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The purpose of this study was to assess women’s decision-making power in small-scale agriculture in six African countries in view of the feminization of agriculture and to discuss the meaning of decision-making in relation to women’s empowerment and sustainability. The data are drawn from a multisite and mixed-method agricultural research and development project in six sub-Saharan countries including two sites in each country. The five domains of empowerment outlined in the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index are used to structure the analysis. The results indicate that in the selected sites in Malawi, Rwanda and South Africa, women farmers tend to dominate agricultural decision-making, while the result is more mixed in the Kenyan sites, and decision-making tends to be dominated by men in the sites in Tanzania and Ethiopia. Despite women participating in agricultural decision-making, the qualitative results show that women small-scale farmers were not perceived to be empowered in any of the country sites. It appears that the feminization of agriculture leads to women playing a more important role in decision-making but also to more responsibilities and heavier workloads without necessarily resulting in improvements in well-being outcomes that would enhance sustainability.
Ruth Haug; Dismas L. Mwaseba; Donald Njarui; Mokhele Moeletsi; Mufunanji Magalasi; Mupenzi Mutimura; Feyisa Hundessa; Julie T. Aamodt. Feminization of African Agriculture and the Meaning of Decision-Making for Empowerment and Sustainability. Sustainability 2021, 13, 8993 .
AMA StyleRuth Haug, Dismas L. Mwaseba, Donald Njarui, Mokhele Moeletsi, Mufunanji Magalasi, Mupenzi Mutimura, Feyisa Hundessa, Julie T. Aamodt. Feminization of African Agriculture and the Meaning of Decision-Making for Empowerment and Sustainability. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (16):8993.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRuth Haug; Dismas L. Mwaseba; Donald Njarui; Mokhele Moeletsi; Mufunanji Magalasi; Mupenzi Mutimura; Feyisa Hundessa; Julie T. Aamodt. 2021. "Feminization of African Agriculture and the Meaning of Decision-Making for Empowerment and Sustainability." Sustainability 13, no. 16: 8993.
This study assessed the growth and feed intake performances of Galla goats and their crosses with local goats fed on Brachiaria grass cultivar Mulato II and Napier grass mixed with Leucaena leaf meal. Twenty-four Galla goats and 24 crossbred goats were selected and divided into four groups of three goats for each genotype and put in a partitioned house for goats’ stall feeding. Goats from each group were identified using ear tags, randomised and then allotted one of the dietary treatments. Feed rations used as treatments were hay of Mulato II, silage of Napier grass, Mulato II, ML (67% Mulato + 33% Leucaena leaf meal) and NL (67% Napier grass + 33% Leucaena leaf meal). Individual goat weights were taken on a weekly basis. Feed samples of each diet were collected every week and analysed for nutritive values. The chemical composition of feed showed significant differences (P<0.05) among diets. Absolute and relative nutrient intakes showed that Galla goat had a higher DM intake of NL compared to other diets and in crossbreds. Galla goats had a higher feed conversion ratio for DM from Napier and NL diets. Mulato II increased body weight up to 29% and 47% over Napier grass in crossbreds and pure Galla goats, respectively. The findings suggest that Mulato II could be a better feed resource for growing goats. Further studies should be conducted by increasing the levels of Leucaena leaf-meal in the diets and determine nitrogen retention and quality of meat under the same feeding regime.
Mupenzi Mutimura; Pierre Celestin Hitimana; Felicien Shumbusho; Maximillian Manzi. Growth, Feed Intake And Conversion Ratio of Improved Goats Fed Brachiaria Grass And Napier Grass Mixed With or Without Leucaena Leaf Meal. 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleMupenzi Mutimura, Pierre Celestin Hitimana, Felicien Shumbusho, Maximillian Manzi. Growth, Feed Intake And Conversion Ratio of Improved Goats Fed Brachiaria Grass And Napier Grass Mixed With or Without Leucaena Leaf Meal. . 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMupenzi Mutimura; Pierre Celestin Hitimana; Felicien Shumbusho; Maximillian Manzi. 2021. "Growth, Feed Intake And Conversion Ratio of Improved Goats Fed Brachiaria Grass And Napier Grass Mixed With or Without Leucaena Leaf Meal." , no. : 1.
Diseases have emerged as one of the major challenges of Brachiaria production in Africa. Nine Brachiaria cultivars were evaluated for leaf rust, leaf spot and leaf blight diseases and agronomic performances in two agro-ecological zones of Rwanda. The relationships between agronomic traits and area under diseases progress curve (AUDPC) were determined using Pearson correlation analysis. Cultivars differed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) for their response to these three diseases. Basilisk, Marandu, MG4, and Xaraes exhibited moderately resistant to resistant response to all three diseases, but Cayman and Cobra were susceptible to leaf rust. Site × cultivar × harvest interaction was significant for diseases and agronomic parameters (p ≤ 0.05). Cultivars also differed significantly for biomass production and dry matter content (p ≤ 0.05). The highest biomass producers were Marandu and Xaraes, and Cayman, Cobra and Piata had highest dry matter content. The AUDPC for leaf rust and leaf spot had negative and significant correlation with biomass yield. Our study concludes a satisfactory level of resistance in Basilisk, Marandu, MG4 and Xaraes to all three foliar disease in Rwanda. We recommend routine surveys for emerging and re-emerging Brachiaria diseases and studies to develop effective management measures against Brachiaria diseases.
Bellancile Uzayisenga; Mupenzi Mutimura; James W Muthomi; Agnes W Mwang’Ombe; Sita R Ghimire. Response of improved Brachiaria (Urochloa) grass cultivars to foliar diseases and their agronomic performances in Rwanda. African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2021, 1 -14.
AMA StyleBellancile Uzayisenga, Mupenzi Mutimura, James W Muthomi, Agnes W Mwang’Ombe, Sita R Ghimire. Response of improved Brachiaria (Urochloa) grass cultivars to foliar diseases and their agronomic performances in Rwanda. African Journal of Range & Forage Science. 2021; ():1-14.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBellancile Uzayisenga; Mupenzi Mutimura; James W Muthomi; Agnes W Mwang’Ombe; Sita R Ghimire. 2021. "Response of improved Brachiaria (Urochloa) grass cultivars to foliar diseases and their agronomic performances in Rwanda." African Journal of Range & Forage Science , no. : 1-14.
The problem addressed in this paper is the challenge of moving from formulating policy goals to achieving the promised results. The purpose is to assess the possible role of innovation in agriculture as a way of contributing towards achieving the Malabo Declaration commitments and the zero hunger Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2) in six African countries. Since the SDGs are high on both international and many national agendas, there is a need to increase our knowledge of how to move beyond formulating goals. The approach includes both quantitative and qualitative data from a multisite research and development project. Moving from promises in relation to policy goals such as SDG2 and the Malabo Declaration to actions that make a difference at local level is a challenging task, and COVID-19 has added negatively to that challenge. Technological and institutional innovations exist that have the potential to improve the agricultural productivity, food security, and income levels of smallholder men and women farmers. However, innovation processes are hindered by barriers related to governmental, economic, knowledge-based, socio-cultural, and resource-based factors. To overcome these barriers, governance needs to go further than defining goals, and proceed to the next step of establishing effective implementation mechanisms that ensure the promised result.
Ruth Haug; Susan Nchimbi-Msolla; Alice Murage; Mokhele Moeletsi; Mufunanji Magalasi; Mupenzi Mutimura; Feyisa Hundessa; Luca Cacchiarelli; Ola Westengen. From Policy Promises to Result through Innovation in African Agriculture? World 2021, 2, 253 -266.
AMA StyleRuth Haug, Susan Nchimbi-Msolla, Alice Murage, Mokhele Moeletsi, Mufunanji Magalasi, Mupenzi Mutimura, Feyisa Hundessa, Luca Cacchiarelli, Ola Westengen. From Policy Promises to Result through Innovation in African Agriculture? World. 2021; 2 (2):253-266.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRuth Haug; Susan Nchimbi-Msolla; Alice Murage; Mokhele Moeletsi; Mufunanji Magalasi; Mupenzi Mutimura; Feyisa Hundessa; Luca Cacchiarelli; Ola Westengen. 2021. "From Policy Promises to Result through Innovation in African Agriculture?" World 2, no. 2: 253-266.
Brachiaria (syn. Urochloa) is one of the most important tropical forages grass of African origin. Its performance is affected by different constraints, including diseases. This study assessed the distribution, incidence and severity of Brachiaria diseases and documented farmers’ knowledge on Brachiaria diseases in Rwanda. Surveys were conducted in five districts in the dry and wet seasons of 2018 and 2019. Fungi associated with major diseases were isolated and identified based on internal transcribed spacer sequences. The demographic information and farmers’ knowledge of Brachiaria diseases and yield loss were collected using structured questionnaire. Surveys revealed widespread distribution of leaf blight, leaf rust and leaf spot diseases in Rwanda. Incidence and severity of these diseases differed significantly by districts, seasons and district × season interactions; the exception was the non-significant effect of season and district × season interactions on rust incidence in 2018. Molecular identification revealed Phakopsora apoda as a provisional leaf rust pathogen, and frequent association of fungi Epicoccum spp. and Nigrospora spp. with leaf blight, and Bipolaris secalis and Fusarium spp. with leaf spot symptoms. This study provides baseline information for future studies on Brachiaria diseases and recognises diseases as a major challenge to sustainable production of Brachiaria grass in Rwanda and East Africa.
Bellancile Uzayisenga; Mupenzi Mutimura; James W Muthomi; Agnes W Mwang’Ombe; Sita R Ghimire. Disease surveillance and farmers’ knowledge of Brachiaria (Syn. Urochloa) grass diseases in Rwanda. African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2020, 1 -13.
AMA StyleBellancile Uzayisenga, Mupenzi Mutimura, James W Muthomi, Agnes W Mwang’Ombe, Sita R Ghimire. Disease surveillance and farmers’ knowledge of Brachiaria (Syn. Urochloa) grass diseases in Rwanda. African Journal of Range & Forage Science. 2020; ():1-13.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBellancile Uzayisenga; Mupenzi Mutimura; James W Muthomi; Agnes W Mwang’Ombe; Sita R Ghimire. 2020. "Disease surveillance and farmers’ knowledge of Brachiaria (Syn. Urochloa) grass diseases in Rwanda." African Journal of Range & Forage Science , no. : 1-13.
This study was planned to analyse the basis that make species with greater feeding value than Napier grass () for lactating dairy cows. Forty lactating crossbred cows were stall-fed on cv. Piatá or Napier grass cv. French Cameroon supplemented (mixed on fresh matter basis) or unsupplemented with , a forage legume. All cows were fed on fresh matter basis under small-holder farming conditions. Results showed that . cv. Piatá had higher contents of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and organic matter (OM), but lower contents of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) than Napier grass ( < 0.001). The legume supplementation increased intakes of CP and metabolizable energy (ME; < 0.001), with higher effect on cows fed . cv. Piatá than on cows fed Napier grass. Average daily milk yield was lower on diets based on Napier grass than those based on . cv. Piatá ( < 0.001). The retention time of the particle phase of digesta in the digestive tract was longer on Napier grass (83.1 h) than on . cv. Piatá (62.8 h) ( < 0.05). It was concluded that in dairy cows, legume supplementation of . cv. Piatá increases nutrient intake, hence resulting in higher milk yields than supplementation of Napier grass.
Mupenzi Mutimura; Cyprian Ebong; Idupulapati M. Rao; Ignatius Verla Nsahlai. Effects of supplementation of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatá and Napier grass with Desmodium distortum on feed intake, digesta kinetics and milk production in crossbred dairy cows. Animal Nutrition 2018, 4, 222 -227.
AMA StyleMupenzi Mutimura, Cyprian Ebong, Idupulapati M. Rao, Ignatius Verla Nsahlai. Effects of supplementation of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatá and Napier grass with Desmodium distortum on feed intake, digesta kinetics and milk production in crossbred dairy cows. Animal Nutrition. 2018; 4 (2):222-227.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMupenzi Mutimura; Cyprian Ebong; Idupulapati M. Rao; Ignatius Verla Nsahlai. 2018. "Effects of supplementation of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatá and Napier grass with Desmodium distortum on feed intake, digesta kinetics and milk production in crossbred dairy cows." Animal Nutrition 4, no. 2: 222-227.