Picturing Adoption of Below-Ground Biodiversity Technologies among Smallholder Farmers around Mabira Forest, Uganda

Faced with a multitude of soil and water amendment technologies, farmers have the task of choosing the technologies to adopt for ensuring subsistence and income sustainability. In 2008, a study to characterize the farmers was conducted around Mabira Forest, to assess the adoption of soil technologies fostering Belowground Biodiversity (BGBD). Eighty-four households (38 participating and 46 non-participants) from four villages were randomly selected and interviewed. Results showed that the adoption pattern was significantly driven by farm size, labor, household size, age and wealth status of the house. Also important were farm location, gender of household head, primary occupation, soil and water conservation technologies training, land tenure, and social capital. For the few current adopters, there was a perceived increase in labor demand but overall productivity was higher, partly resulting from increased crop productivity due to soil fertility enhancement and soil structure modification. It is therefore concluded that, around Mabira forest, BGBD technologies will be adopted by farming households with sufficient land, labor and social capital

First detection of Paenibacillus larvae the causative agent of American Foulbrood in a Ugandan honeybee colony

Paenibacillus larvae is a highly contagious and often lethal widely distributed pathogen of honeybees, Apis mellifera but has not been reported in eastern Africa to date. We investigated the presence of P. larvae in the eastern and western highland agro-ecological zones of Uganda by collecting brood and honey samples from 67 honeybee colonies in two sampling occasions and cultivated them for P. larvae. Also, 8 honeys imported and locally retailed in Uganda were sampled and cultivated for P. larvae. Our aim was to establish the presence and distribution of P. larvae in honeybee populations in the two highland agro-ecological zones of Uganda and to determine if honeys that were locally retailed contained this lethal pathogen. One honeybee colony without clinical symptoms for P. larvae in an apiary located in a protected area of the western highlands of Uganda was found positive for P. larvae. The strain of this P. larvae was genotyped and found to be ERIC I. In order to compare its virulence with P. larvae reference strains, in vitro infection experiments were conducted with carniolan honeybee larvae from the research laboratory at Ghent University, Belgium. The results show that the virulence of the P. larvae strain found in Uganda was at least equally high. The epidemiological implication of the presence of P. larvae in a protected area is discussed

Demographic Data for Development Decisionmaking: Case Studies From Ethiopia and Uganda

Analyzes the lack of demographic and socioeconomic data, limited access to and use of existing data, and insufficient demand for their application in policy making and resource allocation. Makes recommendations for greater access, demand, and use of data

Asset management : integrating GIS as a decision support tool in meter management in national water and sewerage corporation

Water meters provide the basis for generation of monthly water consumption invoices by the utility for all its customers. This makes the water meters an integral part of the utility’s asset base. However, like any asset, these meters sometimes fail to function as expected and may under register or not register any water consumption by the customers. When this happens, the revenues of the utility are at risk. The effective management of water meters by utilities needs to consider the individual risks that each meter poses to the utility in the undesirable event that such a meter fails to register consumption by the customer. A number of studies have been made by other scholars on the performance of meters, but with little or no integration of GIS as a decision support tool for their management. The different locations where these meters are installed needs to be considered in inform effective management. Materials and Methods This study integrates GIS as a decision support tool in managing the risks associated to meter failure. The risk associated to each water meter is determined as a product of the probability of meter failure and the criticality of such a meter. The probability of meter failure is estimated by a meter failure index that is computed from the age of the meter and the criticality of each meter is estimated by the average monthly volume of water dispensed by the water meter. The risk maps generated help to inform staff deployment for effective meter monitoring as well as planning for their replacement by the water utilityMany water utilities use water meters to determine the volume of water consumed by each customer. In this case, meters become the basis for generating monthly invoices for water consumed and by default, the revenues due to the water utility. However, like any asset, these meters sometimes fail to function due to a number of reasons. When this happens, they may under register or not register any water consumption by the customers. This puts the revenues of the utility at risk. Utilities therefore need to understand the risk associated to each water meter in order to effectively manage that risk. In managing such risk, it is important to consider the various locations where these meters are installed. Several studies have been understand to understand why meters fail. However, there has been little effort to integrate GIS in managing the risks associated to meter performance. Materials and Methods This study integrates GIS as a decision support tool in managing the risks associated to meter failure. Risk is defined as the product of the probability of meter failure and the criticality associated to each meter, in the event of failure. The probability of meter failure is represented by a meter failure index which is computed from the age of a water meter. Meter criticality is estimated by the average monthly amount of water registered by each meter. The older the water meter, the more likely it is to fail and the more water that is registered on a monthly basis by the water meter, the more such a meter is critical to the utility compared to others. The risk maps generated help to inform staff deployment for effective meter monitoring as well as planning for their replacement by the water utility

Impact of participatory training on biosecurity protocols on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of smallholder pig farmers in Uganda

Irish Ai

Marketization of Humanitarian Work in the 21st Century: Balancing the Survival and Moral Imperatives for NGOs: A Case of Uganda Red Cross Society

Today’s NGO is a large corporate undertaking in systems and structure in comparison to the early days of a small, humble, locally connected one with a clear vision and mission focus (Gibson, 2019). It is a big service provider dependent on funding from institutional donors rather than individuals or the public. It has elaborate structures for operations, procurement and supply chain management, public relations and communications, fund-raising and business development services (BDS), internal audit and accounting, human resources (HR), monitoring and evaluation, community engagement and feedback receipt, and implementation (Cooley and Ron, 2002; Gibson, 2019). It is staffed with thematic specialists who implement short-term niche complex programmes and projects with tight deliverables, budgets, and timelines. Its staff, while dedicated, suffer from dilemmas of balancing moral motivations and efficient implementation of discrete projects that they are assigned to implement, and the processes needed to operate large-scale undertakings (Gibson, 2019). This is, rather, rational behaviour in response to their existential pressures created by today's market conditions. This has created cracks in the heart of the NGO sector. Identity, mission, and public trust are being threatened by the resultant pressure as increased corporatization, enterprise culture, and principal-agent (P-A) relationships gain momentum in NGO operations (Salamon, 2003). NGOs need to preserve their values as they navigate the distinctiveness and survival imperatives. This article attempts to delve into how NGOs have attempted to balance these imperatives, drawing from an empirical review of the existing body of literature in the subject area and analysis of the set-up and operations of one large Relief Service NGO in Uganda - the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS

The Aftermath of Disarmament on Community Security in Warrap State, South Sudan: The Case of Gogrial East County

South Sudan has been in the limelight for security-related issues stretching beyond the independence and autonomy of the country. The insecurity saw many people armed with weapons in pursuit of protecting themselves from the constant insecurity. Traditionally, security issues were confined to the realm of states; however, a new emerging paradigm of security has given the community a say on these issues by putting the individual at the center of the debate. The fundamental indicators of community security in Gogrial East in the aftermath of disarmament are the safety of the local people in their communities, the protection of their animals while grazing in fields and at watering points, their security at home, their protection against raid attacks from armed clans, and human killings involving firearms. The purpose of the study was to establish the aftermath of civilian disarmament in Warrap State, South Sudan. This study was guided by the Post-Modernist Approach and Neo-Realist Approach theories. The study utilized a qualitative research design. The target population was 146,276. The village elders in the area of study, youth who serve as warriors in the cattle camps, and members of the Peace Committees in the homesteads formed the sample size. Additionally, representatives of law enforcement officers (LEOs) from the Sudan People's Defense Force, South Sudan National Police Services, and the Community Police. Lastly, the study incorporated key informants (KI) such as politicians, CSOs, and community elders. The study adopted purposive sampling, stratified sampling, and random sampling with the strata of interest; a sample size of 110 using Mugenda and Mugenda and Borg and Gall formulas was used. Primary and secondary data collection were used. Questionnaires, interview guides, and focus group discussions were the data collection instruments. The study adopted multiple sources of data, ranging from primary to secondary. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques were used for data analysis and presentation. The data obtained was presented in percentages, pie charts, bar graphs, and tables. The qualitative data captured was analyzed using a narrative approach. The study found that the government of South Sudan and the military comprehend their role to protect the state, but more importantly, the people of South Sudan as stipulated in the constitution, especially those affected by the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. On a positive note, the level of state security after the disarmament of 2018, especially the security of the local people in their communities and the safety of their animals while grazing in fields and at watering points, there is security at their homes (cattle camps), and their protection against raid attacks from armed clans and human killings involving firearms in Gogrial East County is significantly safer currently. As the SSPDF continues to refine the disarmament program and operations in Gogrial East, the need for increased focus on community security has also increased. The study recommends that state and civil society organizations should look for ways to supplement community safety initiatives by funding educational and employment-generating initiatives so that children, youth, the unemployed, and other marginalized groups have more opportunities to secure gainful employment. This process will address some of the root causes of personal, community, and national insecurity. Mental disarmament of communities rather than physical disarmament is preferred. If the communities are mentally disarmed to fully understand the danger of illegal firearms and get assurance of their protection by the government, they will voluntarily surrender their arms

Prevalence and genotyping of African swine fever virus in apparently healthy pigs in Masaka, Mukono and Kamuli Districts in Uganda

African swine fever (ASF) is a viral hemorrhagic disease associated with death in infected pigs. African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a DNA virus that circulates in blood and lymphoid system of the pigs causing disease. There are various reports on ASF outbreaks in the country with a few confirmed in apparently healthy pigs which pigs show no signs of infection. Therefore a survey of apparently healthy pigs was undertaken to show the extent they habour the antibodies and antigen of ASFV and later determine the genetic diversity of the virus ASF in Kamuli, Mukono and Masaka districts of Uganda using serological, molecular and genotyping techniques. In total 1,192 blood and sera samples were collected and analyzed. All the pigs tested except one (1/1192) were negative for (ASFV) and none for antibodies indicating that ASFV causes a paracute / acute infection in Ugandan pigs with rare detection of virus or antibodies in apparently healthy pigs. Therefore chronically infected pigs are unlikely to be important in the epidemiology of ASF. The positive pig in Kamuli district was infected with genotype IX, the most common circulating ASFV genotype in Uganda. With one positive pig for ASFV, it was not possible to authoritatively associate predictors of infection with disease in tested pig farms. It is thus recommended that these predictors of infection with ASFV are studied in future ASF outbreak areas where the virus or antibodies in pigs may occur in high prevalence