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Status and trends in the international wildlife trade in Chameleons with a focus on Tanzania
No full textJournal ArticlesChameleons (family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive group of reptiles, mainly found in
Africa, which have high local endemism and face significant threats from the international
wildlife trade. We review the scale and structure of international chameleon trade, with a
focus on collection in and exports from Tanzania; a hotspot of chameleon diversity. Analysis
used data from the CITES Trade Database 2000–2019, combined with assessment of
online trade, and on-the-ground surveys in Tanzania in 2019. Between 2000 and 2019,
1,128,776 live chameleons from 108 species were reported as exported globally, with
193,093 of these (from 32 species) exported by Tanzania. Both global and Tanzanian cha-
meleon exports declined across the study period, driven by decreased trade in generalist
genera. Whilst the proportion of captive-bred individuals increased across time for the gen-
eralist taxa, the majority of range-restricted taxa in trade remained largely wild-sourced. For
Tanzanian exports, 41% of chameleons were from one of the 23 endemic species, and 10
of the 12 Tanzanian endemic species in trade are categorised as threatened with extinction
by IUCN. In terms of online trade, of the 42 Tanzanian species assessed, there was evi-
dence of online sale for 83.3% species, and 69% were actively for sale with prices listed.
Prices were on average highest for Trioceros species, followed by Kinyongia, Rieppeleon,
Rhampholeon, and Chameleo. Field work in Tanzania provided evidence that the historic
harvest of endemic chameleon species has been higher than the quantities of these species
reported as exported by Tanzania in their annual trade reports to CITES. However, we
found no field evidence for trade in 2020 and 2021, in line with Tanzanian regulations that
applied a blanket ban on all exports of live wild animals. Literature evidence, however, sug-
gests that illegal trade continued to Europe from seizures of Tanzanian chameleon species
in Austria in 2021
Characteristics of bee fodder plants of mlele beekeeping zone, Katavi, Tanzania
No full textMSc DissertationPollination by insects, particularly bees, is essential for biodiversity
conservation and plant reproductive success. Tanzania is
characterized by a rich diversity of flowering plants estimated to be
over 9000 species. A wide variety of flowering plant species serve
as bee fodders and are essential to maintaining healthy bee
populations. Mlele District in Katavi region of Tanzania is among the
highest honey producing area in the region. Several studies on bee
fodder plants characteristics, including their composition and nectar
quality have been done in temperate and sub temperate regions with
few in the tropics. These studies have reported the impact of
environmental and human disturbances on bee fodder plants.
Despite the potential of Katavi region for beekeeping, few studies
have been done in the region, especially on the characteristics of
bee fodder plants incorporating environmental, disturbance and the
nectar quality. This knowledge gap results into ineffective
conservation of food sources for bees, unsustainable beekeeping
practices, low production and quality of bee products.
The study overall objective was to determine the characteristics of
bee fodder plants of Mlele Beekeeping zone. The study included two
objectives, the first objective was to determine the composition of
bee fodder plants along environmental and disturbance gradients
and the second was to determine the periodicity of floral rewards by
the bee fodder plant species. A systematic sampling design was
employed to assess how environmental and disturbance gradients
impact bee fodder plants composition. A total of 50 rectangular plots
of size 50 by 30 m were laid in two transects with 25 plots in each
transect. Plant flowers were observed for 10 minutes and were
scored as bee fodder plants after at least three bees visited the
flower within the observation period. The periodicity of floral rewards
objective employed purposive sampling design on the basis of
provision of measurable amounts of nectar and enough flowers to
conduct the study with repeated measurements. Plants in which the
honeybees extended their proboscis into the flowers were determined as nectar rewarding plants and where bees collected
pollen were determined as pollen rewarding plants.
Data collection on bee fodder plants composition was obtained
through a summary of species data list and their abundance values.
Climatic data was obtained from the current climate data set
downloaded from world climate site with a 30 arc seconds resolution
and four subsets of biophysical data were used. Disturbance data
was recorded for presence or absence and the disturbance type.550
hours of observation were made for recording of flower visitors on
ten bee fodder plant species from 0700 hours to 1800 hours. Nectar
was extracted by micro capillary tubes and quality was measured in
form of total sugar concentration by the use of a digital handheld
refractometer.
In the data analysis section, data skewness was addressed by
standardization of the data. Detrended Correspondence Analysis
(DCA) was applied to assess the ecological gradient's magnitude
within the species composition matrix and to determine the
appropriate constrained ordination method. The results gave the
option for Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) due to the
data's heterogeneity. Log-transformations were applied to species
abundance data to meet multivariate normality assumptions. Rare
species occurring in fewer than five plots were excluded from the
analysis. Stepwise automatic forward selection identified significant
explanatory variables for CCA. The chosen variables were then
constrained against tree species and community composition.
Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance Using Distance
Matrices (Adonis) was employed for variance partitioning. The
community composition was identified by the use of Bray-Curtis’s
dissimilarity and Silhouette validation. Generalized linear models
were created to examine visitations and effect of nectar
concentration and temperature on bee visitation rate.
Overall, 71 bee fodder plants belonging to 25 families were
recorded. The results revealed that 23% of the variation in the composition of dominant tree species within the study area could be
attributed to the interplay of environmental and disturbance factors.
Elevation emerged as the most influential predictor, accounting for
approximately 11.6% of the total variation. Annual mean
temperature contributed around 3.5% to the observed variation and
annual precipitation about 3.6%. Four bee fodder plant communities
were identified in the area with first cluster being dominated by
Erythrophleum africanum, second with Brachystegia glaucescens,
third with Diplorhynchus condylocarpon and fourth Bobgunnia
madagascariensis. Nectar concentration was identified as a central
driver of bee visitation patterns. The bee fodder plants including
Antidesma membranaceum and Friesodielsia obovata, showcased
nectar concentration percentages that significantly enhanced their
attractiveness to bees.
The results of this research study have the potential in providing
valuable insights to beekeepers and conservationists for improving
beekeeping practices in Mlele Beekeeping zone. It provides
understanding into factors influencing bee visitation rates to different
bee fodder plant species. It also highlights the significance of nectar
sugar concentration and temperature in shaping bee foraging
behavior. Environmental factors particularly elevation, annual mean
temperature and annual precipitation are seen to be important in
shaping the composition of bee fodder plants. The findings
recommend prioritizing and promoting planting and conserving bee
plant species with high visitation rates such as Antidesma
membranaceum, Psorospermum febrifugum and Securidaca
longepedunculata to support bee populations and enhance
pollination services.
Further research is needed into other bee fodder plants traits that
attract bee to deepen our understanding of bee interactions.
Understanding the relationship between environmental factors and
bee plant communities in other locations and other factors such as
soil type and land use should be considered. As ecosystems face ongoing challenges from climate change and human activities, such
research becomes increasingly valuable in ensuring the health of
bee populations and the preservation of biodiversity. Further
research in other regions and at different scales is needed to expand
our knowledge of these vital relationships and their implications for
beekeeping and conservation efforts globally.The Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) Projec
School labelling and its effects on students schooling: a case of selected special, ward and private schools in Tanzania
No full textInternational Journal of Education and Social Science Research p no. 55-77The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of school labelling specifically regarding special,
ward, and private schools on students’ educational experiences. This study seeks to understand how
perceptions associated with different school types influence students' motivation, self-esteem, and
overall students’ academic performance. By examining the impact of these labels, the research aimed
to provide insights that can inform educational policies and practices, ultimately promoting equity and
improving student outcomes across various school settings. The study adopted purposive and simple
randomly sampling techniques where a total of 80 respondents and 4 key informants from the study
area were involved in the study. Basically, the study was qualitative in nature though quantitative
approach was used to some extent. Questionnaire was used to collect requisite information to students
and quantitative data were analysed by using descriptive statistics to determine frequency and
percentage whereas qualitative data were subjected to content analysis.
With regards to the specific objectives of this study, it was also revealed that in special schools both
students and teachers are highly motivated to study and work, while in those schools labelled to be
low, both students and teachers are demoralized to study and to work, these feelings in turn can have
impact in the teaching and learning process of the students and teachers.
Furthermore, it was found out that, special, seminary, and private schools have superior resources
compared to local public schools, including a better student-to-book ratio and well-equipped
laboratories. Libraries in private schools are stocked with a wide range of learning materials, and sports
facilities are more readily available.
On the basis of these findings, the study recommends that, Policy makers and School administrators,
especially in the government secondary schools should ensure proper teacher motivational packages
and their schools have enough desks and chairs both in the classrooms and libraries. Lastly, labelling of schools should be avoided as it demoralizes the stake holders even the parents don’t feel proud when their children are sent to study in inferior labelled schools
Feed utilisation, growth performance and carcass characteristics of Tanzania shorthorn zebu cattle fed rice straws under traditional finish feeding system
No full textMaster of Science Degree in Tropical Animal ProductionTanzania has 36.6 million cattle and is one of the countries with the
largest cattle population in Africa. Of the 36.6 million cattle, 96% are
indigenous cattle and the majority of them belong to the Tanzania
Shorthorn Zebu (TSHZ) breed. The TSHZ are kept under low input
systems and grazed extensively in the communal rangelands. The
low input management practices result into poor performance that
has led to red meat production-demand imbalance in the country.
The mismatch between supply and demand of beef is aggravated by
the fast human population and economic growth. Some local cattle
producers engage in feedlot practices as a means to increase beef
production and capture the existing red meat market and hence,
increase income generation to support their livelihoods. Most feedlot
practitioners feed natural grasses including Cenchrus ciliaris hay to
cattle as the basal diet and energy-based concentrates as
supplement. However, hay usage is limited by its unavailability and
high price, which necessitates farmers to look for alternative least
cost basal diets such as cereal crop residues. Rice straw is among
the cereal crop residues which are abundantly available and cheap
in agro-pastoral communities of Tanzania. Despite the abundant
availability of rice straws, these straws have high proportion of
indigestible carbohydrate which limits their utilisation as a basal diet
for fattening cattle. Treatment with urea can improve the nutritional
value of rice straws and, hence, high performance of the fattened
cattle. Therefore, the current study was conducted to evaluate the
effects of partial or complete substitution of C. ciliaris hay with urea
treated or untreated rice straws on feed utilisation, growth
performance, carcass and meat characteristics of TSHZ. The current
study was conducted at Mtanana village in Kongwa district, located
about 82 km from Dodoma capital city in central Tanzania. Fifty (50)
bulls with initial mean (± SD) weight of 132.4 ± 26.7 kg and age of
2.5 - 3 years were used in the experiment. The bulls were kept
under total confinement and assigned randomly to five dietary
treatments with 10 animals per treatment. The dietary treatments were used as basal diets and included C. ciliaris hay only (CCH),
untreated rice straws (URS), urea treated rice straws (TRS),
combination of untreated rice straws and hay (URH) and
combination of urea treated rice straws and hay (TRH). In addition to
the basal diet, all animals were fed the same supplementary diet
comprised of maize bran (53%), molasses (25%), sunflower seed
cake (20%), mineral premix (1.5%) and table salt (0.5%). The
feeding trial took 84 days and at the end of the experiment, the
experimental animals were evaluated for feed intake, weight gain,
daily weight gain, percentage profit return, carcass characteristics
and meat quality. Throughout the experimental period, clean water
was provided ad libitum to all experimental animals. The results
indicate differences (p < 0.001) in basal diet intake whereby animals
under TRS had the highest value (1.6 ± 0.02 kg DM/day) and those
on CCH
had the lowest (1.3 ± 0.2 kg DM/day). Similarly,
metabolisable energy intake was highest for animals fed TRS (86.0
± 0.7 MJ/day) and lowest for those on CCH (72.0 ± 0.7 MJ/day).
The animals fed TRH had the highest weight gain (64.7 ± 4.4 kg)
and average daily gain (770 ± 0.1 g/day) while those on URS had
the lowest weight gain (50.3 ± 4.4 kg) and average daily gain (599 ±
0.1 g/day). Also, feed conversion ratio varied (p < 0.001) among
treatments and was lowest for animals on TRH (8.9 ± 0.1) and
highest for animals on URS (11.9 ± 0.1), indicating that animals on
TRH were more effective in converting feed to live weight. Animals
fed URH had the highest hot carcass weight and some linear
carcass measurements such as chest depth and hind limb
circumference. The final meat pH was slightly higher in all animals
subjected to different dietary treatments and was above the
recommended value of 5.8. This resulted into dark red meat,
probably due to the stress experienced by the animals at slaughter.
Meat fat content was lower in animals fed TRS (10.6%) than in
animals fed TRH (13.9%) and URS (11.9%). The animals on TRS
had the highest proportion of lean (72.3%) compared to the animals
on other treatments. The animals on TRH showed the least cost
(TZS 5,244/=) for gaining one kilogram of live weight. However, thehighest percentage profit return was observed in animals fed TRS
(32.3%) while those fed CCH had the least (27.3%). Therefore, it is
concluded that TRS is the best basal diet for fattening indigenous
cattle because the animals fed this diet showed higher percentage
profit margin, proportion of lean and lower fat and total lipid contents
compared to those on other diets.Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries (MLF) through the
Department of Livestock Production and Market Development and
Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH
A paradox of the ovulatory patterns in the living laboratory, African giant pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus) from Tanzania
No full textJournal ArticleThe African giant pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus) has emerged as a valuable model animal deployed in
biomedical and other researches with humanitarian application due to its intelligence, socio-behavior, and adaptability
to captivity. This rodent lives in solitary and belongs to the family Cricetidae that synchronises sexual behavioral onset
with subsequent maturation of their gonads and gametes just prior to the beginning of the short rains of Tanzania. The
current study set out to investigate whether ovulation in this species is induced or spontaneous. The study involved
five sexually mature intact tame females and five sexually matured vasectomized wild males. Females were monitored
non-invasively for ovarian cyclicity by measuring urinary progesterone every 2 days over 84days. Females were
subjected to three separate step-wise experiments with different treatments as follows: step one was singly housed,
which served as the control (C), followed by Non-Physical Contact with a vasectomized male (NPC) and Physical
Contact with the same vasectomized male (PC), respectively. The average urinary progesterone concentration was
similar in all three treatments, with a urinary progesterone spike indicating ovulation occurring in all treatments,
suggesting a spontaneous ovulating strategy. However, upon assessment of the male penis, it was revealed that part
of the glans penis had small epidermal spines which somehow resembles to those reported in induced ovulators. The
findings from this study on the African giant pouched rat leaves a paradox as profiles of progesterone from females
strongly suggest a spontaneous pattern of ovulation although the penile morphology of males have features
suggesting induced pattern of ovulation
Assessment of salt-affected soil in selected rice irrigation schemes in Tanzania: understanding salt types for optimizing management approaches
No full textJournal articleSalt-affected soils have serious implications for agricultural land quality and productivity, leading to a reduction in the net cultivable area available for food production. This issue has emerged as one of the foremost global challenges in recent years, impacting both food security and environmental sustainability. This research focuses on soil characterizations conducted in three irrigation schemes to understand the types, distribution, and nature of salt-affected soils. Auger observations served as the basic methodology for soil unit delineation in this study. Twelve representative soil pits with a depth of more than 160 cm were described, and undisturbed and disturbed samples were collected and analyzed for physical and chemical properties. The schemes were characterized by low levels of available phosphorus, organic carbon, and total nitrogen, as well as variations in exchangeable bases. Furthermore, 37.5% of the analyzed horizons highlighted the presence of salt-affected soils. Sodium was the predominant cation, followed by magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Likewise, HCO3− was the dominant anion, followed by Cl− and SO42−. The results of this study reveal the existence of two types of salt-affected soil. Uturo irrigation scheme had sodic soils, while the Ndungu irrigation scheme had saline-sodic soils. Additionally, both sodic and saline-sodic soils have been discovered in the Mawala irrigation scheme. The root cause of this challenge is inherent soil conditions, exacerbated by inadequate drainage infrastructure. Therefore, measures such as the application of gypsum followed by salt leaching, improving soil drainage by incorporating organic matter, improving drainage infrastructure, and using rice-tolerant varieties are recommended to mitigate salt stress and improve soil fertility. It is imperative to establish a robust framework for continuous monitoring and regular assessment of soil health to enable timely interventions and informed decisions for sustainable agricultural management.Climate Smart Africa Rice Project, Grant No.19-03-KU
Value chain analysis of veneer- based engineered wood products in Mufindi District Tanzania
No full textMSc DissertationProcessing tree logs into veneer-based engineered wood products
represents a crucial strategy for enhancing the efficient utilization of
forest resources, driven by dynamic factors such as the evolving
demand for versatile wood products in the construction industry.
This global shift is evident in the heightened market demand for
engineered wood products, underscoring the substantial contribution
of the forest sector to the economic growth and development of the
construction industry worldwide. In Tanzania, wood-based industries
play a pivotal role as primary sources of raw materials and
intermediate products for both local and international consumption.
The escalating production and demand for veneer, plywood, and
marine boards in the Mufindi District have prompted an exploration
of the potential of Veneer based Engineered Wood Products
(VBEWPs) through the value chain, recognizing the importance of
this sector in addressing evolving market needs and contributing to
economic development. This study aimed to comprehensively map
the actors involved in the value chain of veneer-based engineered
wood products, analyze their activities, assess the profitability of
these actors, evaluate the value added by each participant, and
explore challenges encountered throughout the value-added
distribution process. A cross-sectional study design was adopted
where a total of 152 actors involved in VBEWPs were sampled.
Interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews
were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, such as mean,
standard deviations, minimum, maximum, and frequencies. The
computation of key metrics, including Gross Profit Margin, Value
added, and Value added distribution. Additionally, Multiple
Response analysis was employed to analyze the challenges within
the VBEWPs value chain. Furthermore, the study utilized a linear
regression model to explore factors influencing returns on engaging
in VBEWPs, providing insights into the opportunities within this value
chain. Findings from the study revealed a separate structure within
the veneer-based engineered wood products (VBEWPs) value chain, comprising small and large-scale tree growers as the primary
actors. Profitability analysis indicated that tree growers, leading in
both chains, achieved substantial profits, with percentages of 79.4%
and 89.1%. Notably, value addition and distribution were
predominantly associated with processors, scoring 90.4% for
plywood and 91.83% for marine board. Furthermore, margins in
value distribution were leading, with percentages of 60.4% and 68%
in both small and large-scale chains. The study revealed actors in
the VBEWPs value chain, such as tree growers, brokers, traders,
transporters, manufacturers, suppliers, consumers, and regulators.
Furthermore, the study identified the main challenges faced by these
actors. Challenges such as fire, low prices, livestock invasion, poor
infrastructure, limited access to financial services, limited access to
improved tree varieties, conflicts among actors, high taxes, and poor
electric supply were highlighted by the majority of respondents. The
linear regression model results demonstrated that demographic
characteristics, specifically age, gender, and marital status,
significantly influenced returns on investing in tree growing among
tree growers (P<0.05). The study concluded that processing veneer-
based engineered wood products is a crucial economic activity that
ensures efficient use of resources from plantations, enhances
people's lives and reduces the depletion of forest resources. Hence
study recommended emphasizing the need for creating conducive
environments to strengthen the competitive advantages of local
producers in the VBEWPs industry and the significance of
cooperative associations for small-scale tree grower chain actors to
enhance their profitability and improve production.The Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS
Influence of school food environment on eating behaviours and nutritional status of primary school children (6-13 years) in Dodoma
No full textMSc DissertationMalnutrition among school-aged children has significant
consequences for their health, cognitive development, and overall
educational achievement. Rapid shifts in the availability and
affordability of less nutritious foods in food environments have
contributed to the dual challenges of malnutrition. There is growing
global interest in understanding how food environments contribute to
this double burden of malnutrition. This study aimed to assess the
impact of the school food environment on the eating habits and
nutritional well-being of primary school children aged 6 to 13 years in
Dodoma region. Specific objectives were first: to evaluate the
nutritional status of school-age children and examine how socio-
economic, demographic, and environmental factors influence their
nutritional well-being; second, to investigate how the school food
environments affect the eating behaviours of primary school children
in both public and private schools in Dodoma region. A cross-
sectional study involving 248 pupils was conducted in eight primary
schools in Dodoma region. Four schools were chosen from
Chamwino district (a rural setting), including two public and two
private schools. The other four schools were located in Dodoma
urban district (an urban setting), comprising of two government
schools and two private schools. The study also involved eight head
teachers and eight health/food teachers, who were purposefully
selected from the eight participating primary schools. Anthropometric
measurements were made following the World Health Organization
(WHO) guidelines to assess stunting, thinness, underweight, and
overweight/obesity. Socio-demographic data were collected from
pupils using structured questionnaires. School administrators,
including head teachers and health/food teachers, provided
information on the physical, political, and socio-cultural aspects of
the school food environment. Data on eating behaviours were
obtained through structured questionnaires and food frequency
questionnaires to assess students' dietary patterns over a period of
seven days. Additionally, an observation checklist was used to gather information on the availability and accessibility of foods
consumed by the school children. Data analysis was performed by
using the WHO AnthroPlus v1.0.4 software and IBM SPSS Statistics
26v. Descriptive statistics, such as frequencies and percentages,
were calculated. Regression models were used to explore the
determinants of nutritional status, reporting both crude (COR) and
adjusted odds ratios (AOR). Multilevel modeling was employed to
assess individual-level variance in eating behaviours and examine
the association between the school food environment and dietary
behaviours of children. Prevalence rates among surveyed pupils
were as follows: stunting (10.5%), underweight (3.6%), thinness
(2.8%), and overweight/obesity (10.1%). Stunting was more
common in boys (13.2%) than in girls (8.2%), and it increased with
age. Underweight was higher in public schools (8.2%) than in private
schools (3.2%). Thinness was more prevalent in public schools
(85.7%) than in private schools (14.3%), particularly in rural areas
(57.1%) and among younger children (aged 6-9 years, 57.1%).
Overweight/obesity was more common among girls (90.1%) than
boys. Urban schools had a higher prevalence of overweight/obesity
(90.3%) compared to rural schools (89.5%), and private schools had
a higher prevalence (95.2%) than public schools (84.7%). Pupils in
urban areas were more likely to be overweight/obese than those in
rural settings. After adjusting for student characteristics, the school
environment accounted for a small proportion of the variance in
eating behaviours, ranging from 11.3% to 11.6% for carbohydrate-
rich foods, 12.6% to 11.4% for protein-rich foods, 20.3% to 19.4%
for vitamins and mineral-rich foods, and 11.0% to 10.1% for lipids
and sugar-rich foods. In model 2, controlling for other factors,
protein-rich and lipid and sugar-rich foods intake were significantly
related to the death of a parent, while vitamins and mineral-rich
foods intake were significantly related to the number of adults in the
household. None of the investigated school food environmental
factors were associated with the children's reported intake of
carbohydrate-rich foods, protein-rich foods, vitamin and mineral-rich
foods, or lipids and sugar-rich foods. These findings suggested that
Seroprevalence and molecular detection of toxoplasma gondii infection in rodents and pigs and risk factors for human exposure in Iringa municipality, Tanzania
No full textMSc. DissertationToxoplasma gondii is one of the protozoan parasites of worldwide
distribution causing infection to various warm-blooded animals. The
parasite's life cycle requires both primary and intermediate hosts.
Notably, rodents and pigs are significant intermediate hosts due to
their frequent contact with humans, thereby assuming a pivotal role
in the public health implications of the disease. Mortalities due to
Toxoplasmosis have been documented in southern highland regions
including the Iringa region. However, there is a lack of information on
the disease status in rodents and pigs and risk factors for human
transmission in the Iringa region. This study aimed at establishing
the seroprevalence and molecular detection of T. gondii infection in
rodents and pigs and risk factors associated with human exposure in
Iringa municipal in Tanzania. A cross-sectional study design was
adopted. The study wards were randomly for rodent sampling and
questionnaire survey. Blood samples were collected from both
rodents and pigs; in addition, brain samples were obtained from
rodents. The antibody ELISA technique was employed on rodent
and pig samples and seropositive samples were subsequently
subjected to molecular detection. The rodent brain samples were
also used in molecular analysis which is considered the most
susceptible part of infection for the parasite and pig blood samples
were used targeting the B1 gene at 530bp by nested PCR. Obtained
T. gondii DNA was further sent for sequencing. A total, of 127
rodents and 240 pigs were sampled, while the questionnaire survey
involved 143 participants who either reported complaints of rodent
infestation in their homes or kept pigs. The overall T. gondii infection
seroprevalence for rodents and pigs was 1.57% and 26.25%,
respectively. Seropositive rodents originated from Kitwiru ward,
seropositivity was predominantly associated with Mastomys
natalensis, while seropositive results were found across all surveyed
wards for pigs. The statistical analysis showed a significant
correlation between seropositivity and rodent species (df= 2,
χ2=6.2926, p=0.043). However, no significant correlation was found between seropositivity and sex in either rodents or pigs. T. gondii
DNA was detected from all two seropositive rodents and two out of
the sixty-three seropositive pigs. Sequences from this study formed
phylogenetic linkage when compared with other sequences from
different animals including humans from other parts of the globe with
the highest homology percentage of 99.15%. However, the
questionnaire survey showed an inadequate level of awareness of
about 30.1%, exposure to cat feces without gloves, keeping cats at
their homes, and mishandling of abortion cases in livestock were
identified as risk factors for disease transmission in humans in the
study area. Detection of antibodies against T. gondii infection in a
notable proportion of rodents and pigs, coupled with the subsequent
identification of its DNA within both animal species samples,
indicates the potential public health implications of these animals in
the study area. Moreover, the observed inadequate awareness
about toxoplasmosis amplifies the risk of disease transmission
among the community. Consequently, it is crucial to implement
effective strategies to safeguard the community from this neglected
but serious disease.The African Centre of Excellence II Rodents Biosensor Technolog
Monitoring and evaluation vis-a-vis sustainability of forest conservation projects in Voi Sub-County, Kenya
No full textJournal articleThis study analysed the influence of monitoring and evaluation on sustainability of forest conservation projects. It assessed the extent to which monitoring and evaluation influences sustainability of forest conservation projects. The study hypothesis was that there was no statistically significant relationship between monitoring and evaluation on one hand and sustainability of forest conservation projects on the other. Monitoring and evaluation is integral in project cycle management and sustainability. The study site was Mbololo and Mwambirwa forest areas in Taita Taveta County, Kenya. The county is located about 360 Kilometres South-East of Nairobi and 200 kilometres North-West of Mombasa. A population of 28984 people distributed in 4,138 households was targeted. Mixed methods were used in data collection and analysis. A sample size of 365 household heads for quantitative data was determined using Yamane formulae. Data was collected using cluster and systematic sampling techniques. Purposive sampling facilitated selection of six respondents interviewed. Descriptive and inferential analysis techniques were used in data analysis. The study discovered that monitoring and evaluation had statistically significant influence on sustainability of forest conservation projects (F (1,351) = 3.930; p < 0.05). The null hypothesis was rejected. It concluded that monitoring and evaluation enhances sustainability of projects. It recommended that all forest conservation projects should prioritize monitoring and evaluation practices for enhanced sustainability