The urban lifestyle which depends heavily on electronic gadgets has consequently increased the generation of e-waste significantly in urbanizing Tamale in recent years. Despite the dire environmental and health effects associated with this waste stream, Tamale currently has no formal strategy for its disposal. The aim of the study was thus to uncover current disposal practices to possibly inform the design of an appropriate disposal strategy. Using an interview schedule, data were collected f...
Literature on energy recognizes the electrification of rural areas as an important economic development trigger. As the impact of rural electrification begins to manifest, rural areas begin to look different. The change becomes difficult to recognize in retrospect and also to foresee even before the intervention. The impact of electrification varies among various sectors of the rural economy. This paper examines rural electrification in the Dormaa District of Ghana by highlighting its linkage...
Abstract Uncertainty in rainfall pattern has put rain-fed agriculture in jeopardy, even for the regions considered high rainfall potential like the Central Highlands of Kenya (CHK). The rainfall pattern in the CHK is spatially and temporally variable in terms of onset and cessation dates, frequency and occurrence of dry spells, and seasonal distribution. Appraisal of the variability is further confounded by the lack of sufficient observational data that can enable accurate characterisation o...
Abstract Soil organic matter (SOM) fractions were determined using extraction-, incubation-, and density-based fractionation techniques on samples collected from a range of furrow-irrigated sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) based rotations on the same soil series on farmers’ fields in Wyoming. We hypothesized that extending the period of time between sugar beet crops in rotations beyond the 2-yr sugar beet–barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) (SB-BA) rotation by adding perennial or annual legumes wou...
Abstract/Overview Long-lasting insecticidal nets are an effective tool in reducing malaria transmission. However, with increasing insecticide resistance little is known about how physiologically resistant malaria vectors behave around a human-occupied bed net, despite their importance in malaria transmission. We used the Mbita bednet trap to assess the host-seeking behavior of insecticide-resistant Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes under semi-field conditions. The trap incorporates a mosquito ...
Abstract/Overview Sustainable solid waste management is a global concern. An effective measure to improve the waste management levels and convert household solid waste into useful materials is to conduct source separation instead of just collecting and burning or burying it. This study adopted a descriptive survey design to determine the current household solid waste source separation practices and how they contribute towards sustainable solid waste management in Kisumu City of Kisumu Cou...
Abstract Aquaculture has enhanced food security for over 2.5 billion people generated sources of livelihood for approximately 530 million people and contributed to approximately 40 per cent of the world’s fish production. There is a high demand for fish, however, fish cannot meet the demand from the capture fisheries. Busia County has been a beneficiary of the donor-funded project that funded aquaculture. From the foregoing, this study sought to assess the influence of freshwater aquacultu...
Abstract Coordination of Cash Transfer Programmes(CTP) is very important in achieving better humanitarian assistance in times of disasters and emergenciesbecause it saves resources, avoids conflicts, evades duplications and gaps, minimises thedifference between programs as well as thwartsinflation to local markets.Theuse of CTPto provide humanitarian assistance so that people access goods and services they need before, during and after crisis has been gaining momentum particularly since 2010...
Abstract Disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies play a pivotal role in formalizing and enhancing the efficacy of disaster risk reduction efforts. The overall objective of this study was to assess the progress the African Union member states are making in developing DRR strategies as required by Target E of the Sendai Framework. The study used both qualitative and quantitative approaches where an in-depth desk review of DRR strategies and online questionnaires were administered to 53 respon...
Abstract/Overview Background: Vector-borne diseases are increasingly becoming a major health problem among communities living along the major rivers of Africa. Although larger water bodies such as lakes and dams have been extensively researched, rivers and their tributaries have largely been ignored. This study sought to establish the spatial distribution of mosquito species during the dry season and further characterize their habitats along the Mara River and its tributaries. Methods: In...
Abstract/Overview Among all the malaria controlling measures, biological control of mosquito larvae may be the cheapest and easiest to implement. This study investigated baseline predation of immature mosquitoes by macroinvertebrate predators along the Mara River, determined the diversity of predators and mosquito larvae habitats and the range of their adaptive capacity to water physico-chemical parameters. Between July and August 2011, sampling sites (n=39) along the Mara River were sele...
Abstract/Overview Background Physical objects like vegetation can influence oviposition by mosquitoes on soil or water substrates. Anopheles gambiae s. l. is generally thought to utilize puddles over bare soil as its prime larval habitat and to avoid standing water populated with vegetation. In Kisian, Kenya near Kisumu, water often pools in grassy drainage areas both during and after periods of infrequent rains, when typical puddle habitats become scarce because of drying. This raised th...
Abstract/Overview Anopheles gambiae s.l. (Diptera: Culicidae) is responsible for the transmission of the devastating Plasmodium falciparum (Haemosporida: Plasmodiidae) strain of malaria in Africa. This study investigated the relationship between climate and environmental conditions and An. gambiae s.l. larvae abundance and modelled the larval distribution of this species in Baringo County, Kenya. Mosquito larvae were collected using a 350-mL dipper and a pipette once per month from Decemb...
Abstract/Overview A novel rickettsial agent, ‘Candidatus Rickettsia asembonensis’ strain NMRCiiT, was isolated from cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, from Kenya. Genotypic characterization of the new isolate based on sequence analysis of five rickettsial genes, rrs, gltA, ompA, ompB and sca4, indicated that this isolate clustered with Rickettsia felis URRWXCal2. The degree of nucleotide similarity demonstrated that isolate NMRCiiT belongs within the genus Rickettsia and fulfils the cr...
Abstract Environmental degradation and loss of resources that requires conservation is a pressing developmental issue. The scope of study Public participation is emphasized as a factor by Public participation bill 2018 and remains a critical determinant in environmental conservation in Kakamega County to safeguard the environment against further degradation The overall objective of the study was to evaluate the contribution of public participation in environmental conservation .The specific ...