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IoT-based automated surface-drip irrigation monitoring system prototype: a case of World Vegetable Center in Arusha, Tanzania
Get PDFIrrigation is pivotal for supplementing water, amidst climate change globally and surface-drip
irrigation provides an efficient plant-watering method with minimal mineral depletion. In
Tanzania, Africa, manual surface-drip irrigation persists despite attempts at SMS-based
automation, leading to time-consuming routine irrigation tasks. Existing studies focus on XBee
modules in their transparent operation mode, limiting scalability due to lack of information
such as source addresses as well as lack of support for multiple sensor nodes. This project,
carried out in Arusha, Tanzania, employed a wireless sensor network using XBee modules
configured in API mode for soil-data collection and transmission, utilizing Node-RED for
remote actuator control and soil data visualization. By employing JavaScript functions, data
bytes were extracted, including transmitter addresses, from each sensor node, enhancing
scalability. Sensors measured soil moisture, temperature, humidity, air temperature, and
ultraviolet radiation to determine irrigation requirements. The outcome, an IoT-based
Automated Surface-drip Irrigation Monitoring System Prototype was tested against user and
system requirements. Remarkably, the system reduced irrigation control time by 96%,
compared to manual control, by automatically triggering on the pump and valves when
minimum soil moisture threshold is reached and turning them off once the maximum moisture
threshold is reached. It also supported over-the-air firmware updates, to reduce maintenance
costs, enabling the integration of technologies like digital twins. The system can integrate with
existing manual irrigation systems, offering a cost-effective automation solution. Future
improvements could involve incorporating machine learning for crop water requirement
forecasting, expanding the sensor node network and extensive testing under different farm
environments
Determinants of food intake and nutritional status among inpatients in northern hospitals in Tanzania
Get PDFThis research article was published by International Journal of Biosciences | IJB | Vol. 25,2024Adequate nutrition is a key among hospitalized patients. It is crucial and most significant aspect of improving quality of life of inpatients. However, hospitals in developing nations challenged with adequate meal provisions. In Tanzania, meal provision isn’t part of inpatients service. This impacted quality of life, causing an increased number of days in hospital stay. Furthermore, research has demonstrated the significance of food consumption to promote recovery. Cross-sectional study design was used in this study. Data were analyzed for descriptive statistical inferences by using R statistical software. Results showed; determinants of food intake were; distance to hospital, 76% inpatients used more than 60 minutes to arrive at hospital and 31% stayed hospital for 15 days and above. Moreover, dietary study was conducted; results showed 70% of inpatients didn’t meet minimum dietary diversity. Insufficient nutrition awareness was another determinant where, 70% of inpatients didn’t understand balanced diet. Findings revealed that, 86% of inpatients consumed monotonous diet high in starch, 12% of adult inpatients were underweight (BMI 30. Twenty nine percent of children aged 6 to 59 months were severely stunted (SD < -3). In this study, association between dietary intake and distance from home indicated, some patients lacking food services because of leaving far from hospital. It was concluded that, higher proportion of inpatients didn’t meet minimum dietary diversity due to monotonous diet they consumed. To meet SDGs challenges of zero hunger, good health and well-being, hospital meal provision is essential
Effect of irrigation water cut-off position along furrows on water saving and productivity
Get PDFA Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Masters in Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering of the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and TechnologyDespite being widely practised technique by smallholder farmers, cut-off technique continues
to register low productivity and has not been adequately investigated to improve the status quo.
This study aimed to investigate the scenarios to improve water use efficiency and productivity
for the cut-off irrigation technique. Three cut-off treatments where water supply was stopped
with the advance phases reaching 75%, 80% and 90% of furrow length were investigated with
eight irrigation events. The crop grown under these scenarios was maize. Soil analysisshowed
that in all the three subplots, the soils were sandy loam with an average of 69% sand and 31%
silt. The initial soil moisture content was 14% and other corresponding moisture properties
were 33.5 mm/hr infiltration rate, 9% permanent wilting point and 12% available moisture.
Mean application efficiencies with significant differences (P<0.05) of 70%, 66.4% and 63%
were achieved for the 75%, 80% and 90% length treatments respectively. Corresponding
uniformities and water productivities of 90%, 89.9%, 89.2% and 1.54 kg/m3
, 1.38 kg/m3
, 1.18
kg/m3
respectively were obtained with no significant difference (P>0.05). The results
demonstrated the 75% c u t - o f f has the potential of saving water of up to 26% without
compromising water productivity. It is recommended therefore that the 75% cut-off position of
water supply be promoted among the smallholder farmers and that research studies should now
be carried out for less than 75% cut-off
Deep learning-based mobile application for the enhancement of pneumonia medical imaging analysis: A case-study of West-Meru Hospital
Get PDFThis research article was published by Elsevier Volume 50, 2024Pneumonia remains a significant global health challenge, demanding innovative solutions. This study presents a novel approach to pneumonia diagnosis and medical imaging analysis, leveraging advanced technologies. The study used a Literature Review Methodology to study various scientific articles and involved healthcare staff, including Doctors, Nurses, Radiologists and the community, in sharing their requirements for the study. The findings led to the proposal for the integration of Deep Learning techniques, including Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), as well as tools like YOLOv8, Roboflow, and Ultralytics, to revolutionize pneumonia detection and classification. The EfficientDet-Lite2 model architecture was subsequently used to generate a TensorFlow Lite Model, deployable in both Android and iOS mobile applications. The study’s outcomes reveal a substantial improvement in the precision and recall metrics. These results signify a promising step forward in empowering healthcare professionals with timely and reliable results for optimal patient management
Deep learning models for the early detection of maize streak virus and maize lethal necrosis diseases in Tanzania
No full textThis research article was published by International Journal of Innovative Research & Development 2024Agriculture is considered the backbone of Tanzania’s economy, with more
than 60% of the residents depending on it for survival. Maize is the country’s
dominant and primary food crop, accounting for 45% of all farmland production.
However, its productivity is challenged by the limitation to detect maize diseases
early enough. Maize streak virus (MSV) and maize lethal necrosis virus (MLN) are
common diseases often detected too late by farmers. This has led to the need
to develop a method for the early detection of these diseases so that they can
be treated on time. This study investigated the potential of developing deep-
learning models for the early detection of maize diseases in Tanzania. The
regions where data was collected are Arusha, Kilimanjaro, and Manyara. Data
was collected through observation by a plant. The study proposed convolutional
neural network (CNN) and vision transformer (ViT) models. Four classes of
imagery data were used to train both models: MLN, Healthy, MSV, and WRONG.
The results revealed that the ViT model surpassed the CNN model, with 93.1
and 90.96% accuracies, respectively. Further studies should focus on mobile
app development and deployment of the model with greater precision for early
detection of the diseases mentioned above in real life
Genetic diversity, population structure and kinship relationships highlight the environmental influence on Uganda’s indigenous goat populations
Get PDFThis research article was published by Trontiers,2024Knowledge about genetic diversity and population structure among goat populations is essential for understanding environmental adaptation and fostering efficient utilization, development, and conservation of goat breeds. Uganda’s indigenous goats exist in three phenotypic groups: Mubende, Kigezi, and Small East African. However, a limited understanding of their genetic attributes and population structure hinders the development and sustainable utilization of the goats. Using the Goat Illumina 60k chip International Goat Genome Consortium V2, the whole-genome data for 1,021 indigenous goats sourced from 10 agroecological zones in Uganda were analyzed for genetic diversity and population structure. A total of 49,337 (82.6%) single-nucleotide polymorphism markers were aligned to the ARS-1 goat genome and used to assess the genetic diversity, population structure, and kinship relationships of Uganda’s indigenous goats. Moderate genetic diversity was observed. The observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.378 and 0.383, the average genetic distance was 0.390, and the average minor allele frequency was 0.30. The average inbreeding coefficient (Fis) was 0.014, and the average fixation index (Fst) was 0.016. Principal component analysis, admixture analysis, and discriminant analysis of principal components grouped the 1,021 goat genotypes into three genetically distinct populations that did not conform to the known phenotypic populations but varied across environmental conditions. Population 1, comprising Mubende (90%) and Kigezi (8.1%) goats, is located in southwest and central Uganda, a warm and humid environment. Population 2, which is 59% Mubende and 49% Small East African goats, is located along the Nile Delta in northwestern Uganda and around the Albertine region, a hot and humid savannah grassland. Population 3, comprising 78.4% Small East African and 21.1% Mubende goats, is found in northeastern to eastern Uganda, a hot and dry Commiphora woodlands. Genetic diversity and population structure information from this study will be a basis for future development, conservation, and sustainable utilization of Uganda’s goat genetic resources
Status and future prospects for mobile phone-enabled diagnostics in Tanzania
Get PDFThis research article was published by PLOS Digital Health, 2024Introduction
Diagnosis is a key step towards the provision of medical intervention and saving lives. However, in low- and middle-income countries, diagnostic services are mainly centralized in large cities and are costly. Point of care (POC) diagnostic technologies have been developed to fill the diagnostic gap for remote areas. The linkage of POC testing onto smartphones has leveraged the ever-expanding coverage of mobile phones to enhance health services in low- and middle-income countries. Tanzania, like most other middle-income countries, is poised to adopt and deploy the use of mobile phone-enabled diagnostic devices. However, there is limited information on the situation on the ground with regard to readiness and capabilities of the veterinary and medical professionals to make use of this technology.
Methods
In this study we survey awareness, digital literacy and prevalent health condition to focus on in Tanzania to guide development and future implementation of mobile phoned-enable diagnostic tools by veterinary and medical professionals. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions, guided in-depth interviews and focus group discussion administered to the participants after informed consent was obtained.
Results
A total of 305 participants from six regions of Tanzania were recruited in the study. The distribution of participants across the six regions was as follows: Kilimanjaro (37), Arusha (31), Tabora (68), Dodoma (61), Mwanza (58), and Iringa (50). Our analysis reveals that only 48.2% (126/255) of participants demonstrated significant awareness of mobile phone-enabled diagnostics. This awareness varies significantly across age groups, professions and geographical locations. Interestingly, while 97.4% of participants own and can operate a smartphone, 62% have never utilized their smartphones for health services, including disease diagnosis. Regarding prevalent health condition to focus on when developing mobile phone -enabled diagnostics tools for Tanzania; there was disparity between medical and veterinary professionals. For medical professionals the top 4 priority diseases were Malaria, Urinary Tract Infections, HIV and Diabetes, while for veterinary professionals they were Brucellosis, Anthrax, Newcastle disease and Rabies.
Discussion
Despite the widespread ownership of smartphones among healthcare providers (both human and animal), only a small proportion have utilized these devices for healthcare practices, with none reported for diagnostic purposes. This limited utilization may be attributed to factors such as a lack of awareness, absence of policy guidelines, limited promotion, challenges related to mobile data connectivity, and adherence to cultural practices.
Conclusion
The majority of medical and veterinary professionals in Tanzania possess the necessary digital literacy to utilize mobile phone-enabled diagnostics and demonstrate readiness to adopt digital technologies and innovations to enhance diagnosis. However, effective implementation will require targeted training and interventions to empower them to effectively apply such innovations for disease diagnosis and other healthcare applications
Production, Postharvest Practice, Marketing and Challenges of Smallholder Vegetable Producers in Tanzania
Get PDFThis research article was published by the African scholarly science communications trust,2024Beside staple crops, the fruits and vegetables subsector contribute significantly to
domestic and export markets. Yet, this subsector faces a number of challenges
that limits its full growth potential. Through 383 randomly selected farmers’
interviews in selected districts, the study revealed profound information on the
vegetable value chain. Findings show that, there is fair participation of men (58%)
and women (42%) in vegetable production. Majority of farmers were between 19
and 49 years old (70%), attained primary education (80%) and had more than 5
years in commercial vegetable production (71.8%). Further, 79.4% of farmers had
less than 1 ha of vegetable farmland. Farmers cultivate a wide range of nutritious
and commercially valued vegetables including broccoli (50.7%), cauliflower
(37.3%), white cabbage (34.7%), crisphead lettuce (24.5%), Chinese cabbage
(20.6%), zucchini (20.1%), carrot (18.5%), tomato (14.4%), purple cabbage
(10.2%), beetroot (9.4%), African nightshade (8.4%), leaf lettuce (7.6%),
green/snap bean (6.8%), snow/sugar-snap pea (5%), leeks (5%), spinach (4.2%),
green pepper (4.2%), herbs (parsley, fennel and dill) (4.2%) and celery (2.9%).
However, sustainable marketing of fresh vegetables is a challenge leading to most
farmers opting to wholesale their produce at the farm gate (70.5%) instead of the
marketplace, with the price often being set by the wholesale buyers (78.1%). With
the exception of gender, household size, and farming experience; a farmer’s
location and primary education level had a slightly statistically significant (p =
0.044) influence on opting to use farmgate as the point of sales. The unpredictable
market (100%), costly and low-quality inputs (36.4%), pests and diseases (35.2%),
and shortage of cold storage facilities (22.9%) were claimed to hamper vegetable
production and the producers. In general, vegetables subsector can grow
significantly in Tanzania due to the availability of irrigated nutrient-rich land,
favorable climate and productive workforce. Thus, good farming practices,
marketing and cold chain facilities have the potential to reduce postharvest losses
and help realize national sustainable development goal
Towards Control of Taenia multiceps, an Emerging Threat to Small Ruminants’ Productivity.
Get PDFThis article was published on February 20 2024, its have Dio which is doi:10.20944/preprints202402.1127.v1and is available at the Nelson Mandela Institute repositoryTaeniid infections pose a significant threat to both animal and public health, as certain
tapeworms within this group can also infect humans, potentially leading to severe health
conditions. Therefore, this calls for preventive and control measures, such as regular deworming of
dogs. While the efficacy of deworming has been established in developed countries, there is a
paucity of reported deworming practices in rural areas of developing countries, such as Tanzania.
This study aims to understand determinants for helminth treatment-seeking behaviour towards
control of custodial taeniid infections in rural settings in northern Tanzania. A cross-sectional study
was undertaken in agropastoral and pastoral areas of northern Tanzania. Comprehensive data from
household surveys in selected sub-villages were collected to ascertain dog ownership, dog
deworming practices, and the availability of dewormers. Analytical methods were employed to
discern how various determinants influenced deworming practices among dog owners in these
communities. Awareness of dewormers specifically formulated for dogs emerged as a pivotal factor
affecting dog deworming practices. Dog owners who were informed about appropriate dog
dewormers were nearly two times more likely to engage in deworming compared to those with
limited knowledge (OR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.77 - 4.18, p < 0.001). A majority 32(51.6%, 95% CI: 38.7-64.3)
acknowledged accessing dewormers for livestock within their wards. Praziquantel a potent
dewormer on cestodes was least known to most dog owners 2(13%, 95% CI: 2.3-41.6). Praziquantel,
a potent and common dewormer effective against custodial taeniid infections, remains relatively
unknown in rural areas of northern Tanzania. Therefore, more awareness of appropriate
deworming agents against taeniids in dogs should be raised in rural dog-keeping communities
Farming systems and soil fertility management practices in smallholdings on the southern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Get PDFThis article was published by frontiers,2024In the northern part of Tanzania, the slopes of Mount (Mt.) Kilimanjaro are the
most important areas, both in terms of socio-economic development and
ecological succession. The main agricultural systems in the area are banana-
based (in the highlands) and maize-based (in the lowlands), with strong
interlinkage between them via residual transfer from the lowlands to the
mountains. This study assessed the soil fertility status between the two
contrasting farming areas of highland and lowland farms in Hai district along
the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. To achieve this, smallholder farmers along the slope
[from above 1000 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l) banana-based down to maize-
based, i.e., less than 1000 m.a.s.l] who practice crop residual transfer from maize-
based to banana-based farming systems were selected. Qualitative information
regarding the demographics, farming practices, and soil fertility management in
the two areas were gathered using a semi-structured questionnaire. Soils from
both areas (highland and lowland farms) were collected and analyzed in the
laboratory for the key soil properties. The demographic results show that
agriculture is mostly done by adults and elders (>40 years old). Manure was
most commonly reported to be used in the highlands, while inorganic fertilizers
were mainly used in lowland areas. The major challenges for soil fertility
management are a shortage of manure and high cost of inorganic fertilizers.
The results of soil nutrients revealed that lowland zones (>1000 m.a.s.l) had
significantly (p< 0.01) lower levels of nitrogen (0.14%) and organic carbon (OC)
(1.22%) compared with highland zones. Extractable phosphorus (P) was
significantly lower in both the highland and lowland zones, at 9.3 mg kg-1 and
8.2 mg kg-1, respectively, compared with other nutrients. However, potassium
(K+) was significantly (p<0.01) lower [0.34 cmol (+) kg-1] in the highland zone
compared to lowland areas. The data show that there is a severe depletion of soil nutrients in the lowland area of Hai district. Notwithstanding the efforts of the
small-holder farmers; the study comes to the conclusion that increasing
agricultural yield and the sustainability of farming systems require replenishing
the nutrients in the soil along the slope of Mount Kilimanjaro