Search Results (10)

Adolescence is a critical period for growth and development, yet research on dietary quality and its influencing factors among Senegalese adolescent girls is limited. This study aims to assess dietary quality, with a focus on dietary diversity (DD), and identify its determinants in a nationally representative sample of adolescent girls in Senegal. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 among 600 girls aged 10–19 years. Food intake was assessed over a seven-day period to evaluate DD. Household food security and sociodemographic data were gathered through face-to-face interviews. Half the sample had adequate DD. As for consumption, 80% had breakfast daily, while the same proportion consumed one snack per day. Fruits and vegetables, meat/poultry/fish, and dairy were consumed daily by less than 25% of the sample. Sweet foods, sweet beverages, and salty and fried food were consumed by less than 10% every day. Not having been sick in the past two weeks (Odds ratio (OR): 1.53, Confidence Interval (CI): 1.05–2.22), taking breakfast daily (OR: 1.89, CI: 1.23–2.93) and micronutrients (OR: 2.75, CI: 1.54–4.92), listening to the radio at least once a week (OR: 1.66, CI: 1.05–2.63), and living in a household with access to an improved source of water (OR: 4.13, CI: 2.28–7.49) were positively associated with adequate DD. Overall, the diet of adolescent girls is of poor quality. Potential determinants of their dietary quality should be considered in future nutrition programs and policies to ensure their optimal growth and development. Full article

To improve adolescent nutrition, it is crucial to understand factors underlying food behaviours. This study aims to identify pathways by which the environment and individual factors interact to affect the consumption of iron-rich food (IRF) among Senegalese adolescent girls in the hopes to reduce anemia. This is a cross-sectional study conducted among 600 adolescent girls (10–19 years old) of all 14 regions of Senegal. IRF consumption in the past day and night was evaluated using a food frequency questionnaire. Individual determinants, such as the attitude, the subjected norm, and the perceived behaviour control (PBC), and environmental determinants, such as food accessibility and price, were assessed using a validated and reliable questionnaire. Path analyses were conducted to examine relations between IRF consumption and individual and environmental variables. Overall, 83.7% of girls had the intention to eat IRF and 84.7% reported doing so. The PBC (β = 0.20, p < 0.01) and the attitude (β = 0.57, p < 0.01) predict the intention of consuming IRF daily. In turn, the environment predicts the attitude (β = −0.22, p < 0.01) and the PBC (β = 0.26, p < 0.01). The intention was a predictor of the IRF consumption (β = 0.16, p < 0.05). This research provides guidance to nutrition education programmes as well as to improve the food environment to facilitate the consumption of IRF among adolescent girls by inspiring community health initiatives based on empirical data. Full article

A newly documented pathotype 5 of the soil-borne fungus Sporisorium reilianum, causing head smut in sorghum, was tested against 153 unexplored Senegalese sorghum accessions. Among the 153 sorghum accessions tested, 63 (41%) exhibited complete resistance, showing no signs of infection by the fungus. The remaining 90 accessions (59%) displayed varying degrees of susceptibility. Sorghum responses against S. reilianum were explored to analyze the potential link with previously known seed morphology-related traits and new phenotype data from 59 lines for seed weight. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) screened 297,876 SNPs and identified highly significant associations (p < 1 × 10⁻⁵) with head smut resistance in sorghum. By mapping these significant SNPs to the reference genome, this study revealed 35 novel candidate defense genes potentially involved in disease resistance. Full article

Universal health coverage (UHC) defines individuals’ timely access to healthcare services without suffering any health-related financial constraints. The Senegalese government has shown commitments towards achievement of UHC as a way of improving access by the population to quality healthcare services. This is very pertinent for promoting some indicators of under-five health in Senegal. Therefore, this study analyzed the factors influencing sick children’s utilization of the nearest healthcare facilities and their wait times in Senegal. The data were from the Service Provision Assessment (SPA) survey, which was conducted in 2018. The instrumental Tobit regression model was used for data analysis. The results showed that 63.50% and 86.01% of the children utilized health posts and publicly owned facilities, respectively. Also, 98.46% of the children utilized urban facilities. The nearest facilities were utilized by 74.55%, and 78.19% spent less than an hour in the facilities. The likelihood of using the nearest healthcare facilities significantly reduced (p < 0.05) with caregivers’ primary education, higher education, residence in some regions (Fatick, Kaokack, Saint Louis, Sediou, and Tambacounda), and use of private/NGO not-for-profit facilities, but increased with not having visited any other providers, residence in the Kaffrie region, vomiting symptoms, use of health centers, and use of health posts. Moreover, treatment wait times significantly increased (p < 0.05) with the use of nearest facilities, residence in some regions (Diourbel, Kaokack, Matam and Saint Louis), use of private for-profit facilities, use of private not-for-profit facilities, and urban residence, but decreased with secondary education, use of health centers, use of health posts, vomiting symptoms, and showing other symptoms. It was concluded that reduction in wait times and utilization of the nearest healthcare facilities are fundamental to achieving UHC in Senegal. Therefore, more efforts should be integrated at promoting regional and sectoral equities through facilitated public and private healthcare investment. Full article

The domesticated Vigna species still need some of the beneficial characters that exist in the wild Vigna species, despite the improvements obtained so far. This study was carried out to enhance our understanding of the Senegalese wild Vigna diversity by exploring the agro-morphological characteristics of some accessions using 22 traits. The phenotyping was carried out in a shaded house for two consecutive rainy seasons (2021 and 2022) using the alpha-lattice experimental design with 55 accessions. Multiple correspondence analysis was carried out based on the qualitative traits, which showed considerable variability for the wild species (Vigna unguiculata var. spontanea, Vigna racemosa, Vigna radiata and the unidentified accession). The quantitative traits were subjected to statistical analysis using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. Our results revealed that ninety-five percent (95%) pod maturity ranged from 74.2 to 125.8 days in accession 3 of V. unguiculata and in accession 92 (V. racemosa), respectively. In addition, accession 14 of V. radiata recorded the highest weight for 100 seeds with a value of 4.8 g, while accession 18 of V. unguiculata had the lowest (1.48 g). The ANOVA showed significant differences for the accessions during each season (p ≤ 0.05). Seasonal effects (accession × season) were observed for some quantitative traits, such as the terminal leaflet length and width, time to 50% flowering and 95% pod maturity, pod length and 100-seed weight. Principal component analysis showed that reproductive traits, such as the time to 50% flowering, number of locules per pod, pod length, pod width and 100-seed weight, were the major traits that accounted for the variations among the wild Vigna accessions. The genetic relationship based on qualitative and quantitative traits showed three clusters among the wild Vigna accessions. Indeed, the diversity observed in this study could be used to select parents for breeding to improve the cultivated species of Vigna. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has had immediate and cascading impacts on global agricultural systems. In Senegal, the immediate impacts include inaccessibility of inputs due to disruption in markets and supply chains, availability of labor, and changes in crop and livestock management practices. To understand the range of impacts on the biophysical and socioeconomic dimensions of smallholder farming systems, a survey was designed to identify the risk factors, assess the impacts, and explore appropriate mitigation strategies. The survey was administered to 917 smallholder farmers in 14 regions of Senegal in collaboration with a national farmer’s organization and the Senegalese Institute of Agricultural Research (ISRA). The sample was comprised of farmers (men and women) and was stratified in each region to ensure representation from all agroecological zones of the country. The survey examined variables such as access to inputs, ability to plant, impacts on yields, markets, labor, the gendered division of labor, food security, and community well-being. The survey response indicated that 77.7% of respondents experienced a reduction in access to inputs, 70.3% experienced a reduction in ability to plant crops during the planting season, 57.1% experienced a reduction in ability to rent farm machinery, and 69.2% reported a reduction in yields. Similar findings were observed for labor, market conditions, and adaptation measures to reduce the impacts on farming systems and household livelihoods. This study advances the research on characterizing risk factors, assessing the impacts, and designing mitigation strategies for strengthening smallholder farming systems resilience to future shocks. Full article

Sporisorium reilianum is a fungal pathogen that causes head smut in sorghum. In addition to pathotypes (P) 1-4, P5 and P6 were identified recently. In this study, seedlings of Senegalese sorghum, comprising 163 accessions, were evaluated for response to Sporisorium reilianum. Teliospores of pathotype P5 of the pathogen in dilute agar were pipetted onto seedling shoots while still in soil, and inoculated seedlings were submerged under water at 4 days post-inoculation. Signs of infection (noticeable spots) on the first leaf were checked daily up to 6 days post submergence. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using 193,727 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) throughout the genome based on two types of phenotypic data: whether noticeable spots were shown or not and the average time for an observation of the spots across 163 accessions. When mapped back to the reference sorghum genome, most of the top candidate SNP loci were associated with plant defense or plant stress response-related genes. The identified SNP loci were associated with spot appearance in sorghum seedlings under flooding following inoculation with P5 of Sporisorium reilianum. Full article

Socio-economic constraints like gender, education, age, and income significantly affect the adoption of improved agricultural technologies. The objective of this study was to determine socio-economic factors that affect the adoption of improved cowpea varieties in the Senegalese peanut basin. The study was conducted in three (Bambey, Kebemer, and Kaffrine) of six regions of the peanut basin based on regional importance of cowpea production and rainfall gradient. In each study region, ten villages were selected, and random sampling was used to select eight heads of agricultural households within each village. The questionnaires were administered to 240 randomly selected farmers across the three study regions, 7 communes, and 30 villages. Results showed most heads of households were middle-aged (52–54 years old), married (95–100%), illiterate (84%), and men (95–100%). Households were mostly agriculture dependent (87%), low literacy rates (26% least primary school), and large family sizes (average of 15 members). The median cowpea yields across the study area varied from 35–100 kg ha⁻¹, well below the ~300–400 kg ha⁻¹ average yields reported for Senegal and Sub-Saharan Africa. The majority of farmers (67%) in the study regions did not use improved varieties, and the main reasons were low seed availability (78.8%) and limited access to technical knowledge and information (76.3%), but only 5.8% indicated seed price as a barrier to improved variety adoption. Major uses of cowpea in the study area were for marketing, livestock feed, and human consumption. In Kaffrine, fodder production was the major (85%) criterion for cowpea variety selection, whereas in the north (Bambey and Kebemer), taste, maturity date, and grain yield were major selection criteria. Factors that had positive effect on the likelihood of using improved cowpea varieties include; access to extension services, membership in farmers’ organization, cowpea being the main crop of production, organic farming, market, and livestock-oriented production systems, access to farmland and credit, dependence on agriculture as the main source of household income, and education of head of household. We conclude that there is a critical need for training, access to improved seeds, awareness, and financial support to producers to increase the adoption of new improved cowpea varieties, yields, profitability, and nutritional security among smallholder farmers in the Senegalese peanut basin. Full article

Sporisorium reilianum causes head smut in sorghum. A total of 36 Senegalese sorghum accessions comprised of sorghum lines that have not been explored with response to pathotype 5 of S. reilianum were evaluated with 3 different treatments. First, seedling shoots were inoculated while still in soil with teliospores in agar, and then submerged under water at 4 days post inoculation. Signs of infection (noticeable spots) on the first leaf were observed up to 6 days post submergence. Second, seedlings at the same stage were inoculated by placing the teliospore impregnated agar around the stem in pots, moved to a greenhouse and grown to full panicle development stage. Third, seedings were inoculated via syringe inoculation in the greenhouse. Although soil inoculated seedlings grown in the greenhouse did not result in systemic infection as determined by lack of symptoms at panicle exsertion, 88.9% of tested cultivars showed systemic infections when syringe inoculated in the greenhouse. Inoculation of seedlings maintained under water led to broad range of noticeable spots that are assumed to be potential infection sites based on a previous study. In addition, seedling inoculation led to slightly upregulated expression of chitinase and PR10, genes that are associated with defense in aerial parts of plants. Full article

Background and Objectives: In line with the global success of immunization, Senegal achieved impressive progress in childhood immunization program. However, immunization coverage is often below the national and international targets and even not equally distributed across the country. The objective of this study is to estimate the full immunization coverage across the geographic regions and identify the potential factors of full immunization coverage among the Senegalese children. Materials and Methods: Nationally representative dataset extracted from the latest Continuous Senegal Demographic and Health Survey 2017 was used for this analysis. Descriptive statistics such as the frequency with percentage and multivariable logistic regression models were constructed and results were presented in terms of adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Overall, 70.96% of Senegalese children aged between 12 to 36 months were fully immunized and the coverage was higher in urban areas (76.51%), west ecological zone (80.0%), and among serer ethnic groups (77.24%). Full immunization coverage rate was almost the same between male and female children, and slightly higher among the children who were born at any health care facility (74.01%). Children who lived in the western zone of Senegal were 1.66 times (CI: 1.25–2.21; p = 0.001) and the children of Serer ethnic groups were 1.43 times (CI: 1.09–1.88; p = 0.011) more likely to be fully immunized than the children living in the southern zone and from the Poular ethnic group. In addition, children who were born at health facilities were more likely to be fully immunized than those who were born at home (AOR = 1.47; CI: 1.20–1.80; p < 0.001), and mothers with recommended antenatal care (ANC) (4 and more) visits during pregnancy were more likely to have their children fully immunized than those mother with no ANC visits (AOR: 2.06 CI: 1.19–3.57; p = 0.010). Conclusions: Immunization coverage was found suboptimal by type of vaccines and across ethnic groups and regions of Senegal. Immunization program should be designed targeting low performing areas and emphasize on promoting equal access to education, decision-making, encouraging institutional deliveries, and scaling up the use of antenatal and postnatal care which may significantly improve the rate full immunization coverage in Senegal. Full article