Essays on livestock technology, diversification and welfare impact in sub–Saharan Africa

Die Tierproduktion bleibt ein kritischer Aspekt der ländlichen Lebensgrundlagen, die vor allem den Armen in den Entwicklungsländern unterschiedliche Zwecke erfüllen. Eine verbesserte Produktivität der Tiere hat somit das Potenzial, das Wachstum nachhaltig zu stimulieren und gleichzeitig den Wohlstand zu stärken und zu verbessern. Dies ist besonders kritisch in Subsahara-Afrika (SSA) angesichts unvollkommener Input- und Output Märkte, fehlender Kredit- und Versicherungsmärkte sowie begrenzter Beschäftigungsmöglichkeiten außerhalb der Landwirtschaft. Die Produktivität der Tiere wird jedoch durch das Auftreten von Krankheiten und den Einsatz veralteter Technologien eingeschränkt. Studien zeigen jedoch, dass Tiere der Armen aufgrund unzureichender Investitionen in gesundheitsfördernde Techniken und Technologien anfälliger für Krankheiten sind. Diese Arbeit zielt darauf ab, zu einem besseren Verständnis des Adoptionsverhaltens moderner Nutztierinterventionen und ihrer Auswirkungen auf das Wohlergehen der Haushalte in SSA beizutragen. Konkret geht es in der Arbeit darum, zu untersuchen: (1) die Triebkräfte für die Einführung der so genannten "best-bet" Management-Technologien gegen die Afrikanischen Tier-Trypanosomose (AAT) - und ihre Auswirkungen auf die Ernährungssicherheit in Haushalten; (2) die Beziehung zwischen Management-Praktiken wie Entwurmung, Vektorkontrolle, Veterinärbehandlung und Nahrungsergänzungsmitteln. Konkret untersucht das Papier, ob diese Praktiken als Ergänzung oder Ersatz übernommen werden und welche Faktoren ihre Annahme antreiben; 3) die Erträge aus Maßnahmen zur Bekämpfung von Tierseuchen, die insbesondere Maßnahmen zur Steigerung der Tierproduktivität und der Armut und Vulnerabilität der Haushalte verbinden, und (4) die Rolle der Diversifizierung der Haushalte in Bezug auf die pflanzliche und tierische Erzeugung bei der Anpassung an Klimaveränderungen. Die Daten für diese Arbeit stammen von Kleinviehhaltern in den Regionen Kara und Savana in Togo und der Southern Nations Nationalities and People Region (SNNPR) in Äthiopien. Die Auswahl der Befragten erfolgte durch mehrstufige Stichprobenverfahren, um angesichts der geografisch-diversen Untersuchungsregion eine gleich hohe Wahrscheinlichkeit der Auswahl zu gewährleisten. In Togo wurden zwei Datenwellen gesammelt, während in Äthiopien eine Welle gesammelt wurde. Im Jahr 2013 wurden insgesamt 486 bzw. 492 Haushalte aus Togo und Äthiopien befragt. Im Jahr 2016 wurde in Togo eine Folgebefragung unter den gleichen Haushalten durchgeführt, die 2013 befragt wurden. Aufgrund einer Fluktuation von 6% umfasste die Folgeerhebung jedoch 443 Haushalte. Ein umfassender Datensatz, der aus sozioökonomischen Informationen der Haushalte besteht und alle Arten von einkommensschaffenden Tätigkeiten wie Selbständigkeit, außerbetriebliche Beschäftigung und andere in diesem Zeitraum ausgeübte Lohnarbeit umfasst. Bemerkenswert sind die Informationen über die Rinderproduktion wie Herdenzusammensetzung, Krankheits- und Schädlingsinzidenz und Gesundheitsmanagement. Es wurden Haushaltsrisiken und -schocks sowie Indikatoren für Vermögen, Konsum und Ernährungssicherheit erhoben. Zusätzlich zu den Daten auf Haushaltsebene wurden 2013 durch Interviews mit Interessengruppen Informationen auf Dorfebene wie Krankheitsschwere und -häufigkeit, Arzneimittelresistenz und Institutionen und Infrastruktur gesammelt. Verschiedene methodische Ansätze wurden verwendet, um die Daten in dieser Arbeit zu analysieren. Im ersten Beitrag bildet die Theorie der Maximierung der Haushaltsnutzen unter Risiken und unvollkommenen Märkten die Grundlage für die empirische Schätzung der Adoptionsentscheidung über den rationalen Medikamenteneinsatz und dessen Auswirkungen auf die Ernährungssicherheit. Ein binäres Logit-Modell wird verwendet, um die Faktoren zu schätzen, die die Akzeptanz beeinflussen, während das Propensity Score Matching (PSM) verwendet wird, um die Auswirkungen auf die Ergebnisse der Ernährungssicherheit zu bestimmen. Im zweiten Beitrag wird die Einführung mehrerer Disease-Management-Praktiken als Funktion der Krankheitsbelastung (Risiken) in einer Rinderherde modelliert. Dies geschieht empirisch durch ein multivariates Maximum-Likelihood-Schätzverfahren. Im dritten Papier, unter Berücksichtigung der unvollständigen Randomisierung der Behandlung und mögliche endogene Heterogenitätseffekte, eine Reihe von quasi-experimentellen Identifikationsstrategien, wurden implementiert, um die kausale Beziehung zwischen den Interventionen und Haushaltshilfe festzustellen.. Die Umsetzung der verschiedenen Strategien kontrolliert mögliche empirische Fallstricke, wie der Selbstauswahl und unbeobachteter Heterogenität, die die Ergebnisse verzerren würden. Im vierten Papier zur Diversifizierung der Lebensgrundlagen wird davon ausgegangen, dass die Haushalte bei Vorliegen von Klimaschwankungen mit fehlenden oder unvollkommenen Kredit- und Versicherungsmärkten eine Kombination von Lebensgrundlagenstrategien wählen, um den zukünftigen Wohlstand zu maximieren und die aktuellen Ergebnisse vor negativen Wetterereignissen zu schützen. Die Entscheidung über den Portfoliomix basiert im Wesentlichen auf zwei Motivationen - Überleben oder Chancensuche. Die empirische Schätzung erlaubt es, das übergeordnete Motiv der Diversifizierung der Haushalte zu bestimmen. Da die verschiedenen Diversifikationsentscheidungen korreliert sein können, modellieren wir gemeinsam die Determinanten der Diversifikation unter Verwendung der Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) mit Mundlak-Korrekturfaktor, um mögliche Endogenitätsprobleme zu berücksichtigen, die sich aus unbeobachteter Heterogenität ergeben. Korrelierte Zufallseffektabschätzungen, die mit den Annahmen Probit und Generalized Least Square (GLS) ausgestattet sind, werden verwendet, um die Auswirkungen der Diversifizierung auf Armut und Konsumergebnisse abzuschätzen, bzw. mit einer inhärenten unbeobachteten Endogenitätsverzerrung, die durch den Mundlak-Korrekturfaktor berücksichtigt wird. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit tragen in vielfältiger Weise zur empirischen Literatur bei. Erstens zeigt die Abschätzung der Faktoren und Auswirkungen der Technologieeinführung auf die Ernährungssicherheit, dass der Zugang zu Informationen und Veterinärdiensten, die Verbesserung des Wissens und der Zugang zu Medikamenten entscheidend für die Adoptionsentscheidung über verbesserte Disease-Management-Praktiken sind. Die Auswirkungen der Adoption sind im Allgemeinen positiv. So zeigen die Ergebnisse beispielsweise, dass Landwirte, die verbesserte Praktiken anwenden, eine höhere Produktivität der Tiere und einen höheren Pro-Kopf-Verbrauch aufweisen. Die Verbesserung der Gesundheit der Tiere durch die Einführung wissensintensiver integrierter Bekämpfungsmaßnahmen ist ein vielversprechender Weg, um die Lebensgrundlagen und die Ernährungssicherheit kleiner, von Rindern abhängiger Haushalte in Afrika südlich der Sahara zu verbessern. Dennoch ist die Akzeptanz verbesserter Disease-Management-Praktiken bei den Rinderzüchtern nach wie vor gering. Strategien, die das lokale Veterinärpersonal in die Verbreitung von Technologien und Inputs einbeziehen, sollten in Betracht gezogen werden, um die Adoptionsrate zu fördern. Zweitens zeigt die Untersuchung der Einführung von veschiedenen best bet AAT Management Praktiken unter Verwendung der Daten von Kleinbauern in Äthiopien, dass diese Praktiken nicht komplementär, sondern substitutiv sind. Dies ist auf Ressourcen- und Haushaltsengpässe bei diesen Landwirten zurückzuführen. Auch das beobachtete geringe Wissen über das Management von AAT bei den Befragten erklärt den beobachteten Substitutionseffekt. Die Landwirte übernahmen und wandten meist eine Technologie an, nämliche die Verabreichung von Trypanozidmedikamenten - die beliebteste Praxis mit wenig oder gar keiner Investition in Entwurmung oder Schädlingsbekämpfung. Das Ergebnis verdeutlicht die Notwendigkeit eines gezielten Erweiterungsansatzes, um die Art und Weise, wie diese Technologie verbreitet wird, neu zu definieren. Es zeigt ferner, dass die Anwendung traditioneller Methoden zur Verbreitung dieser Praktiken die gleichzeitige Einführung von Agrartechnologien bei den Nutztierhaltern behindern könnte. Drittens zeigt die Messung der Auswirkungen des gezielten AAT-Kontrollinterventionsprogramms mit Hilfe des Paneldatensatzes aus Togo im Allgemeinen positive Ergebnisse für die teilnehmenden Landwirte. Die Ergebnisse zeigen zum Beispiel, dass die Teilnehmer ihre Kenntnisse und Praktiken in Bezug auf die Diagnose und das Management von Tierkrankheiten im Allgemeinen und AAT im Besonderen verbessert haben. Darüber hinaus verzeichneten die Tiere der Programmteilnehmer eine höhere Produktivität, gemessen an der Milchleistung, und reduzierte Krankheitsinfektionen. Höhere Tierproduktivität und geringere Krankheitsinfektionen führten zu einem zusätzlichen Einkommen, das den Pro-Kopf-Konsum deutlich steigerte und die Armut verringerte. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Interventionen, die auf die Viehbewirtschaftung von Kleinbauern in SSA abzielen, zu positiven Ergebnissen bei der Existenzsicherung führen können. Schließlich zeigen die Ergebnisse, dass die Portfoliodiversifikation im ländlichen Togo im Allgemeinen von Vermögensvariablen getrieben wird, wenn man sich die Triebkräfteder Diversifikation zuwendet und wie die Diversifikation den Haushalten hilft, mit den Auswirkungen der Klimaschwankungen umzugehen. Außerdem zeigen die Ergebnisse einen negativen Zusammenhang zwischen der Diversifizierung der Haushalte und den Klimaschwankungen. Im Hinblick auf die Auswirkungen auf das Wohlergehen deuten die Ergebnisse darauf hin, dass die Diversifizierung der Nutztiere das Potenzial hat, das Wohlergehen eines Haushalts zu verbessern und auch die negativen Auswirkungen der Klimaschwankungen abzumildern. Die Institutionen scheinen die Diversifizierung von Nutzpflanzen und Nutztieren zu unterstützen und tragen auch zur Verringerung der Armut bei. Die derzeitige Einrichtung von Institutionen ist jedoch nicht wirksam, um negative Auswirkungen eines zunehmend risikoreichen Umfelds abzumildern. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass es notwendig ist, die Kredit-, Landwirtschafts- und Marktinstitutionen als mögliche politische Ziele für die Förderung der Diversifizierung der Lebensgrundlagen als Bewältigungsstrategie für Gebiete zu stärken, die negativen Auswirkungen der Klimaschwankungen und fehlenden oder unvollkommenen Märkten ausgesetzt sind.Livestock production remains a critical aspect of rural livelihoods serving different purposes especially for the poor in developing countries. Enhanced livestock productivity thus has the potential to stimulate growth in a sustainable way and also to strengthen and improve welfare. This is especially critical in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in the face of imperfect input and output markets, missing credit and insurance markets, as well as limited off-farm employment opportunities. However, livestock productivity is constrained by the incidence of diseases and the use of obsolete technologies. Yet, studies show that livestock of the poor are more vulnerable to diseases because of inadequate investments in health improving techniques and technologies approaches. This thesis aims to contribute to an improved understanding of the adoption behavior of modern livestock interventions and their impact on household welfare in SSA. Specifically, the thesis sets out to investigate: (1) the drivers of adopting the so called “best–bet” African Animal Trypanosomosis (AAT) management technologies and its impact on household food security; (2) the relationship between disease management practices such as deworming, vector control, veterinary treatment, and feed supplements. Specifically, the thesis investigates if these practices are adopted as complements or substitutes and what factors drive their adoption; 3) the returns to livestock disease control interventions especially linking interventions to animal productivity and household vulnerability and poverty and (4) the role of household diversification with respect to crop and livestock production in adapting to climate variability. The data for this thesis comes from small scale cattle farmers in the Kara and Savana regions of Togo and the Southern Nations Nationalities and People Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia. Selection of respondents involved multi stage random sampling procedures to ensure equal probability of being selected given the geographically dispersed nature of the study region. Two waves of data were collected in Togo while one wave has been collected in Ethiopia. In 2013, a total of 486 and 492 households from Togo and Ethiopia respectively were interviewed. In 2016, a follow up survey was conducted in Togo involving the same households interviewed in 2013. A comprehensive data set consisting of household socio-economic information, involving all kinds of income generating activities such as self-employment, off-farm employment and other on-farm wage employments undertaken in the period. Noteworthy are the information on cattle production such as herd composition, disease and pest incidences, and health management. Household risks and shocks as well as assets, consumption and food security indicators have been collected. In addition to the household level data, village level information such as disease severity and incidence, drug resistance and village level institutions and infrastructure have been collected through stakeholder interviews in 2013. Different methodological approaches have been used to analyze the data in this thesis. In the first paper, the household utility maximization theory under risks and imperfect markets forms the basis for the empirical estimation of the household adoption decision and impact of rational drug use on food security. A binary logit model is used to estimate the factors influencing adoption while the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) is used to determine the impact on food security outcome. In the second paper, the adoption of multiple disease management practices is modelled as a function of disease load (risks exposed) in a cattle herd. This is done empirically through a multivariate maximum likelihood estimation procedure. In the third paper, considering the incomplete randomization of the treatment assignment and possible endogenous heterogeneity effects, a number of quasi–experimental identifications strategies, such as difference in difference, fixed effects and the fixed effects instrumental variable, have been implemented to determine the causal relationship between the interventions and household welfare. The implementation of the multiple strategies controls for potential confounding issues of self-selection and unobserved heterogeneity that would bias results. In the fourth paper on livelihood diversification, it is assumed that in the presence of climate variability with missing or imperfect credit and insurance markets households choose a combination of livelihood strategies to maximize future welfare as well as protecting current outcomes against adverse weather events. The portfolio mix decision is based cardinally on two motivations – survival or opportunity seeking. The empirical estimation allows determining the overriding motive by households to diversify. Different diversification decisions may be correlated therefore the determinants of diversification are jointly estimated using the Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) with Mundlak correction factor to account for possible endogeneity issues arising from unobserved heterogeneity. Correlated random effects estimation fitted with logit and Generalized Least Square (GLS) assumptions are used to estimate impact of diversification on poverty and consumption outcomes respectively with inherent unobserved endogeneity bias taken care for by the Mundlak correction factor. The results from this thesis contribute to the empirical literature in a number of ways. First, the estimation of drivers and impacts of technology adoption on food security shows that access to information and veterinary services, improved knowledge, and access to disease inputs are critical to the adoption decision of improved disease management practices. Adoption impacts are generally positive. For example, results show that farmers who adopt improved practices have higher livestock productivity and higher consumption per capita. Improving livestock health by introducing knowledge-intensive integrated control measures is a promising way to enhance livelihoods and to improve food security of small-scale cattle dependent households in sub-Saharan Africa. Nonetheless, adoption of improved disease management practices remains low among cattle farmers. Policies that involve local veterinary personnel in the dissemination of technologies and inputs should be considered to stimulate adoption. Second, investigating the adoption of multiple best bet AAT management practices using the data from small scale farmers in Ethiopia shows that these practices are not complementary, but substitutional. The study finds this to be as a result of resource and budgetary constraints. Also, the observed low knowledge of the management of AAT amongst respondents explains the observed substitutional effect. Farmers mostly adopted and applied one technology – trypanocidal drugs– the most popular practice with little or no investment in deworming or pest control. The result highlights the need for targeted extension approach to redefine how such technology is disseminating. It further shows that the use of traditional extension methods to disseminate these practices could be hampering the simultaneous adoption of farm technology among livestock farmers. Third, measuring the impacts of the targeted AAT control intervention program using the panel data set from Togo generally shows positive outcomes for participating farmers. For example, the results show that participants improved their knowledge and practices in relation to diagnosing and management of livestock diseases in general and AAT in particular. Furthermore, the animals of program participants recorded higher productivity measured in milk output and reduced disease infections which are both direct benefits of the program intervention. Higher animal productivity and lower disease infections resulted in additional income that significantly increased per capita consumption and decrease poverty headcount, i.e., two important welfare indicators in rural SSA. The results show that interventions targeted at managing livestock of small scale cattle producers in SSA can lead to positive livelihoods outcomes. Finally, turning to drivers of diversification and how diversification helps households cope with climate variability effects, the results show that portfolio diversification in rural Togo is generally driven by wealth variables. Also, the results show a negative correlation between household diversification and climate variability. In terms of welfare implications, the results indicate that livestock diversification has the potential to improve a household’s welfare and also mitigate adverse effects of climate variability. Institutions seem to be supportive in crop and livestock diversification and also contribute to decreases in poverty. However, the current set up of institutions is not effective to mitigate negative effects from an increasingly risky environment. The results point to the necessity of strengthening credit, agricultural and market institutions as possible policy targets for stimulating livelihood diversification as a coping strategy for areas exposed to negative effects of climate variability and with missing or imperfect markets.European Commission/Global Program on Agriculture Research for Development (ARD)/DE-2009-GED2210158025/E

Modeling a Secured Digital Image Encryption Scheme Using a Three Moduli Set

This paper proposes a new digital image coding scheme that uses a three moduli set with a common factor. The proposed scheme is specific to a particular three moduli set {2n+2, 2n+1,2n}. The design of the scheme is based on the residue to binary converter which achieves in terms of area and critical path delay as compared to the state of the art. This scheme offers high-speed processing because in the reverse converter the computation of the multiplicative inverse is eliminated, and it achieves low-power VLSI implementation for image processing such as digital image transform and digital image filtering

Antenatal care attendance and low birth weight of institutional births in sub-Saharan Africa.

BACKGROUND: Low birth weight (LBW) remains a major health problem that affects newborns worldwide. However, there has been growing evidence that antenatal care (ANC) is associated with LBW. Yet, there is a dearth of research investigating the association between ANC attendance and LBW in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study examined the association between the number of ANC visits and LBW using data from 10 sub-Saharan African countries. METHODS: This study pooled data from the recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of 10 sub-Saharan African countries conducted from 2018 to 2020. A total of 33,585 women aged 15-49 who had live births in the five years preceding the survey were included in this study. Bivariable and multivariable multilevel regression models were fitted to show the association between the number of ANC visits and LBW. Crude odds ratio (cOR) and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) at 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used in presenting the results of the regression analysis. RESULTS: The pooled prevalence of LBW was 5.7%. The highest prevalence of LBW was recorded in Gambia (7.2%) with the lowest found in Sierra Leone (2.9%). In terms of eight or more ANC visits, the overall prevalence was 14.5%. Nigeria had the highest prevalence of eight or more ANC visits (43.5%) with the lowest in Rwanda (0.2%). We found a statistically significant association between the number of ANC visits and LBW. Mothers who had eight or more ANC visits were less likely to have LBW children compared to mothers who had less than eight ANC visits [cOR = 0.66; CI = 0.55 - 0.79] and this persisted after controlling for the covariates [aOR = 0.68; CI = 0.56 - 0.82]. Covariates associated with LBW were maternal age, marital status, level of education, age of child, and wealth index. CONCLUSION: This study has shown a statistically significant association between ANC and LBW in SSA, with women who had eight or more ANC visits being at lower risks of giving birth to children with LBW. We found that eight or more ANC attendance was a protective factor against LBW in SSA. Therefore, it is important for sub-Saharan African countries with low prevalence of eight or more ANC attendance and high LBW prevalence to channel their efforts towards promoting more ANC attendance

Are non-market benefits of soybean production significant? : An extended economic analysis of smallholder soybean farming in Upper West region of northern Ghana

Background: Traditional cost–benefit analysis of soybean production tends to largely focus on financial benefits to farmers, and less so on non-market co-benefits in sustaining smallholder farming systems. Relying solely on the standard financial analysis undermines the actual benefit of soybean production, which often results in ineffectual policy designs. An economic analysis that incorporates key non-pecuniary co-benefits of soybean production provide vital insight that contributes to improving productivity and overall economic well-being of farmers. Cross-sectional data were collected from 271 farmers to estimate the overall economic benefit of soybean that captures both market and non-market attributes in three major producing districts (Sissala-West, Wa-East, and Dafiama-Busie-Issa (DBI)) of Ghana. Results: When non-market co-benefits were omitted, soybean production was not profitable (-Gh¢103.10/ha or -US$22.91) in DBI while Sissala-West and Wa-East had modest profit margins. However, the financial analysis changed dramatically when an average non-market value of Gh¢345.69 (US$76.82) was incorporated in the analysis. The soybean system was, therefore, financially viable for all the districts when the non-market attributes of the crop were considered. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate the importance of the non-pecuniary benefits of soybean in smallholder farming systems for policy decision-making. For instance, farmers’ motivation for soybean production is closely linked to those ancillary benefits like the biological nitrogen fixed in the soil for cultivation of other crops. Similarly, crop administrators and policy makers’ support for conservation agriculture and green environment is tied to these non-market co-benefits. © 2020, The Author(s)

Antenatal care attendance and low birth weight of institutional births in sub-Saharan Africa

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) remains a major health problem that affects newborns worldwide. However, there has been growing evidence that antenatal care (ANC) is associated with LBW. Yet, there is a dearth of research investigating the association between ANC attendance and LBW in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study examined the association between the number of ANC visits and LBW using data from 10 sub-Saharan African countries. Methods: This study pooled data from the recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of 10 sub-Saharan African countries conducted from 2018 to 2020. A total of 33,585 women aged 15–49 who had live births in the five years preceding the survey were included in this study. Bivariable and multivariable multilevel regression models were fitted to show the association between the number of ANC visits and LBW. Crude odds ratio (cOR) and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) at 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used in presenting the results of the regression analysis. Results: The pooled prevalence of LBW was 5.7%. The highest prevalence of LBW was recorded in Gambia (7.2%) with the lowest found in Sierra Leone (2.9%). In terms of eight or more ANC visits, the overall prevalence was 14.5%. Nigeria had the highest prevalence of eight or more ANC visits (43.5%) with the lowest in Rwanda (0.2%). We found a statistically significant association between the number of ANC visits and LBW. Mothers who had eight or more ANC visits were less likely to have LBW children compared to mothers who had less than eight ANC visits [cOR = 0.66; CI = 0.55 – 0.79] and this persisted after controlling for the covariates [aOR = 0.68; CI = 0.56 – 0.82]. Covariates associated with LBW were maternal age, marital status, level of education, age of child, and wealth index. Conclusion: This study has shown a statistically significant association between ANC and LBW in SSA, with women who had eight or more ANC visits being at lower risks of giving birth to children with LBW. We found that eight or more ANC attendance was a protective factor against LBW in SSA. Therefore, it is important for sub-Saharan African countries with low prevalence of eight or more ANC attendance and high LBW prevalence to channel their efforts towards promoting more ANC attendance. © 2022, The Author(s)

From technology adoption to understanding innovation: lessons from plantain innovation systems in four countries

Plantain is an important staple food and cash crop in Latin America and West Africa with growing market demand. In recent decades, new production technologies and varieties have become available and are being tested in major producing countries. The purpose of the project ‘Intensification of plantain production in Latin America and West Africa” which results are presented on this poster was 1) to identify determinants for successful technological change for intensification in plantain production and bottlenecks in the socio-economic and market context, and innovation and seed systems in Latin America and 2) analyze how these elements are relevant under conditions in West Africa, so as to contribute to intensification and off-season plantain production for West African smallholders

Are integrated livestock disease-management practices complements or substitutes? The case of AAT control in rural Ethiopia

Livestock, particularly cattle, are an integral part of livelihoods in rural sub-Saharan Africa. However, diseases such as African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) have limited the potential of this important sector in the rural household economy. Using a representative sample of small-scale cattle farmers, this study investigates the adoption of modern AAT-management technologies in rural Ethiopia. Specifically, this study investigates the adoption of so-called ‘best-bet technologies’ (BBTs), recommended by veterinary experts as complementary measures to manage AAT. The results show that the multiple adoption of BBTs was low. In addition, BBTs were adopted as substitutes, and not as complements as suggested by veterinary experts. The results suggest budgetary constraints are proxied by wealth, and information asymmetry explains the substitution effects. The training and re-education of veterinary personnel, as well as programmes and interventions that would improve access to livestock-management inputs, should be pursued vigorously by policy makers to increase the adoption of modern AAT-management technologies to improve cattle productivity

The impact of integrated livestock disease management for food security in Togo

In sub-Saharan Africa, livestock is one of the key channels through which most households meet their food security needs. However, diseases such as the African Animal Trypanosomosis (AAT) constrain productivity. Using data from 445 randomly sampled small-scale cattle farmers, this paper investigates the role of integrated livestock disease control on household food security. Using a novel approach to link different food security measures to cattle productivity, the paper identifies the channels of impact at the household level. Methodologically, the paper estimated the propensity score matching algorithm to net out the effect of adoption. The results show that households who adopt RDU have record livestock productivity and higher consumption per capita expenditures. They tend to be more food secure, experience lower seasonal food supply fluctuations and experience a lower probability of falling below the food poverty line