Optimising stocking rates on livestock farms neighbouring wetlands for sustainable productivity and ecological stability

Uganda’s wetlands, especially in south-western Uganda are increasingly being invaded by cattle herders, particularly during droughts. Such uncontrolled grazing is accelerating wetland degradation. The objective of this study was to assess seasonal forage availability on farms neighbouring Ekigaaga wetland in south-western Uganda, and to determine their optimum stocking for sustainable productivity and ecological stability. The grazed area on each side of the virgin wetland was taken as a block, giving two blocks. In each block, three square metre sampling plots were demarcated along a transect line cutting across farms adjacent to the wetland. Some of these plots were fenced and others were left open to grazing by livestock. Two months after setting up the study, vegetation samples were collected from the fenced and unfenced plots in each block once every month, for a period of six months. Livestock classes and numbers grazing on each block were established and standardised into Tropical Livestock Units (TLU); where one TLU is equivalent to a cow weighing 250 kg. During wet and dry seasons, Cynodon dactylon was the most abundant forage species in the unfenced plots in both blocks. Fencing increased the prevalence of Chloris gayana and Themeda triandra in block 2. Sporobolus pyramidalis was the most abundant weed in both blocks. Fenced and unfenced plots in block 1 had higher grazeable forage yields (488.05 and 399.97 kg ha-1, respectively) than block 2 (432.08 and 371.97 kg ha-1, respectively). The TLU that could be safely grazed on blocks 1 and 2 were 121 and 107, respectively compared to the TLU being grazed on blocks 1 (279) and 2 (381). Therefore, to sustain the productivity and ecological stability of these grazing areas, there is need to control weeds/thickets, improve forage resources by oversowing with quality forages, and to adjust livestock numbers to match with forage quantities available for grazing. &nbsp

Impact of Commercial Car Washing Bay on Water Quality of River Nakiyanja in Central Uganda

Car washing bays discharge a wide range of pollutants into water bodies which degrade water quality and affect aquatic ecosystem functions. The study examined the influence of the motor vehicle-washing bay on water quality of River Nakiyanja wetland system. Physicochemical water quality was measured by both in-situ and x-situ following standard protocols. Data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA. The study revealed higher concentrations of contaminants such as oil and grease, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and turbidity at impact sites associated with vehicle washing compared to the pre-washing bay sites, and these differed significantly. This affects  aquatic  ecosystem  functions  and  probably posing  health  impacts  to  the  direct  users  of  water  resources. The study recommended enforcement of water and environmental legislations and constructions of wastewater treatment facilities at each of the car washing bays to protect aquatic ecosystems

Local community participation in restoration of watersheds in Uganda

Open Access Journal; Published online: June 26, 2017Despite the involvement of the local community in Awoja watershed activities, restoration was not fully achieved. Studies on community participation in Awoja watershed have focused on its importance with little known on the extent to which they participate, yet the level of community participation determines the success of restoration of watersheds. This study analysed the extent of local community participation in restoration of Awoja watershed of Eastern Uganda. It was conducted in Ngora district and respondents were asked about two restoration sites of FIEFOC and COBWEB. Data were collected from 237 respondents using a questionnaire from April to July 2015. Descriptive analysis and independent t-test were employed to analyze data. Results indicated that overall level of local community participation in Awoja was average with varied patterns in social, economic and environmental participation. Results showed significant differences between level of participation in overall (P=0.034) and environmental (P=0.044) in FIEFOC and COBWEB restoration sites. Community involvement at all project phases should be encouraged to create a sense of ownership and guidance in similar upcoming projects

Trench layering using indole-3-butyric acid and local organic substrate mixtures to enhance rooting and survival of apple rootstocks

Apples ( Malus domestica ) were introduced to enhance nutrition and improve livelihoods of famers in highlands of Uganda. However, adoption and commercialisation of apples is largely constrained by low quality rootstocks due to poor rooting and low survivability. This study determined the effect of organic substrate mixtures (OSM) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) on rooting, sprouting and survival characteristics of apple rootstocks propagated by trench layering. Four apple rootstock varieties (M106, M109, MM793 and bitten-felder) were planted in OSM (Site soil as control, TsaOm and TsdOm) then treated with IBA concentrations (IBA-0 ppm, IBA-4000 ppm and IBA-8000 ppm) in a factorial randomised block design with three replications. Results showed significant (P<0.001) variability among rootstocks for all characters. OSM significantly (P<0.01) increased rooting, root numbers and root length while IBA significantly (P<0.01) increased all traits, except rooting. The highest rooting (46.7%), root numbers (23.1) and root length (14.9cm), and sprout length (59.5cm) were obtained in bitten felder under TsaOm + IBA-4000ppm, TsaOm, and TsdOm, respectively. For M106, maximum rooting (28.1%) and root numbers (22.3) were obtained under TsaOm + IBA-8000ppm while root (14.3cm) and sprout (35.2cm) lengths under TsdOm. TsaOm gave the highest root numbers (14.2), root (12.8cm) and sprout (30.7cm) lengths in M109 likewise root (7.8cm) and sprout (38.3cm) lengths in MM793. Logistic regression revealed that rooting, sprout length, and IBA-4000ppm significantly (P<0.01) increased survival of apple rootstocks. The highest survival rates in bitten felder and M106 were 52.4% and 51.7% under TsdOm + IBA-4000 ppm and TsdOm + IBA-8000 ppm respectively; likewise 49.5% in M109 and 51.7% in MM793 both treated with IBA-8000 ppm. The results demonstrate that trench layering with OSM and IBA improves rooting and survival of apple rootstocks which might improve farmers\u2019 access to quality apple planting material.Les pommes ( Malus domestica ) \ue9taient introduites pour renforcer la nutrition et am\ue9liorer le niveau de vie des producteurs dans les r\ue9gions montagneuses d\u2019Ouganda. Toutefois, l\u2019adoption et la commercialisation des pommes sont largement limit\ue9es par la faible qualit\ue9 des porte-greffes \ue0 cause du pauvre enracinement et la faible capacit\ue9 de survie. Cette \ue9tude visait \ue0 d\ue9terminer l\u2019effet des m\ue9langes du substrat organique (OSM) et l\u2019acide indole-3-butyrique (IBA) sur l\u2019enracinement, la germination et les caract\ue9ristiques de survie des porte-greffes de la pomme propag\ue9e par le marcottage de tranch\ue9e. Quatre portes greffes des vari\ue9t\ue9s de pomme (M106, M109, MM793 et bitten-felder) \ue9taient plant\ue9es dans l\u2019OSM (site de sol servant de contr\uf4le, TsaOm et TSdOm) et trait\ue9e avec diff\ue9rentes concentrations de l\u2019IBA (IBA-0 ppm, IBA-4000 ppm et IBA-8000 ppm) dans un design factoriel \ue0 blocks compl\ue8tement al\ue9atoires avec trois r\ue9plications. Les r\ue9sultats ont montr\ue9 de variabilit\ue9 significative (P<0,001) entre les porte-greffes des vari\ue9t\ue9s pour tous les caract\ue8res. OSM significativement (P<0.01) a fait accro\ueetre l\u2019enracinement, le nombre de racines et la longueur de la racine; alors que IBA a augment\ue9 significativement (P<0.001) tous les traits, sauf l\u2019enracinement. Les plus grandes valeurs des caract\ue8res \ue0 savoir\ua0; l\u2019enracinement (46,7%), le nombre de racines (23,1), la longueur des racines (14,9 cm), et la longueur des pousses (59,5cm) \ue9taient obtenues sur bitten felder sous TsaOm + IBA-4000ppm, TsaOm, et TsdOm, respectivement. Pour M106, les valeurs maximales de l\u2019enracinement (28,1%) et de nombre de racines (22.3) \ue9taient obtenues sous TsaOm + IBA-8000ppm alors que les valeurs maximales de la longueur des racines (14,3 cm) et des pousses (35,2 cm) sous TsdOM. TsaOm ont donn\ue9 le plus grand nombre de racines (14,2), la plus grande longueur des racines (12,8 cm) et de pousses (30,7 cm) dans M109 pareillement \ue0 la longueur des racines (7,8 cm) et de pousses (38,3 cm) dans MM793. La r\ue9gression logistique a r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 que l\u2019enracinement, la longueur de la pousse et IBA-400ppm ont augment\ue9 significativement (P<0,01) la survie des porte-greffes de la pomme. Les plus forts taux de survies sur le bitten felder et M106 \ue9taient 52,4% et 51,7% sous TsdOm+IBA-4000 ppm et TsdOm+IBA-8000 ppm, respectivement\ua0; de m\ueame 49,5% ont \ue9t\ue9 obtenus sur M109 et 51,7% sur MM793 tous trait\ue9s avec IBA-8000 ppm. Les r\ue9sultats ont d\ue9montr\ue9 que le marcottage de tranch\ue9e avec OSM et IBA am\ue9liore l\u2019racinement et la survie des porte-greffes qui pourrait am\ue9liorer l\u2019acc\ue8s des producteurs \ue0 des mat\ue9riels de plantation de pomme de qualit\ue9

Mapping TB incidence across districts in Uganda to inform health program activities.

BACKGROUND: Identifying spatial variation in TB burden can help national TB programs effectively allocate resources to reach and treat all people with TB. However, data limitations pose challenges for subnational TB burden estimation. METHODS: We developed a small-area modeling approach using geo-positioned prevalence survey data, case notifications, and geospatial covariates to simultaneously estimate spatial variation in TB incidence and case notification completeness across districts in Uganda from 2016-2019. TB incidence was estimated using 1) cluster-level data from the national 2014-2015 TB prevalence survey transformed to incidence, and 2) case notifications adjusted for geospatial covariates of health system access. The case notification completeness surface was fit jointly using observed case notifications and estimated incidence. RESULTS: Estimated pulmonary TB incidence among adults varied >10-fold across Ugandan districts in 2019. Case detection increased nationwide from 2016 to 2019, and the number of districts with case detection rates >70% quadrupled. District-level estimates of TB incidence were five times more precise than a model using TB prevalence survey data alone. CONCLUSION: A joint spatial modeling approach provides useful insights for TB program operation, outlining areas where TB incidence estimates are highest and health programs should concentrate their efforts. This approach can be applied in many countries with high TB burden

Community intervention for child tuberculosis active contact investigation and management : study protocol for a parallel cluster randomized controlled trial

Background There are major gaps in the management of pediatric tuberculosis (TB) contact investigation for rapid identification of active tuberculosis and initiation of preventive therapy. This study aims to evaluate the impact of a community-based intervention as compared to facility-based model for the management of children in contact with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB adults in low-resource high-burden settings. Methods/design This multicenter parallel open-label cluster randomized controlled trial is composed of three phases: I, baseline phase in which retrospective data are collected, quality of data recording in facility registers is checked, and expected acceptability and feasibility of the intervention is assessed; II, intervention phase with enrolment of index cases and contact cases in either facility- or community-based models; and III, explanatory phase including endpoint data analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and post-intervention acceptability assessment by healthcare providers and beneficiaries. The study uses both quantitative and qualitative analysis methods. The community-based intervention includes identification and screening of all household contacts, referral of contacts with TB-suggestive symptoms to the facility for investigation, and household initiation of preventive therapy with follow-up of eligible child contacts by community healthcare workers, i.e., all young (< 5 years) child contacts or older (5–14 years) child contacts living with HIV, and with no evidence of TB disease. Twenty clusters representing TB diagnostic and treatment facilities with their catchment areas are randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either the community-based intervention arm or the facility-based standard of care arm in Cameroon and Uganda. Randomization was stratified by country and constrained on the number of index cases per cluster. The primary endpoint is the proportion of eligible child contacts who initiate and complete the preventive therapy. The sample size is of 1500 child contacts to identify a 10% difference between the arms with the assumption that 60% of children will complete the preventive therapy in the standard of care arm. Discussion This study will provide evidence of the impact of a community-based intervention on household child contact screening and management of TB preventive therapy in order to improve care and prevention of childhood TB in low-resource high-burden settings. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03832023. Registered on 6 February 201

Feasibility of a randomized clinical trial evaluating a community intervention for household tuberculosis child contact management in Cameroon and Uganda

Background One of the main barriers of the management of household tuberculosis child contacts is the necessity for parents to bring healthy children to the facility. We assessed the feasibility of a community intervention for tuberculosis (TB) household child contact management and the conditions for its evaluation in a cluster randomized controlled trial in Cameroon and Uganda. Methods We assessed three dimensions of feasibility using a mixed method approach: (1) recruitment capability using retrospective aggregated data from facility registers; (2) acceptability of the intervention using focus group discussions with TB patients and in-depth interviews with healthcare providers and community leaders; and (3) adaptation, integration, and resources of the intervention in existing TB services using a survey and discussions with stakeholders. Results Reaching the sample size is feasible in all clusters in 15 months with the condition of regrouping 2 facilities in the same cluster in Uganda due to decentralization of TB services. Community health worker (CHW) selection and training and simplified tools for contact screening, tolerability, and adherence of preventive therapy were key elements for the implementation of the community intervention. Healthcare providers and patients found the intervention of child contact investigations and TB preventive treatment management in the household acceptable in both countries due to its benefits (competing priorities, transport cost) as compared to facility-based management. TB stigma was present, but not a barrier for the community intervention. Visit schedule and team conduct were identified as key facilitators for the intervention. Conclusions This study shows that evaluating a community intervention for TB child contact management in a cluster randomized trial is feasible in Cameroon and Uganda. Trial registration Clini calTr ials. gov NCT03832023. Registered on February 6th 2019

Transnational corporations, violence and suffering: the environmental, public health and social impacts from comparative case studies in Zimbabwe and Uganda

The present effects of transnational corporations (TNCs) on social, health, and environmental aspects of local societies have a long history. The preconditions for the insertion of the types of economic initiatives now seen in the Global South, and driven by TNCs, were set through histories of colonialism and development schemes. These initiatives disrupted local economies and modified environments, delivering profound effects on livelihoods. These effects were experienced as structural violence, and have produced social suffering through the decades.In this paper, we compare two African cases across time; the conjunction of development initiatives and structural adjustment in the Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe in the early 1990s and industrial plantation forestry in present-day Uganda. Each case presents a specific constellation of political and economic forces that has produced prejudicial effects on local populations in their time period of application and are, essentially, different versions of structural violence that produce social suffering. While each case depicts a specific type of violent encounter manifest at a particular historical moment, these are comparable in the domains of environmental impacts, disruptions to societies, co-opting of local economies, disordering of systems of meaning and social reproduction, and nefarious effects on well-being. We analyze the conjunction of these effects through a theoretical lens of structural violence and social suffering. Our analysis draws particular attention to the role of TNCs in driving this structural violence and its effects

Community-based natural resource use and management of Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, Uganda, for livelihood benefits

publisher versionConservation and sustainable management of wetlands requires participation of local stakeholders, including communities. The Bigodi Wetland is unusual because it is situated in a common property landscape but the local community has been running a successful community-based natural resource management programme (CBNRM) for the wetland for over a decade. Whilst external visitors to the wetland provide ecotourism revenues we sought to quantify community benefits through the use of wetland goods such as firewood, plant fibres, and the like, and costs associated with wild animals damaging farming activities. We interviewed 68 households living close to the wetland and valued their cash and non-cash incomes from farming and collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and water. The majority of households collected a wide variety of plant and fish resources and water from the wetland for household use and livestock. Overall, 53% of total household cash and non-cash income was from collected products, mostly the wetland, 28% from arable agriculture, 12% from livestock and 7% from employment and cash transfers. Female-headed households had lower incomes than male-headed ones, and with a greater reliance on NTFPs. Annual losses due to wildlife damage were estimated at 4.2% of total gross income. Most respondents felt that the wetland was important for their livelihoods, with more than 80% identifying health, education, craft materials and firewood as key benefits. Ninety-five percent felt that the wetland was in a good condition and that most residents observed the agreed CBNRM rules regarding use of the wetland. This study confirms the success of the locally run CBNRM processes underlying the significant role that the wetland plays in local livelihoods

Technical and institutional capacity in local organisations to manage decentralised forest resources in Uganda

Uganda is one of the sub-Saharan African countries that has devolved the management of forest resources. Meaningful devolution, however, requires that local governments and other community organisations should have capacity in terms of adequate and competent human resources, finance, information, skills, and the appropriate legal framework to effectively deliver services. This paper examines the technical and institutional capacity in selected local organisations to manage decentralised forest resources in Uganda. We found that technical and institutional capacity to implement decentralised forest governance exists in local organisations through partnerships with other actors in the productive use of the available resources. Local organisations mobilised and managed human, physical and financial resources for decentralised forest management. They also demonstrated the capacity to make and implement integrated plans and budgets and formulated byelaws regulating forest use. Our findings, however, revealed that none of the organisations had either the legal mandate or sufficient human and physical resources to govern forest resources unilaterally due to inadequate devolution of decision-making powers and inadequate fiscal support from the central government. The findings suggest a need for local organisations to recruit more technical staff, strengthen internal sources of revenue and networking amongst organisations both at local and national government levels for effective management of decentralised forest resources.Articl