Assessing the factors underlying differences in achievements of farmer groups: methodological issues and empirical findings from the highlands of central Kenya

This paper examines the performance of rural-based community groups in Central Kenya and addresses the methodological issues and challenges faced in doing this. Performance measures included subjective and objective ratings of success, including more objectively verifiable measures at household and group levels, derived from a survey of 87 groups and 442 households within four sites. Empirical evidence regarding explanatory factors for relative performance levels is presented using a special sample of 40 groups involved in tree nursery activities, with both descriptive analysis and regression models. Collective action is desired and practised for many tasks. The incredible number, diversity and dynamic nature of groups make it difficult to standardise and measure achievement. Choice and level of performance measures matters in explaining differences in group achievement. Focusing on groups undertaking similar activities allows deeper analysis of performance drivers. Examining different types of groups engaged tree nurseries found that performance was not linked to any easy-to-measure group characteristic, implying that for this task dissemination need not be targeted towards particular types of groups. Assessing the factors underlying Differences in Achievements of Farmer Groups: Methodological Issues and Empirical Findings from the Highlands of Central Kenya

Improved Land Management in the Lake Victoria Basin: Annual Technical Report, July 2000 to June 2001

ICRAF and the Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MOARD) are implementing a project on “Improved Land Management in the Lake Victoria Basin.” The project began in 1999 – 2000 with a one-year startup year of activities under the Sida-sponsored National Soil and Water Conservation Programme (NSWCP). The collaborative project of ICRAF and MOARD has now been continued for another three years under the National Agriculture and Livestock Extension Programme (NALEP). This paper summarizes achievements and findings for the project for the year 2000 / 2001. The Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) supports “Improved Land Management in the Lake Victoria Basin” through NALEP. Additional financial support for the activities reported herein was also provided by the Rockefeller Foundation, ICRAF core funds, Danida, the University of Florida and the USAID. Research conducted during 2000 / 2001 addressed a range of issues across a large tract of Western Kenya. A coarse resolution assessment of soil erosion risk conducted for the entire Lake Victoria Basin identified the Nzoia / Yala and Kagera river basins as those with the greatest percentage of land at risk. Biophysical research on land management problem domains has quantified the widespread spatial extent of soil physical and chemical degradation in the Nyando river basin and illustrated four contrasting biophysical problem domains within the basin. District-level data on population density, poverty and agricultural production available from secondary sources have been complemented with baseline household and community survey data collected in 9 villages around the Nyando river basin. The overall picture that is emerging is that while much of the Nyando river basin has experienced some physical and chemical land degradation, there are pockets of severe poverty, severe environmental degradation and extremely low agricultural production. Different approaches to extension, investment and policy may be needed to address poverty – environment – agricultural problems in different parts of the river basin. Reversing trends in environmental deterioration will require interventions on farmers fields and in the many areas between farms that publicly-used, although usually privately-owned. Farmers have demonstrated their willingness to adopt recommended conservation practices on their individual family fields, but the intensity of adoption depends upon the potential returns to investments, their cultural grouping, and the approach that extension providers take to the provision of information and mobilization of community participation. Adoption of improved practices and investments on publicly-used areas between farms requires the mobilization of collective action among small, medium and large groups. Collective action in the Nyando River basin is most likely to be effective where it harnesses local institutional arrangements (e.g. sub-clan affiliations among the Luo) and advances common interests in the provision of high quality water and the generation of additional cash income. Among other opportunities, there appears to be good prospects for market-oriented agroforestry for production of fruit, fuelwood and timber. Changes in local and national policies would help to ensure good returns for smallholder farmers. This report begins with a presentation of a number of major findings, implications of those findings for extension and investment and implications for policy. A summary of progress by activity is then presented, followed by lists of personnel involved, presentations and publications. An annex presents detailed accomplishments by activity

Track D Social Science, Human Rights and Political Science

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138414/1/jia218442.pd

Marburg virus disease outbreak in Kween District Uganda, 2017: Epidemiological and laboratory findings.

INTRODUCTION: In October 2017, a blood sample from a resident of Kween District, Eastern Uganda, tested positive for Marburg virus. Within 24 hour of confirmation, a rapid outbreak response was initiated. Here, we present results of epidemiological and laboratory investigations. METHODS: A district task force was activated consisting of specialised teams to conduct case finding, case management and isolation, contact listing and follow up, sample collection and testing, and community engagement. An ecological investigation was also carried out to identify the potential source of infection. Virus isolation and Next Generation sequencing were performed to identify the strain of Marburg virus. RESULTS: Seventy individuals (34 MVD suspected cases and 36 close contacts of confirmed cases) were epidemiologically investigated, with blood samples tested for MVD. Only four cases met the MVD case definition; one was categorized as a probable case while the other three were confirmed cases. A total of 299 contacts were identified; during follow- up, two were confirmed as MVD. Of the four confirmed and probable MVD cases, three died, yielding a case fatality rate of 75%. All four cases belonged to a single family and 50% (2/4) of the MVD cases were female. All confirmed cases had clinical symptoms of fever, vomiting, abdominal pain and bleeding from body orifices. Viral sequences indicated that the Marburg virus strain responsible for this outbreak was closely related to virus strains previously shown to be circulating in Uganda. CONCLUSION: This outbreak of MVD occurred as a family cluster with no additional transmission outside of the four related cases. Rapid case detection, prompt laboratory testing at the Uganda National VHF Reference Laboratory and presence of pre-trained, well-prepared national and district rapid response teams facilitated the containment and control of this outbreak within one month, preventing nationwide and global transmission of the disease

Factors affecting farmer demand and pour-on treatments in Ethiopia

Animal trypanosomosis is particularly important in Ethipia where 7-10 million cattle are at risk. A geo-referenced census of over 5000 households was conducted between March and July 1996 to better understand factors affecting demand of the a cypermethrin pour-ons used since January 1991 to control tsetse in Ghibe, Ethiopia. Since December 1992, farmers have paid 3 Ethiopian Birr (US$0.50) for each pour-on treatment offered once a month at 9 supply centres. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and econometrics were used to identify and quantify effects of different economic, demographic and spatial factors on farmer demand for the pour-ons. Results show that household-level demand for the pour-on depends upon season, characteristics of the household head, structure of the cattle herd, distance to the nearest supply point and characteristics of the household's neighbours. Demand is highest in the wet season and lowest in the dry season. Female-headed households were more likely to treat their cattle than male-headed households, while households located farther from the treatment centres were less likely to treat. Households whose neighbours treated a large number of animals were more likely to treat, while households, with a large number of cattle-owning neighbours were less likely to treat. These results suggest that there is a type of informal collective action occurring supported by peoples' observation of their neighbours' behaviour

Collective action in space: Assessing how cooperation and collective action vary across an African landscape

This chapter focuses on individual adoption of a technology that produces a mixed public-private good. The technology is a formulation of insecticide that is applied to cattle as a "pouron". The mixed public-private good is control of external parasites and animal disease vectors. This chapter provides some background on the technical and economic aspects of the problem and the particular case study. It presents a model of household demand for pouron treatments. The model provides a mathematical definition of the three spatial dimensions of demand for the mixed public-private good. It discusses the methods used to collect, process, and analyse household-level census data and present the econometric results. The econometric results led to a subsequent qualitative study of local communities ability to cooperate in the use of the pourons. Both the methods and results of that phase of the research are described

Assessing the factors underlying differences in group performance: Methodological issues and empirical findings from the highlands of central Kenya

This paper examines the performance of rural groups in Kenya and addresses the methodological issues and challenges faced in doing this, and presents the empirical evidence regarding various hypothesized explanatory factors for relative performance levels. Eighty-seven groups and 442 households were surveyed using several approaches. Various performance measures were tested. Both descriptive analysis and regression models were used to gain a better understanding of the group-level and household-level factors that explain performance. Collective action is desired and practiced for a large number of tasks. The findings highlight the incredible number, diversity and dynamic nature of groups in the highlands of Kenya (and we suspect this finding is not terribly unique to this region). Assessing and comparing performance across a range of group activities is wrought with difficulties related to measurement and standardization. Focusing on groups undertaking similar activities makes it easier to delve more deeply into performance drivers. The empirical analysis focused on the effect of group structural variables (e.g. its size) on performance. We found that choice of performance measure and level at which it is measured (e.g. household, group) matters when it comes to trying to explain the variability in that measure. An analysis across different types of groups engaged in exactly the same activity (tree nurseries) found that predicted group performance was not linked to any easy-to-measure group characteristic, implying that for this task dissemination need not be targeted towards particular types of groups. Looking more broadly at a range of activities, we found that structural factors had varied results