Soil Fertility Management In The Banana-Based Agriculture Of Central Uganda: Farmers Constraints And Opinions

Soil nutrient depletion is one of the root causes of declining food production in Uganda. Results of a study comprising a survey and group discussion with farmers in Mukono district, Uganda, revealed that farmers perceive continuous cropping and erosion as the main causes of soil fertility degradation. The most frequent resource input to mitigate the degradation was banana residue. Only 0.9% of the farmers use mineral fertiliser, applying it to annual crops (maize and beans) whose residue is transferred to banana. Farmers perceive manure, coffee husks, compost as best suited for effective soil fertility management but the relationships between farm size and use of cattle manure was significant and positive (P<0.001), implying a need for much land if one is to utilise cattle manure. Utilisation of domestic compost was positively related with households headed by females (P<0.05), implying that since they lack access to most resources and provide most of the agricultural labour, they resort to the more labour intensive but easily accessible domestic compost. Group membership shifted the predicted probability for adoption of coffee husks from non-adoption to adoption whereas access to credit facilities shifted the predicted probability to adopt chemical fertiliser from 0.06 to 0.99. Access to extension services was also significantly related to adoption of soil fertility management practice, particularly coffee husks. Provision of credit, information, inputs and involving farmers in the development activities appear to be major requisites for improved agricultural production in the area. It is recommended that farmers in the smallhold banana agriculture in Mukono district be availed with a variety of practices for soil fertility management to choose from because they have a diversity of resources at their disposal.La d\ue9gradation des \ue9lements nutritifs du sol est l\u2019une des racines fondementales biophysiques qui cause le d\ue9clin de la production alimentaire en Uganda. De r\ue9sults d\u2019une \ue9tude d\u2019enqu\ueate et de groupes de discussions avec les fermiers dans le district de Mukono, a r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 que les fermiers aper\ue7oivent que la culture continue et l\u2019\ue9rosion sont les principales causes de la d\ue9gradation de la fertilit\ue9 du sol. La resource la plus fr\ue9quante qui att\ue9nue la d\ue9gradation \ue9taient les r\ue9sidues de banane. Seulement 0.9% d\u2019agriculteurs utilisent des engrais mineraux les appliquant sur les plantes annuelles (ma\uefs et la haricots) dont les r\ue9sidus sont transfer\ue9s \ue0 la banane. Les agriculteurs constatent que le fumier, les balles de caf\ue9, le compost sont les meilleurs appropri\ue9s pour une gestion effective de la fertilit\ue9 du sol, mais la relation entre la taille de l\u2019exploitation et l\u2019utilisation du fumier de vache \ue9tait significative et positive (P<0.001), sugg\ue9rant un besoin de beaucoup de terre si quelqu\u2019 un doit utiliser le fumier. L\u2019utilisation du composte domestique \ue9tait associ\ue9e positivement aux m\ue9nages dont les femmes sont \ue0 la t\ueate (P<0.05), signifiant que comme elles n\u2019ont pas acc\ue8s \ue0 la majorit\ue9 de ressources et fournissent plus de main d\u2019oeuvre agricole, elles font recours au travail le plus intense mais au composte domestique facilement accessible. L\u2019adh\ue9sion au groupe a chang\ue9 la probabilit\ue9 pr\ue9vue pour l\u2019adoption des tourtaux de caf\ue9s de la non-adoption \ue0 l\u2019adoption l\ue0 o\uf9 l\u2019acce\ue9s aux facilit\ue9s de cr\ue9dit a chang\ue9 la probabilit\ue9 pr\ue9vue pour adopter l\u2019engrais chimique de 0.06 \ue0 0.99. L\u2019acc\ue9e aux services de vulgarisation \ue9tait aussi significativement li\ue9 \ue0 l\u2019adoption des pratiques de gestion de la fertilit\ue9 de sols en particulier les balles de caf\ue9. La provision du credit, l\u2019information,les intrants et l\u2019implication des agriculteurs dans les activit\ue9s de d\ue9velopment les concernant apparaissent \ueatre les plus n\ue9c\ue9ssaires pour la production agricole am\ue9lior\ue9e dans la r\ue9gion. Il a \ue9t\ue9 recommend\ue9 que les agriculteurs qui ont de petites parcelles de bananeraie dans le district de Mukono soient disponibilis\ue9s d\u2019une vari\ue9t\ue9 de pratiques de gestion de fertilit\ue9 du sol d\u2019o\uf9 ils peuvent faire un choix parce qui\u2019ils ont une diversit\ue9 de sources \ue0 leur disposition

Influence Of Farmer Production Goals On Cowpea Pest Management In Eastern Uganda: Implications For Developing IPM Programmes

We investigated using a case study the influence of differing production goals on cowpea production and pest management practices. The cases (farmers) were characterised as commercial, dual purpose and subsistence depending on the primary goal of production. Production goal influenced cowpea acreage, varietal choice, seasonal planting, perception of problematic pests, and stage and frequency of pesticide application. Farmers preferred to use pesticides, as the primary method of pest control, because they insured a marketable crop, were associated with yield increases, permitted two season cropping, and reduced demand for labour at labour peaks during the cropping season. Pesticides were used by the majority of farmers in the area. The only limitations to pesticide use were local availability and cost. Besides the use of pesticides farmers had local knowledge on alternative methods for controlling pests such as early planting, variety choice, weeding, leaf picking and intercropping. Generally, farmers were unknowledgeable (or uniformed) about cowpea diseases. Future research should seek to introduce resistant varieties; investigate efficacy, timing and rate of pesticide application; and, educate farmers regarding proper pesticide use and safety.Nous avons examin\ue9 en utilisant une \ue9tude de cas, l\u2019influence des diff\ue9rents objectifs de production du ni\ue9b\ue9 et les pratiques de gestion des pestes. Les cas (agriculteurs) \ue9taient caract\ue9ris\ue9s comme commerciaux, double objectifs et subsistance d\ue9pendant de l\u2019objectif primaire de production. L\u2019objectif de production influen\ue7ait la superficie emblav\ue9e par le ni\ue9b\ue9, le choix vari\ue9tal, la plantation saisonni\ue8re, la perception du probl\ue9matique des pestes, le stade et la fr\ue9quence d\u2019application des pesticides. Les agriculteurs pr\ue9f\ue9rraient l\u2019utilisation des pesticides comme m\ue9thodes primaires de gestion de pestes parce qu\u2019ils assurent une culture commercialisable, \ue9taient assoc\ue9es \ue0 l\u2019augmentation des rendements, permettent deux saisons culturales, et r\ue9duisent la main d\u2019oeuvre aux p\ue9riodes de pointe des travaux durant la saison culturale. Les pesticides \ue9taient utilis\ue9s par la majorit\ue9 des agriculteurs dans la r\ue9gion. Les seules limitations d\u2019usage des pesticides \ue9taient la disponibilit\ue9 locale et le co\ue9t. En plus de l\u2019utilisation des pesticides les agriculteurs avaient une connaissance locale sur les m\ue9thodes alternatives de contr\uf4le des pestes telles que la plantation pr\ue9coce, le choix vari\ue9tal, le sarclage, le ramassage de feuille et l\u2019association des cultures. G\ue9n\ue9rallement les agriculteurs n\u2019\ue9taient pas au courant des maladies du ni\ue9b\ue9. La recherche future devra chercher \ue0 introduire des vari\ue9t\ue9s r\ue9sistantes, \ue9tudier l\u2019efficacit\ue9, le temps et le taux d\u2019application des pesticides, et \ue9duquer les agriculteurs sur l\u2019utilisation propre et la s\ue9curit\ue9 de pesticides

Critical care usage after major gastrointestinal and liver surgery: a prospective, multicentre observational study

Background: Patient selection for critical care admission must balance patient safety with optimal resource allocation. This study aimed to determine the relationship between critical care admission, and postoperative mortality after abdominal surgery. Methods: This prespecified secondary analysis of a multicentre, prospective, observational study included consecutive patients enrolled in the DISCOVER study from UK and Republic of Ireland undergoing major gastrointestinal and liver surgery between October and December 2014. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore associations between critical care admission (planned and unplanned) and mortality, and inter-centre variation in critical care admission after emergency laparotomy. Results: Of 4529 patients included, 37.8% (n=1713) underwent planned critical care admissions from theatre. Some 3.1% (n=86/2816) admitted to ward-level care subsequently underwent unplanned critical care admission. Overall 30-day mortality was 2.9% (n=133/4519), and the risk-adjusted association between 30-day mortality and critical care admission was higher in unplanned [odds ratio (OR): 8.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.51–19.97) than planned admissions (OR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.43–3.85). Some 26.7% of patients (n=1210/4529) underwent emergency laparotomies. After adjustment, 49.3% (95% CI: 46.8–51.9%, P<0.001) were predicted to have planned critical care admissions, with 7% (n=10/145) of centres outside the 95% CI. Conclusions: After risk adjustment, no 30-day survival benefit was identified for either planned or unplanned postoperative admissions to critical care within this cohort. This likely represents appropriate admission of the highest-risk patients. Planned admissions in selected, intermediate-risk patients may present a strategy to mitigate the risk of unplanned admission. Substantial inter-centre variation exists in planned critical care admissions after emergency laparotomies

Critical care usage after major gastrointestinal and liver surgery: a prospective, multicentre observational study

Background Patient selection for critical care admission must balance patient safety with optimal resource allocation. This study aimed to determine the relationship between critical care admission, and postoperative mortality after abdominal surgery. Methods This prespecified secondary analysis of a multicentre, prospective, observational study included consecutive patients enrolled in the DISCOVER study from UK and Republic of Ireland undergoing major gastrointestinal and liver surgery between October and December 2014. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore associations between critical care admission (planned and unplanned) and mortality, and inter-centre variation in critical care admission after emergency laparotomy. Results Of 4529 patients included, 37.8% (n=1713) underwent planned critical care admissions from theatre. Some 3.1% (n=86/2816) admitted to ward-level care subsequently underwent unplanned critical care admission. Overall 30-day mortality was 2.9% (n=133/4519), and the risk-adjusted association between 30-day mortality and critical care admission was higher in unplanned [odds ratio (OR): 8.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.51–19.97) than planned admissions (OR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.43–3.85). Some 26.7% of patients (n=1210/4529) underwent emergency laparotomies. After adjustment, 49.3% (95% CI: 46.8–51.9%, P<0.001) were predicted to have planned critical care admissions, with 7% (n=10/145) of centres outside the 95% CI. Conclusions After risk adjustment, no 30-day survival benefit was identified for either planned or unplanned postoperative admissions to critical care within this cohort. This likely represents appropriate admission of the highest-risk patients. Planned admissions in selected, intermediate-risk patients may present a strategy to mitigate the risk of unplanned admission. Substantial inter-centre variation exists in planned critical care admissions after emergency laparotomies

Body mass index and complications following major gastrointestinal surgery: A prospective, international cohort study and meta-analysis

Aim Previous studies reported conflicting evidence on the effects of obesity on outcomes after gastrointestinal surgery. The aims of this study were to explore the relationship of obesity with major postoperative complications in an international cohort and to present a metaanalysis of all available prospective data. Methods This prospective, multicentre study included adults undergoing both elective and emergency gastrointestinal resection, reversal of stoma or formation of stoma. The primary end-point was 30-day major complications (Clavien–Dindo Grades III–V). A systematic search was undertaken for studies assessing the relationship between obesity and major complications after gastrointestinal surgery. Individual patient meta-analysis was used to analyse pooled results. Results This study included 2519 patients across 127 centres, of whom 560 (22.2%) were obese. Unadjusted major complication rates were lower in obese vs normal weight patients (13.0% vs 16.2%, respectively), but this did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.863) on multivariate analysis for patients having surgery for either malignant or benign conditions. Individual patient meta-analysis demonstrated that obese patients undergoing surgery formalignancy were at increased risk of major complications (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.49–2.96, P < 0.001), whereas obese patients undergoing surgery for benign indications were at decreased risk (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.46–0.75, P < 0.001) compared to normal weight patients. Conclusions In our international data, obesity was not found to be associated with major complications following gastrointestinal surgery. Meta-analysis of available prospective data made a novel finding of obesity being associated with different outcomes depending on whether patients were undergoing surgery for benign or malignant disease