Uganda Research Articles

Singing for Life: HIV/AIDS and music in Uganda, by Gregory Barz; foreword by Jim Wooten

Singing for Life: HIV/AIDS and music in Uganda, by Gregory Barz; foreword by Jim Wooten

Factors affecting the productivity of building craftsmen ‐ studies of Uganda

Abstract Poor productivity of construction workers is one of the causes of cost and time overruns in construction projects. The productivity of labour is particularly important especially in developing countries, where most of the building construction work is still on manual basis. This paper reports on a survey made on project managers of building projects in Uganda, where an increase in productivity is being sought. Respondents were required to rate using their experience how 36 factors affect productivity with respect to time, cost and quality. The survey was carried out by a questionnaire and responses received over a period of 3 months. The ten most significant problems affecting labour productivity were identified as incompetent supervisors; lack of skills from the workers; rework; lack of tools/equipment; poor construction methods; poor communication; inaccurate drawings; stoppages because of work being rejected by consultants; political insecurity; tools/equipment breakdown; and harsh weather con...

Freedom of expression in two East African countries: comparing Uganda and Tanzania

No Abstract. East African Journal of Peace and Human rights Vol. 12 (1) 2006: pp. 144-151

Impact of awareness campaigns for banana bacterial wilt in Uganda

A study was conducted in central Uganda to determine the impact of awareness campaigns raised through participatory development communication (PDC). Results showed that the majority of farmers were aware of key BBW symptoms, the modes of disease spread and the recommended control measures. The high level of awareness was attributed to the communication approach (PDC) employed. The control measures most commonly employed were removal of the male buds and cutting down affected plants. Most removed male buds using a forked stick though quite many were using knives as opposed to the recommended practice of using a forked stick. Farmers who practiced full packages of control measures reported lasting prevention or complete eradication of the disease from their farms. (Author's abstract).[Impact des campagnes d'information sur le fletrissement bacterien du bananier en Ouganda]Une elude a ete conduite dans le centre de l'Ouganda pour determiner l'impact des campagnes de sensibilisation conduites dans le cadre du developpement d'une methode de communication participative. Les resultats ont montre que la majorite des paysans etait informee des symptomes majeurs du virus du fletrissement bacterien du bananier, les modes de diffusion de la maladie et les methodes de controle. Le bon niveau de sensibilisation etait attribue a l'approche de communication employee. Les mesures de controle communement employees etaient l'elimination du bourgeon mâle et la destruction de la plante infectee. La plupart des bourgeons males est eliminee en utilisant une fourchette attachee au bout d'un morceau de bois, meme si un bon nombre des personnes utilisent un couteau, contrairement aux pratiques recommandees. Les paysans qui ont utilise l'ensemble de mesures de controle disent avoir prevenu et eradique completement la maladie des bananeraies. (Resume d'auteur).

Awareness of banana bacterial wilt control in Uganda: 2. Community Leader's perspective

Banana is a major source of food and income for about 70 percent of Ugandan population. The crop is threatened by banana bacterial wilt (BBW) disease, which was first reported in Mukono District in 2001. There have been nationwide campaigns, sensitising and training of the farmers and other stakeholders to contain the disease. Self-administered questionnaires, to assess community leaders awareness, were sent to Chief Administrative Officers of affected districts and to Parish Community Leaders in four Parishes in two Sub Countries per district. In total 680 leaders from 50 sub-countries in 12 districts were interviewed. The study showed that BBW was first seen in seven Districts in 1999. By 2001, when official reporting was made about l7 percent of the respondents from ten districts had already seen the disease in their communities. The results also show that 90 percent parish community leaders were aware on BBW, 63 percent were aware of controlling it by rouging and 35 percent have tried to apply a known control measure on their farms. (Author's abstract).[La banane est la source majeure de nourriture et de revenu pour a peu pres 70 pourcent de la population Ougandaise. La plante est menace par la maladie de fletrissement bacterien, qui etait signalee pour la premiere fois en 2001 dans le district de Mukono. Il y'avait une campagne nationale sensibilisant et formant les paysans et autres partenaires au controle de la maladie. Les questionnaires ayant pour but de determiner le niveau de sensibilisation de leaders communautaires, etaient envoyes aux autorites administratifs des districts affectes et aux chefs de villages. Quatre villages et deux sous-localites par district etaient consideres. Au total 680 leaders de 50 sous-localites de 12 districts ont ete interviewes. Cette etude montre que le virus du fletrissement bacterien de la banane etait signale pour la premiere fois dans sept districts en 1999. En 2001 quand le rapport officiel etait fait, a peu pres 16.5 pourcent des interviewes de 10 districts avaient deja vu la maladie dans leur communaute. Les resultats montrent aussi que 90 pourcent des leaders communautaires etaient sensibilises sur le virus de fletrissement bacterien de la banane, 63 pourcent etaient sensibilises sur son controle traditionnel et 35 pourcent ont essaye une technique de controle sur leur ferme. (Resume d'auteur).]

Use of hebicides for control of banana bacterial wilt in Uganda

The potential of herbicides for destroying banana plants infected with bacterial wilt has been evaluated. Experiments were conducted on station at Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and on-farm at Nekoyedde and Kimenyedde, in Mukono district. Two systemic herbicides, Glyphosate and 2,4-D were evaluated for their effectiveness in destroying infected banana plants. Selected plants were injected with 20 ml of herbicide in water at the rate of 1:20 administered in a perforated hole at the collar base of the pseudostem close to the corm using a sharp pencil-size metallic rod. All plants injected with 2,4-D herbicide snapped and died within 30-60 days while plants injected with glyphosate wilted and dried up within 90-120 days. Both herbicides were able to kill at least 85 percent of the plants. Plant destruction depended on herbicide dose, mat size and nature of suckering. Re-suckering rates between the two herbicides did not significantly differ. The mean re-suckering on farmer's fields was 1.5 percent for glyphosate and 7.2 percent for 2.4-D compared to 15.2 percent and 11.3 percent on the station. Herbicides were able to destroy plants within radius of 16.8 ± 1.76 cm from the injected plant per mat. Higher doses killed faster and better but it was not clear why very high doses caused high re-suckering. It was therefore concluded that although 2,4-D herbicide destroyed banana mats faster than Glyphosate, in the long run however, the efficiencies of kill between the two herbicides do not differ significantly. Both herbicides showed great potential for use as an option for removal or destruction of diseased plants. However, considering environmental safety issues, Glyphosate is recommended for farmer use in Uganda. (Author's abstract).[La potentialite des herbicides pour detruire les bananiers infectes par le fletrissement d'origine bacterienne a ete evaluee. Les experiences etaient conduites a la station de l'Institut de Recherche Agricole de Kawanda (KARI) ainsi que sur site a Nekoyedde et Kimenyedde dans le district de Mukono. Deux herbicides systemiques, Glyphusate et 2.4-D etaient evalues pour leur efficacite a detruire les bananiers infectes. Des plantes selectionnees recevaient une injection de 20 ml d'herbicide dans l'eau au taux de 1:20 administres au niveau d'un trou perfore a la base du col du pseudostem pres du rhizome utilisant une tige metallique fine de la taille d'un crayon. Toutes les plantes injectees de 2,4-D cassaient et mouraient dans une periode de 30-60 jours alors que les plantes injectees au Glyphosate fletrissaient et sechaient apres une periode de 90-120 jours. Tous les deux herbicides etaient capables de tuer au moins 80 pourcent de plantes. La destruction des plantes dependait de la dose d'herbicide, de la dimension du pseudotronc et de la nature du drageonnage. Les taux de re-drageonnage entre les deux herbicides ne differaient pas significativement. Le taux re-drageonnage moyen au champ etait de 1.5 pourcent pour le Glyphosate et de 7.2 pourcent pour le 2.4-D compares aux 15.2 et 1.3 pourcent a la station. Les herbicides etaient en mesure de detruire les plantes dans un rayon de 16.8±1.76 cm a partir de la plante injectee. Des doses plus elevees tuent mieux et plus rapidement mais il n'est pas clair pourquoi elles causent une re-drageonnage plus grande. On a donc conclu que bien que l'herbicide 2,4-D provoque une destruction du bananier plus rapide que celle de Glyphosate. A long terme cependant, l'efficacite des deux herbicides ne differe pas significativement. Tous les deux herbicides montrent un grand potentiel pour se debarrasser des plantes malades. Neanmoins, eu egard aux questions de securite environnementales, le Glyphosate reste l'herbicide recommande pour l'agriculteur en Ouganda. (Resume d'auteur).]

Uganda: Expanding Market

Uganda: Expanding Market

Humans in Uganda

Humans in Uganda

Decentralisation in Uganda: Exploring the Constraints for Poverty Reduction

It is often claimed that decentralisation is effective for the reduction of poverty due to inherent opportunities for higher popular participation and increased efficiency in public service delivery. This paper is a qualitative assessment of the potential of the Ugandan decentralisation reform for poverty alleviation. The Ugandan government initiated an ambitious decentralisation reform in 1992, which represents an example of full-fledged devolution with the transfer of far-reaching responsibilities to local governments. However, several shortcomings, such as low levels of accountability, insufficient human and financial resources, corruption, patronage, and central resistance to decentralisation, constrain the proper implementation of the reform, putting improvements in participation and efficiency at risk and ultimately jeopardising the intended impact on poverty. Es wird oft behauptet, dass Dezentralisierung durch die ihr inharenten Moglichkeiten zur Steigerung der Partizipation der Bevolkerung an offentlichen Entscheidungsprozessen sowie zur Erhohung der Effizienz in der Bereitstellung offentlicher Dienstleistungen effektiv zur Reduktion von Armut beitragen kann. Dieser Frage geht die vorliegende qualitative Studie am Fall der Dezentralisierung in Uganda nach. Die ugandische Regierung leitete im Jahr 1992 eine ehrgeizige Dezentralisierungsreform ein, die ein Beispiel fur konsequente Devolution mit der Ubertragung weitgehender Rechte, Aufgaben und Finanzen an lokale Regierungen darstellt. Die Umsetzung dieser Reform leidet jedoch unter verschiedenen Restriktionen, so etwa niedriger Accountability, ungenugender Human- und finanzieller Ressourcen, Korruption, Patronage sowie anhaltender zentraler Einflussnahme auf die lokale Politik. Diese Defizite gefahrden ernsthaft die Erhohung von Partizipation und Effizienz und damit letztendlich auch eine Reduktion der Armut.

IDS40: Reflections from Uganda

IDS40: Reflections from Uganda

Land Conservation Initiatives Around MT. Elgon National Park, Eastern Uganda

The goal of this paper is to provide an investigation of the land conservation strategies adopted by farmers to control land degradation around Mt. Elgon National Park, Uganda. Primary data were obtained through household survey conducted in Mutushet and Kortek parishes, Kapc.horwa district between June to December, 2003. The differences between adopters and non-adopters of land conservation practices in terms of contact with extension workers, tribe, size of productive family labour, membership to farmer organization, education level, and participation in communal land management activities and frequency of natural hazards on private agricultural landfj were examined Farmers have increasingly adopted different structural measures like terraced farming, construction of waterways, check dams, retention walls, and gull control. Similarly, they have also adopted different biological measures including alley cropping, bamboo plantation in gullies, mulching and applied organic and inorganic fertilizers to control land degradation. However, farmers have not been able to control land degradation to a great extent due to relatively weak technological backup by concerned agencies. It was concluded that severity of land degradation is higher in the parishes with traditional farming methods because farmers are not provided with the necessary technical advisory services.

Circumcision to Prevent HIV: A Promising Strategy Raises Provocative Questions

As access to antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected people slowly penetrates the developing world, preventing new HIV infections remains a high priority. Unfortunately, efforts to lower transmission rates through behavior change and use of vaginal microbicides generally have been disappointing, and an HIV vaccine remains only a distant hope. In December 2006, the NIH announced the early termination of two randomized controlled studies of adult male circumcision in Kenya and Uganda after interim analyses showed that, in each trial, HIV …

Bantebya Kyomuhendo, Grace, and Marjorie Keniston McIntosh: Women, Work, and Domestic Virtue in Uganda, 1900–2003

Bantebya Kyomuhendo, Grace, and Marjorie Keniston McIntosh: Women, Work, and Domestic Virtue in Uganda, 1900–2003

Basic Density And Strength Properties Of Pines In Uganda

Basic density and strength properties and their variations in 25 year - old Pinus caribaea, P. oocarpa and P. kesiya grown in Katugo, Uganda were investigated. Six trees for each species were selected representing three diameter classes. The trees were felled after measuring their diameter at breast height. Three disks were cut from each tree at 1.3 m, 45% and 75% of total tree height for growth ring width and basic density assessment. For strength properties determination, a central plank measuring 65 mm thick was extracted from each sample tree starting at breast height upwards. Basic density was determined using water displacement. Tests of various strength properties were done in accordance with standard procedures. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Analysis System. Results for the studied properties of Pinus caribaea, P. kesiya and P. oocarpa respectively were as follows: Basic density: 424, 431,and 444 kg/m 3 ; Modulus of rupture: 54.51, 56.31 and 60.69 N/mm 2 ; Modulus of elasticity: 8590,8752 and 8825 N/mm2; Work to maximum load: 0.088. 0.099 and 0.101 mmN/mm 3 ; Maximum compression strength: 33.38, 33.83and 34.66 N/mm 2 ; Maximum shear strength: 9.43, 9.80 and 10.37 N/mm 2 and cleavage: 11.79,12.15 and 12.48 n/mm. There were no significant differences in all wood properties between the three species. Between tree variations in wood properties were statistically insignificant (p TJFNC Vol. 76 2007: pp. 88-93

Uganda: Unique Sanctuary

Uganda: Unique Sanctuary

Preliminary studies on antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from cattle and children in the pastoral community of Nyabushozi, Uganda

No Abstract. Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa Vol. 54(1) 2006: 79-81

A comparison of clinical and histopathologic features of childhood malignant lymphoma in Uganda

One-hundred seventy-two Ugandan children with lymphoma have been studied with a view to determining the value of morphology (histology and cytology) as a means of predicting clinical behavior and response to treatment. In the group where a morphological diagnosis of BL was made (147), duration of symptoms was shorter than in the other groups; 85% of patients had a tumor distribution considered to be typical of BL (jaws, orbits, intra-abdominal, epidural, meningeal, or cranial nerve tumor). In the HL group (11), no patient had a tumor distribution typical of BL, while in the LL g4roup (14), 8 patients might have been considered to be BL on clinical grounds alone. Response to cyclophosphamide therapy was complete in 92% of the BL group, 27% of the LL group, and none of the HL group. Survival was significantly better in patients with BL (65% long term remission) than in the other groups (median survival 28 weeks). Anti-VCA titers were invariably raised in the BL group, and sometimes raised in the other groups. We confirm that BL is a separate clinical entity and can in the majority of cases be clearly distinguished from other types of lymphoma on morphological grounds alone. In individual cases where difficulty in making a diagnosis arises, there is no final arbiter. We must await the development of more sophisticated techniques of biochemical, immunologic, and etiologic classification of tumors.

Claw lesions and lameness in zero-grazed cattle fed on brewer\'s grain in Uganda

LESIONS DES ONGLONS ET BOITERIE CHEZ LES BOVINS EN STABULATION NOURRIS DE DRECHES DE BRASSERIE EN OUGANDA Resume Une evaluation des consequences directes de l'alimentation des bovins en stabulation avec des dreches de brasserie sur les onglons a ete faite lors d'une etude conduite dans le district de Kampala. Les pattes de 218 bovins dans 35 unites de stabulation ont ete examinees de juin 2003 a juin 2004. Les bovins dans 20/35 unites de stabulation etaient servis de dreches de brasserie, tandis que ceux dans les 15 autres n'en recevaient pas. Les unites etaient soigneusement choisies. La comparaison des animaux nourris de dreches de brasserie a ceux qui n'en etaient pas servis, a revele que les lesions dues a la fourbure aigue etaient deux fois plus frequentes chez les derniers. Les lesions dues a la fourbure aigue constituaient 66,6% des lesions observees chez les bovins servis de dreches de brasserie et 33,4% chez les autres qui n'en recevaient pas. Pendant l'enquete qui a dure une annee, la boiterie due aux lesions des onglons affectait 36,7% des animaux. Quarante- sept pour- cent (47,8%) des bovins nourris de dreches de brasserie souffraient de boiterie a cause des lesions des onglons, compare a 24% chez ceux qui n'en recevaient pas. La boiterie etait fortement liee a l'alimentation avec des dreches de brasserie (Χ ² (0,05 ; 1) = 3,84 Mots-cles: Bovins en stabulation, dreche de brasserie, fourbure aigue, boiterie, elevage periurbain. An assessment of the direct consequenses of feeding brewer's grain on claws of zero-grazed cattle was undertaken in an incidence study in Kampala District. Feet from 218 cattle in 35 zerograzing units were studied from June 2003 to June 2004. Cattle in 20 of the zero-grazing units were fed brewer's grain while 15 of the units did not feed brewer's grain. The units were conveniently selected. Comparing brewer's grain fed and non-grain fed animals, the prevalence of laminitis associated lesions was doubled in the former. Laminitis-associated lesions constituted 66.6% of all lesions in cattle fed on brewer's grain and 33.4% in those not fed brewer's grain. Within the one year of investigation, 36.7% of the animals studied suffered lameness as a result of claw lesions. Fortyseven percent (47.8%) of cattle fed on brewer's grain suffered from lameness due to claw lesions compared to 24.0% of those not fed on brewer's grain. Lameness was strongly associated with the feeding of brewer's grain (Χ ² (0.05, 1) =3.84 Key words: Zero-grazed cattle, brewer's grain, laminitis, lameness, peri-urban farming. Bull Anim. Hlth. Prod. Afr. (2005) 53(2), 107-112

Indigenous knowledge and its relevance for agriculture : a case study in Uganda

In recent decades an increased awareness has arisen of the failure of conventional agricultural practices to be effectively and equitably applied to the different types of zones in which agriculture is practised. This has resulted in greater attention being paid to local or indigenous knowledge. The present study examines the indigenous knowledge relating to the cultivation and use of traditional vegetables in a rural parish in Uganda, using a participatory research method, Rapid Rural Appraisal. The results of the study illustrate the importance of understanding indigenous knowledge for future agricultural research and extension activities. The results indicate a number of important issues regarding our understanding of indigenous knowledge, namely: it often contrasts with conventional agricultural practices, being influenced by its purposes and the resources to which it has access; not all the residents of a particular area have access to all the knowledge about a topic; it is more than technical knowledge, and there are differences and similarities in indigenous knowledge in different areas. To place some of the results in a broader context, a comparison was made with a similar study done in other African countries. The article concludes that greater understanding of the utilisation of appropriate indigenous knowledge would improve the success of future agricultural interventions. Indilinga: African Journal of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IAJIKS) Vol. 4(1) 2005: 249-263

Risk Avoidance and Reductions in HIV Infection: A Success Story from Uganda

Uganda's AIDS prevention and treatment programs demonstrate that the epidemic can be controlled, yet this success is often viewed with skepticism, and