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A decade of One Health implementation in Somalia: Challenges and opportunities for institutionalization
No full textOne Health (OH)-oriented initiatives are essential for addressing complex health challenges in Somalia given the country’s economy depends heavily on the livestock, agriculture, and marine resources. The Capacitating One Health in Eastern and Southern Africa (COHESA) project supported a comprehensive assessment of the status of OH in Somalia through 21 key informant interviews, two focus group discussions, a desk review of secondary data and net-mapping with OH stakeholders. This multi-faceted approach aimed to deepen the understanding of OH concepts and their interconnectedness with human, animal, and ecosystem health. The study identified several critical challenges and opportunities within the Somali context, focusing on innovations in governance, education, and implementation. Key findings revealed significant gaps, including limited infrastructure, insufficient government funding for OH initiatives, and an overreliance on external donor support. Moreover, there is a notable lack of institutionalization of OH within various government sectors, which hinders effective collaboration. This assessment underscores the urgent need for enhanced funding, capacity building, and the establishment of sustainable governance structures. By addressing these gaps, Somalia can leverage OH principles to improve health outcomes for humans, animals, and the environment, thereby fostering a healthier and more resilient society
Irrigation development and environmental degradation in developing countries: a dynamic model of investment decisions and policy options.
No full textThe bacterial and pathogenic landscape of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) whole blood and serum from Kenya
No full textBackground: African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a significant reservoir host for many zoonotic and parasitic infections in Africa. These include a range of viruses and pathogenic bacteria, such as tick-borne rickettsial organisms. Despite the considerations of mammalian blood as a sterile environment, blood microbiome sequencing could become crucial for agnostic biosurveillance. This study investigated the blood microbiome of clinically healthy wild buffaloes in Kenya to determine its applicability in agnostic testing for bacteria in apparently healthy wild animals.
Methods: Whole blood and serum samples were collected from 46 wild African buffalos from Meru National Park (30), Buffalo Springs (6) and Shaba (10) National Reserves in upper eastern Kenya. Total deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from these samples and subjected to amplicon-based sequencing targeting the 16 S rRNA gene. The bacteria operational taxonomic units (OTU) were identified to species levels by mapping the generated V12 and V45 regions of 16 S rRNA gene to the SILVA database. These OTU tables were used to infer the microbial abundance in each sample type and at the individual animal level. The sequences for the corresponding OTUs were also used to generate phylogenetic trees and thus infer evolution for the OTUs of interest.
Results: Here, we demonstrate that buffaloes harbor many bacteria in their blood. We also report a diversity of 16 S rRNA gene sequences for Anaplasma and Mycoplasma from individual animals. By sequencing both whole blood and serum in triplicate for each animal, we provide evidence of the differences in detecting bacteria in both sample types.
Conclusions: Diverse bacteria, including some potential pathogens, can be found in the blood of clinically healthy wild African buffalo. Agnostic surveillance for such pathogens can be achieved through blood microbiome sequencing. However, considerations for the question being asked for the blood microbiome in wildlife will impact the choice for using whole blood or serum for sequencing
Bacterial Antimicrobial Resistance and Residues in Tilapia Farms from One Health Perspective
No full textThe objective of the present study was to isolate One Health significant bacteria from tilapia-dominant polyculture food production systems and antibiotic residues in Bangladesh. The study spanned from December 2022 and April 2023 and was conducted in five Upazilas in the Mymensingh district of Bangladesh. During the study period, biological samples were analyzed to examine the presence of One Health significance antimicrobial resistant bacteria from Mymensingh district
Effect of combining lower- and higher-value monthly cash transfers with nutrition-sensitive agriculture, male engagement, and psychosocial intervention on maternal depressive symptoms in rural Malawi: A secondary analysis of a cluster-randomised controlled trial
No full textMaternal depression affects one in five women in Malawi. Integrated interventions simultaneously addressing multiple risks are a promising strategy to improve mental health. This study evaluated the impact of a nutrition-sensitive social behaviour change (SBC) interventions (agriculture and livelihoods, male engagement, and Caring for the Caregiver) with or without cash transfers on maternal perinatal depression during the lean season in rural Malawi. A midline survey for a cluster-randomised controlled trial was conducted, where 156 clusters were randomly assigned to four arms (39 clusters/arm): (1) Standard of care (SoC), (2) SBC, (3) SBC+low cash (USD17 per month), and (4) SBC+high cash (USD43 per month). Pregnant women and mothers of children <2 years of age (n=2,682) were enrolled at baseline (May-June 2022). A subsample of 1,303 women were followed-up at midline (November-December 2023). Maternal perinatal depression was assessed using the Self-reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) with a score of ≥8 indicating symptoms consistent with depression. Intervention effects were estimated using linear mixed effects models. At midline, SBC+high cash reduced depression scores relative to SoC (mean difference (MD) -1.13 (95% CI -1.96, -0.31)) but had no impact on the proportion of women with depressive symptoms. SBC+low cash and SBC alone had no impact on depression scores or the proportion of women with depressive symptoms. Relative to SBC alone, adding cash to SBC reduced depressions scores and the proportion of women with depressive symptoms regardless of the size of the cash transfer. Cash transfers integrated with SBC can benefit maternal perinatal depression health in rural Malawi during the lean season
Gender pay gaps among agricultural and non-agricultural wage workers: A cross-country examination
No full textWhile gender pay gaps in higher-income countries have been extensively studied, less information is available about the status of the gender pay gap in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). This study provides new empirical estimates of the gender pay gap in agricultural and non-agricultural wage employment across a sample of ten LMICs covering multiple regions. The Kitagawa–Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition approach is used to unpack the factors that explain the pay gap across the sample of countries. The analysis shows large and significant gender gaps in pay in both agricultural and non-agricultural wage employment. Across the sample, the gender wage gap in favour of men is on average 18.4 percent in agricultural wage employment and 15.1 percent in the non-agricultural sector (unweighted means). The unexplained part of the gap, which is associated with discrimination and other unobservable factors such as skills, preferences or social norms, is the largest contributor to the wage gap in both sectors. However, differences in education, sector of employment and access to full-time employment also contribute to the gap. This background paper was prepared to inform Chapter 2 of FAO’s report on The status of women in agrifood systems: https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/CC5060EN
Uneven dietary development: linking the policies and processes of globalization with the nutrition transition, obesity and diet-related chronic diseases [translated into Thai]
No full textIn a "nutrition transition", the consumption of foods high in fats and sweeteners is increasing throughout the developing world. The transition, implicated in the rapid rise of obesity and diet-related chronic diseases worldwide, is rooted in the processes of globalization. Globalization affects the nature of agri-food systems, thereby altering the quantity, type, cost and desirability of foods available for consumption. Understanding the links between globalization and the nutrition transition is therefore necessary to help policy makers develop policies, including food policies, for addressing the global burden of chronic disease. While the subject has been much discussed, tracing the specific pathways between globalization and dietary change remains a challenge. To help address this challenge, this paper explores how one of the central mechanisms of globalization, the integration of the global marketplace, is affecting the specific diet patterns. Focusing on middle-income countries, it highlights the importance of three major processes of market integration: (I) production and trade of agricultural goods; (II) foreign direct investment in food processing and retailing; and (III) global food advertising and promotion
From the Agroecology Initiative to the Multifunctional Landscapes Program: A Partner Forum
No full textSummary of a Forum with implementing partners of the Agroecology Initiative online to reflect on three years of collaborative research
Vision to action for agroecological transitions in the living landscapes: India progress report
No full textThe One CGIAR Agroecology initiative aims to contribute to achieving agroecological transition (AET) in eight countries through developing and scaling a range of innovations by using a participatory action-research approach involving the key stakeholders of the Agroecological Living Landscapes (ALLs) in multi-stakeholder territorial spaces in each country. It does so by jointly developing a shared vision, behaviour change, behaviour drivers and shared action plan with key stakeholders. Once the action plan is set to achieve the vision, transition pathways towards achieving them become the core of the underlying innovation process. The process entails inclusiveness, representativeness, interest, and motivation of the stakeholders to contribute to AET and ensure shared action plan and goals are demand driven.
In India, the initiation of the participatory approach begins with the Vision to Action exercise conducted in Mandla, Madhya Pradesh. The initial round of discussions involves key stakeholders, and this technical report serves to document the insights gained from the exercise. These learnings will serve as a foundational guide for the subsequent phases of co-designing and coimplementing agroecological approaches in the ALL