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Context: Faced with deep challenges with access to formal education, many West African countries are increasingly taking steps to reform their informal apprenticeship systems to make them a quality skills development alternative for their teeming youth. A review of the literature shows that although different countries in the region are deploying different reform strategies, what is emerging as a dominant reform model is the "dual training model" (DTM), a collaborative arrangement in which the task of training apprentices is shared between informal trainers (master craftspersons, under their respective trade associations) and formal vocational training institutions (FVTIs). This paper presents an outcome-process evaluation of a DTM-based apprenticeship reform programme piloted in Ghana. Methods: Designed as a case study, the paper adopts an interpretivist approach, relying on diverse sources of data, both secondary and primary. Secondary data includes journal articles, attendance registers of participants, memorandums of understanding, relevant media reports, websites, and official reports by all relevant actors. The primary data originated from in-depth interviews with fourteen (14) key informants, as well as from overt and covert observations of respondents. Results: At the outcome level, the paper shows that the programme has largely failed in transferring new skills or in changing dominant poor practices among trainees, foundational objectives of the programme. At the process level, the paper revealed deep flaws in implementation; these are discussed in detail in an attempt to clarify the programme outcomes. Conclusion: The paper concludes that although the dual training model remains a potentially viable reform model in informal apprenticeships, its success ultimately depends on the quality of implementation, which in turn depends on the strength and quality of interstakeholder collaboration in programme design and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ebola virus disease (hereafter EVD or Ebola) has a high fatality rate. The devastating effects of the current epidemic of Ebola in West Africa have put the global health response in acute focus. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in West Africa as a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern". A small proportion of scientific literature is dedicated to Ebola research. Methods: To identify global research trends in Ebola research, the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of ScienceTM database was used to search for data, which encompassed original articles published from 1900 to 2013. The keyword "Ebola" was used to identify articles for the purposes of this review. In order to include all published items, the database was searched using the Basic Search method. Results: The earliest record of literature about Ebola indexed in the Web of Science is from 1977. A total of 2477 publications on Ebola, published between 1977 and 2014 (with the number of publications increasing annually), were retrieved from the database. Original research articles (n = 1623, 65.5 %) were the most common type of publication. Almost all (96.5 %) of the literature in this field was in English. The USA had the highest scientific output and greatest number of funding agencies. Journal of Virology published 239 papers on Ebola, followed by Journal of Infectious Diseases and Virology, which published 113 and 99 papers, respectively. A total of 1911 papers on Ebola were cited 61,477 times. Conclusion: This analysis identified the current state of research and trends in studies about Ebola between 1977 and 2014. Our bibliometric analysis provides a historical perspective on the progress in Ebola research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate crisis has migration implications, and we need to act inclusively and urgently. Climate change impacts people's decisions to migrate largely through economic, political, technological, demographic, and socio-cultural factors, and their dynamic interlinkages. These complex issues often influence climate risks and vulnerabilities and complicate effective investment and policy actions on migration. However, there is inadequate documentation on how climate change is linked to migration and social transformation. Based on a traditional literature review and inputs from a consultation dialogue, this paper analyzes climate-induced migration in West Africa using a social transformation lens. The paper conceptualizes the climate-induced migrant as an agent of adaptation and describes the complexities of climate vulnerabilities, and its intersection with social transformation in migration decisions. A social transformation conceptual framework is proposed to identify the complexities of climate-induced migration and ensure inclusive strategies are planned, implemented, and sustained. The paper discusses the need for transdisciplinary research approaches to capture various intersections of transforming socio-economic and environmental vulnerabilities across different countries and migratory landscapes. The paper also highlights the critical concern in the region regarding the "trapped population." It suggests that a social transformation lens is required to unravel the dynamics around vulnerable people unable to migrate because they do not have the resources to migrate or are constrained by cultural issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we solved a model of a well-known infectious disease called dengue fever via fractional natural decomposition and modified Predictor–Corrector (PC) methods. A study of the dengue epidemic in the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of West Africa in 2009 has been resumed here for a better understanding of the results. The results are obtained using Liouville–Caputo and new generalized Caputo-type fractional derivatives. The numerical simulations are presented for various orders of given derivatives. Existence and uniqueness analysis of the given problem are also performed in the new generalized Caputo sense. The explored results are verified using figures. The main target of this paper is to explore the different dynamics of the given dengue fever model via two types of fractional numerical algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collaboration relationships between innovation actors at a geographic level may be considered as grouping two separate layers, the domestic and the foreign. At the level of each layer, the relationships and the actors involved constitute a Triple Helix game. The paper distinguished three levels of analysis: the global grouping together all actors, the domestic grouping together domestic actors, and the foreign related to only actors from partner countries. Bibliographic records data from the Web of Science for South Korea and West Africa breakdown per innovation actors and distinguishing domestic and international collaboration are analyzed with game theory. The core, the Shapley value, and the nucleolus are computed at the three levels to measure the synergy between actors. The synergy operates more in South Korea than in West Africa; the government is more present in West Africa than in South Korea; domestic actors create more synergy in South Korea, but foreign more in West Africa; South Korea can consume all the foreign synergy, which is not the case of West Africa. Research data are limited to publication records; techniques and methods used may be extended to other research outputs. West African governments should increase their investment in science, technology, and innovation to benefit more from the synergy their innovation actors contributed at the foreign level. However, the results of the current study may not be sufficient to prove that greater investment will yield benefits from foreign synergies. This paper uses game theory to assess innovation systems by computing the contribution of foreign actors to knowledge production at an area level. It proposes an indicator to this end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This literature review focuses on the drivers of Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry Systems (ICLFS) adoption by small farmers. It has enabled us to identify current trends and analyze the various drivers of adoption and knowledge gaps. According to the PRISMA literature review protocol, 1,352 scientific publications have been selected and analyzed after a Scopus database search. Data analysis was carried out in two steps. A systematic review was performed with the metadata of scientific publications using the Biblioshiny package of R 4.3.1 software. Then, the 42 most relevant publications were used for a brief narrative synthesis. The results showed that between 2003 and 2023, publications were made in 587 different sources. 73% of publications were scientific articles. 91% of publications were written by an average of 05 co-authors. The effectiveness of Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry Systems (ICLFS) practices, the production of organic matter and the effects on farmers' livelihoods are the research topics considered. Five categories of factors were identified to facilitate the adoption of ICLFS by small farmers: (i) farmer profile, (ii) farm characteristics, (iii) economic factors, (iv) institutional factors and (v) biophysical factors. Policy orientations are the most decisive of all the factors identified, followed by the establishment of extension systems and social networks between farmers. This paper makes three main recommendations. Firstly, it recommends the implementation of collaborative research frameworks between West African researchers and those from East Africa, Asia and South America, who have more experience in this area. In addition, this study suggests that future research on the adoption of ICLFS should take into account herd mobility issues in the adoption process. Finally, it suggests that ICLFS should be taken into account in development policies and implemented through action research projects, mostly in West Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationships between foreign direct investment (FDI), trade openness, and economic growth are complex and analyzed by many researchers. Still, there are some gaps in our knowledge as literature documents positive, negative, and ambiguous impact of FDI and trade openness on economic growth. This paper addresses one of these gaps and focuses on the similarities and differences among countries from Central and Eastern Europe and West Africa. The econometric analysis covers the 1995-2022 period and employs panel data methods to reveal the long-term positive impact of FDI and trade openness on economic growth in West African countries and long-term positive impact of FDI on economic growth in Central and Eastern European countries. We also demonstrate that apart from cross-border linkages captured by FDI and trade flows, economic growth in Central and Eastern European countries positively correlates with global economic development, however, in case of West Africa this effect is statistically insignificant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which investigated climate variability's effects on savannah fires in West Africa. It highlights the use of multivariate El Niño southern oscillation (ENSO) index (MEI) in the analysis of ENSO's effect on burned areas. It mentions that temporal and spatial variability showed a large burned area activity from November to February 2000-2007.

Climate‐smart agriculture (CSA) serves as a credible mechanism to simultaneously address food security, climate change, and agricultural productivity. Despite the widespread adoption of CSA approaches across West Africa, many countries have still not been able to resolve the problems of food insecurity and rural poverty. This systematic review evaluates published evidence on the types of CSA practices, the determinants and benefits of adoption, and the barriers confronting the adoption of CSA practices across West Africa, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses statement checklist. Articles published in English from January 2010 to March 2023 investigating the benefits of and barriers to the adoption of CSA practices in West Africa were retrieved from ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. The methodological quality of studies was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools for use in systematic reviews. The themes emerging from the articles were extracted, and a summary was provided to illustrate each theme. After applying the eligibility criteria, 12 articles were included in the final review. The studies reviewed revealed that farmers used more knowledge‐, water‐, carbon‐, and nitrogen‐smart practices, compared to weather‐ and energy‐smart practices. Across the reviewed papers, factors such as the education level of farmers, age, gender, household size, membership of a social group, agricultural extension services, and access to credit/financial resources influenced CSA adoption. The reviewed studies identified that farmers who used CSA practices reported benefits such as improved soil fertility, higher yield, improved household income, climate resilience (such as overcoming the effects of drought and extreme temperatures), and food security. Some farmers adopted CSA practices to reduce the effect of droughts and high temperatures on their crops, and thus increase their resilience to climate variability and change. However, farmers' adoption is confronted with challenges related to the technicality of some CSA practices, high cost of labor for CSA implementation, lack of credit and government support, limited access to weather and climate information, limited information about CSA options, high illiteracy level of smallholder farmers, and incompatibility of some practices with farmers' crop of interest. Our findings show that most CSA practices in the studies we reviewed are not well targeted to meet farmers' crop of interest, and that governments should provide more practical training to enhance farmers' understanding of CSA practices, especially those related to weather‐ and energy‐smart initiatives. There should also be more robust financial and institutional support to improve the adoption and usage of CSA practices at all levels. Additionally, socio‐cultural factors such as values, customs, and beliefs should be properly integrated into CSA plans as they influence the adoption of CSA practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major limiting factor affecting the uptake of conservation agriculture practices in smallholder farming systems in sub‐Saharan Africa is the limited availability of sufficient crop residues for use as surface mulch. This paper assesses the trade‐offs in crop residue utilization among smallholder farmers and its implications for soil management in the face of climate change risks in northern Ghana. The paper triangulated data from 350 household surveys with participatory key informant interviews from seven selected communities in three districts of northern Ghana. The problem confrontation index (PCI) was adopted to identify and rank the challenges associated with farmers' decision to use crop residues, while a multivariate probit model was used to analyse and predict the factors that influence farmers' choice of crop residue management practices. Results showed that crop residues were used as cooking fuel in households (21%), livestock feed (21%), left on the farm to decompose as mulch (34%) or burned to clear the land (24%). Key challenges identified included high labour cost (PCI = 404), high labour intensity (PCI = 388), the cost and transport for collection and storage of externally sourced crop residue (PCI = 383) and the low benefit from crop residue to farm output/soil fertility (PCI = 339). Results from the multivariate probit model revealed that household and farm variables, institutional and socio‐psychological factors, and experience of some climate shocks all influence farmers' choice of crop residue management practices. Crop residue use and management practices adopted were determined by factors including the crops being grown, challenges faced by farmers and the management options available. The study recommends the need for the Government of Ghana to empower farmers through the provision of technical knowledge and machinery for the sustainable utilization of crop residues due to the high labour intensity and cost associated with such practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African contextual biblical hermeneutics, practiced mainly among those from the southern hemisphere, is framed by conflicting academic approaches, methods, epistemologies, rationalities, etc. The general challenge put before the Bible scholars in this part of the world mostly concerns methodologies. This paper focuses on the link between a biblical text and the context of its interpretation. To avoid any specific context or interpreter gaining hermeneutical hegemony over the text, in contextual biblical hermeneutics, the coherence should be first and foremost between the text and the context of its interpretation. The interpretation method of Ifá, the sacred orature of Yoruba and some non-Yoruba people in West Africa, helps to achieve that coherence. This paper is a theoretical presentation of what a contextual biblical hermeneutic can learn from this African Sacred literature reading in context. The hermeneutical rationale of Ifá stories is one of "speaking in proverbs", considering both the stories and their interpretations as proverbs. In line with this rationale, the ideal link between a biblical text and its hermeneutical context is like the one between a "proverb story" and the many stories (contexts) of its harmonious utterances. The epistemological and hermeneutical functions of the context of interpretation are not to interpret the biblical text but to verify the validity of proposed interpretations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining which ports to call at in a maritime loop is considered as an important determinant factor for shipping companies which impacts not only on efficiency, and productivity but also on transportation costs. The port selection process becomes more challenging and sensitive if the market is for perishable goods such as fruits and vegetables. Specifically, this paper aims to develop an efficient maritime supply chain for reefer cargo. A case study of refrigerated cargo trade between West-Africa and West-Europe is investigated for which the main objective is to minimize the trade route's supply chain costs. To do so, the paper analyzes various scenarios based upon the different types of cargo (transshipment and non-transshipment), commodity types (dry and reefer), and a combination of different (un)loading ports in and the Rotterdam–Gibraltar range. Four African ports, namely Tema (Ghana), Douala (Cameroon), Abidjan (Ivory Coast), and Dakar (Senegal), are considered for the outbound leg (Africa–Europe), while several ports in the E.U. and the U.K. are selected as inbound leg. The analysis is initiated by applying a data-gathering strategy to get the relevant container flow from European ports to West-African ports. Then, a chain cost modelling approach is used to determine what the sailing schedule of the vessel should be. By performing the import/export cargo volume and maritime and supply chain costs are calculated, which can be used by the involved stakeholders to decide which ports are the best to call on a specific route. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sorghum and pearl millet have adapted to the socioecological environment in the dryland of West Africa and have been the staple crops for many years. Engaging key stakeholders and improving the sorghum and pearl millet breeding process is essential to addressing the evolving demands of end-users and environmental conditions. Unlike most trait preference studies focusing on men and women farmers' trait choices, we examined sorghum and pearl millet key value chain actors (VCA), including producers, processors, traders, and consumers. We identified their preferred traits of varieties that need to be mainstreamed into the breeding pipelines. Drawing on the past efforts and experiences of the sorghum and pearl millet breeding programs from the last 30 years, the study was designed to integrate gender equality in sorghum and pearl millet breeding decisions and traits prioritization in West Africa. This process was implemented in phases, leading to the drafting of gender-responsive and client-oriented product profiles. The paper elicited an understanding of how the roles and interests of sorghum and pearl millet VCA influence their varietal choice and adoption decisions. The study found both differences and similarities in the trait preferences of the men and women VCA. Most women, mainly in the production and processing nodes, prefer varieties with specific food and grain quality traits, while men prioritize grain yield and biotic stress resistance traits. Even though both men's and women's varietal choices align with their roles in production and consumption, grain yield was commonly desired across gender, crop, and value chain segments. The findings revealed that the gendered interest of actors in the crops' value chain determines their choice of variety. Gender responsiveness requires identifying and understanding the needs and choices of the sorghum and millet VCA and mainstreaming these into the breeding pipeline. The approach employed in the study elicits the understanding, roles, and interests of the various actors and how these factors influence men's and women's decisions to adopt a crop variety. All major stakeholders should co-develop product profiles for the variety being developed to enable co-ownership, increase adoption, and improve gender equity in agricultural technology development and deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oceans are a net source of molecular hydrogen (H2) to the atmosphere, where nitrogen (N2) fixation is assumed to be the main biological production pathway besides photo-chemical production from organic material. The sources can be distinguished using isotope measurements because of clearly differing isotopic signatures of the produced hydrogen. Here we present the first ship-borne measurements of atmospheric molecular H2 mixing ratio and isotopic composition at the West African coast of Mauritania (16-25° W, 17-24° N). This area is one of the biologically most active regions of the world's oceans with seasonal upwelling events and characterized by strongly differing hydro-graphical/biological properties and phytoplankton community structures. The aim of this study was to identify areas of H2 production and distinguish H2 sources by isotopic signatures of atmospheric H2. Besides this a diurnal cycle of atmospheric H2 was investigated. For this more than 100 air samples were taken during two cruises in February 2007 and 2008, respectively. During both cruises a transect from the Cape Verde Island towards the Mauritanian Coast was sampled. In 2007 additionally four days were sampled with a high resolution of one sample per hour. Our results clearly indicate the influence of local sources and suggest the Banc d'Arguin as a pool for precursors for photochemical H2 production, whereas N2 fixation could not be identified as a H2 source during these two cruises. With our experimental setup we could demonstrate that variability in diurnal cycles is probably influenced and biased by released precursors for photochemical H2 production and the origin of air masses. This means for further investigations that just measuring the mixing ratio of H2 is insufficient to explain the variability of a diurnal cycle and support is needed, e.g. by isotopic measurements. However, measurements of H2 mixing ratios, which are easy to conduct online during ship cruises could be a helpful tool to easily identify production areas of biological precursors such as VOC's for further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth observation can provide managers with valuable information on ongoing coastal processes and major trends in coastline evolution, especially in data-poor regions. This paper examines the use of optical satellite images in the mapping of the changes in shoreline position before, during, and after the implementation of a protection scheme. The aim of this paper is twofold: (i) to demonstrate the potential of satellite imagery as an effective, robust, and low-cost tool to remotely monitor the effectiveness of protective structures based on a large-scale case study in West Africa; and (ii) to compile lessons learned from this case study that can be used in the design of future interventions. The analysis shows that before the implementation of the protection scheme, the coastal sector was retreating at a rate of −1.6 m/year, which is in line with the average retreat rates reported in other studies for the region. After project implementation, this trend reversed into shoreline accretion at a rate of +1.0 m/year, locally experiencing positive and negative oscillations in the short term. Furthermore, the shoreline-extracted positions proved useful in assessing the impact of differences in the groynes' permeability with respect to temporary leeside erosion. Finally, it is recommended to continue this monitoring to assess long-term trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed morphological and molecular research has led to the conclusion that the majority of the species of the genus Brachiaria have to move to the much smaller genus Urochloa. Although many of the necessary new combinations were made, in Africa a fair number of accepted species still do not yet have a name within Urochloa. Following work on West Africa, Central Africa and Madagascar, this paper now provides these new combinations for the remaining sub-Saharan African species, as well as a full synonymy for all East African ones, including typification. In total, the paper deals with 40 species, for 12 of these new combinations are created, while 55 lectotypes and one neotype of both accepted names and synonyms are designated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health research is important for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. However, there are many challenges facing health research, including securing sufficient funds, building capacity, producing research findings and using both local and global evidence, and avoiding waste. A WHO initiative addressed these challenges by developing a conceptual framework with four functions to guide the development of national health research systems. Despite some progress, more is needed before health research systems can meet their full potential of improving health systems. The WHO Regional Office for Europe commissioned an evidence synthesis of the systems-level literature. This Opinion piece considers its findings before reflecting on the vast additional literature available on the range of specific health research system functions related to the various challenges. Finally, it considers who should lead research system strengthening.Main Text: The evidence synthesis identifies two main approaches for strengthening national health research systems, namely implementing comprehensive and coherent strategies and participation in partnerships. The literature describing these approaches at the systems level also provides data on ways to strengthen each of the four functions of governance, securing financing, capacity-building, and production and use of research. Countries effectively implementing strategies include England, Ireland and Rwanda, whereas West Africa experienced effective partnerships. Recommended policy approaches for system strengthening are context specific. The vast literature on each function and the ever-growing evidence-base are illustrated by considering papers in just one key journal, Health Research Policy and Systems, and analysing the contribution of two national studies. A review of the functions of the Iranian system identifies over 200 relevant and mostly national records; an analysis of the creation of the English National Institute for Health Research describes the key leadership role played by the health department. Furthermore, WHO is playing leadership roles in helping coordinate partnerships within and across health research systems that have been attempting to tackle the COVID-19 crisis.Conclusions: The evidence synthesis provides a firm basis for decision-making by policy-makers and research leaders looking to strengthen national health research systems within their own national context. It identifies five crucial policy approaches - conducting situation analysis, sustaining a comprehensive strategy, engaging stakeholders, evaluating impacts on health systems, and partnership participation. The vast and ever-growing additional literature could provide further perspectives, including on crucial leadership roles for health ministries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low enrolment in micro-health insurance (MHI) schemes is a recurring issue affecting the viability of such schemes. Beyond the efforts addressing low subscription and retention in these schemes, little is known on how social representations are related to micro-health insurance schemes enrolment and retention. This scoping review aimed at exploring the role of social representations in shaping enrollment and retention in MHI in sub-Saharan Africa. We reviewed qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods studies conducted between 2004 and 2019 in sub-Saharan Africa. We limited our search to peer-reviewed and grey literature in English and French reporting on social representations of MHI. We defined social representations as conventions, cultural and religious beliefs, local rules and norms, local solidarity practices, political landscape and social cohesion. We applied the framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley and modified by Levac et al. to identify and extract data from relevant studies. We extracted information from a total of 78 studies written in English (60%) and in French (40%) of which 56% were conducted in West Africa. More than half of all studies explored either cultural and religious beliefs (56%) or social conventions (55%) whereas only 37% focused on social cohesion (37%). Only six papers (8%) touched upon all six categories of social representation considered in this study whereas 25% of the papers studied more than three categories. We found that all the studied social representations influence enrollment and retention in MHI schemes. Our findings highlight the paucity of evidence on social representations in relation to MHI schemes. This initial attempt to compile evidence on social representations invites more research on the role those social representations play on the viability of MHI schemes. Our findings call for program design and implementation strategies to consider and adjust to local social representations in order to enhance scheme attractiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate variability poses great challenges to food security in West Africa, a region heavily dependent on rainfall for farming. Identifying sowing strategies that minimize yield losses for farmers in the region is crucial to securing their livelihood. In this paper, we investigate three sowing strategies to assess their ability to identify safe sowing windows for smallholder farmers in the Sudanian region of West Africa (WA) in the context of a changing climate. The GIS version of the FAO crop model, AquaCrop-GIS, is used to simulate the yield response of maize (Zea mays L.) to varying sowing dates throughout the rainy season across WA. Based on an average of 38 years of data per grid cell, we identify safe sowing windows across the Sudanian region that secure at least 90% of maximal yield. We find that current sowing strategies, based on minimum thresholds for rainfall accumulated over a period that are widely applied in the region, carry a higher risk of yield failure, especially at the beginning of the rainy season. This analysis shows that delaying sowing for a month to mid-June in the central region (east of Lon 8.5°W), and to early August in the semi-arid areas is a safer strategy that ensures optimal yields. A comparison between the periods 1982–1991 and 1992–2019 shows a negative shift for LO10 mm and LO20 mm, suggesting a wetter regime compared to the dry periods of the 1970s and 1980s. On the contrary, we observe a positive shift in the safe window strategy, highlighting the need for precautions due to erratic rainfall at the beginning of the season. The precipitation-based strategies hold a high risk, while the safe sowing window strategy, easily accessible to smallholder farmers, is more fitting, given the current climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cacao swollen shoot disease (CSSD) caused by complexes of cacao swollen shoot badnaviruses (family Caulimoviridae, genus Badnavirus) remains highly prevalent and devastating in West Africa. The disease continues to impact substantially on cacao yield loss, cacao tree mortality, and decline in foreign exchange income from cacao bean sales. Currently, the disease is estimated to have a prevalence rate of over 30% in Ghana, as assessed in the ongoing third country-wide surveillance program. Although achievements from past research interventions have greatly elucidated the etiology, biology, epidemiology, diagnostics, and management of the disease, there are some outstanding knowledge gaps. The role of these information gaps and their effect on CSSD epidemiology and prevalence remain unanswered. This paper summarizes existing scientific knowledge from past research achievements that have provided elucidation on CSSD epidemiology, management options, and guided future research. The discussion highlights the need for multidisciplinary research with modern tools and institutional collaborators to holistically bring clarity on knowledge gaps on pathogen biology, virus–host-–vector interactions, role of environmental and soil nutrient effects on CSSD severity, evolution pattern, role of alternative hosts on virus species diversity, vector population dynamics, and their overall impact on CSSD prevalence and integrated management in cacao plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the long‐term effects of population and GDP changes requires a multisectoral and regional understanding of the coupled human‐Earth system, as the long‐term evolution of this coupled system is influenced by human decisions and the Earth system. This study investigates the impact of compounding economic and population growth uncertainties on long‐term multisectoral outcomes. We use the Global Change Analysis Model (GCAM) to explore the influence of compounding and feedback between future GDP and population growth on four key sectors: final energy consumption, water withdrawal, staple food prices, and CO2 emissions. The results show that uncertainties in GDP and population compound, resulting in a magnification of tail risks for outcomes across sectors and regions. Compounding uncertainties significantly impact metrics such as CO2 emissions and final energy consumption, particularly at the upper tail at both global and regional levels. However, the impact of staple food prices and water withdrawal depends on regional factors. Additionally, an alternative low‐carbon transition scenario could compound uncertainties and increase tail risk, particularly in staple food prices, highlighting the influence of emergent constraints on land availability and food‐energy competition for land use. The findings underscore the importance of considering and adequately accounting for compounding uncertainties in key drivers of multisectoral systems to enhance our comprehensive understanding of the complex nature of multisectoral systems. The paper provides valuable insights into the potential implications of compounding uncertainties. Plain Language Summary: Understanding how future population and economic growth changes could impact our energy, water, food, and environment requires looking across multiple sectors and regions. This is because these systems are all connected. For example, increasing population drives higher food demand but requires more energy and water to grow food. At the same time, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from energy through increased biofuel consumption can compete with food production for land resources. This study explored how uncertainties in future population and GDP growth could compound and interact to affect future energy use, water withdrawal, staple food prices, and carbon dioxide emissions. Using a model that connects all these systems, the study found that combined uncertainties in population and GDP lead to more significant risks of extreme outcomes than individually looking at those uncertainties. There are substantial regional differences in future outcomes, like higher uncertainty in food prices for India and West Africa compared to other regions. We highlight the need to consider multisector and multisystem interactions between uncertainties across different regions. Accounting for these compounding uncertainties provides valuable insights into potential risks, like higher extreme projections for food prices or water use. These insights are essential for long‐term planning in our connected human‐Earth system. Key Points: Long‐term implications of population and GDP changes on the coupled human‐Earth system focusing on multisectoral and regional understandingUncertainties in GDP and population growth can compound, resulting in more extreme outcomes for multisectoral systemsCompounding uncertainties differ by region and metrics; staple food prices and water withdrawal show significant regional variability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guinea‐Bissau, an important regional biodiversity hotspot in West Africa, faces the challenge of raising awareness among the general public about the significance of natural resources for rural communities' survival and the need for biodiversity conservation. This knowledge gap hinders conservation efforts as initiatives are deemed irrelevant or unnecessary. A climate of political vulnerability, financial uncertainty and threats to media freedom are further obstacles to conservation biology. Researchers lack established communication platforms for academic dissemination. In this paper, we introduce the initiative News for Nature/PRIMACTION (2020–2022), which aimed to establish a communication channel between researchers and media agents. The project had two primary objectives: firstly, to raise awareness among the Guinea‐Bissau society about the importance of national biodiversity and conservation challenges; and secondly, to enhance the capacity of specific communicators and opinion makers. The project had several important outputs, including: i) a bi‐monthly newspaper section focused on "biodiversity conservation in Guinea‐Bissau", ii) three radio‐theatre episodes performed by a well‐known group and broadcasted nationally, iii) one song composed and sung by famous musicians, with an introduction by Jane Goodall, and iv) a website providing technical resources for journalists covering biodiversity and conservation news. Collaborators mentioned the lack of logistical conditions for traveling in the country as a major impediment in reporting conservation‐related news. We emphasize the significance of establishing direct contact and articulation between researchers and local media to promote conservation research in West African countries. In countries where science communication and environmental education outreach are not well‐established, it is crucial to bridge the challenges faced by the communities in different regions of the same country. This is especially urgent in cases where such challenges are significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Atlantic Goliath Grouper Epinephelus itajara (Lichtenstein, 1822) occurs on both sides of the Atlantic, from the Carolinas (USA) to Brazil in the western Atlantic and historically from North Senegal to North Angola off of West Africa in the eastern Atlantic. While there are relatively good data on their distribution in the western Atlantic, confirmed occurrences, population status, fishing reports, and trade data are almost non-existent for West Africa. Part of the problem is that tropical West African countries largely lack the wherewithal to fund the research needed to evaluate this species, nor do they have laws, management plans, or viable enforcement measures that might lead to effective population recovery or protection for essential juvenile mangrove habitats. Given the lack of published studies on this species in West Africa, the primary objectives of this paper are (1) to describe all known historical and current anecdotal information available on this species and (2) to encourage the increased monitoring of habitats where viable populations might still occur (i.e., mangroves, oil rigs, and oil platforms). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Anii language of Togo and Benin is surrounded by essentially unrelated languages because the ancestors of the current speakers migrated into their modern territory within the last few centuries. This paper presents what is known about the cultural history and current social context of the Anii people and argues that Anii is a progressive language island despite a social situation that is different from that of many traditional language islands. The analysis of Anii linguistic structures (including comparisons with related languages and the presentation of relevant dialect differences) provides further support for the analysis of Anii as a language island. Much of the data, particularly the comparative analyses, presented here have never been previously available to scholars. This paper thus sheds new light on a little-known language with a complicated history that is not yet well understood, as well as potentially expanding the definition of the term 'language island'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proffers an art-speech of the farmer-herder crisis in Nigeria from the standpoint of the conceptual ceramic's exposition. Using the figurative construct of 'senior citizen' and the visual art form of conceptual ceramics, this paper creates a sort of metaphorized analogy that depicts an allegory of Nigeria's perennial farmer-herder crisis scenario, where the wellbeing of the citizenry appears to have been subordinated to those of the herders and their herds. The uncommon ceramic art approach that negates traditional production methods has been explored in this study to interrogate the outlined concerns. This process includes the pinching of plastic clay, placing it in the palm, rolling the clay with both palms into a stick-like shape, placing the stick at the foot of the fingers, tightly compressing the clay by closing the fists, and finally releasing the clay to reveal the product. This style that has been termed fragmented clay palm press terracotta on canvas proved effective and fluid enough to achieve the essence of this study. The intriguing situation of Nigeria's socio-political metaphor vis-à-vis the prevailing farmerherder conundrum is explored in an attempt to foreground the existential irony that this awkward situation portends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For over six decades now research on the vowels of West African languages have featured prominently in typological studies of virtually every aspect of vowels, ranging from basic inventory types to feature theories. This review brings together the salient properties of vowels found in languages spoken in West Africa as well as highlight key research findings on the vowels of West African languages that have been of interest to cross-linguistic research on vowels. It traces the evolution of research on these vowels, from the early years when findings from field notes were used to analyse the genetic classification of languages, to the use of laboratory instrumental techniques in determining vowel features. It highlights key findings and debates that have taken place over the decades on vowel features and classification, vowel inventory types as well as findings from acoustic and articulatory experimental researches. The paper concludes with a look at the contribution of research on the vowels of West African languages to linguistic theory and suggestions of future directions in research on vowels of languages of West Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to present an example for the electrification of rural Africa. We will discuss the preconditions, necessities and obstacles of building a solar power plant in rural Niger. For the energy supply of a small village in West Africa a solar pilot plant (20 kWp solar plant with battery storage) is installed. This energy hub makes it possible to provide solar-powered electricity for the town, operate a (ground) water pumping system-delivering water for households and for irrigation of fields. The aim of the paper is to determine the social and individual welfare effects of the new energy system. Therefore, the social well-being of the village is analysed by the social return on investment (LSROI) model. The analysis starts with an empirical survey of the households of the village. The villagers were asked to assess the benefits of the new solar power plant investment for their household and for the whole village. Investment and household valuation are intertemporal decisions whose consequences occur at different points in time, and social actors may have different time preferences. Therefore, two different discount methods are considered. The classical standard discounting model for the technical investment and the hyperbolic discounting for the discounting of the utility of the pilot plant for the households. Four different time preference rates (0%, 1%, 5%, 10%) are used to capture different risk assumptions caused by the current global and local risks (rising energy and food prices, corona pandemic, climate change, water scarcity) and defining thereby the social time preference space. The social return on investment model determines the social return on investment for the households of the village. By rising the time preference rate from 0% to 10% a significant decline of the social benefits of the solar pilot plant can be determined. The global and local risks will rise the time preference rate of the villagers because the present becomes more and more difficultto manage and the visible future is reduced. Hence, the social revenues of the pilot plant decrease over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of community resilience has gained considerable attention in the global health discussions since the Ebola outbreak of West Africa in 2014-2015. However, there are no measurement models to quantify community resilience. Without measurement models, it is unclear how to test strategies for building community resilience or to describe their likely intended and unintended results and their impact on health outcomes. We propose a measurement model for community resilience with relevant constructs and indicators to measure these constructs. We conducted a scoping review, systematically searching, screening and selecting relevant articles from two bibliographic databases (PUBMED and Google Scholar) for literature using search terms such as "resilience", "community resilience" and "health systems resilience". We screened 500 papers, then completed a full text review of 112 identified as relevant based on their title and abstract. A total of 27 papers and reports were retained for analysis. We then aggregated and synthesised the various definitions of community resilience and the frameworks for understanding these definitions. We identified key constructs from these frameworks and organised these constructs into domains and sub-domains. We proposed indicators to capture aspects of these domains and sub-domains and operationalised these indicators as a measurement model for quantifying community resilience in health systems. We propose a model with 20 indicators to assess community resilience. These indicators tap into various constructs from different theoretical frameworks of community resilience and are useful for assessing the level of knowledge, financial resources, and human, social and physical capital that are needed (or lacking) to respond to any types of shock, including health shock at the community level. This is an initial attempt to describe a multilevel measurement model for quantifying community resilience. This model will help to guide the development and testing of strategies for strengthening community resilience and will require further work to assess its relevance, reliability and validity in different LMIC settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an R-based approach to mapping dynamics of the flooded areas in the Inner Niger Delta (IND), Mali, using time series analysis of Landsat 8–9 satellite images. As the largest inland wetland in West Africa, the habitats of IND offers high potential for biodiversity of the flood-dependent eco systems. IND is one of the most productive areas in West Africa. Mapping flooded areas based on satellite images enables to provide strategies for land management and rice planting and modelling vegetation types of IND. Our approach is based on using libraries of R programming language for processing six Landsat images, and each image was taken on November from 2013 to 2022. By capturing spatial and temporal structures of the satellite images on 2013, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the remote sensing data are combined to yield estimates of landscape dynamics that is temporally coherent, while helping to analyse fluctuations of spatial extent in fluvial wetlands caused by the hydrological processes of seasonal flooding. Further, by allowing packages of R to support image processing, an approach to mapping vegetation by NDVI, SAVI and EVI indices and visualising changes in distribution of different land cover classes over time is realised. In this context, processing Earth observation data by advanced scripting tools of R language provides new insights into complex interlace of climate-hydrological processes and vegetation responses. Our study contributes to the sustainable management of natural resources and improving knowledge on the functioning of IND ecosystems in Mali, West Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization is a current concern, particularly in Africa, where it is expected to continue and increasingly threaten the effectiveness of plant biodiversity, natural carbon sinks, and the sustainability of cities. This paper investigates the structural parameters and carbon storage potential of trees in the land use units of the city of Cotonou in southern Benin. A total of 149 plots at 2500 m2 each were randomly generated, and trees with a diameter ≥ 10 cm were inventoried. ANOVA revealed that the means of structural parameters (diameter and height classes) and carbon stock rate varied significantly (p < 0.001) across land use units in the city. Tree basal area is estimated at 4.52 ± 5.24 m2 ha−1, with an average of 12.72 (13) feet ha−1. The average diameter of the trees is estimated at 57.94 ± 29.71 cm. Approximately 1000 kg ha−1 (0.94 × 103 kg ha−1) of carbon is stored in the city of Cotonou. Green spaces (1.21 × 103 kg ha−1) and roads (1.19 × 103 kg ha−1) are the units that recorded the highest carbon stocks. Khaya senegalensis, Mangifera indica, and Terminalia mentally lead the top ten species with high stock potential. This study demonstrates the contribution of urban trees to global atmospheric carbon reduction, which varies by species, land use units, and tree density. Future research could investigate an i-Tree Landscape approach for urban carbon estimation. This could reinforce urban carbon data availability for urban ecological planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poor grading and significant differences in the mechanical properties of laterite granules in West Africa limit the application of this typical material in road structures. In this paper, the poorly graded laterite granule was blended with fine sand and stabilized with cement to improve the strength of laterite granules. An innovative combination of laboratory tests and numerical simulation analysis using the numerical simulation software PFC2D 5.0 was used to investigate the cement-stabilized laterite granule's strength formation and failure mechanisms. Laboratory test results show that when the sand content is 40%, the grading curve is close to the maximum theoretical density lines (MTDLs), and the unconfined compressive strength of cement-stabilized laterite granules increased by 35.2% as the cement dosage increased from 2.5% to 5.0%. Numerical simulation tests show that the strength failure of cement-stabilized laterite granules is shear. The failure surface is tilted and through with the axial direction, and the compressive and tensile stresses between the particles cause the failure of the specimen. The simulation test results are close to the laboratory test results, and the deviation rate is less than 10%. It can guide the optimal grading design and strength prediction of cement-stabilized laterite granular materials and provides a basis for reducing laboratory tests and accurate design for such research in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hubbub of teaching lives is enriched by the relationships between students, colleagues, parents and the larger schooling community. When these relationships are disharmonious, attending to the dissonance within these relationships may offer insight into teachers' relational work. This autoethnographic article focuses on one international elementary school teacher's experience of teaching online in West Africa during COVID-19. Teaching online in a developing country with political and physical instabilities compounded the chaotic experience of living and working during the pandemic. Guided by this research question, "How did online learning impact my relationship with students?", the author utilized writing as an inquiry approach to make sense of the challenging aspects of her online teaching experiences. By delving into narrated moments, the author engaged in reflexive analysis of storied experiences. This process illuminated the meaning-making steps that she took to appreciate the nuances contained within specific moments that she had with a student and his father. Through storying and re-storying these moments, the author wondered and metaphorically wandered to unearth potential emotions, assumptions and motivations that permeated her experiences. Such an explorative focus on teachers' subjective meaning-making process augments the wider body of work on online education and, in particular, this study's inquiry into the complexity of educational relationships through a narrative lens offers insights into the inner workings of teacher emotions and feelings. This paper reveals how teachers may benefit from adopting a reflective and reflexive sense-making approach towards understanding their emotions, feelings, responsibilities and relationships with students and parents, especially during a time of crisis. This article contributes to the ongoing discussions about the complexities of teachers' relational work and it enriches the extant literature on online education by shedding light on the individualistic ways that teachers cope with the uncertainties of teaching during a time of crisis. Deeping our collective understanding of how teachers cope can help us to provide better support for teachers and students during crises such as COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the immediate aftermath of a 14-year civil conflict that disrupted the health system, Liberia adopted the internationally recommended integrated disease surveillance and response (IDSR) strategy in 2004. Despite this, Liberia was among the three West African countries ravaged by the worst Ebola epidemic in history from 2014 to 2016. This paper describes successes, failures, strengths, and weaknesses in the development, adoption, and implementation of IDSR following the civil war and up until the outbreak of Ebola, from 2004 to early 2014. Methods: We reviewed 112 official Government documents and peer-reviewed articles and conducted 29 in-depth interviews with key informants from December 2021 to March 2022 to gain perspectives on IDSR in the post-conflict and pre-Ebola era in Liberia. We assessed the core and supportive functions of IDSR, such as notification of priority diseases, confirmation, reporting, analysis, investigation, response, feedback, monitoring, staff training, supervision, communication, and financial resources. Data were triangulated and presented via emerging themes and in-depth accounts to describe the context of IDSR introduction and implementation, and the barriers surrounding it. Results: Despite the adoption of the IDSR framework, Liberia failed to secure the resources—human, logistical, and financial—to support effective implementation over the 10-year period. Documents and interview reports demonstrate numerous challenges prior to Ebola: the surveillance system lacked key components of IDSR including laboratory testing capacity, disease reporting, risk communication, community engagement, and staff supervision systems. Insufficient financial support and an abundance of vertical programs further impeded progress. In-depth accounts by donors and key governmental informants demonstrate that although the system had a role in detecting Ebola in Liberia, it could not respond effectively to control the disease. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that post-war, Liberia's health system intended to prioritize epidemic preparedness and response with the adoption of IDSR. However, insufficient investment and systems development meant IDSR was not well implemented, leaving the country vulnerable to the devastating impact of the Ebola epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock mobility, particularly that of small and large ruminants, is one of the main pillars of production and trade in West Africa: livestock is moved around in search of better grazing or sold in markets for domestic consumption and for festival-related activities. These movements cover several thousand kilometers and have the capability of connecting the whole West African region, thus facilitating the diffusion of many animal and zoonotic diseases. Several factors shape mobility patterns even in normal years and surveillance systems need to account for such changes. In this paper, we present an approach based on temporal network theory to identify possible sentinel locations, i.e., locations where pathogens circulation can be detected in the early phase of the epidemic (before the peak), using two indicators: vulnerability (i.e., the probability of being reached by the disease) and time of infection (i.e., the time of first arrival of the disease). Using these indicators in our structural analysis of the changing network enabled us to identify a set of nodes that could be used in an early warning system. As a case study, we simulated the introduction of transboundary animal diseases in Senegal and used data taken from 2020 Sanitary certificates (laissez-passer sanitaire (LPS)) issued by the Senegalese Veterinary Services to reconstruct the national mobility network. Our analysis showed that a static approach can significantly overestimate the speed and the extent of disease propagation, whereas temporal analysis revealed that the reachability and vulnerability of the different administrative departments (used as nodes of the mobility network) change over the course of the year. For this reason, several sets of sentinel nodes were identified in different periods of the year, underlining the role of temporality in shaping patterns of disease diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate how awareness influences the adoption of positive selection (PS) technology among smallholder yam farmers in West Africa. PS has the potential of increasing yield and reducing disease incidence and severity in yam production. Design/methodology/approach: This paper applies the average treatment effect (ATE) methodology to estimate the rates of awareness and adoption of the PS technology and associated factors using data from 678 smallholder seed yam farmers in Ghana and Nigeria. Findings: The results indicate that the actual adoption rates of PS technology are 58 and 55%, while the potential adoption rates are estimated at 89.5 and 79.3% for Ghana and Nigeria, respectively, if the PS technology was fully disseminated. This leads to adoption gaps of 31.7 and 24.8%, respectively, for Ghana and Nigeria stemming from incomplete awareness of the PS among the population of yam growing farmers. The PS adoption is high among the educated young farmers who are members of farmer based organizations and participate in demonstrations. Practical implications: Promotional efforts for enhancing awareness and adoption of PS should target educated youth willing to participate in field demonstrations and should focus on scaling up of PS technology to ensure quality farmer saved seed yams and enhance yam productivity in West Africa. Originality/value: The introduction of PS in seed yam production is quite recent also its introduction to seed yam farmers in West Africa. Subsequently, a better understanding of what the adoption status would be should everyone in the population of yam farmers are aware of PS is vital for policy, research and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: One of the most important vegetation zones in West Africa is the so-called "Dahomey Gap", which is a mostly savannah region that separates two rainforest blocks, the West African one (scientifically known as the Upper Guinean Forest block) and the central African one (Lower Guinean Forest block). Forest patches are sparsely distributed within the Dahomey Gap region. In this paper, we studied medium and large mammals (especially ungulates) within an area dominated by patches of flooded forests near the Mono river in south-eastern Togo. We described the species richness of mammals in this area. We found that 19 species coexisted in these forests. The number of species in each forest area correlated with the size of the forest patch. We stress that to ensure the protection of the Dahomey Gap mammals, we should seriously consider protecting not only the forest patches but also the surroundings, mainly savannah landscapes. "The Dahomey Gap" is a human-derived mostly savannah region that separates the Guineo-Congolian rainforest block into two major units: the Upper Guinean and the Lower Guinean Forest blocks. Several forest patches are distributed throughout this savannah-dominated habitat. The mammal communities in the Dahomey Gap region have been poorly studied. In this paper we analyse the species richness and abundance of, as well as conservation implications for, medium and large mammals (especially ungulates) inhabiting a complex of flooded forests near the Mono river in south-eastern Togo. We use several field methods to describe the species richness of mammals in this area, including camera-trapping, recce transects, Kilometric Index of Abundance (KIA) estimates, examination of hunters' catches and face-to-face hunter interviews. Overall, we directly recorded 19 species that coexist in these forests. Based on interviews, nine other species were confirmed as present in the study area. Only five species were common: Cephalophus rufilatus, Tragelaphus scriptus, Chlorocebus aethiops, Atilax paludinosus and Herpestes ichneumon. The area still contains various threatened species such as Tragelaphus spekii and Hippopotamus amphibius. We stress that to ensure the protection of the Dahomey Gap mammals, it is important to seriously consider protecting not only the forest patches but also the surroundings, mainly savannah landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) is recommended in Africa in several antimalarial preventive regimens including Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnant women (IPTp), Intermittent Preventive Treatment in infants (IPTi) and Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC). The effectiveness of SP-based preventive treatments are threatened in areas where Plasmodium falciparum resistance to SP is high. The prevalence of mutations in the dihydropteroate synthase gene (pfdhps) can be used to monitor SP effectiveness. IPTi-SP is recommended only in areas where the prevalence of the pfdhps540E mutation is below 50%. It has also been suggested that IPTp-SP does not have a protective effect in areas where the pfdhps581G mutation, exceeds 10%. However, pfdhps mutation prevalence data in Africa are extremely heterogenous and scattered, with data completely missing from many areas. Methods and findings: The WWARN SP Molecular Surveyor database was designed to summarize dihydrofolate reductase (pfdhfr) and pfdhps gene mutation prevalence data. In this paper, pfdhps mutation prevalence data was used to generate continuous spatiotemporal surface maps of the estimated prevalence of the SP resistance markers pfdhps437G, pfdhps540E, and pfdhps581G in Africa from 1990 to 2020 using a geostatistical model, with a Bayesian inference framework to estimate uncertainty. The maps of estimated prevalence show an expansion of the pfdhps437G mutations across the entire continent over the last three decades. The pfdhps540E mutation emerged from limited foci in East Africa to currently exceeding 50% estimated prevalence in most of East and South East Africa. pfdhps540E distribution is expanding at low or moderate prevalence in central Africa and a predicted focus in West Africa. Although the pfdhps581G mutation spread from one focus in East Africa in 2000, to exceeding 10% estimated prevalence in several foci in 2010, the predicted distribution of the marker did not expand in 2020, however our analysis indicated high uncertainty in areas where pfdhps581G is present. Uncertainty was higher in spatial regions where the prevalence of a marker is intermediate or where prevalence is changing over time. Conclusions: The WWARN SP Molecular Surveyor database and a set of continuous spatiotemporal surface maps were built to provide users with standardized, current information on resistance marker distribution and prevalence estimates. According to the maps, the high prevalence of pfdhps540E mutation was to date restricted to East and South East Africa, which is reassuring for continued use of IPTi and SMC in West Africa, but continuous monitoring is needed as the pfdhps540E distribution is expanding. Several foci where pfdhps581G prevalence exceeded 10% were identified. More data on the pfdhps581G distribution in these areas needs to be collected to guide IPTp-SP recommendations. Prevalence and uncertainty maps can be utilized together to strategically identify sites where increased surveillance can be most informative. This study combines a molecular marker database and predictive modelling to highlight areas of concern, which can be used to support decisions in public health, highlight knowledge gaps in certain regions, and guide future research. Author summary: Despite great success in reducing death and illness from malaria over the last 20 years, the disease is still one of the main leading causes of death in low-income countries with estimated 229 million cases and 409,000 deaths annually. One of the main obstacles in malaria control is the development and spread of drug resistance. Several intermittent preventive treatments depend on the efficacy of the antimalarial drug sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP); Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnant women (IPTp), Intermittent Preventive Treatment in infants (IPTi) and Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC). Mutations in the dihydropteroate synthase gene (pfdhps) can cause resistance to SP treatment. In this paper, we use pfdhps mutation prevalence data to generate continuous spatiotemporal surface maps of the estimated prevalence of the SP resistance markers in Africa from 1990 to 2020 using a Bayesian geostatistical model. These predictive maps provide much needed insight about where SP can be used as part of preventive treatments. Spatial information on the spread of antimalarial resistance is critical for health organizations to prioritize surveillance measures, and plan control and elimination efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, three steps are made. First, an effort is made to show a consequential effect of maritime insecurity on seafarers and marine professionals; they are at risk of a complicated string of processes that impact their lives. Second, there is the risk to the environment and property. Third, the economic cost of traditional maritime crimes is examined against the potential maritime trade expansion from implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Third, the policy and regulatory measures implemented in the region against piracy are assessed to propose additional measures for improvement. Essentially, the study deploys a case study approach with a three-year field observation over the Gulf of Guinea region and is supported by outcomes of various remote interviews, in addition to online surveys conducted over three months—findings are juxtaposed with the estimated cost of piracy and potential implications for policies driving economic advancement. The results showed inadequate maritime surveillance despite enormous legal frameworks amidst the current structures of regional and international corporations. The piracy cost is high and inevitable as a factor of insurance coverage passed onto end consumers. Response to piracy has been reactionary rather than proactive, as attacks have continued in territorial and offshore areas into 2021. The impact will be visible on AfCFTA post-COVID-19. The study highlights the need for a community-based approach to surveillance modelled after the community policing model currently implemented in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency of flash floods resulting from heavy rainfall over West Africa has increased in recent years with serious socio‐economic consequences. Therefore, the need to utilize numerical weather prediction models to forecast heavy rainfall events reliably is also rising at many operational meteorological centres in West Africa. This paper evaluates the performance of the Consortium for Small‐scale Modelling (COSMO) model of the German Meteorological Services (DWD) in predicting rainfall over West Africa for high‐impact rainfall events that occurred between 19 and 26 August 2017. The paper aims to investigate the synoptic forcings modulating daily rainfall variability during that period. Results show that COSMO simulates adequately the spatio‐temporal variability of rainfall distribution over West Africa, though with inherent biases. COSMO displays a decreasing skill in producing spatial rainfall distribution as rainfall amounts tend to 30 mm and above. Additionally, areas of heavy rainfall, mostly about 100–300 km southwest of the core of the Africa Easterly Jet (AEJ), often coincide with areas of decreasing mean sea level pressure of at least 0.6 hPa and areas of increasing convective available potential energy of at least 500 J/kg. Although not in all cases, the trough of the Africa Easterly Wave (AEW) is always located to the east of these areas. We show that not every storm, especially east of the prime meridian, is associated with an AEW trough. COSMO is able to reproduce the atmospheric dynamics modulating the daily rainfall variability, in addition to capturing the daily propagation of the AEW trough, and the core of the AEJ. However, the reproducibility skill of the model in predicting atmospheric dynamics may not transform into the predictive skill of the model in producing rainfall. Nevertheless, operational forecasters may be able to determine likely areas of heavy rainfall by estimating the position of the AEJ core based on the position of areas of the least falling pressure from COSMO. Finally, the incorporation of the fractions skill score metric based on the neighbourhood approach could also assist operational forecasters to decide at which scale a severe weather alert can be issued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa is at cross-roads. On the one hand, there are opportunities. The continent possess significant renewable energy potential. The International Renewable Energy Agency estimates that modern renewable energy potential amounts to 310 gigawatts (GW). This could provide half of the continent's total electricity generation capacity. On the other hand, there are challenges, skepticism and cautions about energy transition induced -stranded assets and debates on alternative sources of revenues beyond oil. Whilst these dynamics have received attention in the energy transition literature, there is dearth of studies on energy governance and how it can help drive the transition. Therefore, based on a desktop review, the paper seeks to examine the renewable governance systems in West Africa, and the European Union (EU). The paper shows that whilst West Africa has renewable energy potential and some level of national energy governance structures, private sector investment is limited. Lack of transparency, power sector financial challenges, overdependence on donor funding and high interest rate may account for this. Though regional and sub-regional initiatives have been implemented to overcome some of these challenges, there is more room for improvement. Indeed, unlike the EU, most of the sub-regional and regional targets appear not to be mandatory and there are limited economic instruments to attract the private sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence and diffusion of coronavirus (COVID-19) have brought a lot of impacts on various spheres of human endeavours including maritime trading. This paper explores the effect of the lockdown on maritime port calls for selected vessels in the sub-Saharan African (SSA) regions (East, Middle, South, and West Africa). The study utilizes port calls data of the maritime profile of the global economies obtained from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Statistics between 2018 and 2021. Data include port calls for liquid bulk carrier, liquefied petroleum gas, dry bulk carrier, dry break bulk carrier, roll-on-roll-off, and container carrier. The analysis of data involves the use of exploratory technique to reveal dimensions of performance by various carriers across the regions. The results picture the kind of response of port calls in all the regions akin to the response from other regions of the world. However, the study observes that though responses to COVID-19 lockdown across the globe were similar, SSA regions were slow in recovering from the decline in port calls when compared to the developed and some rapidly developing economies of the world due to the region's lack of economic resilience. Thus, since ports have been identified as vulnerable to economic, social, institutional, and environmental shocks, and to dynamic and highly unpredictable demand for port services, policymakers of various nationals in the SSA may need to examine the patterns of performance of vessels in the regions to manage trade flows more effectively as a way of responding to future dynamics in maritime trade in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Focusing on the cross-cultural interaction between a French traveller and pilgrims from West Africa, this study analyses the actors involved in the construction of European knowledge about West African societies in the mid-nineteenth century. It stresses the role of pilgrims, actors that were often considered peripheral to European knowledge production. The use of the concept of knowledge circulation allows me to explore dimensions of knowledge production such as power relations, resistance, or negotiation, described in the travel account. The paper argues that despite the asymmetries in the pilgrim-traveller relationship, pilgrims co-produced the traveller's knowledge about West Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper investigates interactions of human capital, capital goods import and economic growth with a panel of 13 West African countries comprises of 7 low income and 6 low-middle income countries over the period of 1980–2018. The study adopts the Panel Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) cointegration techniques to establish a short and long-run relationship existing among the variables. Panel ARDL (Fixed effect) result revealed that the returns to equipment investment are moderately high on the average. Findings do not support the hypothesis that human capital makes production inputs more effective and helps countries gain from equipment investment and other imported investment for all the countries. This is due to inadequate knowhow and skill arising from the low levels of human capital in these countries. Determining the threshold of human capital development at which countries benefit from equipment investment, findings indicates that countries of the low-middle Income that exhibit a comparatively higher human capital (1.45 on the average) benefited more from imported capital stock and other importations than countries of the low income with very low human capital (1.27 on the average). Thus, we conclude that investment in human capital, innovation, and knowledge are significant contributors to economic growth and should be the priority of developing economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas) is endemic to tropical Africa and includes three recognized subspecies (pyrrhonotus, patas, villiersi). This paper presents evidence to extend the geographic range of the western or West African patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas patas) 60 km southwest to include Outamba Kilimi National Park, central north Sierra Leone, West Africa. In 2018 and 2022 we conducted interviews with photo elicitation exercises with a total of 363 adult residents of Outamba Kilimi National Park to identify reported wildlife species present and inform camera trapping locations. Since May 2018, 25 camera traps have been placed throughout the Outamba Section of Outamba Kilimi National Park. Further research using both biological and social science methods is needed to accurately assess the conservation status of patas monkeys in Sierra Leone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benin is an underdeveloped country whose economy is dependent on agriculture, principally cotton production. Kandi is a community in the country's northeast region, and is regarded as one of Benin's top four cotton-producing communities. This community has a deficient level of education. The present paper aimed to investigate whether education could contribute to increasing cotton production in Kandi. A questionnaire was distributed to educated, uneducated, and organic farmers in the research area to achieve this goal. A linear regression strategy was applied, with the key components of the research areas being the usage of agricultural chemical inputs (pesticides and fertilizers), miscellaneous factors, and the level of education of farmers. The data collected were utilized to compare the different groups polled (educated and uneducated farmers). Organic farmers are used in this paper as a model of suitable agriculture development in the study area. The key finding is that primary education affects agricultural production. Solutions are presented with a focus on organic farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flood of the Senegal River is a resource for the populations of the Senegal valley, who practise agriculture, fishing and livestock farming in the annually flooded areas. The objective of this paper is to investigate the hydrological evolution of the Senegal River flood since the drought of the 1970s and the construction and management of the Manantali Dam. To this purpose, the paper analyses the evolution of several parameters of the flood hydrograph and defines the factors that determine the intensity of the flood. Also, a follow-up of the flooded areas in the valley is carried out using remote sensing. The results show that the flood hydrograph has been similar since the 1970s drought, due to the reduction in contributions from the Bafing after the construction of the Manantali Dam. As a result, the high floods depend now on the rainfall pattern in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of the watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of diabetes in West Africa is increasing, posing a major public health threat. An estimated 24 million Africans have diabetes, with rates in West Africa around 2–6% and projected to rise 129% by 2045 according to the WHO. Over 90% of cases are Type 2 diabetes (IDF, World Bank). As diabetes is ambulatory care sensitive, good primary care is crucial to reduce complications and mortality. However, research on factors influencing diabetes primary care access, utilisation and quality in West Africa remains limited despite growing disease burden. While research has emphasised diabetes prevalence and risk factors in West Africa, there remains limited evidence on contextual influences on primary care. This scoping review aims to address these evidence gaps. Methods and analysis: Using the established methodology by Arksey and O'Malley, this scoping review will undergo six stages. The review will adopt the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines to ensure methodological rigour. We will search four electronic databases and search through grey literature sources to thoroughly explore the topic. The identified articles will undergo thorough screening. We will collect data using a standardised data extraction form that covers study characteristics, population demographics, and study methods. The study will identify key themes and sub-themes related to primary healthcare access, utilisation, and quality. We will then analyse and summarise the data using a narrative synthesis approach. Results: The findings and conclusive report will be finished and sent to a peer-reviewed publication within six months. Conclusion: This review protocol aims to systematically examine and assess the factors that impact the access, utilisation, and standard of primary healthcare services for diabetes in West Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the possibility of forming a monetary union across West Africa. This was achieved by employing the structural VAR framework. Data on real GDP, inflation, and exchange rate were used to represent supply, monetary, and demand shocks from the period 1986 to 2020. The impulse response and variance decomposition results showed that shocks affecting the West African region are idiosyncratic, while the residuals of the structural VAR were used to compute the correlation coefficient. The correlation coefficient revealed that the demand and monetary shocks were symmetric across WAEMU countries and asymmetric for the rest of the region. The study suggests that theWest African region is not ripe for a monetary union. However, the study opined that the WAEMU countries are the closest to forming a West African monetary union and a piecemeal approach may be adopted such that the WAEMU countries are the first to form the union, while the rest may join when they meet the convergence criteria. In essence, West African countries' central banks need to focus on harmonizing their monetary policies and remove all barriers to factor mobility for the synchronization of shocks and for all countries to meet the convergence criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]