Suchergebnisse

A double bounded contingent valuation (CV) model was used to assess the Willingness to Pay (WTP) for vaccination of cattle against RVF in a sample of 276 livestock producers in Murang'a, Laikipia and Kwale Counties. While the level of awareness about the disease was rather low, nearly all respondents expressed willingness to have their animals vaccinated against the disease. Average WTP was highest in Murang'a (mean = US$1.44) where farmers practice dairy farming using exotic breeds of cattle compared to Laikipia (mean = US$1.24), where both exotic dairy and local breeds of cattle together with their crosses are kept, and Kwale (mean = US$1.01) where local breeds are predominantly kept. These average levels of WTP were 17%–67% higher than the estimated cost incurred by government (US$0.86 per head of cattle) in the most recent vaccination campaign conducted during RVF outbreak. Surprisingly, WTP tended to be lower among producers with many heads of cattle probably because the large herds would translate to bigger total costs. The study recommended support for sensitization campaigns about RVF and its control measures. While the high average levels of WTP implies potential for commercialization of vaccination against RVF, there may be need for price differentiation by region to ensure that sufficiently high numbers of producers vaccinate their animals to prevent outbreaks. ; United States Agency for International Development ; Peer Review

L'eau virtuelle fait référence à l'eau douce utilisée durant toutes les étapes de production des biens échangés à l'échelle internationale (Allan, 1993). La teneur en eau virtuelle comprend trois composantes : l'eau virtuelle bleue qui renferme l'eau d'irrigation et l'eau utilisée durant la transformation d'un produit, l'eau verte incluant l'eau de pluie et l'eau emmagasinée dans le sol et finalement l'eau grise qui représente le volume d'eau nécessaire pour diluer tous les polluants introduits durant le processus de production. Plusieurs recherches considèrent que les échanges d'eau virtuelle présentent une solution potentielle à la mauvaise allocation des ressources en eau qui représente un problème commun dans plusieurs pays confrontés à des risques de pénurie d'eau, tel est le cas de la Tunisie. En effet, plusieurs recherches ont souligné le fait que l'optimisation des systèmes de culture et de la répartition géographique de la production en s'appuyant sur le concept d'eau virtuelle peut diminuer considérablement la pression sur l'eau d'irrigation et entraîne, par conséquent, un meilleur niveau de sécurité hydrique et alimentaire. L'objectif de ce travail, est de voir dans quelles mesures les instruments de protection peuvent-ils prendre en compte la composante gestion de la ressource eau et contribuer à travers les politiques commerciales et les flux d'eau virtuelle à une meilleure conservation, usage et allocation des ressources en eau ? Pour cela, on procède d'une part, à l'évaluation de la valeur économique de l'eau à travers des indicateurs tels que la productivité économique apparente de l'eau totale utilisée (définie comme étant le rapport entre le prix local du produit (TND/kg) et l'évapotranspiration réelle en (m3/kg)) et la valeur de l'eau d'irrigation (IWV) pour chacune des cultures sélectionnées. La IWV est estimée comme la valeur nette de la production par hectare de culture en système irrigué moins la valeur nette de la production en système pluvial divisée par le volume d'eau appliqué (m3). La valeur nette de la production est la valeur de la production moins les coûts de tous les intrants sauf l'eau. D'autre part, on se propose d'estimer les teneurs et les flux d'eau virtuelle des principaux produits agricoles et agroalimentaires produits, exportés et importés par la Tunisie. ; International Development Research Centre

Low-income households in Kenya depend on informal dairy sector to access raw milk and meet their nutrient needs. This is because raw milk is cheaper than processed milk by 20–50%; majority prefers its taste and high butterfat content; it is widely accessible; and it is sold in variable quantities suiting every consumer's affordability. Despite the critical nutritional role played by the informal dairy sector on poor households, the need to conform to international standards of food safety has triggered regulatory agencies to formulate policies that restrict informal commercialization of milk. While promoting milk pasteurization is an important public health measure, little is known of its potential effect on household milk consumption and allocation. Methods: We conducted an experimental study to investigate the effect of milk price increase on intra-household milk allocation to children (less than 4-year-old) in peri-urban settlements in Nairobi that would result from elimination of the cheaper informal milk from the market. The study entailed a best-worst choice experiment that posed various hypothetical scenarios, each with four milk allocation alternatives for the respondent to pick the most and least likely choices they would take in the event milk prices increased by 40% from the prevailing retail price. We analyzed the relative importance of milk allocation alternatives and used latent class model to examine the likely impact of such policy on children milk allocation in different groups. Findings and interpretations: Of all the 9 milk allocation alternatives, 4 were the most important/preferred regardless of the household socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and these suggested that an increase in milk price by 40%would decrease overall milk demand and consumption at the household level. Moreover, in three of those, the choices that households consider best/most likely directly affect the amount of milk allocated to children below the age of 4 years. Although participants indicated that they would compensate for the decreased milk amount allocated to children by substituting with another food item, the nutrition value of the replacement, taste and preference, complementarity and price among other factors might not match that of milk. Conclusions: Poor households prefer consuming raw milk sourced from the informal sector due to its relative affordable price, taste and its accessibility. Increasing price would likely decrease household demand as there would be overall decrease on the amounts consumed by its members – including children. Given that the current consumption is below the amounts recommended by WHO, policies streamlining the dairy sector should consider the large informal sector as a strategic partner and strengthen its capacity to market safe milk in an overarching goal of improving consumption instead of eliminating it. ; Government of the United Kingdom ; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Introduction Mycotoxin producing fungi contaminate feeds pre- or post harvest and produce aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2. Aflatoxin B1 is a class 1 human carcinogen and is converted to aflatoxin M1 by cows and secreted in milk. Aflatoxin M1 is a class 2B (possible) carcinogen and is associated with stunting in children. Aflatoxin B1 in feeds causes a decrease in milk production, reduced feed conversion efficiency and reduced fertility. A cross-sectional study to assess the economic costs of aflatoxins was done in five counties in Kenya. Methods A map of the five agro-ecological zones of Kenya was used to select the study sites: Kisii and Bungoma (temperate), Tharaka-Nithi (humid), Kwale (sub-humid), and Isiolo(semi-arid). One sublocation was randomly selected from each county. Multistage cluster sampling was done with sub-locations, then villages, then dairy farmers (Dohoo et al., 2012). Milk samples were collected from the dairy farmers. Feed samples were collected from the dairy farmers, feed traders and feed manufacturers. Aflatoxin B1 and M1 quantification in dairy feeds and milk was done using a competitive ELISA. Possible economic costs of aflatoxins were estimated using annual quantities/market prices of feeds and milk having aflatoxin B1 or M1 respectively above the WHO/FAO standards. Findings and interpretations Sixty two of 101 (61.4%) dairy feed samples from feed manufacturers had aflatoxin B1 levels above the FAO/WHO/Kenya limit of 5 ppb. If this Kenyan legislation would be enforced, the possible economic cost per year for dairy feed manufacturers would be 22.2 billion US$. Seventeen of 118 (14.4%) dairy feed samples from farmers had aflatoxin B1 levels above 120 ppb. Aflatoxin B1 concentrations above 120 ppb in dairy feeds has been shown to cause a 25 % drop in milk production(Guthrie and Bedell, 1979). The annual cost for farmers in Kenya feeding their cows on dairy feeds with aflatoxin B1 above 120 ppb is estimated at 37.4 million US$. Of the 283 milk samples from the five counties, 10.3% had aflatoxin B1 levels above WHO/FAO limit of 50 ppt which would cost dairy farmers 113.4 million US $ per year, if legislation was enforced. Education of farmers, feed manufacturers and traders on good agricultural and feed storage practices could reduce the level of contamination and multiplication of aflatoxin producing fungi and increase profits for the dairy farmers. ; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finland

Aflatoxin contamination in food is a human health threat in many developing countries. This study examines Kenyan milk consumers' behaviour related to, and perception of, aflatoxin contamination. The study considered two groups of respondents: raw milk consumers mainly located in peri-urban areas of Nairobi, and processed milk consumers located in urban areas. Results indicate that practically all raw milk consumers and the majority of processed milk consumers boil the milk before its consumption believing that the product is completely safe after boiling. Aflatoxin awareness is very high for the urban milk consumers and relatively high for the peri-urban ones. In both groups, almost half of the respondents who had heard about aflatoxin believe, or know, that it can be transferred into milk. Most respondents, however, did not know how to avoid aflatoxin-contaminated milk. Given the credence characteristic of aflatoxin consumer education and awareness raising programs alone will not be able to solve the problem. Efforts along the whole value chain and at the level of government are needed to reduce the use of aflatoxin spoiled feed and secure aflatoxin safe milk at the consumer level.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ; Government of the United Kingdom