Contribution du warrantage à l’accès des petits producteurs au marché des intrants et des produits agricoles dans les communes rurales de Kléla, Fama et Zebala dans la région de Sikasso au Mali

Une expérimentation pilote sur le warrantage a été conduite dans la zone d’intervention du projet «Gestion intégrée de l’eau et des éléments nutritifs pour une production agricole durable dans le sahel» ACDI/CRDI au Mali. Ses objectifs étaient d’éviter que le paysan brade sa production immédiatement après les récoltes et d’organiser le marché de manière qu’il puisse tirer profit de la commercialisation de ses produits agricoles tout en s’approvisionnant en intrants agricoles. Elle a été organisée et exécutée dans un partenariat multi acteurs comprenant les institutions de recherche, vulgarisation agricole et producteurs, production de semence, finance, agrodealers et le partenaire financier. Les paysans organisés en coopératives de producteurs ont exécuté le warrantage avec un crédit de 15 millions FCFA et les participants étaient constitués de 12 % de paysans nantis, 32 % de moyennement nantis et 56 % de démunis. Les paysansdémunis et moyennement nantis ont beaucoup plus participé au stockage et ont pu s’approvisionner en engrais dans la boutique d’intrants agricoles. A Siramana, les femmes ont produit l’aubergine Africaine en maraîchage d’hivernage comme activité génératrice de revenu. Elles ont payé le crédit contracté auprès de leurs coopératives avec le bénéfice réalisé sur ces activités. Le warrantage a permis aux femmes et aux petits producteurs d’acheter des engrais dans leurs villages, de participer eux-mêmes à la commercialisation de leurs récoltes et d’entreprendre des activités génératrices de revenu pour davantage améliorer leur revenu agricole. Une perspective de cette activité est présentée.Mots clés : Warrantage, revenu, partenariat, crédit, Sikasso

Effect of non-use of antibiotics on the zootechnical performance of cobb 500 broiler chickens at the Diallo farm in the commune of Korhogo, northern Côte d'Ivoire.

This study was conducted at the Diallo farm in the commune of Korhogo, precisely in the new district. The general objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of not using antibiotics on the zootechnical performance of Cobb 500 broiler chickens. The experimental device consisted of constituting 2 batches of 50 broiler chickens. Batch 1, which is the control batch, did not receive antibiotics after the start until the end of the experiment. Batch 2 received antibiotics for six (6) weeks. The results showed that the broilers of batch 1 obtained the best zootechnical performance. After 42 days of breeding, the chickens of this batch consumed 6300 ml of water and 3150 g of food per bird. They obtained an average weight of 2230g against 1950g for batch 2. Similarly, they obtained a low mortality rate (8%) and a better carcass yield (75.33%). Ultimately, breeders would benefit from avoiding antibiotics for better zootechnical performance in broilers and to preserve human health

Participatory varietal selection with improved pearl millet in West Africa

A reconnaissance survey and participatory varietal selection trials (PVS) were conducted in four major pearl millet-growing countries of the Sahel between 2001 and 2003. The studies aimed to identify farmers' preferences in improved pearl millet varieties, increase awareness, test new varieties and enhance farmers' access to the improved varieties. Farmers selected five out of 10 tested varieties, with preferred characteristics, namely, maturity cycles of 80-90 d in the Sahel and 90-100 d in the Sudanian agro-ecozones, acceptable grain yield, compact and long (30-100 cm) panicles, a large number of tillers with panicles, adaptation and an acceptable taste. Farmers indicated that their local varieties were of superior adaptation and taste. They mentioned that hindrances to uptake and sustained use of improved varieties were due to lack of awareness, traditional values, seed unavailability, early maturity, bird damage and lack of fertilizer. The strong genotype × environment interactions in the Sahel suggests that breeding should be directed towards producing varieties adapted to specific zones rather than for wide adaptation. Notably, since farmers often cultivate pearl millet without any soil amendments, it may be advisable to disseminate varieties as a package (with fertilizer and agronomic instructions) rather than as varieties alone in a PVS programme, in order to achieve the full potential of improved varieties. The PVS trials are synergistic to plant breeding in identifying varieties suitable for harsh environments, which are difficult to duplicate in the research station. However, in the absence of formal distribution seed systems in the trial countries, village- or community-based seed production of varieties selected by farmers appears critical to the sustainable adoption of selected varieties

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Case report: a rare case of NOMA (cancrum oris) in a Malian woman

Noma or cancrum oris is a multi-bacterial and opportunistic infection that destroys soft tissue, as well as muscle and bone, and can be fatal. We present a rare case of Noma in a 32-year-old Malian woman, from whom we isolated an Escherichia coli extended-spectrum beta-lactamase

Profil epidemio-clinique actuel des co-infections VHB/VIH et VHC/VIH au Centre Hospitalier Universitaire du Point- G, Bamako Mali

Objectif: Déterminer la place du portage des virus des hépatites B et C chez les PVVIH admis en hospitalisation. Méthodologie: L’étude était rétrospective et descriptive sur 10 ans à partir de la base de données, dans les services de références des hépatites virales B et C. Elle a concerné les patients porteurs du VIH et d’antigène HBs et/ou Ac anti-VHC. Résultats: Sur 3024 patients hospitalisés, 123 cas de coïnfections (4,07%) de VIH + VHB (n =115) et VIH+VHC (n =8) ont été recensés. L’âge moyen des patients ayant une coinfection VIH/VHB était de 40,2 ans ± 15,6 vs 43,05 ± 2,07 pour ceux ayant une co-infection VIH/VHC et le sex-ratio (H/F) de 0,33 pour les patients VIH/VHB versus 1,5 pour les patients VIH/VHC. Les facteurs de risque identifiés étaient les partenariats sexuels multiples (50,4%), la transfusion sanguine (5,69%), la sodomie (2,4%) et l’injection intraveineuse de drogues (2,4%). Les patients VIH-VHB étaient sous traitement ARV dans 67,8% des cas (35,6% par TDF/3TC/EFV) comparés aux patients VIH-VHC (traités par AZT/3TC/EFV). Aucune triple association VIH/VHB/VHC n’était diagnostiquée. Conclusion: la co-infection VIH et hépatites virale B et C reste non négligeable en hospitalisation. Le respect des normes de traitement ARV nationales réduiraitle poids de la morbi-mortalité associée à la comorbidité avec le VHB. L’espoir des prochaines subventions du traitement du VHC serait un gage de réduction de sa mortalité. Mots clés: Comorbidité, Infection à VIH, Hépatite à virus B, Hépatite à virus C English Title: Epidemiological and clinical current profile of HBV/HIV and HCV/HIV to the University Hospital Center Area of Point-g, Bamako, Mali English Abstract Objective: To determine the place of hepatitis B and C viruses infection among PLVIH admitted to hospital. . Method: Study was a retrospective and descriptive study over 10 years, from the database in the reference services of viral hepatitis B and C. Results: Of 3024 hospitalized patients, 123 co-infections (4.07%) of HIV + HBV (n = 115, 93.5%) and HIV + HCV (n = 8, 6.5%) were detected. Their mean age was 40.2 years ± 15.6 (HIV / HBV) vs 43.05 ± 2.07 for the HIV / HCV couple with a sex ratio (M / F) equal 0.33 for HIV / HBV couple and 1.5 for HIV / HCV couple. The risk factors identified were multiple sexual partnerships (50.4%), blood transfusion (5.69%), sodomy (2.4%) and intravenous drug injection (2.4%). The carriers of the HIV-HBV couple were on Antiretroviral treatment (67, 8%) particularly treat by TDF / 3TC / EFV in 36,5% compared to the HIV-HCV couple (treated with AZT / 3TC / EFV). No triple case of HIV / HBV / HCV association was diagnosed. Conclusion: HIV coinfection and viral hepatitis B and C remain significant in admission. Compliance with national ARV treatment standards would reduce the burden of morbidity and mortality associated to comorbidities of HBV. Hope for future HCV treatment grants would be a pledge to reduce mortality associated to this virus. Keywords: Comorbidity, HIV infection, Hepatite B, Hepatite