Diffusion of Technologies by the Tikonko Agricultural Extension Centre (TAEC) to Farmers of the Tikonko Chiefdom in Sierra Leone: Impacts, Problems, Proposed Solutions, and an Updated Outlook

Sierra Leone is a west African nation with about two-thirds of its population engaged in agriculture but it cannot feed itself. The country’s agricultural activities were disrupted by a decade-long Civil War that created a great need for improved farming technologies. The Tikonko Agricultural Extension Centre (TAEC) operates in the Tikonko Chiefdom to assist local farmers in improving food production through the fabrication of farm tools to be adopted and used by farmers. This study was conducted to investigate the impacts of the TAEC’s technologies on farmers and their communities in the Tikonko Chiefdom and identify problems and solutions associated with the technologies and their diffusion. The target population included farmers (N = 318) who used TAEC’s technologies and TAEC staff (N = 18) who were involved in the diffusion process. A majority of the farmers adopted and used TAEC’s technologies readily, which they perceived had considerable impact on their farming practices and communities. The relevance of TAEC’s technologies to farmers in Tikonko Chiefdom was also evident. However, the participating farmers and TAEC staff encountered numerous problems. A majority agreed that the diffusion and adoption process could be improved by increasing the farmers’ access to loans. Providing appropriate technologies that can be adopted by low income farmers stands to increase their productivity and self-reliance while improving their nations’ food security. It is undeniable that technologies contributing to food sufficiency and alleviating poverty are needed throughout the developing world; policymakers must be reminded of this condition continually

Informe de resultados de la campaña `Maurit-0911'. Estudio de los ecosistemas de la plataforma y margen contiental de Mauritania

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Organ weight, serum biochemistry and gut microbial counts of Thryonomys swinderianus fed diet supplemented with Vernonia amygdalina leaf meal

The study investigated the effect of Vernonia amygdalina (VA) leaf supplementation on organ weight and gut microbial count of Thryonomys  swinderianus. Thirty-six weaner grasscutters of mixed sexes were allotted randomly to six treatments (A, B, C, D, E, and F) in a completely randomized design for a nutritional trial of 8 weeks. At the end of the experiment, caecum, kidney, liver, lungs, intestine and the heart were excised  to determine their weights and the intestinal/caecal contents and scrapings were obtained to determine the fungi and bacteria population. Data collected were analyzed using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The VA supplementation had significant effect (p<0.05) on relative organs with a range of 0.47 –0.60%, 0.40 – 0.62%, 1.20 – 2.83%, 0.52 - 0.58%, 5.53 – 12.91%, 714.00 – 960.00g, 494.00 –781.00g and 479.00 – 747.00g for lungs, heart, liver, kidney, intestine, live weight, eviscerated and carcass weight of the grasscutter respectively, with a smaller relative weight of the kidney from 3g/kg VA supplementation upwards. The serum biochemical parameters were also significantly affected by VA supplementation. There was a  decrease in alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase but were within the normal range required for rodents. Total protein and Albumin were significantly improved by the supplement while total bilirubin was variable with a significant decrease prior to 4gVA supplementation. Microbial populations in the intestine and ceacum were reduced to varying extent by the supplement. It could be  concluded that VA supplementation reduced intestinal and caecal microbes and increased the live and carcass weights but decreased relative weights of selected organs in the grasscutter. Keywords: Grasscutter, Vernonia amygdalina, Organ weight, Microbial count

Impact of combined large-scale ivermectin distribution and vector control on transmission of Onchocerca volvulus in the Niger basin, Guinea

As part of the WHO Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa (OCP), the attack phase of operations in the Niger basin in Guinea began in 1989 with the simultaneous use of ivermectin and vector control. Larvicide applications coupled with annual large-scale ivermectin distribution have greatly reduced blackfly infectivity (by 78.8% for the number of infective larvae per 1000 parous flies). The combination of vector control and ivermectin has permitted excellent control of transmission. In the original OCP area, it took 6-8 years of vector control atone to obtain an equivalent decrease in blackfly infectivity. For the same number of flies caught, transmission was much higher in areas where ivermectin had not been distributed. The combined use of ivermectin and vector control has opened up new prospects for carrying out OCP operations with, notably, the possibility of reducing larviciding operations.Dans le cadre du Programme OMS de lutte contre l’onchocercose en Afrique de l’Ouest, la phase d’attaque des opérations dans le bassin du Niger en Guinée a démarré en 1989 avec l’utilisation simultanée de l’ivermectine et de la lutte antivectorielle. Parmi les seize points retenus pour cette étude, tous situés dans des foyers holoendémiques de savane, la moitié sont répartis dans le bassin du Haut Niger en Guinée et les autres dans l’aire initiale du Programme.Après trois à quatre années d’opérations avec une distribution annuelle d’ivermectine à grande échelle, on note en Guinée une forte réduction de l’infestation des simulies (78,8 % pour la proportion de mouches infestantes et 82,9 % pour le nombre de larves infestantes pour 1 000 femelles pares). La prévalence des microfilaires a peu diminué; en revanche, les charges microfilariennes des communautés qui mesurent l’intensité de l’infestation ont chuté de 60 à 80 % par rapport aux données de prétraitement. La combinaison de la lutte antivectorielle et de la distribution de masse de l’ivermectine a permis un excellent contrôle de la transmission. Par contre, dans l’aire initiale du programme, il a fallu 6 à 8 ans de lutte antivectorielle seule pour obtenir une réduction équivalente de l’infestation des simulies. A nombre égal de mouches capturées, la transmission est beaucoup plus forte dans les zones où l’ivermectine n’est pas distribuée, même après plusieurs armées de lutte antivectorielle efficace et ininterrompue.L’utilisation combinée de l’ivermectine et de la lutte antivectorielle ouvre des perspectives nouvelles dans la conduite des opérations avec notamment une possibilité d’allégement de la lutte antivectorielle

Trente ans de lutte contre l’onchocercose en Afrique de l’Ouest. Traitements larvicides et protection de l’environnement

La lutte contre l'onchocercose, ou cécité des rivières, une maladie parasitaire endémique, fut entreprise en Afrique de l'Ouest dans une perspective do développement durable. Tous les moyens technologiques disponibles ont de ce fait été mobilisés pour le contrôle du vecteur, une simulie, puis du parasite responsables de cette maladie, par le Programme de Lutte contre l’Onchocercose en Afrique de l'Ouest (OCP). La lutte antivectorielle consistant en épandages d’insecticides chimiques sur les sites de développement de la simulie dans les rivières, il est apparu indispensable d’assurer la sauvegarde de l’environnement aquatique qui fournit aux communautés riveraines eau et ressources biologiques. Les technologies les plus modernes ont été mises en œuvre dès leur mise au point, pour combattre la maladie, contribuant ainsi à la protection de ce milieu. Le programme de surveillance écologique des rivières traitées par des larvicides anti-simulies a été mis en place dès le lancement d’OCP. et assuré par des spécialistes de I' hydrobiologie des pays africains participants du Programme, sous la supervision d’un groupe international d’experts indépendants, le Groupe Écologique. OCP est incontestablement un succès aussi bien pour ce qui est du contrôle de la maladie que de la protection de l'environnement. Il est l'exemple unique au monde d’un programme de santé publique de longue durée qui depuis son origine a mis en œuvre tout ce qui était possible pour harmoniser les enjeux de l’amélioration de la santé et ceux de la protection de l’environnement. Il s'est achevé avec la satisfaction de laisser aux générations montantes un environnement non dégradé et des vallées libérées de l’onchocercose, qui permettront d’accroître la productivité agricole des pays africains.The control of onchocerciasis, or river blindness, an endemic parasitic disease, was implemented in West Africa in the perspective of sustainable development AH the available technological means to fight this disease, by way of the control of its blackfly vector, then its parasite, were therefore implemented by the Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa (OCP). Vector control being achieved through applications of chemicals on its river breeding sites, it was necessary, at the same time, to fight for the preservation of the aquatic environment, which supplies the communities that live along the rivers with water and biological resources. This was the spirit in which the OCP was set up and implemented, and the most modem technologies were used as they become available to fight the disease, thus facilitating the preservation of the aquatic environment. This Programme has indisputably been a success as regards the control of the disease as also from the point of view of the preservation of the environment The aquatic monitoring programme of the rivers under treatment with anti-simulid larvicides was set up right from the very beginning, and performed by national experts of the Participating Countries of the Programme, under the aegis of a group of international independent experts, the Ecological Croup The Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa is an unique example in the world of a long-term public health programme which has made every effort possible from its inception to adequately combine health and environment issues. It ended with the satisfaction of bequeathing to the coming generations a non degraded environment and valleys freed from onchocerciasis which would increase the agricultural productivity of the countries