Maputo City (1998) and in Manica Province (2002). METHODS: Retrospectively, we collected data from the routine surveillance system, i.e. register books at health facilities and weekly provincial and national epidemiological reports. To test whether the provinces registered an outbreak, the distribution of measles cases was compared to an endemic level established based on cases reported in previous years. RESULTS: There was a significant under-notification of measles cases from the health facilities to the province and national level. Register books, the primary sources of information for the measles surveillance system, were found to be incomplete for two main variables: "age" and "vaccination status". CONCLUSION: The Mozambican surveillance system is based on poor quality records, receives the notification of only a fraction of the total number of measles in the country and may result in failures do detect epidemics. The measles reporting system does not provide the data needed by Expanded Program on Immunisation managers to make evidence-based decisions, nor does it allow in-depth analysis to monitor measles epidemiology in the country. The progress of Mozambique to the next stage of measles elimination will require an improvement of the routine surveillance system and a stronger Health Information System

Agro-investment in Africa : impact on land and livelihoods in Mozambique and Tanzania

This Noragric Report was commissioned by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) under the framework agreement with Noragric

Agro-investment in Africa : impact on land and livelihoods in Mozambique and Tanzania

This Noragric Report was commissioned by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) under the framework agreement with Noragric

Food culture and child-feeding practices in Njombe and Mvomero districts, Tanzania

This article explores food culture and child-feeding practices, focusing on children below five years among the Bena and Luguru ethnic groups located in Njombe and Mvomero rural districts in Tanzania. In these two societies existing cultural norms, and beliefs related to child feeding focusing on breastfeeding and complementary feeding were investigated aiming at understanding how every-day practices on child feeding are socially and culturally constructed by actors including parents or guardians, thus giving cultural meanings that are attached to every-day realities on child feeding. The article is part of a larger research project whose overall purpose was to investigate the outcome of milk-based nutrition interventions involving dairy goat and cattle-keeping with the aim among others to improve health and nutritional status of family members, especially children below five years in societies where prevalence of malnutrition particularly undernutrition is rather high. Methods used included participant observation, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews. Findings show that early after birth, pre-lacteal feeds are commonly introduced in both societies and the most common complementary food includes plain maize porridge. On the other hand, milk consumption among children was rather limited. Existing food habits and feeding practices seem to be informed by widelyshared norms and beliefs. However, these culturally established practices do not always meet the current international recommendations on child feeding. Besides, recommendations and nutritional information on child feeding have largely not been used as suggested. This paper argues that, for the successful introduction and implementation of nutrition-based interventions targeting children, it is important to identify and improve upon the indigenous child-feeding practices, reflecting existing food habits, food-related beliefs, and their meanings

Beyond adoption/rejection of agricultural innovations: Empirical evidence from smallholder rice farmers in Tanzania

Outlook on Agriculture, 2006; 35 (4): 263–272This study seeks to explore the adoption of rice research-based innovations in rural Tanzania. Apart from the age and level of education of the head of household, which had an influence on the adoption of herbicide in both study areas, the influence of other variables on the adoption of fertilizer and transplanting varied between the study areas. Moreover, the study shows that adoption of the selected innovations is context-dependent. In Tanzania, rice farming is characterized by the predominance of traditional rice varieties. Farmers grow these varieties for household consumption or income, or both, under crop management practices that are well attuned to the available resources. The observed discontinuation and adaptation of innovations make sense, given the production circumstances in which the farmers operate. The findings of the study raise issues with research implications for improved rice production in the study areas

Empowering farmers? collaborative research at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania

Development in Practice. 2015 Vol. 25(3); pp347 359,This article presents experiences with collaborative and on-farm research based on the implementation of a four-year Programme for Agricultural and Natural Resources Transformation for Improved Livelihoods (PANTIL) at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Morogoro, Tanzania. It outlines the basic elements in the implementation of a programme aimed to be demand-based, and discusses the challenges encountered in combining collaborative research with the empowerment of farmers. Finally, the article draws out some lessons with implications for the future organisation of collaborative and on-farm agricultural research. Cet article presente des experiences de recherches menees en collaboration et au sein meme d'exploitations agricoles, basees sur la mise en oeuvre d'un programme de quatre ans, le Programme Jar Agricultural and Natural Resources Trans]. Ormation for Improved Livelihoods (PANTIL - Programme pour la transformation des ressources agricoles et naturelles pour des moyens de subsistance ameliores) a la Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) de Morogoro, en Tanzanie. 11 presente les elements de base de la mise en oeuvre d'un programme visant a etre fonde sur la demande et traite des defis rencontres au moment de conjugucr les recherches collaboratives et l'autonotnisation des agriculteurs. Enfin, cet article tire quelques enseignements ayant des implications pour l'organisation future de recherches agricoles menees cn collaboration et an sein des exploitations. El presente articulo examina las experiencias surgidas de una investigaciOn colaborativa realizada en parcelas agricolas. La misma se bas6 en la implementacion del Programa para la TransformaciOn de la Agricultura y de los Recursos Naturales para el Mejoramiento de los Medias de Vida (PANTIL, par sus siglas en ingles), vinculado a la Universidad Sokoine de Agricultura de Morogoro. Tanzania. a lo largo de cuatro aims. El articulo resume los elementos principales requeridos para impulsar tin programa basado cn la demanda, examinando los retos que debieron enfrentarse para combinar la investigacion colaborativa y el empoderamicnto de los productores. A manera de conclusion, el articulo esboza algunos de los aprendizajes obtenidos, los cuales ticnen implicaciones para la organizacion de futuras investigaciones colaborativas que se realicen en parcelas agricolas

Beyond adoption/rejection of agricultural innovations: Empirical evidence from smallholder rice farmers in Tanzania

Outlook on Agriculture, 2006; 35 (4): 263–272This study seeks to explore the adoption of rice research-based innovations in rural Tanzania. Apart from the age and level of education of the head of household, which had an influence on the adoption of herbicide in both study areas, the influence of other variables on the adoption of fertilizer and transplanting varied between the study areas. Moreover, the study shows that adoption of the selected innovations is context-dependent. In Tanzania, rice farming is characterized by the predominance of traditional rice varieties. Farmers grow these varieties for household consumption or income, or both, under crop management practices that are well attuned to the available resources. The observed discontinuation and adaptation of innovations make sense, given the production circumstances in which the farmers operate. The findings of the study raise issues with research implications for improved rice production in the study areas

Rice for food and income Assessing the impact of rice research on food security in the Kyela and Kilombero districts of Tanzania

Outlook on AGRICULTURE, 2007; 36 (4): 231–236This paper assesses the impact of rice research on household food security in Tanzania. The adoption of research-based innovations in rice farming, on which the impact of rice research is assumed to depend, is outlined. Rice production and consumption levels are presented. The paper shows that farmers produce rice for meeting a range of livelihood outcomes, including food security. However, meeting household needs such as education, health and building good houses are as important as food security. In this context, it is argued that food security should be understood within the framework of household livelihood strategies rather than being seen as dependent on household rice production

Empowering farmers? Collaborative research at Sokoine university of agriculture, Tanzania

Development in Practice,Vol. 25( 2015),pp No. 3, 347–359This article presents experiences with collaborative and on-farm research based on the implementation of a four-year Programme for Agricultural and Natural Resources Transformation for Improved Livelihoods (PANTIL) at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Morogoro, Tanzania. It outlines the basic elements in the implementation of a programme aimed to be demand-based, and discusses the challenges encountered in combining collaborative research with the empowerment of farmers. Finally, the article draws out some lessons with implications for the future organisation of collaborative and on-farm agricultural research