Principaux facteurs qui affectent l’état nutritionnel et de santé des enfants exposés à l’aflatoxine au Bénin: Application du model Probit

Une enquête diagnostique a été conduite en zones agro-écologiques côtière et guinéenne du Bénin pour évaluer le niveau d’exposition à l’aflatoxine d’origine alimentaire et l’état nutritionnel et de santé des enfants de moins de 5 ans. La régression multiple et une analyse économétrique (Probit) ont été effectuées pour identifie les principaux facteurs qui affectent l’état nutritionnel et de santé de ces enfants. Les résultats de l’analyse du sang montrent que presque tous les enfants (99%) sont testés positifs à l’aflatoxine avec un taux moyen de concentration de 0,56 pg/ml de sang. Les principaux facteurs socioéconomiques dont le revenu hebdomadaire du ménage, la superficie de culture emblavée et le niveau d’éducation formelle font diminuer la malnutrition chez les enfants de moins de 5 ans exposés à l’aflatoxine. La présence d’aflatoxine dans le sang des enfants est négativement corrélée au taux d’hémoglobine et positivement corrélé à la morbidité observée chez ces enfants. D’autres facteurs comme les bonnes techniques de stockage du maïs, la pré-préparation hygiénique des aliments destinés aux enfants réduisent significativement l’aflatoxine dans le sang pendant que la fréquence de consommation du maïs relativement élevée contribue à sa concentration dans le sang. Mots clés: facteurs, aflatoxine, santé, état nutritionnelfacteurs, aflatoxine, santé, état nutritionnel, Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Environmental Economics and Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, Health Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use, Marketing, Production Economics, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Analyse de quelques aspects du système de production légumière et perception des producteurs de l’utilisation d’extraits botaniques dans la gestion des insectes ravageurs des cultures maraîchères au Sud du Togo

L’une des contraintes liée à la production maraîchère, est la pression exercée par les insectes ravageurs. Cette étude analyse quelques aspects du système de production légumière ainsi que la perception des   producteurs de l’utilisation d’extraits botaniques dans la gestion des  insectes ravageurs des cultures maraîchères. Elle a été réalisée à travers une enquête menée auprès de 217 maraîchers au Sud du Togo. L’analyse descriptive des données a révélé que plus d’hommes (72%) que de femmes (28%) pratiquent le maraîchage. Seul 33% a suivi une fois une formation en maraîchage. La contrainte majeure dans la production maraîchère est le problème de ravageurs et de maladies dont les principaux sont des insectes, des nématodes et des champignons. La lutte chimique constitue la principale méthode de lutte contre ces ravageurs. Néanmoins, les maraîchers connaissent des dangers induits par l’utilisation des pesticides de synthèse et sont au courant de l’utilisation des pesticides botaniques en maraîchage. Cependant, très peu les utilisent dans la gestion des ravageurs. Mais, ils sont disposés à utiliser les pesticides botaniques si ceux-ci sont disponibles, accessibles, efficaces et pas trop chers pour pallier les effets néfastes des pesticides de synthèse à la santé et à l’environnement.Mots clés : Maraîchage, perception des producteurs, extraits botaniques, Sud du Togo

How does IPM 3.0 look like (and why do we need it in Africa)?

Open Access Article; Published online: 09 Aug 2022The concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) was introduced sixty years ago to curb the overuse of agricultural pesticides, whereby its simplest version (IPM 1.0) was aiming at reducing the frequency of applications. Gradually, agro-ecological principles, such as biological control and habitat management, were included in IPM 2.0. However, throughout this time, smallholder farmers did not improve their decision-making skills and continue to use hazardous pesticides as their first control option. We are therefore proposing a new paradigm — IPM 3.0 — anchored on 3 pillars: 1) real-time farmer access to decision-making, 2) pest-management options relying on science-driven and nature-based approaches, and 3) the integration of genomic approaches, biopesticides, and habitat-management practices. We are convinced that this new paradigm based on technological advances, involvement of youth, gender-responsiveness, and climate resilience will be a game changer. However, this can only become effective through redeployment of public funding and stronger policy support

A Comprehensive Survey of the Tactile Internet: State of the art and Research Directions

The Internet has made several giant leaps over the years, from a fixed to a mobile Internet, then to the Internet of Things, and now to a Tactile Internet. The Tactile Internet goes far beyond data, audio and video delivery over fixed and mobile networks, and even beyond allowing communication and collaboration among things. It is expected to enable haptic communication and allow skill set delivery over networks. Some examples of potential applications are tele-surgery, vehicle fleets, augmented reality and industrial process automation. Several papers already cover many of the Tactile Internet-related concepts and technologies, such as haptic codecs, applications, and supporting technologies. However, none of them offers a comprehensive survey of the Tactile Internet, including its architectures and algorithms. Furthermore, none of them provides a systematic and critical review of the existing solutions. To address these lacunae, we provide a comprehensive survey of the architectures and algorithms proposed to date for the Tactile Internet. In addition, we critically review them using a well-defined set of requirements and discuss some of the lessons learned as well as the most promising research directions

Reproductive Capacities and Development of a Seed Bruchid Beetle, Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus, a Potential Host for the Mass Rearing of the Parasitoid, Dinarmus basalis

The reproductive capacities and development of the seed beetle Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus (Schaeffer) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), found in Togo, were determined under natural conditions in a Guinean zone for its use as a substitute host for the mass rearing of the parasitoid Dinarmus basalts Rond (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), a biological agent for the control of beetles that are pests of cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walpers (Fabales: Fabaceae). Population dynamics at the field level; and survival, fecundity and offspring production by A. macrophthalmus under laboratory conditions were measured when fed on its natural plant-host Leucaena leucocephala (Lamark) deWit (Fabales: Mimosaceae). The data resulting from the laboratory study were used to calculate the demographic parameters of A. macrophthalmus by establishing its fertility and life tables. Contrary to cultivated leguminous food plants, L. leucocephala is a perennial sub-spontaneous leguminous plant whose pods are available year round. Although A. macrophthalmus was present in nature throughout the year, its infestation rate of the pods fluctuated according to the phenology of the plant. The maximum infestation of L. leucocephala pods was observed between August and December. Four larval stages and one pupal stage of A. macrophthalmus were identified in the laboratory. The total mean development time varied on average 33.75 ± 2.87 days on the mature pods and 33.39 ± 2.02 days on seeds. The adult female lived from one to two weeks. During its life time, the female laid an average of 62.3 ± 19 and 43.1 ± 13 eggs on the mature pods and seeds respectively and produced an average of 36.7 ± 11.3 offspring on the mature pods and 21.8 ± 8.4 offspring on seeds. On seeds, the net reproduction rate was 5.88 females per female and the intrinsic rate of population increase 0.051 per day. The generation time was 34.59 days and the doubling time 13.59 days. The demographic parameters of A. macrophthalmus in this study are close to those of Callobruchus maculatus F. (Bruchidae), the natural host of D. basalts in a previous study. A. macrophthalmus could therefore be used as substitute host for the mass rearing of D. basalts and subsequently its release in farmers' storage containers. The data presented in this study provide some baseline information regarding the reproductive capacities of A. macrophthalmus that may be useful for its promotion as a substitute host for mass rearing of D. basalts

Cotton pest management practices and the selection of pyrethroid resistance in Anopheles gambiae population in Northern Benin

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pyrethroid insecticides, carbamate and organophosphate are the classes of insecticides commonly used in agriculture for crop protection in Benin. Pyrethroids remain the only class of insecticides recommended by the WHO for impregnation of bed nets. Unfortunately, the high level of pyrethroid resistance in <it>Anopheles gambiae </it>s.l., threatens to undermine the success of pyrethroid treated nets. This study focuses on the investigation of agricultural practices in cotton growing areas, and their direct impact on larval populations of <it>An. gambiae </it>in surrounding breeding sites.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The protocol was based on the collection of agro-sociological data where farmers were subjected to semi-structured questionnaires based on the strategies used for crop protection. This was complemented by bioassay tests to assess the susceptibility of malaria vectors to various insecticides. Molecular analysis was performed to characterize the resistance genes and the molecular forms of <it>An. gambiae</it>. Insecticide residues in soil samples from breeding sites were investigated to determine major factors that can inhibit the normal growth of mosquito larvae by exposing susceptible and resistant laboratory strains.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There is a common use by local farmers of mineral fertilizer NPK at 200 kg/ha and urea at 50 kg/hectare following insecticide treatments in both the Calendar Control Program (CCP) and the Targeted Intermittent Control Program (TICP). By contrast, no chemicals are involved in Biological Program (BP) where farmers use organic and natural fertilizers which include animal excreta.</p> <p>Susceptibility test results confirmed a high resistance to DDT. Mean mortality of <it>An. gambiae </it>collected from the farms practicing CCP, TICP and BP methods were 33%, 42% and 65% respectively. <it>An. gambiae </it>populations from areas using the CCP and TICP programs showed resistance to permethrin with mortality of 50% and 58% respectively. By contrast, bioassay test results of <it>An. gambiae </it>from BP areas gave a high level of susceptibility to permethrin with an average mortality of 94%.</p> <p>Molecular analysis identified <it>An. gambiae </it>s.s, and <it>An. arabiensis </it>with a high predominance of <it>An. gambiae s.s </it>(90%). The two molecular forms, M and S, were also determined with a high frequency of the S form (96%).</p> <p>The <it>Kdr </it>gene seemed the main target- site resistance mechanism detected in CCP, TICP, and BP areas at the rates ranging from 32 to 78%. The frequency of <it>ace-1R </it>gene was very low (< 0.1).</p> <p>The presence of inhibiting factors in soil samples under insecticide treatments were found and affected negatively in delaying the development of <it>An. gambiae </it>larval populations.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This research shows that <it>Kdr </it>has spread widely in <it>An. gambiae</it>, mainly in CCP and TICP areas where pyrethroids are extensively used. To reduce the negative impact of pesticides use in cotton crop protection, the application of BP-like programs, which do not appear to select for vector resistance would be useful. These results could serve as scientific evidence of the spread of resistance due to a massive agricultural use of insecticides and contribute to the management of pesticides usage on cotton crops hence reducing the selection pressure of insecticides on <it>An. gambiae </it>populations.</p