Hoima District Research Articles

Utilization of outreach immunization services among children in Hoima District, Uganda: a cluster survey

BackgroundThe global vaccine action plan 2011–2020 was endorsed by 194 states to equitably extend the benefits of immunization to all people. However, gaps in vaccination coverage remain in developing countries such as Uganda. One of the strategies used to tackle existing inequities is implementation of outreach immunization services to deliver services to those with poor geographical access. However, reports of inconsistent use of these services prevail; therefore understanding the factors associated with use of these services is critical for improving service delivery. This study examined the factors associated with utilization of outreach immunization services among children aged 10–23 months in Hoima District, Uganda.ResultsOverall, 87.4% (416/476) of the children had ever utilized outreach immunization services. Of these, 3.6% (15/416) had completed their entire immunization schedules from outreach immunization sessions. Use of outreach services was associated with reports that the time of outreach sessions was convenient [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32–6.51], community mobilization was done prior to outreach sessions (AOR 4.9, 95% CI 1.94–12.61), the caretaker knew the benefits of childhood immunizations (AOR 2.1, 95% CI 1.30–4.42), and the caretaker was able to name at least four vaccine preventable diseases (AOR 3.0, 95% CI 1.13–7.88).ConclusionsUtilization of outreach immunization services in Hoima District was high but reduced with subsequent vaccine doses. Therefore, strategies targeted at retaining service users for the entire immunization schedule need to be developed and implemented. Such strategies could include health education emphasizing the benefits of childhood immunization.

Risk factors for hematemesis in Hoima and Buliisa Districts, Western Uganda, September-October 2015.

IntroductionOn 17 September 2015, Buliisa District Health Office reported multiple deaths due to haemorrhage to the Uganda Ministry of Health. We conducted an investigation to verify the existence of an outbreak and to identify the disease nature, mode of transmission and risk factors.MethodsWe defined a suspected case as onset of hematemesis between 1 June 2015 and 15 October 2015 in a resident of Hoima, Buliisa or neighbouring districts. We identified cases by reviewing medical records and actively searching in the community. We interviewed case-patients and health-care workers and performed descriptive epidemiology to generate hypotheses on possible exposures. In a case-control study we compared exposures between 21 cases and 81 controls, matched by age (± 10 years), sex and village of residence. We collected 22 biological specimens from 19 case-patients to test for Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers (VHF). We analysed the data using the Mantel-Haenszel method to account for the matched study design.ResultsWe identified 56 cases with onset from June to October (attack rate 15/100,000 in Buliisa District and 5.2/100,000 in Hoima District). The age-specific attack rate was highest in persons aged 31-60 years (15/100,000 in Hoima and 47/100,000 in Buliisa); no persons below 15 years of age had the illness. In the case-control study, 42% (5/12) of cases vs. 0.0% (0/77) of controls had liver disease (ORM-H = ∞; 95%CI = 3.7-∞); 71% (10/14) of cases vs. 35% (28/81) of controls had ulcer disease (ORM-H = 13; 95% CI = 1.6-98); 27% (3/11) of cases vs. 14% (11/81) of controls used indomethacin prior to disease onset (ORM-H = 6.0; 95% CI = 1.0-36). None of the blood samples were positive for any of the VHFs.ConclusionThis reported cluster of hematemesis illness was due to predisposing conditions and use of Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAID). Health education should be conducted on the danger of NSAIDs misuse, especially in persons with pre-disposing conditions.

Sociocultural factors associated with fish consumption in Lake Albert fishing community: Guidelines for lead and mercury.

Fish consumption in subsistence fishing community is a life style associated with lead and mercury uptake for humans. Fish consumption is influenced by sociocultural factors, exposure and health risks. Unfortunately, no sociocultural study in the Lake Albert fishing community in light of lead and mercury exists. A cross-sectional sociocultural study was carried out between March and June 2015. A total of 270 household heads in four landing sites in Hoima district completed structured questionnaires and data analyzed using SPSS version 20. The majority of the households (74.8%) had primary education or below, 51.1% drank unboiled water, and 30% perceived lake water safe for drinking. Children under five ate soup (15%) and middle piece of the fish (29%). The Poisson general linear model predicting weekly fish consumption amounts against sociocultural factors showed that household size (p = 0.047), male child presence (p = 0.007), methods of preparation i.e. salting (p < 0.0001), fish parts consumed by adults (p < 0.0001), fish preference (p < 0.0001), awareness about the beach management unit (p < 0.0001), and income from charcoal selling (p < 0.0001) were positive predictors. The negative predictors of weekly fish consumption amounts were awareness about fish consumption benefits (p < 0.0001), eating young fish (p = 0.002), donor agency presence (p < 0.0001), and frying as the method of fish preparation (p = 0.002). In conclusion, knowledge of the sociocultural factors associated with fish consumption determines the amounts and frequency of the predominant fish eaten. Therefore, to establish and adopt fish consumption guidelines for lead and mercury in the Lake Albert, the sociocultural factors should be integrated in the message disseminated.

Empowering farmers to learn and innovate through integration of video-mediated and face-to-face extension approaches: The case of rice farmers in Uganda

AbstractAgricultural extension is perceived as the primary mechanism through which farmers expand their ability to adopt and adapt new technologies and ideas. The use of Information and Communication Technology like videos in extension is being fronted as an alternative to the conventional Face-to-face extension approach (F2FEA). A comparison of effectiveness of the Video-mediated extension approach (VMEA) and F2FEA among rice farmers in two districts of Uganda challenges the independent use of the two approaches. A cross-sectional survey of two non-equivalent groups subjected to VMEA in Kamwenge and F2FEA in Hoima districts was conducted with 196 farmers. The results indicate greater potential for integration of VMEA and F2FEA as the two are complementary in the various stages of the farmer learning framework developed. VMEA is significantly better in awareness creation and sharing of knowledge and experiences while the F2FEA is significantly better at enhancing knowledge acquisition and retention and ap...

English

Uganda is the second largest producer of dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Africa, but common bean rust caused by Uromyces appendiculatus (Pers. Unger), is negatively impacting the production of the crop. There is little information on the occurrence and identity of the rust pathotypes present in the country. Consequently, a field survey was carried out during the 2015 second planting season in fifteen districts, representing the areas of high beans production in Uganda. High common bean rust incidence and severity were observed in the low altitudes and the South-Western Highlands of Uganda. Wakiso and Hoima districts had the highest rust disease incidence 72 and 76% respectively and severity rates of 6 and 5.5, respectively. Rust disease incidence was uniformly high on commercial genotypes and landraces. Similarly, high rust disease incidence and severity were observed in the bean-maize&ndash;groundnut cropping system. Twenty-three single rust isolates were collected in Uganda and inoculated on 11 bean rust differentials and Ouro Negro (Ur-14) genotypes. Six rust pathotypes were identified and these included 2-0, 4-0, 50-0, 5-1, 4-33 and 63-19. Five of the pathotypes were of Andean origin and only pathotype 4-33 was of Mesoamerican origin. The rust pathotype 63-19 showed similar pathogenic characteristics with the Puerto Rico rust race 19-63. This study provides critical baseline information to integrate breeding and crop protection in the efforts to develop an overall strategy for the management of common beans in Uganda. Key words: Phaseolus vulgaris, Uromyces appendiculatus, rust differentials, co-evolution, disease severity.

The cost of responding to a waterborne cholera outbreak in a village in Uganda compared to a simple hypothetical intervention

Purpose: In September 2015, a cholera outbreak occurred in a village in Hoima district, Uganda. The Ministry of Health assembled a rapid response team, with support byCDC, UNICEF and WHO, to investigate the outbreak, establish the Kaiso Cholera Treatment Center (KCTC), and implement control measures. The team identified 120 cholera cases (with 5 deaths) and determined that drinking contaminated water from the lakeshore caused this outbreak. We sought to determine the cost of investigating and controlling this outbreak, and compare it to a would-be simple preventive measure – constructing deep wells to provide cleaner water. Methods & Materials: We collected cost data,including personnel and material costs at KCTC, health facilities,Hoima district health office, Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, UNICEF, CDC,and WHO. We defined direct cost of responding to this outbreak as expenditure on medications, medical equipment and supplies, utilities, and allowances and transport for responders; indirect cost included salary and other compensations for responders. We did not include difficult-to-measure costs such as vehicle depreciation, building maintenance, and loss of productivity to case-persons due to illness and deaths. The cost of constructing deep wells was quoted by a U.S.-based NGO. Results: The total cost incurred in investigating and controlling this outbreak was $71,769, including $21,059 in direct cost ($19,225 for allowances and transportation, $1,774 for medical equipment and supplies, and $60 for utilities), and $50,620 in indirect cost (74,484 person-hours of salary and other compensationsfor responders). Conversely, constructing a deep well to provide cleaner water would cost approximately $2500. Essentially, the total cost incurred in this outbreak would have been enough toconstruct 28 (=71769/2500) deep wells;even the direct cost only would have been enough to construct 8 (=21059/2500) deep wells. One such deep well would have prevented this outbreak and averted future waterborne outbreaks. Conclusion: A simple prevention measure such as constructing deep wells for village residents can be substantially cost-effective for preventing waterborne diseases such as cholera. We recommend that the government should proactively implement prevention measures for waterborne outbreaks whenever possible, instead of passively responding to these outbreaks.

Discovery of Oil: Community Perceptions and Expectations in Uganda’s Albertine Region

&lt;p&gt;This study was conducted to interrogate local perceptions and expectations from the discovery of oil in the Albertine Graben of Uganda. We interviewed 50 residents (30 men and 20 women) from Butiaba and Wanseko (Buliisa district), Kyehoro and Kabaale villages (Hoima district). The villages were purposively selected to have a representation of the districts in the Albertine region where Oil discovery activities are currently being implemented but also to explore any differences in perceptions that may be linked to livelihood options of the respondents. We applied narrative analysis. Overall, we observed minimal pessimism as residents expressed concerns over environmental degradation, political tensions and land conflicts following oil activities, but there was a dominance of optimism as communities envisaged that the oil industry will create employment, infrastructural development, improved access to electricity, and enhanced social status. The findings demonstrated that communities living in areas where extractive resources such as oil and gas have been discovered tend to be more optimistic with very minimal pessimism in their expectations during the phase of upstream activities of the oil value chain. The findings challenge the dominant narrative that residents where energy development and other land use changes are being implemented tend to have negative expectations -a phenomenon known as NIMBY (Not-In- My-Back-Yard). We identify the need to develop strong institutional frameworks that harness benefits from oil to improve local livelihoods without compromising the environment and enhancing participation of locals in decision making processes.&lt;/p&gt;

Newborn Care Practices among Adolescent Mothers in Hoima District, Western Uganda.

IntroductionAdolescent childbearing remains a major challenge to improving neonatal mortality especially in Sub Saharan countries which are still struggling with high neonatal mortality rates. We explored essential newborn care practices and associated factors among adolescent mothers in Western Uganda.MethodsData were collected among 410 adolescent mothers with children aged one to six months in Hoima district. Three composite variables (appropriate neonatal breastfeeding, cord care and thermal protection) were derived by combining related practices from a list of recommended newborn care practices. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors independently associated with practice of essential newborn care.ResultsAppropriate newborn feeding, optimal thermal protection and dry cord care were practiced by 60.5%, 67.2% and 31% of adolescent mothers respectively. Independent predictors’ of cord care were: knowledge of cord care (AOR 5.34, 95% CI (1.51–18.84) and having delivered twins (AOR 0.04, 95% CI (0.01–0.22). The only predictor of thermal care was knowledge (AOR 25.15, 95% CI (7.01–90.20). Staying in a hospital for more than one day postpartum (AOR 2.45, 95%CI (1.23–4.86), knowledge of the correct time of breastfeeding initiation (AOR 14.71, 95% CI (5.20–41.58), predicted appropriate neonatal feeding, whereas; adolescent mothers who had had a caesarean delivery (AOR 0.19, 95% CI (I 0.04–0.96) and a male caretaker in the postnatal period (AOR 0.18, 95% CI (0.07–0.49) were less likely to practice the recommended newborn feeding.ConclusionSub optimal essential newborn care practice was noted especially suboptimal cord care. Adolescent mothers should be a focus of strategies to improve maternal and neonatal health.

Leptospira Seroprevalence and Risk Factors in Health Centre Patients in Hoima District, Western Uganda.

BackgroundThe burden of human leptospirosis in Uganda is unknown. We estimated the seroprevalence of Leptospira antibodies, probable acute/recent leptospirosis, and risk factors for seropositivity in humans in rural Western Uganda.Methodology and Principal Findings359 non-pregnant adults visiting the Kikuube and Kigorobya Health Centers were sequentially recruited during March and April 2014. A health history survey and serum were collected from consented participants. Overall, 69% reported having fever in the past year, with 49% reporting malaria, 14% malaria relapse, 6% typhoid fever, 3% brucellosis, and 0% leptospirosis. We tested sera by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) against eight Leptospira serovars representing seven serogroups. Leptospira seroprevalence was 35% (126/359; 95%CI 30.2–40.3%) defined as MAT titer ≥ 1:100 for any serovar. The highest prevalence was against L. borgpetersenii Nigeria (serogroup Pyrogenes) at 19.8% (71/359; 95%CI 15.9–24.4%). The prevalence of probable recent leptospirosis (MAT titer ≥1:800) was 1.9% (95%CI 0.9–4.2%) and uniquely related to serovar Nigeria (serogroup Pyrogenes). Probable recent leptospirosis was associated with having self-reported malaria within the past year (p = 0.048). Higher risk activities included skinning cattle (n = 6) with 12.3 higher odds (95%CI 1.4–108.6; p = 0.024) of Leptospira seropositivity compared with those who had not. Participants living in close proximity to monkeys (n = 229) had 1.92 higher odds (95%CI 1.2–3.1; p = 0.009) of seropositivity compared with participants without monkeys nearby.Conclusions/SignificanceThe 35% prevalence of Leptospira antibodies suggests that exposure to leptospirosis is common in rural Uganda, in particular the Nigeria serovar (Pyrogenes serogroup). Leptospirosis should be a diagnostic consideration in febrile illness and “smear-negative malaria” in rural East Africa.

Reasons for the Low Male Involvement in Routine Child Immunization in Hoima District Uganda using the Attitude, Social Influence and Self Efficacy Model

Millions of children continue to miss immunizations each year despite global increases in financing and advances in vaccine technology. Male involvement in routine child immunization activities could improve and sustain coverage but is rarely emphasized in immunization programs or research. This study identified factors associated with male involvement in routine child immunization using the attitude, social influence and self-efficacy model.A household cluster survey was conducted among 460 fathers aged 18 years or more, with children aged 10-23 months. A semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Prevalence Risk Ratios (PRRs) were used to measure associations with level of involvement using generalized linear models with Poisson family, log link and robust standard errors in STATA 12. Our findings show that half (51%, 236/460) of the respondents were aged 25-34 years; 36% (166/460) had completed eight or more years of formal education. Although90% (415/460) of the respondents were willing to be involved, only 29% (133/460) were highly involved in routine child immunization. Highly involved fathers had a positive attitude towards involvement in routine child immunization (adj. PRR 2.3, 95% CI 1.18 – 4.98) and were ≥45 years adjusted prevalence risk ratio (adj. PRR) 2.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15 - 3.76. Traders had a lower involvement compared to those engaged in other occupations (adj. PRR 0.55, 95% CI: 0.37 - 0.82). In conclusion, few fathers were involved in routine child immunization. Strategies to improve fathers’ positive attitude such as health education are needed to increase their involvement, specifically targeting younger fathers and traders.

What drives the consistent use of long-lasting insecticidal nets over time? A multi-method qualitative study in mid-western Uganda.

BackgroundThe distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) through universal coverage campaigns is a widely adopted approach for the prevention of malaria at scale. While post-distribution surveys play a valuable role in determining cross-sectional levels of LLIN retention and use, as well as frequently cited reasons for non-use, few studies have explored the consistency of LLIN use over time, within the expected lifespan of the net, and the factors which may drive this.MethodsIn this qualitative study, 74 in-depth interviews were conducted with (male) household heads and (female) caregivers of children in LLIN recipient households, as well as community health workers, in Buliisa, Hoima and Kiboga districts in Uganda, 25–29 months following a LLIN mass campaign distribution. A triangulation approach to data analysis was taken, incorporating thematic analysis, most significant change and positive deviance.ResultsThe factors found to be most influential in encouraging long-term LLIN use were positive experience of net use prior to the distribution, and appreciation or awareness of a range of benefits arising from their use, including protection from malaria as well as importantly, other health, lifestyle, social and economic benefits. Social support from within the community was also identified as an important factor in determining continued use of LLINs. Net use appeared to be more consistent amongst settled urban and rural communities, compared with fishing, pastoralist, refugee and immigrant communities.ConclusionsA multitude of interplaying factors encouraged consistent LLIN use in this setting. Whilst the protection of malaria remains a powerful motivator, social and behaviour change (SBC) strategies should also capitalize on the non-malaria benefits of net use that provide a long-term rationale for consistent use. Where supplies are available, SBC campaigns should promote replacement options, emphasizing ongoing net care and replacement as a household responsibility, thus reducing dependence on free distributions. The triangulation approach to qualitative data analysis enabled increased confidence in the validity of findings and an enhanced contextual understanding of the factors promoting consistent net use in mid-western Uganda. The approach should be considered when designing future studies to explore factors driving net retention and use trends.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-016-1101-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Prevalence and factors associated with dental caries among children and adults in selected districts in Uganda.

The aim was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with dental caries among adults and children in seven districts of Uganda. Participants aged 11-13 (n=1230) and 35-44 years (n=648) were randomly selected from urban and rural areas of Gulu, Soroti, Jinja, Masaka, Kabale, Kabarole and Hoima districts. They were examined by 4 trained and calibrated dentists for dental caries using Decayed, Missing and Filled teeth index as described by World Health Organisation. Overall mean DMFT score was 0.73 for children and 4.71 for adults. Generally, there was a higher mean DMFT score in the rural (2.19) compared to urban areas (1.97). In all the districts, except Hoima, there was a higher mean DMFT score of children in rural compared to urban. In adults, similar trend was mainly registered in Masaka, Hoima and Gulu districts. Most participants (79.9%, n=1309) occasionally ate sugared snacks. Overall, 95% (n=1795) of the participants cleaned their teeth with plastic tooth brushes (71.7%) and chewing sticks (8.3%). Although the severity of dental caries was low, the disease was widespread in the study population. A high proportion of participants reported consumption of sugared snacks and drinks, which calls for oral health education.

Seismic Hazard Analysis for the Albertine Region, Uganda – A Probabilistic Approach

The Albertine region of Uganda is characterized by high levels of seismic activity and by many active normal faults. The aim of this work is to assess the potential hazard accruing from earthquakes in the Albertine region, using the probabilistic approach to assess the seismic hazard for, specifically, the Hoima and Buliisa districts. The input parameters for the seismic hazard computation were obtained using the earthquake catalogue compiled for the period 1900 to 2012, including earthquakes within an area bounded by latitudes 1.5°S to 4°N and longitudes 29°E to 33°E. All magnitudes were homogenized to moment magnitude scale. The study area was divided into two seismic source zones based on seismotectonic analysis. The updated ground motion prediction equation by Pankow and Pechmann was used in the computations. Seismic hazard maps in terms of the Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) for 10%, 5% and 2% probabilities of exceedance in 50 years were derived. The results show that the PGA values for both districts fall in the range of 0.152 to 0.162 g, 0.187 to 0.195 g and 0.248 to 0.256 g (where g is the acceleration due to gravity), for return periods of 475, 975 and 2,475 years, respectively. The highest levels of seismic hazard were found in the southwestern part of the Hoima district, where PGA values were in excess of 0.162 g, 0.195 g and 0.256 g for 10%, 5% and 2% chances of exceedance in 50 years, respectively. We conclude that in the Albertine region, the return period for an earthquake capable of causing damage to engineering structures is, on average, 30 years. It is thus recommended that all important engineering structures in the region should be designed for earthquake resistance.

Lessons learned from engaging men in sexual and reproductive health as clients, partners and advocates of change in the Hoima district of Uganda

This study examined the impact of a three-year intervention project conducted in the Hoima district of Uganda, which sought to engage men in sexual and reproductive health as clients, equal partners and advocates of change. Structured surveys with 164 self-reported heterosexual men aged 18–54 years were used to assess knowledge and attitudes towards sexual and reproductive health. Data from these were analysed using Stata and SPSS. Additionally, five focus groups were conducted with the female partners and male beneficiaries of the project and with project peer educators. Four interviews were conducted with project staff and male beneficiaries. Data from these and the focus groups were analysed using a thematic approach. Following the intervention, a significantly greater number of men accessed, and supported their partners in accessing sexual health services services, had gained sexual and reproductive health awareness, reported sharing domestic duties and contraceptive decision-making, and displayed a decreased tolerance for domestic violence. It was more difficult to assess men's involvement and behaviours as advocates of change, which sheds light on the complexities of a gender transformative project and the importance of evaluating such projects from both men's and their partners' perspectives and at different levels of the male involvement model in sexual and reproductive health.

The Civic Life of Food Production

The Civic Life of Food Production

NERICA Upland Rice: Seeds of Change for Female-Headed Households in Uganda?

Recognizing that the adoption of new agricultural technology has different effects on different types of households and social actors, this study examines how female-headed households growing New Rice for Africa (NERICA) upland rice in Hoima District, Uganda, compare with male-headed NERICA grower households with respect to the production, productivity, and marketing of the crop. We show that NERICA has become an important cash income earner for both household categories, which obtain similar levels of productivity, and identify factors that seem to have helped make it accessible to female-headed households: the perception of rice not solely as a commercial crop but also a food crop, a ready local market, and good performance without agro-chemical inputs. In spite of evidence that female-headed households are constrained by inferior access to land and by lower de facto sales price, we argue that NERICA provides opportunities for these households that may contribute toward more equitable production, productivity, and marketing conditions between female- and male-headed households.

The Red-Haired Chimpanzee: Integrated Conservation and Development, Engagement, and (Mis)understandings in Hoima District, western Uganda

Drawing on research completed in seven villages in Hoima District, western Uganda, in 2013, this paper explores the social complexities inherent to integrated conservation and development projects orchestrated by transnational ENGOs in developing countries. I frame this exploration through a discussion of a story from my fieldwork - the sighting of a "red-haired" chimpanzee - and use it as a metaphor to encompass the ways in which groups of people involved in such conservation and development work think about, act towards, and "other" one another. Moreover, this paper explores the role that anthropologists can assume in articulating the implications of, and mediating, these complicated misunderstandings.

New seeds, gender norms and labor dynamics in Hoima District, Uganda

NERICA, a new group of high-yielding and stress-tolerant upland rice varieties developed by the Africa Rice Center, is changing production strategies of many Ugandan households. This article contributes a better understanding of processes leading to NERICA-related household outcomes in Hoima District, Uganda, by examining patterns of intrahousehold production relations and their consequences for household members’ individual wellbeing. Research presented here provides a timely illustration of the impact that the introduction of NERICA in Hoima District has had on gendered labor dynamics in grower households. Drawing on a combination of quantitative and qualitative data, the analysis is grounded in the local context and the embodied and gendered subjectivities of smallholder women, men and children. Findings reveal that, while households that have adopted NERICA have become better off in economic terms, the extreme labor burden that NERICA demands in bird scaring and weeding affects women and children's wellbeing negatively by exacerbating their time poverty and energy expense. The article makes a case for more comprehensive assessments of agricultural intensification processes that involve diffusion of new production technology, arguing that such assessments should also contain an analysis of gendered labor dynamics within households.

Intrahousehold Bargaining and Distributional Outcomes Regarding NERICA Upland Rice Proceeds in Hoima District, Uganda

In Uganda, the growing importance of rice as a major source of food and income was boosted by the introduction of high-yielding and stress-tolerant “New Rice for Africa” (NERICA) upland rice in 2002. My research, which was informed by interviews with smallholder farmers who have become part of the recent surge in NERICA production in Hoima district, demonstrates that NERICA offers an effective entry point into more commercially oriented modes of production for many women farmers. It also shows that the effects of this new income on a married woman’s well-being depend on her success in bargaining with her husband for the share of the proceeds. While sub-Saharan Africa does not stand out in the history of rice, the future trajectory of rice will, to a much greater extent, be an African one. A careful analysis of the way the proceeds from NERICA are shared within grower households can shed light both on the dynamics that surround its adoption, and on its impact on the well-being of individuals.

Beleaguered Chimpanzees in the Agricultural District of Hoima, Western Uganda

With approximately 5,000 chimpanzees, Uganda is important for the conservation of the eastern subspecies Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii. The population distribution is highly fragmented, however, and the prospects for the long-term viability of many populations will be greatly improved if dispersal opportunities are maintained between major forests via migratory corridors. Chimpanzees in unprotected human-dominated habitat outside the main forest blocks are often ignored by research and conservation efforts. This study assessed the status and distribution of chimpanzees in northern Hoima District, western Uganda. The survey region covered 400 km2 between 1°26′–1°37′N and 31°09′–31°32′E, and separates two major forest blocks, Bugoma and Budongo. Chimpanzees use small forest fragments along watercourses throughout this region, both on private or communal land and in small government reserves, and a number of distinct groups (‘communities’) are present. There has been no evidence to indicate that chimpanzee populations are isolated; on the contrary chimpanzees appear highly mobile in this forest-farm habitat, confirming the region's corridor potential. At one site in the region, chimpanzees occur at an estimated density of 0.66 individuals/km2 which, if extrapolated across the survey area, implies a larger population than previously thought. Recent and rapid habitat change resulting from unregulated timber extraction and clearance of fragments for agriculture—particularly for cash crops such as tobacco—has exposed the chimpanzees, causing increased negative interactions between apes and farming communities. The chimpanzees in northern Hoima are unlikely to survive without immediate intervention.