Eastern Africa’s livestock keepers face many challenges, not least the widespread prevalence of endemic diseases which both undermine animals’ productivity and increase livestock mortality. Tsetse- transmitted trypanosomosis causes significant economic losses, in particular in cattle. This study analyses these losses in a spatially explicit framework for the six tsetse-infested countries of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. The cattle production systems of the region are diverse, ranging from pastoralism to agropastoralist and mixed crop-livestock farming. Some areas make extensive use of draught cattle or of high yielding crossbred dairy cows. Based on these features, twelve cattle production systems in the region were characterized and mapped. In these systems, the potential incomes from cattle production were modeled for a situation with and without trypanosomosis; the models looked at mortality, fertility, other productivity parameters and cattle population growth and expansion. The results of the analysis were used to generate a map of the potential benefits of controlling the disease. Estimates were then made of the costs of tsetse and trypanosomosis control using a range of techniques, namely: trypanocidal drugs; control or localized elimination of tsetse flies using insecticide-treated cattle or targets, aerial spraying and the sterile insect technique. The mapped potential benefits and mapped estimated costs were combined in order to produce a series of benefit-cost maps which illustrate what techniques are likely to be the most economically attractive in different areas of the study region. The suite of tools and economic analyses documented in this paper provide essential information to decision makers for comparing and prioritizing interventions in the region.
The sterile insect technique (SIT) is an environment-friendly pest control method that fits into area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programmes. This book describes the principles and practice of SIT, frankly evaluating its strengths and weaknesses, successes and failures. SIT is useful against pests that have considerable impact on plant, animal and human health, and criteria are provided to guide in the selection of pests appropriate for SIT.
The sterile insect technique (SIT) is an environment-friendly method of pest control that integrates well into area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programmes. This book takes a generic, thematic, comprehensive, and global approach in describing the principles and practice of the SIT. The strengths and weaknesses, and successes and failures, of the SIT are evaluated openly and fairly from a scientific perspective. The SIT is applicable to some major pests of plant-, animal-, and human-health importance, and criteria are provided to guide in the selection of pests appropriate for the SIT. In the second edition, all aspects of the SIT have been updated and the content considerably expanded. A great variety of subjects is covered, from the history of the SIT to improved prospects for its future application. The major chapters discuss the principles and technical components of applying sterile insects. The four main strategic options in using the SIT — suppression, containment, prevention, and eradication — with examples of each option are described in detail. Other chapters deal with supportive technologies, economic, environmental, and management considerations, and the socio-economic impact of AW-IPM programmes that integrate the SIT. In addition, this second edition includes six new chapters covering the latest developments in the technology: managing pathogens in insect mass-rearing, using symbionts and modern molecular technologies in support of the SIT, applying post-factory nutritional, hormonal, and semiochemical treatments, applying the SIT to eradicate outbreaks of invasive pests, and using the SIT against mosquito vectors of disease. This book will be useful reading for students in animal-, human-, and plant-health courses. The in-depth reviews of all aspects of the SIT and its integration into AW-IPM programmes, complete with extensive lists of scientific references, will be of great value to researchers, teachers, animal-, human-, and plant-health practitioners, and policy makers.
Trypanosomiasis poses a considerable constraint on livestock-agricultural development in tsetse-infested areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Many efforts to limit or eradicate trypanosomiasis have failed or have had limited success. However, in certain areas of West Africa, livestock production remains possible, despite the presence of tsetse fly, through the use of cattle and small ruminant breeds that are tolerant to the disease. This paper provides an overview of the problem and the various options for its control. Emphasis is placed on the definition of the role of trypanotolerant livestock as an integrated approach to control the disease.
Continued population growth, rapidly changing consumption patterns and the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation are driving limited resources of food, energy, water and materials towards critical thresholds worldwide. These pressures are likely to be substantial across Africa, where countries will have to find innovative ways to boost crop and livestock production to avoid becoming more reliant on imports and food aid. Sustainable agricultural intensification - producing more output from the same area of land while reducing the negative environmental impacts - represents a solution for millions of African farmers. This volume presents the lessons learned from 40 sustainable agricultural intensification programmes in 20 countries across Africa, commissioned as part of the UK Government's Foresight project. Through detailed case studies, the authors of each chapter examine how to develop productive and sustainable agricultural systems and how to scale up these systems to reach many more millions of people in the future. Themes covered include crop improvements, agroforestry and soil conservation, conservation agriculture, integrated pest management, horticulture, livestock and fodder crops, aquaculture, and novel policies and partnerships.