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The youth unemployment situation is an essential component of the current agricultural policy agenda of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Deep-rooted debates on finding a lasting solution to this problem using agriculture have been... more
The youth unemployment situation is an essential component of the current agricultural policy agenda of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Deep-rooted debates on finding a lasting solution to this problem using agriculture have been targeted as one of the panaceas. Using data from 207 systematically selected rice-producing households, this study employed the Propensity Score Matching method (PSM) and the Inverse Probability Weighted Regression Adjustment method (IPWRA) to examine the effect of intensive youth participation in agriculture on productivity and household revenue in Nigeria. We found that the key factors influencing the decisions of youth to participate in agriculture intensively include the number of years of farming experience, access to credit, membership in social groups, income, and land access. The PSM results indicate that rice productivity could increase by 1088.78 kg/ha if youth decide to intensively participate in agriculture. The IPWRA results show a positive ...
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The increasing rate of youth unemployment in Africa, particularly in Nigeria, remains among the challenges to social and economic stability. Accordingly, the Nigerian government implemented several interventions, including the... more
The increasing rate of youth unemployment in Africa, particularly in Nigeria, remains among the challenges to social and economic stability. Accordingly, the Nigerian government implemented several interventions, including the Youth-in-Agribusiness (YIA) program to reduce youth unemployment. However, the effect of these programs on gainful employment creation is yet to be documented. Therefore, this study examined the impact of the YIA program on creating gainful employment among the youth. Multistage random sampling was used to obtain cross-sectional data from 668 youth in Southwestern Nigeria. Propensity score matching and endogenous switching probit techniques were used for the estimations. Results indicated that variables such as educational attainment, access to training, non-agricultural activity, membership in a youth organization, access to credit, productive resources, and youth location were significant and positively influenced youth decision to participate in the YIA pro...
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TaqMan screening of the GSTe2 genotypes in wild An. funestus (s.s.) from Kpome showing a high presence of RR individuals and the absence of SS individuals. (DOC 81 kb)
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TaqMan screening of the Rdlr genotypes in wild An. funestus (s.s.) from Kpome showing a high presence of SS individuals and a very low frequency of SS individuals. (DOC 79 kb)
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Background:To optimize the success of insecticide-based malaria control intervention, knowledge of the distribution ofAnopheles gambiaespecies and insecticide resistance mechanisms is necessary. This paper reported an updated data on... more
Background:To optimize the success of insecticide-based malaria control intervention, knowledge of the distribution ofAnopheles gambiaespecies and insecticide resistance mechanisms is necessary. This paper reported an updated data on pyrethroids/DDT resistance in theAn. gambiae s.lpopulation from Togo. Methods:From December 2013 to April 2015, females of indoor-restingAn. gambiae s.lwere captured in three locations belonging to three different ecological zones. Resistance to DDT, permethrin and deltamethrin was screened in F1 progeny of collected mosquitoes using WHO susceptibility tests. The identification of species ofAn. gambiaecomplex and the detection ofkdrandace.1Rallele were carried out using DNA-based molecular techniques.Results:An. gambiaefrom Kovié and Nangbéto were highly resistant to DDT and permethrin with mortalities rate ranging from 0.83% to 1.58% for DDT and zero to 8.54% for permethrin. Mosquitoes collected in Nangbéto displayed 81.53% mortality with deltamethrin....
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Research Interests: Zoology, Agronomy, Biology, Legumes, PEST analysis, and 2 moreHost Plants and Pyralidae(Host Plants and Pyralidae)
(Host Plants and Pyralidae)
Background Irrigation systems have been identified as one of the factors promoting malaria disease around agricultural farms in sub-Saharan Africa. However, if improved water management strategy is adopted during rice cultivation, it may... more
Background Irrigation systems have been identified as one of the factors promoting malaria disease around agricultural farms in sub-Saharan Africa. However, if improved water management strategy is adopted during rice cultivation, it may help to reduce malaria cases among human population living around rice fields. This study aimed to assess the impact of the different irrigation practices on malaria transmission, as well as to evaluate the water management system that will best mitigate malaria transmission in Malanville, Benin. Methods Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) study was conducted on 104 households staying on and around the rice fields in Malanville. The study focused on the frequency of mosquito bites and preventive measures against malaria as well as soil preparation and rice planting methods. Mosquito larvae density was assessed in different water management system: continuous flooding (CF) or intermittent flooding (IF), deep tillage (DT) or minimal tillage (MT) an...
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L’amélioration des revenus des transformatrices passe par un bon positionnement des amandes et du beure de karité sur le marché international. Les produits du Bénin sont achetés trois fois moins chers que ceux du Ghana. La correction de... more
L’amélioration des revenus des transformatrices passe par un bon positionnement des amandes et du beure de karité sur le marché international. Les produits du Bénin sont achetés trois fois moins chers que ceux du Ghana. La correction de cette situation passe par le développement et l’adoption de technologies appropriées. La connaissance et la prise en compte des pratiques existantes affectant la qualité de l’amande et du beurre sont nécessaires pour le développement et la diffusion des technologies. La présente étude s’est consacrée à l’inventaire des principales pratiques ou techniques endogènes de traitement du karité et à l’identification de celles qui sont appropriées. Une enquête a été réalisée auprès de transformatrices dans les cinq parcs à karité du Bénin en vue de recenser les savoir-faire endogènes en matière de transformation des fruits de karité en beurre, de les analyser et les comparer aux pratiques recommandées. Ainsi, 130 transformatrices choisies de façon aléatoire ...
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Background and objectives: Long lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) are used to control malaria vectors in Benin. It is known that the main threat to effective malaria vector control is the selection of... more
Background and objectives: Long lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) are used to control malaria vectors in Benin. It is known that the main threat to effective malaria vector control is the selection of insecticide resistance in field Anopheles population. This study aimed to generate baseline data on the mechanisms involved in insecticide resistance in An. gambiae s.l. population from Kpome. This information is useful for a proper evaluation of new formulations of vector control tools expected to be deployed in resistance management. Methods: Indoor-resting Anopheles mosquitoes were collected using electric aspirators. The insecticide susceptibility level of F1 adult offspring of An. gambiae s.l. was assessed using the WHO standardprotocol. Genotyping of insecticide resistant alleles and Plasmodium detections were carried out using TaqMan assays. Results: WHO susceptibility test showed that An. gambiae s.l. from Kpome is highly resistant to DDT and ...
Research Interests: Biology()
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The instability of world prices of traditional cash crops led to the promotion of nontraditional crops. Among the latter, vegetable farming is positioned as strategic cropping for meeting urban and periurban food consumption in most West... more
The instability of world prices of traditional cash crops led to the promotion of nontraditional crops. Among the latter, vegetable farming is positioned as strategic cropping for meeting urban and periurban food consumption in most West African countries. Seasonality differences between coastal and sahelian countries, coupled with, the logic of vegetable producers, and the requirements of crops and the prices variability resulted in the development of production and marketing strategies favorable to market integration in West African countries. This study aims at providing preliminary information on tomato market integration between Benin and Burkina Faso. Data from fields surveys and on monthly prices, extracted from ONASA and DGSA databases are used to analyze the regional market integration. Cointegration models based on Johansen approach and Autoregressive Distributed Lag approach of Pesaran are used for analysis. The hypothesis on the existence of a potential weak integration ...
Francis ZEUKING , Rousseau DJOUAKA, Jude BIGOGA , Razack ADEOTI, Manuele TAMO, Wilfred F. MBACHAM, Anthony ABLORDEY 1 AgroEcoHealth Platform, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), 08 P.O.Box 0932, Tri-Postal Cotonou,... more
Francis ZEUKING , Rousseau DJOUAKA, Jude BIGOGA , Razack ADEOTI, Manuele TAMO, Wilfred F. MBACHAM, Anthony ABLORDEY 1 AgroEcoHealth Platform, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), 08 P.O.Box 0932, Tri-Postal Cotonou, Cotonou, Bénin. 2 Faculty of Science, Department of Biochemistry, University of Yaoundé I, P.O.Box., 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon. 3 Department of Bacteriology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, P.O.Box., 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
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The net impact of pest-resistant GM crops on the welfare of both producers and consumers in developing countries is currently unknown and subject to speculation. This study uses choice-based conjoint protocol to estimate the net impact of... more
The net impact of pest-resistant GM crops on the welfare of both producers and consumers in developing countries is currently unknown and subject to speculation. This study uses choice-based conjoint protocol to estimate the net impact of pest-resistant Genetically Modified (GM) cowpea on net social welfare in Benin given price and income risks. Results imply that Bt cowpea will increase expected net social welfare by about $US 50 million per year in Benin given no inefficiencies in the seed sector. If inefficiencies in the seed sector are such that cowpea growers can access Bt cowpea seeds only 50% of the time, net benefits from Bt cowpea drop to about $US 11 million per year.
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Termites are widely used as a food resource, particularly in Africa and Asia. Markets for insects as food are also expanding worldwide. To inform the development of insect-based foods, we analysed selected minerals (Fe-Mn-Zn-Cu-Mg) in... more
Termites are widely used as a food resource, particularly in Africa and Asia. Markets for insects as food are also expanding worldwide. To inform the development of insect-based foods, we analysed selected minerals (Fe-Mn-Zn-Cu-Mg) in wild-harvested and commercially available termites. Mineral values were compared to selected commercially available insects. Alate termites, of the genera Macrotermes and Odontotermes, showed remarkably high manganese (Mn) content (292–515 mg/100 gdw), roughly 50–100 times the concentrations detected in other insects. Other mineral elements occur at moderate concentrations in all insects examined. On further examination, the Mn is located primarily in the abdomens of the Macrotermes subhyalinus; with scanning electron microscopy revealing small spherical structures highly enriched for Mn. We identify the fungus comb, of Macrotermes subhyanus, as a potential biological source of the high Mn concentrations. Consuming even small quantities of termite alat...
Lambda-cyhalothrin (λ-cyhalothrin) is the most commonly used pyrethroid insecticide for vegetable farming in Benin. This insecticide is misused and overused by farmers, and hence may pose health hazards to consumers. We monitored... more
Lambda-cyhalothrin (λ-cyhalothrin) is the most commonly used pyrethroid insecticide for vegetable farming in Benin. This insecticide is misused and overused by farmers, and hence may pose health hazards to consumers. We monitored λ-cyhalothrin residues in lettuce and cabbage from farms at the market gates in Cotonou and Parakou using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis techniques. These residues were also monitored on samples directly from farms (on-farm sampling) for 14 days post-treatment. Potential factors such as photolysis and hydrolysis involved in λ-cyhalothrin degradation were also screened. Results revealed that the level of λ-cyhalothrin residue concentrations in lettuce from Houeyiho decreased from 4.2 mg/kg on Day 1 to about 0.2 mg/kg on Day 7. On Day 9, analyzed lettuces were all λ-cyhalothrin free. In contrast, even 14 days after treatment of cabbage from Bawera (Parakou), we still recorded the presence of λ-cyhalothrin residues in analyzed samples. ...
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The environmental pathogen, Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU) can infect both humans and animals and cause Buruli ulcer (BU) disease. However, its mode(s) of transmission from the colonized environment to human/animal hosts remain unclear. In... more
The environmental pathogen, Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU) can infect both humans and animals and cause Buruli ulcer (BU) disease. However, its mode(s) of transmission from the colonized environment to human/animal hosts remain unclear. In Australia, MU can infect both wildlife and domestic mammals. Till date, BU-like lesions have only been reported in wildlife in Africa. This warrants a thorough assessment of possible MU in domestic animals in Africa. Here, we screened roaming domesticated animals that share the human microhabitat in two different BU endemic sites, Sedje-Denou in Benin and Akonolinga in Cameroon, for MU lesions. We screened roaming mammals and birds across 3 endemic villages of Sedje-Denou in Southern Benin and 6 endemic villages of Akonolinga in Cameroon. After approval from relevant authorities, specimens (wound swabs and tissue fragments) were collected from animals with open or active lesion and systematically screened to detect the presence of MU though the diagn...
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Background. Buruli ulcer (BU) continues to be a serious public health threat in wet tropical regions and the mode of transmission of its etiological agent, Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU), remains poorly understood. In this study, mosquito... more
Background. Buruli ulcer (BU) continues to be a serious public health threat in wet tropical regions and the mode of transmission of its etiological agent, Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU), remains poorly understood. In this study, mosquito species collected in endemic villages in Benin were screened for the presence of MU. In addition, the ability of mosquitoes larvae to pick up MU from their environment and remain colonized through the larval developmental stages to the adult stage was investigated. Methods. 7,218 adults and larvae mosquitoes were sampled from endemic and nonendemic villages and screened for MU DNA targets (IS2404, IS2606, and KR-B) using qPCR. Results. MU was not detected in any of the field collected samples. Additional studies of artificially infected larvae of Anopheles kisumu with MU strains revealed that mosquitoes larvae are able to ingest and host MU during L1, L2, L3, and L4 developmental stages. However, we noticed an absence of these bacteria at both pupae a...
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Knowledge on the spread and distribution of insecticide resistance in major malaria vectors such as Anopheles funestus is key to implement successful resistance management strategies across Africa. Here, by assessing the susceptibility... more
Knowledge on the spread and distribution of insecticide resistance in major malaria vectors such as Anopheles funestus is key to implement successful resistance management strategies across Africa. Here, by assessing the susceptibility status of an inland population of An. funestus Giles (Kpome) and investigating molecular basis of resistance, we show that multiple resistance and consistent plasmodium infection rate are present in Anopheles funestus populations from Kpome. The insecticide susceptibility level of collected Anopheles funestus was assessed. Synergist (PBO) was used to screen resistance mechanisms. The TaqMan technique was used for genotyping of insecticide resistant alleles and detecting plasmodium infection levels. The nested PCR was used to further assess the plasmodium infection rate. The TaqMan analysis of plasmodial infections revealed an infection rate (18.2 %) of An. funestus in this locality. The WHO bioassays revealed a multiple phenotypic resistance profile f...
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In Benin, a study is focused on the causes of the vulnerability and the risks of the potential spread of the pandemia the HIV/AIDS due to the existence of agribusinesses in the rural communities. The Benin sugar company and the cotton... more
In Benin, a study is focused on the causes of the vulnerability and the risks of the potential spread of the pandemia the HIV/AIDS due to the existence of agribusinesses in the rural communities. The Benin sugar company and the cotton shelling factory of Hagoumey are the two selected factories. The survey was conducted with 190 respondents selected within the resident community living around the target factories. The collected data are computed, processed and analyzed with Excel and SPSS 16. Results showed that the rural youth are the most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, according to 88% of the respondents. The vulnerability to HIV/AIDS increased during the active period of the factories’ operation. During this active period, the casual workers are recruited. Then, this period corresponds to the migratory flows from the others regions to the place where the factories are located. With this flow there are some news activities such as sex work and the opening of pubs which come up into the re...