Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences

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Analysis of long-term prices of micronutrient-dense and starchy staple foods in developing countries
(Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2022-10) Alioma, Richard; Zeller, Manfred; Ling, Yee Khor
Abstract The continued price increase in food commodities has long been a concern to academia and policymakers because of its substantial impact on poor consumers. Existing literature has concentrated on the cost of micronutrient-dense and starchy staple foods and the price rise in different commodities. Yet, the long-term price growth of micronutrient-dense and starchy staple foods and the price growth gap between micronutrient-dense foods and starchy staple foods have not been given much attention. The paper aimed to estimate the long-term trends in prices and volatility of micronutrient-dense and starchy staples and identify factors that have sustained the growth in prices of food commodities in developing countries. We have used the autoregressive and panel autoregressive distributed lag models to analyse the trends in relative prices and the effects of income growth. The results showed that micronutrient-dense food prices in real terms grew on average by 0.03% per month more than starchy staple food prices, with the expectation of a 12% growth gap in the next 30 years. The volatility of micronutrient-dense food items exceeds starchy staple foods in most domestic markets. Also, the prices of micronutrient-dense foods were more volatile in international markets than in most developing countries. Income growth in developing countries was one of the factors that contributed to the declining relative price of micronutrient-dense food commodities. Other factors, such as the high production of staple foods and their price stabilization policies, may have caused price trends to persist. Policies that enhance price stabilization for micronutrient-dense foods, supplementation, fortification, dietary diversity, and nutrition-sensitive interventions such as biofortification may be adopted in developing countries.
Certified Organic Export Production – Implications for Economic Welfare and Gender Equity amongst Smallholder Farmers in Tropical Africa
(UNCTAD, 2007) Bolwig, Simon; Gibbon, Peter; Odeke, Moses; Taylor, Alastair
Over the last fifteen years the market for certified organic agricultural products has grown from a very low base to reach 1.5-2.5% of total food sales both in North America and the EU, up to 5% in Denmark and Switzerland (Willer & Yussefi, 2006; Oberholtzer et al., 2005; CBI 2005; Financial Times, 2006). Global organic sales were estimated at US$ 33 billion in 2005, compared to US$ 23 billion in 2002 (Willer & Yussefi, 2007), representing an increase of 43% or about 14% per year. Most of this growth has been satisfied by increases in the area under certified organic production in North America and EU itself. Yet there has been also an increase in certified organic imports into both regions. In the case of the EU these mainly comprise cereals and oilseeds from temperate and semi-temperate countries, but they also include fruit and vegetables (from a much wider range of countries) and tropical beverages.
Manure matters: prospects for regional banana-livestock integration for sustainable intensification in South-West Uganda
(Taylor & Francis, 2022-09) Braber, Harmen den; van de Ven, Gerrie; Ronner, Esther; Marinus, Wytze; Languillaume, Antoine; Ochola, Dennis; Taulya, Godfrey; Giller, Ken E; Descheemaeker, Katrien
In South-West Uganda, manure is highly valued for sustaining yields of East African Highland Banana, but it is in short supply. As a result, banana growers import manure from rangelands up to 50 km away. We aimed to explore the potential of this regional banana-livestock integration to meet crop nutrient requirements for sustainable intensification of banana cropping systems. We used a mixed-methods approach supported by detailed data collection. Multiple spatial levels were integrated: field-level modelling to determine long-term nutrient requirements, a household-level survey to characterize farmer practices, and a regional-level spatial analysis to map banana production and manure source areas. For median to 90th percentile banana yields (37-52 t FW/ha/year), minimum K requirements were 118–228 kg/ha/year. To supply this with manure, 10.5–20.5 t DM manure/ha/year would be needed, requiring 47–91 tropical livestock units and 27–52 ha of rangeland, far more than what is potentially available currently. However, using only manure to satisfy potassium requirements increases the risk of N losses due to nutrient imbalances likely to result from large manure applications. For sustainable intensification, manure supplemented with K-based fertilizers is a better option than manure alone, as it is more cost-effective and reduces potential N losses.
Evaluation of underweight status may improve identification of the highest-risk patients during outpatient evaluation for pulmonary tuberculosis
(PLoS ONE, 2020) Kitonsa, Peter J.; Nalutaaya, Annet; Mukiibi, James; Nakasolya, Olga; Isooba, David; Kamoga, Caleb; Baik, Yeonsoo; Robsky, Katherine; Dowdy, David W.; Katamba, Achilles; Kendall, Emily A.
When evaluating symptomatic patients for tuberculosis (TB) without access to same-day diagnostic test results, clinicians often make empiric decisions about starting treatment. The number of TB symptoms and/or underweight status could help identify patients at highest risk for a positive result. We sought to evaluate the usefulness of BMI assessment and a count of characteristic TB symptoms for identifying patients at highest risk for TB. Methods We enrolled adult patients receiving pulmonary TB diagnoses and a representative sample with negative TB evaluations at four outpatient health facilities in Kampala, Uganda. We asked patients about symptoms of chronic cough, night sweats, chest pain, fever, hemoptysis, or weight loss; measured height and weight; and collected sputum for mycobacterial culture. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy (for culture-positive TB) of two simple scoring systems: (a) number of TB symptoms, and (b) number of TB symptoms plus one or more additional points for underweight status (body mass index [BMI] � 18.5 kg/m2). Results We included 121 patients with culture-positive TB and 370 patients with negative culture results (44 of whom had been recommended for TB treatment by evaluating clinicians). Of the six symptoms assessed, the median number of symptoms that patients reported was two (interquartile range [IQR]: 1, 3). The median BMI was 20.9 kg/m2 (IQR: 18.6, 24.0), and 118 (24%) patients were underweight. Counting the number of symptoms provided an area
Ethical Dilemmas in Uganda’s Agribusinesses
(AGRI-QUEST, 2016) Nkiko, Cedric M.; Katamba, David; Wickert, Christopher
This brief provides a compilation of key business ethical dilemmas that impact the broader business climate in relation to several agribusiness value chains (VC) which AGRIQUEST1 is studying in Uganda. The VC are Dairy, Seed, Cassava, Potato, and Rice value chains. By showcasing these ethical dilemmas and their harmful impacts on these value chains, this brief aims to provide important background knowledge for capacity building of agribusiness players and their ability to recognize and effectively manage or deal with various ethical dilemmas. This policy brief also provides empirical documentation of the repercussions of not dealing with these dilemmas.
Crop diversity, climate change adaptation and resilience: good practice cases from Africa
(Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), 2021) Vernooy, Ronnie; Adokorach, Joyce; Wasswa Mulumba, John; Mushita, Andrew; Wahome, Patrick
Across Africa, erratic and less predictable rainfall, higher temperatures, heat spells, and recurring droughts are predicted to become more frequent. This is leading to a change of cropping seasons and growing cycles and occurrence of new pests and diseases. As a result of these irregularities and uncertainties, farmers can no longer rely on crops and crop varieties that used to do well, with negative impacts on nutrition and food security and the capacity of farmers to withstand shocks. One strategy to face this new reality, is to create better access to crop and varietal diversity. Increased access to inter and intracrop genetic diversity could give farmers an opportunity to switch to crops that are more resilient under new conditions, e.g. a switch from maize to millet in rain-stressed areas. Farmers could also switch to varieties of the same crop that are better adapted to their local situation. However, the potential of local diversity is not always well understood, and with rural populations becoming older and youth migrating to urban areas, knowledge on agrobiodiversity is disappearing.
Tsetse invasion in Karamoja, Uganda: An Emerging Threat to Socioecological Resilience
(AirFood, 2018) Egeru, Anthony
Over 70% of Uganda is infested by tsetse with negative effects on human and livestock health. From colonial to post-independent Uganda, the Government of Uganda has strived to eradicate the tsetse menace through various interventions but it is still a threat following reemergence in some areas and the expansion of the tsetse belt. The tsetse challenge had been brought under control in Karamoja subregion in the 1960s eradication effort. However, in the recent past, veterinary reports have indicated tsetse reinvasion estimated at 10 percent prevalence. Tsetse reinvasion of the sub-region represents an additional challenge to the already vulnerable pastoral communities interfacing with a range of constraints including extreme weather events such as drought. The reinvasion has considerable influence on the social-ecological resilience of communities. Participatory assessment reports indicate that tsetse has led to livestock deaths and heightened human-wildlife conflicts owing to the perceived spread by elephants and buffalos that emerge from the Kidepo Valley National Park. Further, livestock abortions among donkeys, goats, sheep and cattle have been reported, decreased milk yield and interference on grazing in the prime grazing lands, and migrations across to Kenya. It is also alluded that women’s labour input into crop production has decreased as the tsetse prevalence is high in some of the most fertile lands yet the women often move with young children to the gardens. These effects are a direct affront on the social-ecological resilience of the pastoral communities in the sub-region as they weaken communities’ adaptive capacity. Cognizant of the potential transboundary character of the tsetse reinvasion sources in Karamoja, an urgent, strategic and system wide intervention should be undertaken in the sub-region.
East African Agriculture and Climate Change: A Comprehensive Analysis — Uganda
(International Food Policy Research Institute, 2012) Bashaasha, Bernard; Thomas, Timothy S.; Waithaka, Michael; Kyotalimye, Miriam
Uganda occupies a total area of 241,038 square km, most of which is suitable for agriculture. Sixteen percent of the total area is water and swamps, while 7 percent is forested. Maize, beans, cassava, and banana (plantain) are the most widely grown crops. Uganda’s climate is regarded as its most valuable natural resource, one central to the livelihoods of many Ugandans. However, the last few decades have been marked by climate variability that has given rise to more frequent extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and landslides, damaging natural resources and hindering social and economic development. The country’s population grew by 3.7 percent between 2009 and 2010 (to a total of 32 million people). The population is expected to reach 103.2 million in 2050, assuming growth declines to 2.9 percent per annum between 2040 and 2050. The population remains predominantly rural (85 percent in 2010). At 50 years, life expectancy remains low. Malaria is the most prevalent fatal illness. The poverty rate is down from 31 percent in 2006 but, at 24.5 percent, remains high.
Decentralization and implementation of climate change policy in Uganda
(DIIS Working Paper, 2013) Friis-Hansen, Esbern; Bashaasha, Bernard; Aben, Charles
The focus of climate change policies and action in Africa south of the Sahara differs from the global agenda. While most debate within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change relates to assessing physical climate change and mechanisms for mitigation, the main concern of most African countries is how to adapt to the effects of climate change. A growing number of projects addressing climate change adaptation and government are formulating new policies that seek to provide a framework to guide these activities. Yet, discussion of the content of and driving forces behind climate change adaptation in national policies has been limited. Even less is known about how such national climate change policies have been implemented and their institutional setting within the country. This working paper explores the driving forces behind the formulation of climate change policies in Uganda and assesses its content and implementation modalities. The working paper explores the extent to which there is a gap between policy and practice at the district and local levels.
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.
Bioengineered potato: Resistance to late blight disease and higher crop yields
(International Potato Center, 2019) Ghislain, Marc; Barekye, Alex
Average potato yields in sub-Saharan Africa are four times lower than those in industrialized nations, mostly due to the effects of diseases, particularly late blight. This research demonstrates that the transfer from wild potato relatives of three resistance-conferring genes into a cultivated potato variety provides complete resistance to late blight for several seasons. Initial findings suggest this resistance will be long lasting. Cultivation of this late blight resistant potato would increase family farm incomes by 40% and ensure the supply of fungicide-free potatoes to consumers.
The Protection and Promotion of Farmers’ Rights in East Africa
(ACODE, 2015) Naluwairo, Ronald
The importance of plant genetic resources and the need to conserve and sustainably utilize them has been the subject of many regional and international discussions in the last two and a half decades. The thrust of these discussions has centered not only on the modalities of ensuring that these resources are utilized in a sustainable manner but also the need to reward those who have helped nurture and made them available to successive generations. The adoption of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture represents an international consensus that the protection and promotion of farmers’ rights is one way through which countries can achieve the above objectives. The recognition of farmers’ rights by the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the need by member countries to fulfill their obligations has given policy makers a lot of challenges. These challenges mainly revolve on the available policy options for realization of these rights at the national and regional level. In East Africa, where the concept of Farmers’ Rights is new, where majority of the people are illiterate farmers, and where poverty is getting to alarming levels, the implementation of these rights presents peculiar challenges. This paper identifies and addresses some of the major challenges in implementation of farmers’ rights within East Africa’ s social, political, economic and cultural context. The paper is premised on the understanding that the first step in realizing these rights lies in promoting awareness among the different stakeholders about the concept of Farmers’ Rights. The concept of farmers’ rights is new to many stakeholders in the region including the policy makers who are charged with the responsibility of their implementation. The paper therefore goes at length to explain the concept of Farmers’ Rights including tracing it’s origin and evolution. The concept is summarized as based on conservation concerns and equity considerations. It is premised on the fact that rewarding the world farmers for their contribution to agro-biodiversity provides them the incentives to continue nurturing, sustainably utilizing and making available these resources for future generations. It is emphasized that the concept entails the recognition and protection of many rights, the major ones being: the protection of traditional knowledge relevant to plant genetic resources; equitable sharing of benefits arising from their use; participation in decision making processes touching on the conservation and sustainable use of these resources and the right to save, use, exchange and sell farm saved seed/propagating material of farmers’ varieties.
Ensuring the Sustainable Availability of Affordable Quality Seeds and Planting Materials in Uganda
(ACODE, 2014) Naluwairo, Ronald; Barungi, Julian
The availability and use of quality seeds and planting materials in Uganda remains very low. The use of quality seeds is estimated at just between 10-15 per cent. This is inspite of the fact that the use of quality seeds and planting materials is key in increasing agricultural production and productivity. Explanations for the low availability and low use of quality seeds and planting materials in Uganda include: insufficient breeder and basic seed classes for many varieties; insufficient field supervision and inspection services leading to lack of quality control along the entire seed value chain; and limited capacities in the seed industry especially in the area of research & innovation, and infrastructure for seed production and conditioning. Other reasons include: the lack of seed data to project national seed demand for national planning and forecasting of various seed types that farmers need; high cost of quality seeds; limited farmer awareness; inefficient and ineffective institutional setup and absence of a seed policy.
Climate-Smart Agriculture in Uganda
(Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), 2017) Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN)
The effects of climate change on agriculture are severe, and one of the most significant emerging challenges to household livelihoods in Africa. As such, it is imperative that efforts to address agriculture in the context of food security and rural development take climate change into consideration. Climate-smart Agriculture (CSA) is defined as agricultural practices that sustainably increase productivity and system resilience, while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is not a single specific agricultural technology or practice that can be universally applied; it is a combination of policy, technology, and finance options that involves the direct incorporation of climate change adaptation and mitigation into agricultural development planning and implementation (FAO, 2010). Uganda holds great potential for CSA, but this needs to be further explored. Although the country has traditional agricultural practices as well as research-based programmes and techniques that have CSA qualities, CSA promotion requires concerted action from multiple actors to allow for context-specific approaches.
East African Agriculture and Climate Change
(International Food Policy Research Institute, 2013) Waithaka, Michael; Nelson, Gerald C.; Thomas, Timothy S.; Kyotalimye, Miriam
Agriculture accounts for 43 percent of the surveyed nations’ annual gross domestic product (GDP), on average, although the precise proportions vary considerably from country to country. For example, agriculture in Burundi, DRC, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Tanzania accounts for more than 50 percent of GDP while in Eritrea, Kenya, and Madagascar it accounts for less than 30 percent. Kenya’s low percentage is due to structural transformation toward a less agriculture-based economy. Despite these differences, farming in all the surveyed nations is dominated by smallholders reliant on rainfall. These farmers face the challenges of land degradation, poor soil fertility management, and continuous cropping. Sluggish growth in agricultural productivity translates into slow overall growth and generally low per capita income levels. Meanwhile, population growth in these 10 East African countries is among the highest in the world, which threatens to worsen already severe food insecurity.
Towards Sustainable Rangeland Management in IGAD Region
(IGAD Center for Pastoral Areas & Livestock Development (ICPALD), 2020) IGAD Center for Pastoral Areas & Livestock Development (ICPALD)
About 60-70% of the terrestrial land surface in IGAD region is arid and semi-arid, and is classified as rangelands1,2,3. The rangelands are home to pastoralist and agro-pastoralist communities whose livelihoods mainly depend on extensive livestock production.
Total Economic Valuation of Pastoralism in Uganda
(2020) IGAD Center for Pastoral Areas & Livestock Development (ICPALD)
Rangeland in Uganda covers an estimated area of 84,000 Km2. This is about 44 per cent of the country’s land mass commonly known as the cattle corridor. It’s stretching from the south through the central region to the northeastern part of Uganda (Figure 1). Pastoral and agropastoral communities are inhabiting the cattle corridor. Livestock accounts for 3.2 per cent of gross domestic product, 70 per cent of employment generated by the agricultural sector (IGAD, 2013) and accounts for onethird of the total value of agricultural output.
Policy brief on Enhancing Animal Welfare in the IGAD Region
(IGAD Center for Pastoral Areas & Livestock Development (ICPALD), 2017) IGAD Center for Pastoral Areas & Livestock Development (ICPALD)
The understanding and implementation of animal welfare concepts in different countries and regions has been described as a journey in which countries, regions, and even continents are at different stages at any one time. For instance, the drivers of animal welfare in Africa have been quite different from those in Europe, America, or Asia. However, with globalization, especially of trade, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has had to establish standards for animal welfare that meet sanitary requirements and animal sentience.
Illegal Veterinary Medicines Trade and Use: Threat to Animal and Public Health in the IGAD Region
(IGAD Center for Pastoral Areas & Livestock Development (ICPALD), 2021) IGAD Center for Pastoral Areas & Livestock Development (ICPALD)
Illegal veterinary medicines (expired, understrength, diluted, adulterated or fake) in the IGAD region were observed to have a negative impact on delivery of animal health, production and marketing, which in turn affects the local communities and economies, livelihoods, human and animal health, which causes poverty. The most frequently illegal (expired, understrength, diluted, adulterated or fake) veterinary medicines, as perceived by the supply chain stakeholders, were antibiotics, antihelmintics, trypanocidals, acaricides and vaccines. The estimated prevalence of illegal drugs as reported by different supply chain stakeholders in South Sudan ranged from 46.7-60%; in Uganda ranged from 1-33%; and in Sudan ranged from 5-21%.
Widening Opportunities for Increased Marketing of Processed Milk in Uganda Introduction
(Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), 2012) Mbowa, Swaibu; Shinyekwa, Isaac; Mayanja Lwanga, Musa
The analysis of the 2009 Uganda National panel Survey (UNPS) collected by the UBoS shows that milk production from smallholder farm units was 1 billion litres, and about 52 percent (524 million litres) joined the second level of the milk value chain – and of which 72 percent was marketed in unprocessed form to consumers. High informality in milk marketing can be reduced by supporting strong primary dairy farmers’ cooperative societies with capacity to invest in processing of scale neutral dairy products (yoghurts, ghee and cheese), at the same time hold strong bargaining power with large milk processing companies. This would allow the deeper participation of farmers (as groups) in the down-stream milk value chain, and enable having the right price incentives to draw more raw milk into the formal stream of the milk value chain. This would foster equitable spread of benefits and opportunities from the growing domestic demand for milk and other dairy products at all levels of the milk value chain.

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