College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences (CAVS)

Irrigation-induced Environmental Changes Sustain Malaria Transmission and Compromise Intervention Effectiveness

2022-01-01T00:00:00Z

Irrigation-induced Environmental Changes Sustain Malaria Transmission and Compromise Intervention Effectiveness Guofa, Zhou; Hemming-Schroeder, Elizabeth; Jeang, Brook; Wang, Xiaoming; Zhong, Daibin; Ming-Chieh, Lee; Yiji, Li; Bradley, Lauren; Gobran, Sabrina R; David, Randy E; Ondeto, Benyl M; Orondo, Pauline; Atieli, Harrysone; Githure, John I; Githeko, Andrew K; Kazura, James; Guiyun, Yan Background: Irrigated agriculture enhances food security, but it potentially promotes mosquito-borne disease transmission and affects vector intervention effectiveness. This study was conducted in the irrigated and nonirrigated areas of rural Homa Bay and Kisumu Counties, Kenya. Methods: We performed cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys to determine Plasmodium infection prevalence, clinical malaria incidence, molecular force of infection (molFOI), and multiplicity of infection. We examined the impact of irrigation on the effectiveness of the new interventions. Results: We found that irrigation was associated with >2-fold higher Plasmodium infection prevalence and 3-fold higher clinical malaria incidence compared to the nonirrigated area. Residents in the irrigated area experienced persistent, low-density parasite infections and higher molFOI. Addition of indoor residual spraying was effective in reducing malaria burden, but the reduction was more pronounced in the nonirrigated area than in the irrigated area. Conclusions: Our findings collectively suggest that irrigation may sustain and enhance Plasmodium transmission and affects intervention effectiveness.

Evaluating Aflatoxin Contamination Control Practices Among Smallholder Maize Farmers in Kilifi County, Kenya: a Poisson Regression Analysis

2023-03-01T00:00:00Z

Evaluating Aflatoxin Contamination Control Practices Among Smallholder Maize Farmers in Kilifi County, Kenya: a Poisson Regression Analysis Nzuma, Jonathan M; Uzel, Isaac M Aflatoxin contamination remains a major global food safety challenge, with serious impli- cations on agriculture and public health. Kenya has frequently experienced outbreaks of acute and chronic aflatoxin poisoning over the years with adverse human health effects. Farmers respond to incidences of aflatoxin contamination using a myriad of control prac- tices. This study evaluates the choice of aflatoxin contamination control practices among smallholder maize farmers in Kilifi County, an aflatoxin hotspot in the Coast region of Kenya. A Poisson regression model was employed on a sample of 270 farmers selected using a multistage sampling technique. The aflatoxin contamination control practices used by maize farmers in Kilifi County can broadly be categorized into pre-harvest practices (timely planting, pest control, use of improved seed varieties, and early harvesting) and postharvest practices (sorting, proper drying, and use of storage pesticides). The Poisson regression estimates reveal that aflatoxin awareness, access to extension services, wealth status, and gender were the most important drivers of farmers choice of aflatoxin con- tamination control practices in Kilifi County. Thus, policy initiatives that improve farmers awareness and access to information are recommended in improving maize farmers afla- toxin contamination knowledge and uptake of management practices. To be effective, such interventions must address gender and wealth differences.

Socio-economic and Institutional Factors Influencing Uptake of Improved Sorghum Technologies in Embu, Kenya

2019-01-01T00:00:00Z

Socio-economic and Institutional Factors Influencing Uptake of Improved Sorghum Technologies in Embu, Kenya Chimoita, EL; Onyango, CM; Gweyi-Onyango, JP; Kimenju, JW Farmers’ socio-economic status and institutional support play a complementary role in influencing adoption of various improved agricultural value chain technologies. Despite considerable research efforts towards improving sorghum production and commercialisation to improve farmers’ socio-economic wellbeing in Kenya, a marginal number of farmers in arid areas are adopting improved technologies. The current study, therefore, evaluated farmers’ socio-economic and institutional factors influencing uptake of improved sorghum technologies in Embu County, Kenya. The study systematically selected 129 farmers from four villages. Data was collected on household size, daily expenditure, land ownership, land sizes, sources of capital, the number of farmers growing sorghum, market outlets, institutional services offered to farmers and production challenges. The study revealed that 51% of the households comprised of six to ten members, whereas 76% of the farmers spent on average three thousand Kenyan shillings (US$ 30) on a monthly basis. The study results also showed that 88% of farmers accessed extension services from government agencies, whereas 56% of the farmers accessed credit facility from private microfinance institutions. The study findings also revealed 48% farmers sold sorghum products to private agents, whereas 44% farmers sold their products on local market outlets. It was additionally revealed that 57% of farmers faced challenges in accessing credit services. There was a positive Pearson’s correlation (r = 0.43) between farmers owning individual land title deeds and the uptake of improved sorghum technologies with individual land ownership motivating farmers to invest in sorghum production. In addition, there was a positive Pearson’s correlation (r = 0.48) between farmers accessing financial training services and the uptake improved sorghum technologies. The training services significantly (p ≤ 0.01) influenced the farmers in embracing improved sorghum technologies. The study concluded that farmers’ expenditure, land ownership, financial training and credit support were the key socio-economic and institutional factors contributing to farmers’ uptake of improved sorghum technologies.

Comparative Profiling of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolates in Optimized and Spontaneous Fermentation of Cowpea Leaves

2020-01-01T00:00:00Z

Comparative Profiling of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolates in Optimized and Spontaneous Fermentation of Cowpea Leaves Owade, Joshua O; Abong, George O; Okoth, Michael W; Mwang'ombe, Agnes W; Jabor, Jared O In as much as spontaneous fermentation of cowpea leaves enhances product diversification, the process is rather slow with poor product quality. Limited work has been undertaken to provide input toward standardization of the process and enhancing of product quality. The current study sought to evaluate the in- process fermentative bacteria profile changes due to the effect of optimization of fermentation process of cowpea leaves. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates from spontaneous and optimized fermentation were characterized using biochemical tests, whereby optimization was done using the Response Surface Methodology model of the central composite design in the Design Expert Software. The RSM models accounted for 89% and 60% variability in the response variables of pH and titratable acidity, respectively (p < .001). Increasing the sugar concentration and period of fermentation significantly (p < .05) increased the titratable acidity, while reducing the pH. The optimal fermentation parameters were established as sugar and salt concentrations of 5% and 2%, respectively, 16 days of fermentation, pH of 3.8 and titratable acidity of 1.22% with a desirability of 0.859. Of the 13 identified LAB isolates, Lactobacillus brevis and Lactococcus lactis dominated the onset stage of spontaneous fermentation whereas only Lactobacillus brevis dominated the onset stage of optimized fermentation. Additionally, the final stage with the dominant isolates of L. plantarum was longer in the spontaneous fermentation process than in the optimized process. Evidently, optimizing the fermentation process resulted in increasing dominance by heterofermenters in the production of soured cowpea leaves, with the yielded product having enhanced acidity.