Browsing by Author "Ouma, Emily"

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    A market scoping study for porcine cysticercosis vaccine calls for a one-health approach to sustain the control of the disease in Uganda
    (International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), 2019) Dione, Michel; Adeniyi Samuel, Adediran; Colston, Angie; Ouma, Emily; Lule, Peter; Grace, Delia
    Pig health is a critical issue in modern Uganda. Not only does the country have the largest pig population in East Africa, it also has the most rapidly growing pig population in sub-Saharan Africa and the highest per capita pork consumption in Eastern Africa (FAOSTAT, 2010). Porcine cysticercosis (PC) is a disease of pigs caused by larval cysts of the human T. solium tapeworm. Pigs are infected when they eat tapeworm eggs shed in the faeces of a human tapeworm carrier. Humans are infected when they eat tissues from pigs that contain larvae (cysticerci). These larvae establish as tapeworms in the human gut and shed eggs in human faeces. However, if humans ingest tapeworm eggs in contaminated food or water, these can establish as cysts in the brain, eye or other tissues and these can have serious consequences such as epilepsy.
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    African swine fever control and market integration in Ugandan peri-urban smallholder pig value chains: An ex-ante impact assessment of interventions and their interaction
    (Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 2018) Ouma, Emily; Dione, Michel; Birungi, Rosemirta; Lule, Peter; Mayega, Lawrence; Dizyee, Kanar
    Pig production in peri-urban smallholder value chains in Uganda is severely constrained by impact of disease, particularly African swine fever (ASF), and the economic consequences of an inefficient pig value chain. Interventions in the form of biosecurity to control ASF disease outbreaks and pig business hub models to better link smallholder farmers to pig markets have the potential to address the constraints. However, there is a dearth of evidence of the effects of the interventions on performance and distribution of outcomes along the pig value chain. An ex-ante impact assessment utilising System Dynamics model was used to assess the impact of the interventions in peri-urban pig value chains in Masaka district. The results showed that although implementation of biosecurity interventions results in reduction of ASF outbreaks, it also leads to a 6.3% reduction in farmer profit margins per year but more than 7% increase in other value chain actors’ margins. The pig business hub intervention alone results in positive margins for all value chain actors but minimal reduction in ASF outbreaks. When biosecurity and the pig business hub interventions are implemented together, the interaction effects of the interventions result in positive outcomes for both the control of ASF and improvement in farmers’ margins. Farmers may therefore be unwilling to adopt biosecurity practices if implemented alone to control ASF outbreaks unless there is a corresponding financial incentive to compensate for the high costs. This has implications for policy or developing institutions to facilitate cost sharing arrangement among chain actors and/or third party subsidy to provide incentives for producers to adopt biosecurity measures.
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    Characterization of smallholder pig production systems in Uganda: constraints and opportunities for engaging with market systems
    (African Association of Agricultural Economics, 2013) Ouma, Emily; Dione, Michel; Lule, Peter; Rosel, Kristina; Pezo, Danilo
    Pig production has increasingly become an important activity, especially among smallholder farmers in Uganda in the past three decades as evidenced by a dramatic rise in pig population from 0.19 to 3.2 million. This is linked to the rise in demand for pork due to preference changes among other factors. Per capita consumption of pork has been estimated at 3.4 kg/person/year representing a ten-fold increase in the last 30 years. Pigs are important assets for the poor smallholders in Uganda generating income for meeting planned and emergency household financial needs. Despite its importance, the smallholder pig systems are faced with a number of productivity and market related constraints ranging from diseases, poor nutrition and poorly organized markets. Strong growth opportunities to improve smallholder pig systems exist if the constraints are minimized. However the constraints and opportunities vary among smallholder producers as they are not a homogenous group and are affected by various factors. This paper applies a cluster analysis to characterize smallholder pig production systems into typologies in three districts in Uganda by utilizing village level data from 35 villages. The paper further explores the constraints and opportunities for the different typologies to engage with output and input market systems. The paper concludes that different interventions are necessary to improve market linkages with the smallholder pig production systems due to their varying differences in terms of farmers’ cooperative involvement, institutional linkages and intensification related indicators.
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    Enhancing biosecurity along Uganda’s pig value chains to control and prevent African swine fever
    (CGIAR, 2017) Dione, Michel; Nantima, Noelina; Mayega, Lawrence; Amia, Winfred; Wieland, Barbara; Ouma, Emily
    African swine fever (ASF) is an important health challenge facing the Ugandan pig sector, causing significant economic losses. While effective control and treatment of ASF are unavailable due to the absence of effective treatment or vaccination, its impact can be minimized through the adoption of biosecurity measures designed to prevent the entry and spread of the disease on farms. In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries, local Government of Hoima, Kamuli, Lira, Mukono and Masaka districts, National Livestock Resources Research Institute, Makerere University, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) undertook detailed assessments of the pig value chain in Uganda to document critical areas for intervention and pilot tested practical biosecurity measures for controlling ASF along pig value chains. This brief highlights lessons learnt from these studies.
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    Gendered perceptions of biosecurity and the gender division of labor in pig farming in Uganda
    (Journal of Gender, Agriculture and Food Security, 2020) Dioney, Michel; Ochago, Robert; Birungi, Rosemirta; Ouma, Emily; Lule, Peter; Kakinda, Mary Jo; Nyapendi, Robinah; Birungi, Rosemirta; Pyburnx, Rhiannon
    African swine fever (ASF) is a highly infectious and lethal transboundary swine disease, which has devastating effects on the industry, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Given the absence of a vaccine or effective treatment, on-farm biosecurity measures are the only means of controlling it. Women and men are both involved in pig farming but the implications of the gender division of labor in relation to ASF biosecurity measures have, until now, been unexplored. We use the Gender Dimension Framework to investigate the gender division of labor in pig farming, as well as gendered perceptions of biosecurity. Findings include that typical gender roles and the perceptions of men and women towards biosecurity undermine effective implementation of biosecurity measures. The paper contributes to a better understanding of the gendered dimension of ASF control. This knowledge will serve to improve ASF control measures and support better management of the disease, both during outbreaks and to effectively prevent them.
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    Governance structures in smallholder pig value chains in Uganda: constraints and opportunities for upgrading
    (International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, 2017) Ouma, Emily; Ochieng, Justus; Dione, Michel; Pezo, Danilo
    This paper analyses governance structures in Uganda’s smallholder pig value chains by applying the New Institutional Economics framework. It utilises cross sectional and qualitative survey data from randomly selected pig value chain actors in 4 districts. A multinomial logit model is applied to assess the determinants of vertical integration among pig traders. The findings indicate that most relationships at the pig production node of the value chain are based on spot market governance structures supported by personal relationships and trust. Live pig traders are mostly vertically integrated. High integration levels of the pig traders are positively influenced by access to market information, value of investments in the value chain, and dedicated asset specificity in terms of backyard slaughter premises. Upgrading opportunities in the value chain in the form of value addition strategies, policy implementation and promotion of business models that link producer organisations to quality inputs and service suppliers through contractual arrangements are identified.
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    Impact of participatory training of smallholder pig farmers on knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding biosecurity for the control of African swine fever in Uganda
    (Transboundary and emerging diseases, 2020) Mainack Dione, Michel; Dohoo, Ian; Ndiwa, Nicholas; Poole, Jane; Ouma, Emily; Christine Amia, Winfred; Wieland, Barbara
    We evaluated the impact of a participatory training of pig farmers on knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of biosecurity relating to ASF control in two districts of Uganda using a randomized control trial (RCT). A total of 830 pig farmers from 32 villages were included in the study, with 425 farmers receiving training, while 405 did not. An item response theory model was used to assess the impact of the training on farmer's KAP. Logistic regression models were used to assess the factors that affected knowledge gain and change in attitude and practices after training. Focus group discussions (FGD) were carried out with selected farmers from the treatment group at the end of the intervention, to share their experiences and discuss potential factors that could hinder adoption of biosecurity in their communities. Results of the regression analyses showed that there was a significant effect of biosecurity training (p = .038) on gain in knowledge after 12 months, but there were limited changes in farmer's attitude and practice at 12 and 28 months after training. Pig production domain (peri-urban/urban production), group membership, gender (male) and education of the farmer positively influenced knowledge gain and attitude of farmers towards biosecurity. This paper provides empirical evidence on the impact of training intervention on biosecurity practices for disease prevention or control. In addition, it breaks down the components of the biosecurity practices and documents the specific challenges to its uptake by the farmers. It therefore relaxes the assumption of knowledge constraint as a barrier to uptake. The results clearly show that knowledge is not the binding constraint to uptake of the biosecurity interventions.
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    Knowledge, attitudes and practices of pork consumers in Uganda
    (Global Food Security, 2019) Roesela, Kristina; Ejobi, Francis; Dione, Michel; Pezo, Danilo; Ouma, Emily; Kungu, Joseph; Clausen, Peter-Henning; Grace, Delia
    Pig production is thriving in Uganda and the demand for pork is increasing, therefore offering potential for increased income from pig production and marketing. The consumers’ preferences determine and potentially drive this demand but are largely unknown in the context of Uganda. As part of a multi-disciplinary assessment of smallholder pig value chains we investigated these preferences in one of the four thematic subgroups with 292 smallholder pig farmers. In addition, 79 consumers in Kampala, the main pork market outlet in Uganda, were included. Using participatory methods and considering that pig keepers are also consumers, we describe drivers for and taboos around eating pork, the role of pork in peoples’ diets compared to other livestock-derived foods, important attributes when buying pork, the risk of pig feeds competing with human food as well as knowledge, attitudes and practices around pig zoonoses.
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    Qualitative analysis of the risks and practices associated with the spread of African swine fever within the smallholder pig value chains in Uganda
    (Preventive veterinary medicine, 2016) Dione, Michel; Ouma, Emily; Opio, Felix; Kawuma, Brian; Pezo, Danilo
    tA study was undertaken between September 2014 and December 2014 to assess the perceptions of smallholder pig value chain actors of the risks and practices associated with the spread of African swine fever (ASF) disease within the pig value chains. Data was collected from 136 value chain actors and 36key informants through 17 group discussions and two key informant interview (KII) sessions respectively using Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools.Results from this study revealed that according to value chain actors and stakeholders, the transport-ing, slaughtering, and collecting/bulking nodes represent the highest risk, followed by the inputs andservices (feeds and drugs) supply nodes. The processing, whole sale and consumption nodes represented the lowest risk. Value chain actors are aware of the disease and its consequences to the pig industry,however biosecurity measures are poorly implemented at all nodes. As for the causes, value chain actors pointed to several factors, such as inadequate knowledge of mechanisms for the spread of the disease,poor enforcement of regulations on disease control, and low capacities of actors to implement biosecurity measures, amongst others. Although traders, butchers and veterinary practitioners accepted that they played an important role in the spread of the virus, they did not perceive themselves as key actors in the control of the disease; instead, they believed that only farmers should adopt biosecurity measures on their farms because they keep the pigs for a longer period. Most of the recommendations given by the value chain actors for controlling and preventing ASF disease were short term, and targeted mainly pig producers. These recommendations included: the establishment of live pig collection centres so that traders and brokers do not have to directly access pig farms, capacity building of value chain actors on application of biosecurity, enactment and enforcement of by-laws on live pig movements and establishment of operational outbreak reporting mechanism at district level. Long term recommendations included the development of a vaccine, as well as pen-side diagnostic tests. This study suggests that interventions to control ASF disease through application of biosecurity measures should target all value chain nodes, while putting more emphasis on post-farm nodes especially the trading.
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    Risk factors associated with occurrence of African swine fever outbreaks in smallholder pig farms in four districts along the Uganda-Kenya border
    (Tropical animal health and production, 2015) Nantima, Noelina; Ocaido, Michael; Ouma, Emily; Davies, Jocelyn; Dione, Michel; Okoth, Edward; Mugisha, Anthony; Bishop, Richard
    A cross-sectional survey was carried out to assess risk factors associated with occurrence of African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in smallholder pig farms in four districts along Kenya-Uganda border. Information was collected by administering questionnaires to 642 randomly selected pig households in the study area. The study showed that the major risk factors that influenced ASF occurrence were purchase of pigs in the previous year (p<0.000) and feeding of pigs with swill (p<0.024). By employing cluster analysis, three clusters of pig production types were identified based on production characteristics that were found to differ significantly between districts. The most vulnerable cluster to ASF was households with the highest reported number of ASF outbreaks and composed of those that practiced free range at least some of the time. The majority of the households in this cluster were from Busia district in Uganda. On the other hand, the least vulnerable cluster to ASF composed of households that had the least number of pig purchases, minimal swill feeding, and less treatment for internal and external parasites. The largest proportion of households in this cluster was from Busia district Kenya. The study recommended the need to sensitize farmers to adopt proper biosecurity practices such as total confinement of pigs, treatment of swill, isolation of newly purchased pigs for at least 2 weeks, and provision of incentives for farmers to report suspected outbreaks to authorities and rapid confirmation of outbreaks.
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    Smallholder pig value-chain assessment in Uganda: Results from producer focus group discussions and key informant interviews
    (ILRI Project Report, 2015) Ouma, Emily; Dione, Michel; Lule, Peter; Pezo, Danilo; Marshall, Karen; Roesel, Kristina; Mayega, Lawrence; Kiryabwire, David; Nadiope, Gideon; Jagwe, John
    The CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish identified the smallholder pig value chain in Uganda as a highpotential target to translate research into major interventions that stimulate pro-poor transformation and generate benefits at scale. The program began by engaging with research and development partners, analysing the pig value chain and its policy environment as well as characterizing smallholder pig production and marketing practices in Uganda. These activities were done as part of a project entitled ‘Catalysing the emerging smallholder pig value chains in Uganda to increase rural incomes and assets’, which was funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the European Commission (EC).
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    Uganda smallholder pig value chain site scoping report: Lira, Kibaale and Hoima districts
    (International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), 2014) Ouma, Emily; Dione, Michel
    The site scoping exercise was conducted between 23rd June and 18th July 2014. It mainly involved farmer field visits, by ILRI’s Uganda pig value chain projects team to identify the pig value chain domains that exist in the three districts (Lira, Hoima and Kibaale) that were selected through a scoring exercise by stakeholders for further pig value chain work during the inception workshop of the Irish Aid-funded smallholder pig project on “More pork by and for the poor: Catalysing emerging smallholder pig value chains in Uganda for food security and poverty reduction”. Details of the district selection process are documented in the workshop report1. In the Western region, stakeholders of the inception workshop selected both Hoima and Kibaale districts for the pig value chain work while in the Northern region, Lira was top scored. Since only 2 districts were to be selected as additional project areas, part of the objective of the site scoping exercise was to prioritise selection of one of the two districts in the Western region and provide a rationale.