ABSTRACT Western Usambara Mountains in Lushoto District, Tanzania, are highly populated owing to favourable climatic conditions for production of both cash and food crops such as coffee, tea, maize, beans, potatoes and assorted fruits and vegetables. Some areas in the district are also potential as tourist destinations. However, clusters of villages in the district are reported to be hot-spots of plague recurrence that has caused deaths of thousands of people. Plague outbreaks in some village...
ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were (i) to determine the effects of Mexican weeping pine (Pinus patula Schelde. ex Schltdl and Cham) and wild lemon grass (Cymbopogon spp.) mulches and time of their application on yield and quality of organically grown tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), (ii) to investigate the effect of pine and wild lemon grass mulch on pests and beneficial arthropods under organic production of tomato and sweet pepper, and (iii) to...
ABSTRACT A study on epidemiology bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in wildlife-livestock interface was undertaken in Katavi-Rukwa Ecosystem (KRE). The objective of the study was to generate epidemiology data of BTB in KRE interface. This study aimed to isolate members of the mycobacteria tuberculosis complex (MTC), determine the prevalence of the disease as well as evaluating Bovigam® and Stat Pak® serological diagnostic test. In year 2010 to 2012, 789 cattle were examined by single comparative int...
ABSTRACT This study intended to establish the institutional determinants of sustainability of DADP community-based investment sub-projects in Korogwe District. A cross-sectional design was adopted and a mixed methods research approach was used. Three hundred and sixty-one farmers/livestock-keepers participated in the study. The data collection methods which were used included questionnaire survey, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and direct observations. Quantitative and qual...
ABSTRACT Poor soil nutrient supply is often overlooked as a contributing factor of increased cyanogenic glucoside accumulation in cassava produced in areas affected by konzo, despite the low soil fertility in these areas. High cyanogenic glucosides in cassava roots is one reason attributed to cassava cyanide intoxication that sometimes leads to a health disorder called konzo. Various studies were hence carried out to investigate the role of nutrient supply on cyanogenic glucoside production i...
ABSTRACT The tropical East African and Ethiopian mountains are famous for their exceptionally unique and high biodiversity. The flora on these mountains offers good examples of distinct adaptations to different altitudes as well as evolutionary differentiation, hence an ideal natural laboratory for studies on the dynamics of biodiversity. In this study the genetic diversity, evolutionary history and conservation implications of selected taxa occurring on these mountains were assessed. The obj...
ABSTRACT Aflatoxins and fumonisins are toxic food contaminants. Knowledge about status of human exposure to, and health effects of these toxins in Tanzania is inadequate. This study was conducted to assess the magnitude of dietary exposure to aflatoxin and fumonisin in young children by using biomarkers of exposure and assess the impact of the exposure on child growth. A total of 166 children were recruited at age of 6 to 14 months in three villages; Nyabula (Iringa region), Kigwa (Tabora reg...
ABSTRACT Arable land scarcity and inefficient livelihood strategies are Sub Saharan Africa phenomena posing a challenge of rural chronic poverty in the 21st Century. This study analysed the link between land access, livelihood strategies (LS) and household well-being (HWBS) in land scarce areas, Mvomero District, Tanzania. Specifically, it determined: land access and associated factors, effect of land access on LS, influence of LS on HWBS and the impacts of land access on HWBS. A cross-sectio...
ABSTRACT Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is climate-related arboviral disease of livestock and humans. Rift Valley Fever epidemics are associated with dynamics of mosquito abundance. Studies during inter-epidemic periods (IEP) where there is very little or no virus activity pose challenges including where and how to effectively sample vectors and when should the next outbreaks are expected. Entomological surveys were conducted on abundance and distribution of potential RVF vectors in Ngorongoro distr...
ABSTRACT Urban population growth has created an increase in demand for food including those of animal origin. In response to ample market, urban and peri-urban livestock farming has expanded both in the number of livestock and the number of households engaged in livestock keeping. As a result, human-animal interaction has increased and concurrent increase in manure production within the same land space has increased human-manure-environment contact. The present study was aimed at investigatin...
ABSTRACT Tanzania started a countrywide lymphatic filariasis elimination programme in 2000 adopting the mass drug administration (MDA) strategy. The drugs used for the MDA programme are a combination of ivermectin and albendazole. Clinically, the initial stages of lymphatic filariasis present as an acute febrile conditions with adenolymphangitis (ADL). Later on the disease is characterized by development of scrotal swelling (hydrocele) and swelling of the legs (lymphoedema) which gradually le...
ABSTRACT Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an enzootic/endemic zoonotic disease affecting human and animals in Africa and caused epidemic in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The RVF is caused by the Rift valley fever virus (RVFV) of the order Bunyavirales, family Phenuiviridae, genus Phlebovirus. Outbreaks of RVF have a devastating impact on human and animal health in Africa, with heavy economic loss due to the banning of livestock export and the loss of food meat, coupled with human infection. They are ofte...
ABSTRACT As an important source of income and protein, local chickens are widely reared by a majority of rural and peri-urban households in many developing countries including Tanzania.However, these birds are seasonally exposed to challenging environments that includehigh temperatures and decreased scavengeable food materials.It was hypothesized that local chickens bred from different regions of Tanzania might have selected ecotypes with stronger tolerance to high temperatures andsuboptimal ...
ABSTRACT The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in sharing information is very important in enhancing fish farming productivity among fish farmers. However, little is known on the linkage that exists between the use of ICTs and fish farming productivity in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. The main objective of this study was to assess the use of ICTs to enhance information sharing for improved fish farming productivity in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. Specifical...
ABSTRACT Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is endemic in Tanzania since it was first reported in 1954. Foot-and-mouth disease is caused by FMD virus (FMDV) that presents in seven serotypes. The FMD outbreaks that occur almost each year are caused by different serotypes in the country. With its large area of 945 000 km2 and its climate which varies from tropical to temperate, large number of livestock including 25.8 million cattle (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, 2016) and high de...