Smallholder experiences with dairy cattle crossbreeding in the tropics: from introduction to impact

Crossbreeding of indigenous tropical and improved western dairy cattle breeds as tool to improve dairy cattle performance on smallholder farms has been widely advocated, criticised and yet applied. The government of Ethiopia supported this technology for decades but adoption rate is low. Constraints are documented but there is little information about farm level introduction and development of crossbreeding. A total 122 smallholders with mixed crop livestock farms and at least 8 years of successful crossbreeding were interviewed using a pre-tested questionnaire in two contexts in Amhara Regional state in north-western Ethiopia. Crossbreeding initiator was either uncoordinated government extension or a coordinated development project, also implemented with governmental support. Qualitative and quantitative data on farmers’ motivations, crossbreeding introduction, initiator support, breeding adaptation and impacts at farm level were analysed. Results show that even though motives vary between contexts the underlying reason to introduce crossbreeding was economic profit. To be able to introduce crossbreeding support of initiators (e.g. extension) and other farmers was essential. The crossbreeding introduction context had some influence. Governmental actors were the main source of support and supplier of exotic genetics but the farmer network acted as safety net filling gaps of government support. Breeding strategies focused on performance increase. A lack of basic understanding of crossbreeding has been identified. A surprising, probably biased, result was general satisfaction with initiator support and with breeding services. It was challenged by the high proportion of farmers unable to follow a breeding strategy due to insufficient bull and/or semen supply. Crossbreeding changed the smallholder production system to a high input – high output system. Except for crossbred adaptation problems, challenges were ranked context specific and influenced by the initiator. Farmers perceived crossbreeding as success and recommended it. We conclude that farmers can realize income increase with crossbreeding. The complexity of this technology, high initial investment and the need for support services and external production inputs are probable reasons why crossbreeding uptake is low. Improving the availability of semen and/or bulls must be the top priority for breeding service providers to enable farmers to follow a breeding strategy and reach a suitable and sustainable herd performance. Access to investment capital, input supply, strong technical support and market linkages are crucial for successful crossbreeding.     

Development and assessment of fusarium oxysporum-based mycoherbicide for control of Striga Hermonthica in sorghum

Abstract

Experiments were carried out from 2002 to 2003 to determine the most suitable form of fungal delivery for possible use by farmers in biological control of Striga hermonthica. Six mycoherbicides were developed, based on Fusarium oxysporum isolated from wilted S. hermonthica. In mycoherbicide formulation, rock phosphate powder, sorghum bran and gum arabic powder were used as carriers. Besides its role as a carrier, gum arabic powder was used as a sticker. There were three carriers with two formulations each, making six treatments altogether. Living propagule studies were based on colony, mycelium and conidium number of F. oxysporum. In greenhouse evaluation of mycoherbicides, each kg sorghum seed was coated with 10 g mycoherbicide before sowing. Carrier rock phosphate powder with gum arabic powder as a sticking agent was the most suitable form of its delivery for use by peasant farmers.     

A large nested association mapping population for breeding and quantitative trait locus mapping in Ethiopian durum wheat

The Ethiopian plateau hosts thousands of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum) farmer varieties (FV) with high adaptability and breeding potential. To harness their unique allelic diversity, we produced a large nested association mapping (NAM) population intercrossing fifty Ethiopian FVs with an international elite durum wheat variety (Asassa). The Ethiopian NAM population (EtNAM) is composed of fifty interconnected bi‐parental families, totalling 6280 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) that represent both a powerful quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping tool, and a large pre‐breeding panel. Here, we discuss the molecular and phenotypic diversity of the EtNAM founder lines, then we use an array featuring 13 000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to characterize a subset of 1200 EtNAM RILs from 12 families. Finally, we test the usefulness of the population by mapping phenology traits and plant height using a genome wide association (GWA) approach. EtNAM RILs showed high allelic variation and a genetic makeup combining genetic diversity from Ethiopian FVs with the international durum wheat allele pool. EtNAM SNP data were projected on the fully sequenced AB genome of wild emmer wheat, and were used to estimate pairwise linkage disequilibrium (LD) measures that reported an LD decay distance of 7.4 Mb on average, and balanced founder contributions across EtNAM families. GWA analyses identified 11 genomic loci individually affecting up to 3 days in flowering time and more than 1.6 cm in height. We argue that the EtNAM is a powerful tool to support the production of new durum wheat varieties targeting local and global agriculture.     

Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases of Livestock Belonging to Resource-poor Farmers in the Eastern Free State of South Africa

The paper provides a summary of three studies conducted in the eastern Free State of South Africa between 1998 and 2000. In a questionnaire-based study approximately 21% of interviewed resource-poor farmers (n = 150) indicated that they experienced problems with ticks and tick-borne diseases. About 56% of farmers indicated that tick-related problems were most severe in summer, while 32% indicated that the most problems were encountered in winter. About 12% indicated that the tick problems were experienced throughout the year. Farmers also indicated that the highest tick burdens were experienced between spring and early winter. The principal ticks infesting cattle (n = 30) were found to be Boophilus decoloratus (53.1%), Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (44.7%), Rhipicephalus follis (1.0%), Rhipicephalus gertrudae (0.7%) and Rhipicephalus warburtoni (0.4%). On small stock (n = 188), R. evertsi evertsi (68%) and B. decoloratus (32%) were recorded as the main ticks in the study area. A sero-epidemiological survey of cattle (n = 386) showed that 94% of cattle were sero-positive for Babesia bigemina by IFAT, while 87% were sero-positive for Anaplasma by indirect ELISA. All the animals were sero-negative for Babesia bovis and this is probably because the tick vector, Boophilus microplus, is not present in the study area. All sheep and goats were sero-positive for Theileria species by IFAT while 85% of sheep and 100% of goats tested positive for Anaplasma species by competition inhibition ELISA. The high incidence of positive serological results for B. bigemina and Anaplasma in cattle, and Theileria and Anaplasma in sheep and goats and the absence of clinical cases would indicate that this area is endemically stable for these diseases. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Sheep tick Ixodes ricinus management on Welsh hill farms of designated conservation importance: implications for nationally declining birds

Impacts of sheep ticks Ixodes ricinus on livestock, gamebirds and wildlife are of concern across Europe. The present study describes livestock and tick management by 36 farmers from three upland sites of conservation importance in North Wales, where farmers consider that ticks have increased during the last 25 years. Sheep, average densities of 2.0 animals per ha were treated with pour‐on acaricides in spring, again in July, and also when removed from the moor in autumn. Given acaricide efficacy rates, sheep were susceptible to tick bites for half the period on the moor. Sheep from 17 farms were examined for ticks. Infestations were similar between farms and in relation to the acaricide used, averaging 9.3 ticks per sheep, although they were lower where the interval between successive acaricide treatments was shorter. Repeated sampling of sheep and red grouse chicks showed no annual difference in tick burdens on grouse chicks, which averaged 6.2 ticks per chick, although there were three‐fold fewer ticks on sheep in 2018 than in previous years. Tick bite rates on sheep and grouse were higher than elsewhere in the U.K. Most farmers interviewed would aim to improve their tick management using longer‐lasting acaricides and treating sheep more frequently, although they would need advice and financial help, which is currently unavailable via Government funded agri‐environment schemes.     

Farmer knowledge,attitude and practice on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) pest resistance management strategies in Zimbabwe

Cotton is an important cash crop and a means of survival for Zimbabwe’s smallholder farmers who are located in the semi-arid areas. However, it is plagued by a wide variety of pests. The cotton industry in Zimbabwe came up with sustainable pest management strategies which include within the season rotation of bollworm pesticides, a closed season and acaricide rotation scheme. The land reform programme brought new players in the cotton industry and it was critical to determine their knowledge on the pest management strategies. A survey was conducted to determine farmer knowledge, practice and perception on the resistance management strategy. Responses indicated that both communal and new farmers based their spray on egg counts. Communal farmers knew when to use pyrethroids compared to new farmers. Farmers observed the acaricide rotation scheme although they use some non acaricide pesticides. More than half of the new farmers could not say which acaricides were in the acaricide scheme. The majority of the farmers reported that they adhered to the closed season although field observation revealed otherwise. A significantly higher number of new farmers knew when to slash cotton compared to communal farmers. Knowledge of acaricides was not common among farmers. Use of pyrethroids was not limited to 1 February onwards as stipulated in the cotton pest resistance management strategy. The results suggest the need for training among the cotton farmers especially the new farmers or refresher courses among the communal farmers.     

高寒生态脆弱区农户的气候变化适应策略评价——以甘南高原为例

气候变化加剧了高寒生态脆弱区农户的生计脆弱性,为应对气候变化,农户已采取了各种响应措施,当前急需评估农户所采取适应策略的效果,以便选择更有效的适应策略。以甘南高原为研究区,基于入户调查数据分析了农户所采取适应策略的特征,采用模糊综合评价法分析现行适应策略的效果,并利用多准则决策模型确定了最优的气候变化适应策略。结果显示:(1)甘南高原农户多采取组合型策略应对气候变化,尤以调整+扩张型策略为主;(2)甘南高原农户所采取气候变化适应策略的效果较好,效益指数为3.43。其中,农区农户的适应策略效果最好、半农半牧区次之、纯牧区最差;(3)甘南高原不同区域农户筛选的最优策略存在差异。其中,纯牧区和半农半牧区农户筛选的最优策略为调整农牧业结构,而农区农户为完善农牧业基础设施。最后,提出了提高农户适应策略效果的对策建议及未来研究中需进一步关注的问题。     

青藏高原气候变化对农牧民开垦的影响

自1980年代后期以来,青藏高原持续变暖趋势明显,且增温幅度高于我国其他地区。基于遥感数据和种植适宜性模型的一些研究表明,该地区足够的农业热量资源增加了适宜耕种土地的面积,为农牧民的开垦行为创造了有利的条件。然而,对农牧民是否开垦以及开垦原因的实证研究,以及农牧民如何平衡气候变化带来的开垦机遇、风险和人口压力,仍然缺少认识。以青藏高原的3个典型产粮区域("一江两河"地区、河湟谷地、壤塘县)为研究区,利用605户农户家庭调研数据,分析了影响农牧民开垦行为的影响因素。计量结果表明,农牧民感知冬季持续时间的整体变化趋势、家庭总人口、抚养比与农牧民开垦行为呈显著正相关关系;农牧民感知降水的整体变化趋势、人均打工年收入、户主受教育水平、是否借贷、居住地距集镇距离与农牧民开垦行为呈显著负相关关系。随着城镇化的不断加快,农牧民对非农工作的认可度越来越高,加之政府的管制,使得开垦现象并不普遍。由于农牧民的开垦对青藏高原的生态环境极有可能造成不可逆的负面影响,应该提供更多的非农就业机会,促进农业集约化,加强监管,以降低开垦的可能性。     

Characterization of Farmer’s knowledge and management practices of papaya mealybug Paracoccus magnatus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Tanzania

Papaya mealybug (PMB) is a serious insect pest for papaya production in Sub-Saharan Africa, limiting production potential in farming communities. We did a household survey to evaluate the Characteristics of farmers'' knowledge, challenges, and current (PMB) control practices in four papaya growing regions of Tanzania namely, Tanga, Dodoma, Pwani, and Katavi involving 100 papaya farmers. The study found that 96% of farmers reported PMB, as a major challenge in papaya production. Very few (0.8%) of the farmers were knowledgeable on insect pest identification. Chemical pesticides were the only option for PMB control, and 43.0% of farmers were able to access and apply. We also found that 36.4% of the farmers were aware of the adverse effects of chemical pesticides. Furthermore, the study observed that 0.3% of farmers use botanical pesticides. Additionally, the study observed that 44.1% of farmers use control measures against PMB, the remaining 55.9% did not practice any control measure, thus leading to low papaya yields observed in the study regions. Our findings provide insights to farmers into the use of plant-based pesticides, mainly plant essential oils, and its benefits that may promote farmers'' attitudes towards increasing papaya yield and reducing chemical pesticide use to avoid pest resistance.     

多重压力下重点生态功能区农户生计脆弱性——以甘南黄河水源补给区为例

农户作为农村社会中最小的生计单元,面临着多重压力的冲击,这些压力不仅加剧了重点生态功能区农户的生计脆弱性,更威胁到该区生态服务功能的提升,当前亟需准确评估多重压力下农户的生计脆弱性,为制定可持续的生计政策提供借鉴。以甘南黄河水源补给区为例,利用入户调查数据,评估了多重压力下农户的生计脆弱性,分析了多重压力下农户生计脆弱性的形成过程。结果发现：（1）家人患病、子女学费开支高和自然灾害三种生计压力对甘南黄河水源补给区农户生计的影响最为剧烈,经济压力是该区农户面临最频繁的压力类型,但自然压力对该区农户的生计脆弱性影响最大;（2）经济示范区农户的生计敏感性最高,重点保护区农户的适应能力最低;（3）重点保护区农户的生计脆弱性最高,经济示范区次之,恢复治理区最低,自然压力冲击下农户的生计脆弱性最高;（4）不同类型的生计压力影响农户生计脆弱性的路径不同,自然压力通过影响自然资源依赖度与自然资本、社会压力通过影响饮水条件与社会资本、经济压力通过影响家庭抚养比与金融资本来影响生计脆弱性,生计压力之间的交互作用会增强农户的生计脆弱性。