Malik Orou Seko

Faced with the combined challenges of climate change, market volatility, and evolving consumption patterns, crop–livestock integration stands out as a strategic lever for adaptation and poverty reduction. Adopting an entrepreneurial perspective, this study uses linear programming to identify optimal combinations of crop and livestock production. The objective is to develop an application for optimizing farmers’ incomes while incorporating key constraints such as seasonality, land availability, labor, and access to financing.The study draws on two years of techno-economic data (2015–2017) from the experimental farm of the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire (CSRS). Based on these data, farm accounts were developed to estimate the gross margins of 12 commonly cultivated speculations in Côte d’Ivoire, including 7 crop and 5 livestock activities. The resulting values were subsequently adjusted using the cumulative average inflation rate. The optimal acceptable monthly income for an average farming household was established around three threshold levels: 102,765 FCFA (USD 174), 250,000 FCFA (USD 424), and 321,144 FCFA (USD 544). In total, 66 production combinations were developed, all generating positive monthly incomes, and complemented by a sensitivity analysis incorporating variations in sales and price fluctuations.The results indicate that poultry farming (broiler chickens and hybrids), rabbit production, and cassava and tomato cultivation are among the five most profitable enterprises, with annual gross margins ranging from 693,486 to 1,598,271 FCFA. Of the 66 combinations tested, 14 achieve the lowest monthly income threshold of 102,765 FCFA, while 5 surpass the intermediate threshold of 250,000 FCFA. The mixed systems “Rabbit–Broiler Chicken”, “Cassava–Broiler Chicken” and “Tomato–Broiler Chicken” emerge as the most efficient, generating self-financing capacities ranging from 24,542 to 44,280 FCFA. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis strengthens these findings by identifying three combinations capable of reaching the highest threshold of 321,144 FCFA, compared to none in the initial model.Linear programming thus proves to be a powerful decision-support tool for optimizing the allocation of limited resources within complex systems. By mathematically modelling constraints and objectives, it enables the precise identification of the most efficient solution among an infinite set of possible combinations. In the context of agricultural development, this approach provides essential analytical rigor for designing profitable and resilient production systems capable of adapting to economic and climatic realities. Face aux défis conjoints du changement climatique, de la volatilité des marchés et de l'évolution des modes de consommation, l'intégration agriculture-élevage s'impose comme un levier d'adaptation stratégique pour la réduction de la pauvreté. En adoptant une perspective entrepreneuriale, cette étude mobilise la programmation linéaire pour identifier les combinaisons optimales de productions végétales et animales. L'objectif est de développer une application d'optimisation des revenus des exploitants agricoles en intégrant des contraintes critiques telles que la saisonnalité, le foncier, la main d'oeuvre et l'accès au financement. L'étude a utilisé les données technico-économiques de deux ans (période 2015-2017) de la ferme expérimentale du Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire (CSRS). A partir de ces données, les comptes d'exploitation ont été élaborés pour déterminer les marges brutes de 12 spéculations habituellement cultivées en Côte d'Ivoire dont 7 végétales et 5 animales. Les montants obtenus ont été par la suite revalorisés en les ajustant par le taux d'inflation moyen cumulé. Le revenu mensuel optimal acceptable pour un ménage agricole moyen a été établi autour des montants seuils fixés à 102 765 FCFA (174 USD), 250 000 FCFA (424 USD) et 321 144 FCFA (544 USD). Au total, 66 combinaisons ont été élaborées permettant de dégager des revenus mensuels positifs avec une analyse de sensibilité qui intègre la variation des ventes et la fluctuation des prix. Les analyses révèlent que l'élevage de poulets (hybrides et de chair), de lapins, ainsi que les cultures de manioc et de tomate constituent les cinq spéculations les plus rentables, avec des marges brutes annuelles comprises entre 693 486 et 1 598 271 FCFA. Sur les 66 combinaisons testées, 14 permettent d'atteindre le seuil de revenu mensuel inférieur de 102 765 FCFA, et 5 franchissent le palier moyen de 250 000 FCFA. Les systèmes mixtes « Lapin - Poulet de chair », « Manioc - Poulet de chair » et « Tomate - Poulet de chair » s'avèrent les plus performants, dégageant une capacité d'autofinancement allant de 24 542 à 44 280 FCFA. Enfin, l'analyse de sensibilité renforce ces résultats en identifiant 3 combinaisons capables d'atteindre le seuil supérieur de 321 144 FCFA, contre aucune dans le modèle initial. La programmation linéaire s'affirme comme un outil d'aide à la décision permettant l'optimisation de l'allocation de ressources limitées au sein de systèmes complexes. En modélisant mathématiquement les contraintes et les objectifs, elle permet d'identifier avec précision la solution la plus efficiente parmi une infinité de combinaisons possibles. Dans le contexte du développement agricole, cette méthode offre une rigueur analytique essentielle pour structurer des systèmes...

Background: In low‐ and middle‐income countries, meat consumption is often associated with health risks due to limited awareness of zoonotic disease transmission. Burkina Faso is not exempt from these public health threats. This study aimed to assess knowledge and practices related to meat‐borne zoonotic risks among meat consumers in Burkina Faso. Methods: A cross‐sectional descriptive and analytical survey was conducted from August to November 2022, including 849 participants. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered through face‐to‐face interviews. Scores were attributed to assess levels of knowledge and practices regarding zoonotic risks associated with meat handling and consumption. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and chi‐square and Fisher's exact tests. Results: According to findings, although 90.22% acknowledged that meat could transmit zoonotic diseases to humans, only 31.22% could name at least one zoonotic disease. Poor hygiene in meat sale outlets was reported by 50.77% of respondents. Good practices, such as proper meat storage, were inconsistently reported, as 66.90% reportedly stored meat exposed to open air, and 46.29% used the same utensils for meat preparation and meal service in households. Overall, level of education, professional occupation, religion and position held in the household were significantly associated with both knowledge and practices ( p < 0.05), and participants having better knowledge were more likely to adopt safer practices ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: Despite a general awareness of meat‐related health risks, including zoonotic diseases, knowledge gaps and unsafe practices remain prevalent among consumers. Reducing meat‐borne zoonotic diseases requires shifting from general awareness to actionable, behaviour‐oriented interventions. By combining community education, improved market hygiene and multi‐sectoral collaboration, public health authorities can substantially reduce preventable exposure to zoonotic pathogens while preserving the nutritional benefits of meat consumption.

The objective of this work is to assess the economic losses caused by the RVF epizootic on dairy farms in the Dakar and Thiès regions. It was conducted from June to September 2014, through a retrospective survey of farmers and women milk sellers in the urban peripheries of the two regions. The data obtained were analyzed using the benefit-cost approach. Our results showed that the RVF outbreak of 2013 had a negative economic impact on the stakeholders involved. The cost of the disease amounts to 2,620,240,629 FCFA of which 87.5% is represented by the cost without the RVF control costs. The benefit-cost ratio of 6 showed that a RVF vaccination campaign would be very cost-effective. Thus, it is strongly recommended that preventive measures be put in place through targeted vaccination to minimize economic losses due to RVF in the dairy industry in Senegal.n the dairy industry in Senegal.

Handwashing is the first line of hygiene measures and one of the oldest methods of preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Despite its efficacy in the health system, handwashing is often inadequately practiced by populations. This study aimed to assess the presence of SARS-CoV-2, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) on hands as indicators of lack of hand hygiene during COVID 19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted in rural Taabo and urban Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) from January to September 2021. A total of 384 participants from 384 households were included in the study. The total households were distributed proportionally within various municipalities in the two study areas according to the number of households in each municipality, based on data of the National Institute of Statistics from the 2014 general population census. Hand swabbing of the 384 participants within households (320 in Abidjan and 64 in Taabo) was performed for the enumeration of E. coli and S aureus, using laboratory standard method and for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-qPCR. A binary logistic regression model was built with the outcome variable presence of Staphylococcus spp. on hands of respondents that was categorized into binary variables, Staphylococcus spp. (1 = presence, 0 = absence) for the Risk Ratio estimation. Place of living, sex, handwashing, education and age group were used to adjust the model to observe the effects of these explanatory variables. No presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus was detected on the hands of respondents in both sites. However, in urban Abidjan, only Staphylococcus spp. (Coagulase Negative Staphylococci) was found on the hands of 233 (72.8%, 95%CI: 67.7–77.4) respondents with the average load of 0.56 CFU/ Cm2 (95% CI, 0.52–0.60). Meanwhile, in rural Taabo, Staphylococcus spp. (Coagulase Negative Staphylococci) and E. coli were found on the hands of 40 (62.5%, 95%CI: 50.3–73.3) and 7 (10.9%, 95%CI: 5.4–20.9) respondents with the respective average load of 0.49 CFU/ Cm2 (95% CI, 0.39–0.59) and 0.08 CFU/ Cm2 (95% CI, 0.03–0.18). Participants living in rural Taabo were less likely to have Staphylococcus spp. on their hands (RR = 0.811; 95%IC: 0.661–0.995) compared to those living in urban Abidjan. No SARS-CoV-2 was detected on the hands of participants in both sites, suggesting that our study did not show direct transmission through hands. No E. coli was found in urban Abidjan while E. coli was found on the hands of participants in rural Taabo indicating poor hand washing and disinfection practices in rural Taabo. Living in urban Abidjan is statistically associated to having Staphylococcus spp. on hands. Further studies are necessary especially to understand to what extent the presence of Staphylococcus spp. on hands indicates a higher infection or fecal colonization rates in the case of E. coli.

Livestock diseases are a major constraint to farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. However, an inadequate use of acaracides and antibiotics for animal diseases control leads to multi-resistance. Research on medicinal plants can be an alternative. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of three plant extracts on cattle ticks and multi-resistant bacteria isolated in milk from the Korhogo dairy basin. A cross- sectional survey was conducted from March to August 2023 in 24 farms in northern Côte d’Ivoire. Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus  and Amblyomma variegatum female adult ticks were sampled. A questionnaire was administrated to farmers on their knowledge and practices on diseases control. Three plant extracts (Azadirachta indica, Vernomia colorata and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides) were screened for bio-acaricide and anti-bacterial activities using adult immersion test and disc-diffusion assay respectively. At 5000 parts per million (ppm), neem oil and hydroalcoholic extract of the stem bark of Z. zanthoxyloides were effective on A. variegatum while only neem oil at 5000 ppm was active on R. (B) microplus. The three plant extracts at 5000 ppm showed no antibacterial activity on multiresistant isolates of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Neem oil can be used for plant-based bioacaricide development to control the resistant cattle tick R. (B) microplus in Côte d’Ivoire.

Hygiene is the most useful public health measure for preventing infections of important endemic and emerging diseases of global significance. This study aimed to assess the impact of these public health preventive measures on dirty hand diseases. A retrospective survey was conducted in the rural general hospitals of Taabo (south-central Côte d’Ivoire) and Marcory (urban Abidjan) to collect clinical data on dirty hand diseases in the patients’ records from 2013 to 2020. In addition, focus group discussions (N = 8) were conducted in the communities in both settings to identify the sociocultural and economic hindering or fostering factors that affected the adoption of and the compliance with handwashing and disinfection practices. A total of 3245 and 8154 patients’ records were examined in the general hospitals of Taabo and Marcory, respectively. Compared with women, men were more affected by typhoid fever (OR, 0.68 [95%CI, 0.53–0.88]) and influenza (OR, 0.87 [95%CI, 0.75–1]). Hygiene measures promoted during Ebola and COVID-19 outbreaks had no impact on the prevalence of typhoid fever in both settings; however, a positive impact was observed regarding influenza infections. Populations were aware of the importance of handwashing for public health but had difficulties adhering due to financial constraints, access to drinking water, and the absence or scarcity of handwashing facilities.

The general opinion and current scientific evidence highlight the link between red meat consumption and the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). We explored the determinants of the intention to consume red meat in relation to the risks of developing NCDs in Senegal with a special focus on popular “dibiterie” meat (braised meat) consumed in Dakar, Senegal. Building on the theory of planned behaviour as a theoretical framework, we used a structured questionnaire to collect data on the knowledge of consumers regarding the risk of NCDs from consuming meat. The survey involved 478 people randomly selected from households in the Dakar region. Data collected was analysed by performing the calculation of the dibiterie meat quantities consumed and frequencies of consumption, analyses of the principal components, binary logistic regression, and multiple hierarchical regression. Results show that dibiterie meat is mainly a dietary supplement for the population. The convenience, the social pressure, and quality indicators such as producer expertise and health perceived a link between meat consumption and NCDs; gender and age predicted the intention to consume dibiterie meat in the households of the Dakar region. This study provides a theoretical basis for the development of incentive-based interventions aiming to promote a balanced diet and healthy eating habits. Nutrition education and the use of social media have been raised as important in risky meat consumption behaviour change.

Ackground and Aim: Several factors contribute to the unusual incidence of antibiotic resistance, which is now a primary public health concern. However, failure in managing preventive and therapeutic antibiotic use on farms is one of the most crucial factors. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the biosecurity of farms, farmers' competence, and practices related to antibiotics and their resistance in poultry and pig rearing in Togo. Materials and Methods: Through a cross-sectional survey, 121 commercial poultry farmers and 97 commercial pig farmers were questioned to evaluate the biosecurity of farms and farmers' competence and practices related to antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. Descriptive analyses, including the evaluation of proportions, were carried out. In addition, results from qualitative factors were evaluated in a defined grid and totaled up to assess cleanliness measures, awareness, and behavior regarding antibiotics and their resistance. Results: The results demonstrated that most farmers working on poultry farms had a university education, while most working on pig farms had secondary education. Most poultry (69%) and pig (44%) farms were of small sizes (<1000 animals in poultry and <10 animals in pig farming). The footbaths were used in just 51% of poultry farms and 4% of pig farms, respectively, with 37% and 82% of poultry and pig farms having inadequate levels of hygiene. In poultry farms, respiratory issues and periodic decline in egg-laying were the main problems. Simultaneously, skin disorders (scabies) and plagues (African swine fever) were the primary health constraints in pig farming. Tetracycline is the most commonly used antibiotic by farmers. However, in poultry and pig farms, 21% and 67% of farmers were unaware of antibiotics. In addition, 39% and 57% were unaware of antibiotic resistance. Poultry and pig farmers' competence were substantially linked to their education level. Poultry farmers demonstrated better practices, including procuring antibiotics based on veterinary prescriptions (63%) and they knew where antibiotics should be bought (90%). Nevertheless, 43% of farmers asserted unpleasant activities – no application for laboratory testing (93%) and use of antibiotics for prevention (82%). In pig farming, most farmers (69%) reported inadequate incidents of the use of antibiotics. Conclusion: This study identified a crucial non-compliance with biosecurity measures and good practices toward antibiotic use on many farms. Therefore, training of farmers is mandatory for safe livestock products.

Rapid urbanisation in Sub-Saharan African cities such as Dakar, Senegal, leads to proliferation of informal braised meat restaurants known as “dibiteries”. Dibiteries do not often comply with minimal hygiene and food safety standards. The primary objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness and cost of a good hygiene practice intervention, identify factors that incentivize hygiene improvement and how that impacts on dibiteries’ income. A randomized controlled trial was carried out in Dakar dibiteries. The 120 random samples of braised meat were collected in three phases: (i) one-month pre-intervention, (ii) 2 months post-intervention, (iii) 10 months post-intervention. The trial comprised four groups of 10 dibiteries each: (a) (control) received no intervention, (b) a standardized training module, (c) a hygiene kit, (d) a training module and hygiene kit. Laboratory analysis of samples determined the total aerobic mesophilic flora (TAMF), thermotolerant coliforms (TC) and Staphylococcus aureus (SA). A questionnaire-based survey and focus group discussion were used to identify pre-intervention hygiene practices, and socioeconomic determinants of hygiene management in dibiteries post-intervention, respectively. Samples were found to be contaminated with TAMF, TC and SA. In phase 1, 27 and 13% of the samples contained TC and SA, respectively. In phase 2, no significant improvement of contamination rates was seen. In phase 3, microbiological quality of samples was significantly improved, with only 11.5% showing contamination with any of the bacterial species analysed (p < 0.1). Compared to the control group, only samples from dibiteries in group (b) had significantly reduced bacterial load in phase 3. The cost of intervention and hygiene improvement was estimated at 67 FCFA ($ 0.12) and 41 FCFA ($ 0.07) / day respectively and did not significantly impact on dibiterie profitability. Incentives to sustainably implement good hygiene practices were mainly linked to access to secure long-term workspaces. This intervention may have worked, but globally the results are mixed and not quite significant. However, continuous training in good hygiene practice and access to secure and sustainable infrastructure for dibiterie restaurants are the incentives necessary to achieve sustainable investments and behavioural change. We recommend further intervention refinement and testing other factors for promoting the adoption of good hygiene practices in the dibiteries in relation to consumers health risk.

Dibiteries are restaurants that sell braised meat of small ruminants and sometimes chicken. Current microbiological data indicate that the products sold are sometimes contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms exceeding the quality standards recommended for human consumption, hence a real public health concern. Despite the lack of hygiene, these establishments continue to thrive in the Senegalese food ecosystem. However, very few studies have analyzed the socio-economic motivations and risk representations of these populations who participate in the growing demand for meat from dibiteries. The main objective is to understand the relationships between consumer perception of food risks, quality, and safety indicators of braised meat sold in Dibiteries in Dakar. A total of 479 people from 404 households in the Dakar region were randomly selected and surveyed on the consumption of dibiterie meat using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire allowed to measure the relative importance given by each interviewee to the indicators related to the risk of food infection, and the quality and safety of dibiterie meat. The structural equation model was used to design the paths and analyze the relationships. Of the 479 people interviewed, 291 people consumed dibiterie meat. Only 16% of consumers strongly perceive the quality and safety of meat. This strong perception has been positively associated with monthly food expenditure, while the age of consumers explained it negatively. Among the latent variables identified, the perceived price effect and the dibiteries' expertise were positively related to the perception on the safety and the perception on the nutritional quality of the product. The nutritional quality of the product had negatively impacted the risks of food infection perceived by consumers. The results of this study suggest the strengthening of hygiene standards in dibiteries and the awareness of consumers, especially young people, about the potential health risks associated with the consumption of dibiterie meat. Further work on willingness to pay to improve the safety of dibiterie meat is needed.