Prevalence of porcine cysticercosis among scavenging pigs in western Kenya

Background: Porcine Cysticercosis (PC) infection is globally classified as a neglected and re-emerging tropical disease. The disease is endemic in Western Kenya yet smallholder farmers continue to practice scavenging pig production, thereby posing public health risk. This study determined the prevalence of PC infection at the farms and slaughter slabs in a cross-sectional survey in two Counties (Busia and Kakamega) of Western Kenya. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and eighty-seven (287) heparinized blood samples were collected at the farm from 162 households in 9 villages and 113 pigs from 5 slaughter slabs. The prevalence of PC was detected through meat inspection at slaughter slabs, and the prevalence of Taenia solium antigen determined by using the ApDia AgELISA test at the farms and slaughter slabs. Results: At meat inspection, the PC prevalence was 1.8%, while prevalence of Taenia Species cysts detected with AgELISA test was 3.8% at the farms, and 5.3 % at the slaughter slabs. The Ag-ELISA test had sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 19.79– 100.00) and specificity of 96.4% (95% CI: 90.49– 98.84). Conclusion: The PC prevalence levels observed among scavenging pigs in Western Kenya should be a cause of public health risk concern. This observation warrant enforcing mandatory pig confinement, and use of latrines at the farms and meat inspection at local slaughter slabs. Further studies are recommended to identify different Taenia species in cysticercoids pigs in the region, which this study could not differentiate. Keywords: Pig, Taenia spps, meat inspection, ELISA test, Slaughter slabs, Smallholder farmers

Milk dispensing machines in Kenya’s dairy industry: trends and scenario analysis

This study analyses trends in the development of ATM milk retailing in Kenya,based on data collected in six counties with high ATM density. Trends include growth in the ATM businesses and related support services, consumer perceptions and demand and milk quality and safety issues in this milk market segment. Building on the trends analysis, the second part of the study explores scenarios that are likely to affect further growth of milk ATMs. The evidence is intended to inform the necessary policy and regulatory framework that can support quality-driven investments in this growing retail market segment

Management practices and challenges in smallholder indigenous chicken production in Western Kenya

The potential benefit of indigenous chicken (Gallus domesticus) production is still under-exploited in Kenya despite the efforts by different stakeholders to mainstream this production system as a pathway to rural development. The production system is often characterized by low input-low output productivity and low commercialization of the enterprise. This study which dwells on the current management practices and challenges faced by smallholder indigenous chicken farmers was conducted to gain insights into the underlying causes of production constraints. In Western Kenya women (76%) dominate the indigenous chicken production system. The flock composition consists mainly of chicks, hens and pullets (80%) which reflects their retention for production purposes. Less than half of the farmers access institutional support services such as extension, training, credit and veterinary services. In addition, indigenous chicken is largely reared in a low input-low output free-range system with only few farmers (24.2%) adopting management interventions as disseminated by extension service. To improve production and attain increased productivity, policy should focus on repackaging extension messages that considers farmers economic situations and strengthens collective action initiatives. Accessing joint input purchase and collective marketing of chicken products may further assist the farmers to increase profit margins

Determinants of adoption of management interventions in indigenous chicken production in Kenya

In Africa, many rural farming households keep indigenous chickens (Gallus domesticus) in traditional scavenging systems characterized by low input and low output. To improve productivity, African governments and development partners disseminate a management intervention package consisting of feed supplementation, vaccination, brooder, chick rearing equipment and improved housing. Some smallholder farmers adopt the full package, while others adopt the feed supplementation and vaccination only, or the feed supplementation and brooder only. This study surveyed 120 households in western Kenya and analyzed the data using a multinomial logit model to examine these adoption patterns. The factors that were found to significantly influence adoption were access to extension services, female gender, education level, membership of farmer groups and off-farm income. We therefore recommend the formulation of pro-poor policy, focusing on improved extension programs, formation of farmer groups, encouragement of off-farm income earning and improvement of smallholder farmers’ socio-economic conditions, to enable these farmers to adopt the package

Changes in agri-business outcomes among the dairy beneficiaries of contracted extension service delivery model in Kenya

This study compared changes in uptake of agri-business practices, productivity and wealth creation between dairy beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of Contracted Extension Service Delivery Model (CESDM) implemented by Kenya Agricultural Productivity and Agribusiness Project (KAPAP) in selected counties of Kenya since 2010. Results showed a large increase in the proportion of beneficiaries accessing extension services from private service providers and expressing satisfaction with CESDM, attaining higher dairy productivity in milk and in gross margins per animal per year. However, there was only a marginal increase in willingness to pay or paying for the services and the majority of beneficiaries continued to sell milk through informal market outlets. On aggregate, CESDM posted positive net benefits and multiplicative economic power with the best performing dairy chains multiplying every shilling invested 4 to 46 times. On average, beneficiaries earned KES 4993 per farmer at a cost of KES 353 for services, inputs and equipment. We conclude that CESDM can be a viable and rewarding approach for delivering extension services to smallholder farmers but it is necessary to strengthen farmer cooperative societies because those paying for private services are still too few to sustain remunerative private sector investment in extension service delivery.Keywords: Dairy value chain; private extension service provision; benefit-cost ratio; Quasi-experimental design; Keny

Pattern of Management Interventions’ Adoption and their Effect on Productivity of Indigenous Chicken in Kenya

Despite intensive dissemination of management intervention package, there is low productivity and commercialization of indigenous chicken (Gallus domesticus) in Africa. The management intervention package comprises feed supplementation, housing, chick rearing, brooding and vaccination. Smallholder farmers often regard these management interventions as costly, risky, unprofitable, and inaccessible and that they require high technical knowledge. This paper emphasizes the role of management intervention package in productivity of smallholder indigenous chicken farmers. Principal Component Analysis combined with Cluster analysis was used to determine three homogenous groups adopting management interventions. The three groups are; feed supplementation and vaccination adopters, feed supplementation and brooding adopters and Full management intervention package adopters. The effect of these adopted management interventions was then analyzed using log linear regression model which takes the form of Cobb-Douglas production function. The results indicated that farmers who had adopted full management intervention package as recommended by extension had higher productive performance than farmers who modified and selectively adopted components of management intervention package. Other socio-economic factors that significantly influenced productivity were farm production assets, expenditure on feeds, labour, access to extension, group membership and female gender. The study recommends the formulation and implementation of pro-poor policies aimed at improving socio-economic conditions of the smallholders to enable them fully adopt the recommended management intervention package. This would increase productivity of indigenous chicken thereby improving food and income security in rural areas of Africa

Changes in Agri-Business Outcomes among the Dairy Beneficiaries of Contracted Extension Service Delivery Model in Kenya

This study compared changes in uptake of agri-business practices, productivity and wealth creation between dairy beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of Contracted Extension Service Delivery Model (CESDM) implemented by Kenya Agricultural Productivity and Agribusiness Project (KAPAP) in selected counties of Kenya since 2010. Results showed a large increase in the proportion of beneficiaries accessing extension services from private service providers and expressing satisfaction with CESDM, attaining higher dairy productivity in milk and in gross margins per animal per year. However, there was only a marginal increase in willingness to pay or paying for the services and majority of beneficiaries continued to sell milk through informal market outlets. On aggregate, CESDM posted positive net benefits and multiplicative economic power with the best performing dairy chains multiplying every shilling invested 4 to 46 times. On average, beneficiaries earned KES 4993 per farmer at a cost of KES 353 for services, inputs and equipment. We conclude that CESDM can be a viable and rewarding approach for delivering extension services to smallholder farmers but it is necessary to strengthen farmer cooperative societies because those paying for private services are still too few to sustain remunerative private sector investment in extension service delivery.Â

PREVALENCE OF PORCINE CYSTICERCOSIS AMONG SCAVENGING PIGS IN WESTERN KENYA

Background: Porcine Cysticercosis (PC) infection is globally classified as a neglected and re-emerging tropical disease. The disease is endemic in Western Kenya yet smallholder farmers continue to practice scavenging pig production, thereby posing public health risk. This study determined the prevalence of PC infection at the farms and slaughter slabs in a cross-sectional survey in two Counties (Busia and Kakamega) of Western Kenya. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and eighty-seven (287) heparinized blood samples were collected at the farm from 162 households in 9 villages and 113 pigs from 5 slaughter slabs. The prevalence of PC was detected through meat inspection at slaughter slabs, and the prevalence of Taenia solium antigen determined by using the ApDia Ag-ELISA test at the farms and slaughter slabs. Results: At meat inspection, the PC prevalence was 1.8%, while prevalence of Taenia Species cysts detected with Ag-ELISA test was 3.8% at the farms, and 5.3 % at the slaughter slabs. The Ag-ELISA test had sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 19.79– 100.00) and specificity of 96.4% (95% CI: 90.49– 98.84). Conclusion: The PC prevalence levels observed among scavenging pigs in Western Kenya should be a cause of public health risk concern. This observation warrant enforcing mandatory pig confinement, and use of latrines at the farms and meat inspection at local slaughter slabs.  Further studies are recommended to identify different Taenia species in cysticercoids pigs in the region, which this study could not differentiat

Changes in Agri-Business Outcomes among the Dairy Beneficiaries of Contracted Extension Service Delivery Model in Kenya

This study compared changes in uptake of agri-business practices, productivity and wealth creation between dairy beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of Contracted Extension Service Delivery Model (CESDM) implemented by Kenya Agricultural Productivity and Agribusiness Project (KAPAP) in selected counties of Kenya since 2010. Results showed a large increase in the proportion of beneficiaries accessing extension services from private service providers and expressing satisfaction with CESDM, attaining higher dairy productivity in milk and in gross margins per animal per year. However, there was only a marginal increase in willingness to pay or paying for the services and majority of beneficiaries continued to sell milk through informal market outlets. On aggregate, CESDM posted positive net benefits and multiplicative economic power with the best performing dairy chains multiplying every shilling invested 4 to 46 times. On average, beneficiaries earned KES 4993 per farmer at a cost of KES 353 for services, inputs and equipment. We conclude that CESDM can be a viable and rewarding approach for delivering extension services to smallholder farmers but it is necessary to strengthen farmer cooperative societies because those paying for private services are still too few to sustain remunerative private sector investment in extension service delivery.Â