East African Journal Of Science, Technology and Innovation
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Deploying Zero-energy Technologies to Reduce PHL of Horticulture crops for improving Farmers’ Economic Welfare in Tanzania
Full text linkTanzanian Fruits and Vegetables (F&V) industry employs more than 4.5 million people whose 70% are women and grew at 11% annually in the last decade. Despite the vital role played by F&V industry, the sub-sector experiences huge Post-Harvest Losses (PHL) accounting for up to 60% of the total produce. These losses threaten sustainability of the production, enlarge Food & nutrition insecurity concerns, deprive economic use of the produced crops, increase prices of crops and reduce amounts of consumer expenditure to reach farmers. This paper employed semi-systematic approach and content analysis to unveil potentials of using Zero Energy technologies to lessen PHL in Tanzania’s F&V industry. Search queries namely; ‘postharvest losses (PHL) management, Tanzania Fruits and Vegetables and Zero Energy technologies’ were used to solicit literature from reliable bibliographic databases including Google scholar, JUSTOR and Science Direct. Results showed that a number of practices and technologies to handle F&V including manual harvesting, non-refrigerated transport modes; and traditional storage facilities such as bamboo baskets, plant leaves % open spaces under the shade. Deploying usage of ZECC to address PHL of F&V would lower food losses amounted to 2,093,583tons of fruits and 587,569 tons of vegetables per annum whose value amounts to 4.6 trillion and 1.4 trillion Tanzanian shillings respectively. The value of PHL for both fruits and vegetables (six trillion) were enough to pay annual public servants’ salaries or the government annual debt by 87% in 2021/2022. Moreover, the spreading effect would enhance food and nutrition security, improve affordability of F&V to consumers and raise farmers’ income. Indeed, reduction of PHL in the F&V industry will lead to economic empowerment of women involved in the F&V sub sector
Evaluating Limitations of Agroecological Practices and Stakeholders’ Response: A Case of Uluguru Mountains Landscape in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania
Full text linkIn Sub-Saharan Africa, conventional farming is associated with intensive use of synthetic chemicals and inputs to maximize agricultural productivity. This is done at the expense of sustainable agroecologically based production systems. This objective was to describe limitations of agroecological practices and stakeholders’ response along Mountain Uluguru. The area has been vulnerable to unregulated land degradation aggravated by soil erosion largely due to unsuitable agricultural practices. The data were collected through questionnaires and in-depth interviews from 72 respondents who were purposively selected. Both qualitative and quantitative data were analysed using content analysis and statistical software respectively. Farmers undertake agriculture to increase production so as to meet food needs (44.8%) and employment opportunities (55.2%). About 41.7% of farmers who had land with secure tenure grew fruit and non-fruit trees on their farms or homesteads, 11.7% rented the farming land temporarily from owners through informal arrangements and the rest squatted on public land for cultivation of vegetables. From SWOT analysis, agroforestry is threatened by unregulated agricultural activities (18.6%) and overuse of forest resources unsustainably (7.0%). The agroecology training is not coordinated and supported by government agencies, which have authority to inform the policy makers about insecure land tenure and unavailability of organic inputs that would increase farmers’ livelihoods. Agro-soil erosion control and conservation agriculture measures are essential features of agroecology training, but some farmers were not aware of them and those who are aware do not adopt them effectively. The study concludes that, without the government acknowledgement of agro-ecology and its associated contributions there will always be weak institutional coordination among stakeholders required to regulate, promote and support agro-ecology practices to create a balance of conserved environment, protected ecology and enhanced farmers’ livelihoods. This is because there is no clear national guidelines and support (financial and technical) addressing the challenges facing agro-ecology practic
Occurrence of the entomopathogenic Fungi of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in selected areas of Tanzania
Full text linkSpodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is a highly destructive pest that affects major food and cash crops in Sub-Saharan Africa. Maize, in particular, is a preferred host for this pest, posing a significant threat to food security. Initially, conventional synthetic pesticides were widely used to combat the pest. However, the potential of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) as cost-effective and safe alternative has been recognized. The objective of this study was to collect and identify the local EPF species in selected areas of Tanzania\u27s mainland, namely Mwanza, Morogoro, Coast, and Songwe regions. Morphological and molecular methods were employed to identify the fungal species recovered from 100 S. frugiperda cadavers. The findings revealed that 90% of the recovered fungi belonged to the genera of Fusarium while the remaining 10% were Clonostachys. These results suggest that Fusarium species hold promise as effective bio-control agents against S. frugiperda due to their wide distribution and tolerance to field disturbances. However, additional studies are necessary to validate the effectiveness of these recovered fungi against S. frugiperda
In-Vitro Efficacy of Botanical extracts for the Management of Aspergillus flavus growth in Tanzania
Full text linkMaize is one of the most important food and commercial crops in Tanzania but is vulnerable to pre-and postharvest contamination with aflatoxins produced mostly by Aspergillus flavus. This study evaluated the in-vitro antifungal efficacy of five locally available botanicals (Azadirachta indica, Calotropis procera, Euphorbia hirta, Jatropha curcas, and Ricinus communis) against the growth of A. flavus. The botanical leaves were collected mainly from the Kongwa district, while strains of Aspergillus species were isolated from maize grain from Kongwa and Morogoro rural districts during the cropping season 2021/2022. The effect of botanicals on the radial mycelium growth of A. flavus was tested at concentrations of 0.2 0.25, 0.3, and 0.35 g/mL. The inhibitory effect was proportional to the concentration of botanicals. The highest radial growth inhibition of A. flavus was exhibited by extracts of J. curcas (69.7%), R. communis (62.8%), A. indica (61.8%), and E. hirta (52.4%). The least mean inhibition was found in C. procera (45.7%) at a concentration of 0.35 g/ml. The antifungal effect of botanicals demonstrated in this study warrants further evaluation for pre-harvest management of Aspergillus species contamination under field conditions
The Social Network Analysis and Stakeholders’ Influence on Moringa Plant Development Potential in Mpwapwa District, Tanzania
No full textDistrict in Dodoma Region Tanzania. The Moringa plant had been regarded as a potential for medicinal and income purposes. A number of stakeholders have been realized to contribute efforts to develop the production of the plant in the district. This paper therefore analyzed the interactive efforts of stakeholders and perceived influence on supporting the cultivation and business of the Moringa plant in the district. A questionnaire survey was carried out among 30 Moringa plant farmers. The influence of stakeholder was analyzed using Social Network Analysis (SNA) to investigate the extent of interaction in the business network. Ten (10) potential stakeholders were identified and categorized as Religious, Commission Agents, International actors, Local Authority and Entrepreneurs. Degree of centrality was used as a measure of the real influence of Moringa plant stakeholders. Findings show that all stakeholders played roles with different influential weights. There was a noticeable interaction and cooperation among stakeholders in coordinating Moringa plant activities, especially on technical, financial and material support. A multilevel interaction and cooperation of domestic and foreign stakeholders was realized. Therefore, by strengthening the coordinated efforts of stakeholders, applying feasible economic and policy approaches would be appropriate initiatives to scale-up the Moringa plant in a more positive economic promise
Citation Impact of Institutional Repositories in Selected Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania
Full text linkInstitutional Repositories (IRs) development in Tanzania has made publications readily available, accessible, and retrievable. IRs have increased the visibility of researchers and institutions and have contributed to the University ranking. Several Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) in Tanzania have developed their IRs hosting institutional publications. This study assessed the citation impact of IR contents of selected Tanzanian HLIs. The study evaluated the citation impact of IR contents using publications indexed in the Scopus database. Four HLIs were purposively selected. The search within reference advanced feature for the Scopus database was conducted. The publications indexed in Scopus citing the selected IR contents from 2018 to 2022 were identified and extracted. Data analysis was carried out using Microsoft Excel and SPSS. The study findings indicated that the Tanzanian IR contents had a low citation impact. The study recommends that Tanzanian HLIs devise strategies for increasing IR content visibility. The strategies may include registering the IRs in online platforms and ensuring the Handle System is implemented to improve the accessibility of the IR content. Furthermore, the HLIs should create awareness of research visibility, enabling researchers to publish and increase their visibility
Quality characteristics and levels of acrylamide in commercial French fries consumed in Nairobi, Kenya
Full text linkStudies in Kenya have shown that French fries are relied on as a convenient meal by many people across the ages, and recent reports indicate that fried potato products including French fries contain high levels of acrylamide (AA), a probable human carcinogen and neurotoxic substance. The current study was carried out to determine the quality characteristics including moisture content, oil content, color and levels of acrylamide, of French fries consumed in Nairobi. A total of 100 samples were purchased from high, middle and lower-end restaurants/fast-food outlets and each was assessed for these quality parameters. The oil content of French fries ranged from 12.14 % to 27.74 % while the moisture content of the samples ranged from 33.92 % to 63.67%. Acrylamide levels ranged from non-detectable (ND) to 2308.85 μg/kg, with a mean of 338.99 μg/kg. The average acrylamide levels of samples obtained from the high-end outlets (hotels) was 136.15μg/kg being significantly (p<0.05) lower than those obtained from the middle (cafeterias) and low (street) outlets which were 412.0μg/kg and 354.18μg/kg, respectively. There were weak correlations between acrylamide and moisture contents (r= 0.047), and between the compound and the lightness parameters (r=0.090) of the French fries. No relationship was found to exist between acrylamide and the other quality parameters of redness and yellowness. There is need to educate processors on measures which can be taken to reduce the acrylamide levels in the products, given the health risks associated with the compound. The oil contents of the products from some processors also need to be reduced to the current statutory maximum levels of 20%. Regular monitoring and exposure assessments by regulatory agencies would be instrumental in determining the efficacy of the measures put in place
Frequency distribution of a gamma photon emitted without recoil by a nucleus considering multiple scattering processes
Full text linkThe time-dependent frequency distribution of a gamma photon emitted without recoil by an excited source nucleus is calculated; the emitted photon is submitted to nuclear quasi-resonant scattering in an absorber and recorded by a detector. The problem is formulated for an arbitrary number of quasi-resonant nuclei in the absorber, including both radiative decay (decay by means of gamma radiation) and decay by electron conversion (decay where the nuclear de-excitation energy is transmitted directly to an atomic electron). The problem of multiple scattering is treated by means of the so-called coherent path model developed years ago. The properties of the radiation leaving the absorber under these conditions are complex. The calculated probabilities of finding a gamma photon thus emitted as a function of frequency show a rich structure, with among others, maxima and minima that vary with time. The frequency distribution changes continuously as a function of time. For times long compared to the nuclear mean life of the excited state, the envelop of the frequency distribution resembles a Lorentz distribution, the details show some oscillatory behaviour as well as an asymmetry with respect to the nuclear frequency in the case of quasi-resonance between the source and the absorber nuclei. If the source and absorber nuclei are in exact resonance, the frequency distribution is symmetric but the oscillatory behaviour is still present. The frequency distribution is determined by the source nucleus as well as by the quasi-resonant absorber nuclei, hence by the multiple scattering processes. The model presented can be used to calculate analytically the properties of the transmitted gamma radiation for any number of absorber nuclei, although the simulation of the results will obviously necessitate some tedious computer work
An Evaluation of community knowledge and awareness of Leptospirosis among households, farmers and livestock keepers in Unguja, Zanzibar
No full textLittle is known of the leptospirosis in Zanzibar. This study aims to assess the level of knowledge and awareness of leptospirosis among urban and peri-urban communities in Unguja. A cross-sectional study was conducted utilizing semi-structured questionnaires from January to April 2022. Two hundred respondents were randomly selected (130 males and 70 females) aged between 18 and 89 years). Descriptive analysis was performed to determine the main trends of the knowledge and awareness, while χ2 analysis was conducted to identify associations between demographic characteristics with respondents’ knowledge and awareness. The majority of the respondents (64%) were not aware of theetiology of leptospirosis. However, a high percentage of respondents had a favorable attitude (68.6%) towards leptospirosis compared to knowledge and awareness (35%) and practices (29.3%). However, there was low level of knowledge and awareness among the livestockkeeper, farmers, fishermen and health care providers. The findings also demonstrated that males had a strong association with occupational physical activities, while educational level was associated with preventive practices. Living in urban or peri-urban appeared stronglyassociated with practice of the respondents. The results of this study showed a low level of community knowledge and awareness regardingthe etiology, mode of transmission and signs of leptospirosis among livestock keeper, farmers, fishermen and health care providers. Although most respondents had a favorable attitude, their low level of knowledge and poor practices indicate that supplementing a positive attitude with enhanced knowledge and awareness is necessary to promote individual engagement in preventive measures
Modeling Radionuclide Transfer from Pasture to Milk in Kisoro, South-western Uganda: Radionuclide Transfer from Pasture to Milk
No full textDetermination of radionuclide transfer from animal feeds to animal products and ingestion transfer rates is important in assessing internal radiation risk to humans who consume the animal products. Seventy-nine (79) pasture samples and milk samples were collected from cattle farms in seven sub-counties. Activity concentrations of radionuclides in the samples were determined using gamma spectroscopy. Transfer ratios of radionuclides to from pasture to milk were calculated. Ingestion transfer rates of radionuclide from pasture to cow were also determined. Radionuclide accumulation to the body of the cow was modeled. Contributions to radiological effects due to accumulation of radionuclides in the body were estimated. Transfer ratios of uranium and thorium from pasture to milk varied from 0.07 to 0.17, and 0.05 to 0.17, respectively. The ingestion transfer rates of uranium varied from 3.110-6 to 7.6 10-6 y l-1 while for thorium, the ingestion transfer rates varied from 2.2 10-6 to 7.5 10-6 y l-1. The contribution to radium equivalent (Bq l-1), annual effective dose equivalent (mSv y l-1), and excess lifetime cancer Risk due to the radionuclide transfer were 0.074, 0.002, and 0.0061 10-3, respectively. Comparing with the safe values of annual effective dose equivalent in foodstuffs of 0.14 mSv y l-1 which translates to excess cancer risk of 0.42 10-3, these contributions to radiological effects only account for about 1.5% of the total safe value of excess lifetime cancer risk, therefore, radionuclide transfer from pasture to milk causes a minimal radiation hazard to the milk consumers in Kisoro District