Université de Parakou

Weed management is a key to the adoption of conservation agriculture practices in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed the effect of conservation agriculture practices, strip-tillage and direct mulch-based cropping system on weed emergence, biomass and community structure in cotton-based cropping systems in northern Benin. The experiment was conducted in 2023 and 2024 using a randomized complete block design with three replications under three cropping systems: conventional tillage, strip tillage (cotton in biannual rotation with maize-cowpea intercropping over strip tillage) and direct mulch-based cropping system (cotton in three-season rotation with maize and Stylosanthes guianensis intercropping and sorghum and soybean intercropping over direct mulch-based cropping system). Weed emergence and species were inventoried at seven-day intervals starting from the first rainfall triggering their germination. Weed biomass was measured at each weeding. Conservation agriculture systems significantly reduced weed emergence compared to conventional tillage. The reductions were 15 % (cotton) and 46 % (maize) under strip tillage, and 33 % (cotton) and 56 % (maize) under direct mulch-based cropping system. Weed biomass increased significantly under the strip tillage system, i.e. by 40 % in cotton plots and by 41 % in maize plots. Crop yields were not significantly affected by systems. Weed community structure was shaped by the interaction between the cropping system and seasons, with distinct indicator species associated with cropping systems. These findings demonstrate that conservation agriculture practices can reduce weed emergence and alter weed community structure without compromising yield performance. This is the first study to characterize weed management under conservation agriculture in Sub-Saharan African cotton-based cropping systems. • Conservation agriculture reduced weed emergence and biomass in a cotton-based system. • Strip-tillage reduced weed emergence but increased biomass compared to conventional tillage. • Tillage, intercropping and mulching influenced weed community structure. • No-/strip tillage led to greater dicots weed emergence in a cotton-based system. • There is no significant difference of cotton and maize yields between three systems.

Abstract Inocybe is a globally distributed genus of ectomycorrhizal fungi that occurs in temperate and tropical regions. However, species diversity of the genus in Africa remains underexplored. In this study, four new nodulose-spored Inocybe species, I . arenosa , I . basialba , I . liliputiana , and I . luteofusca , from tropical regions of Benin in West Africa, are described and illustrated based on comprehensive morphological and molecular analyses. In addition, I . glaucodisca, originally described from Zambia (Southeast Africa), is reported for the first time from West Africa (Benin). All five Inocybe species occur in association with Berlinia grandiflora ( Fabaceae ). Multilocus molecular analyses of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region (nrITS), a partial of the nuclear ribosomal large subunit (nrLSU), and a segment of the RNA polymerase II second-largest subunit ( RPB2 ) gene, confirm the distinctiveness of these four novel species and indicate their phylogenetic placement within Inocybe .

Sub-Saharan Africa faces unique nutritional challenges, exacerbated by conditions such as poverty, limited access to healthcare, and diverse dietary traditions. Despite the scholarship on children's feeding and their nutritional conditions in sub-Saharan Africa, scanty evidence exists on the association between children's feeding practices and growth outcomes. Consequently, this study seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of children's feeding practices and their association with growth outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa. Demographic and Health Survey data from 30 countries were used for this study, with a sample aged 0-59 (n = 174,281). The descriptive analysis involved the computation of child and maternal factors, presented in frequencies and percentages. We further analysed the weighted percentages of stunting, wasting, and underweight and their co-existence across included countries and children's socio-demographic characteristics. To investigate the association between child feeding practices and other demographic factors with child weight and growth outcome, we employed a multilevel logistic regression. Given the large amount of missing data on the covariate exclusive breastfeeding, it was excluded during the model fitting process. We noted that 6.94% (95%CI:6.79,7.09) were wasted, 32.17(95%CI:31.90,32.45) were stunted, 16.72%(95%CI:16.50,16.94) were underweight children, and 2.32% (95%CI:2.24,2.40) were wasted, stunted and underweight. Age-appropriate feeding (conceived as not wasted, stunted or underweight based on WHO's definition) increased co-occurrence risk (AOR = 1.68), while exclusive breastfeeding reduced it (AOR = 0.40). Children with low birth weight were more likely to be wasted [AOR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.57-1.74], stunted [AOR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.44-1.54] and underweight [AOR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.84-1.98]. Females were observed to have lower odds of all three indicators as manifested in their co-existence (AOR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.55-0.63). Children 12-23 months had the highest odds of experiencing the co-existence of stunting, wasting and underweight (AOR = 5.86, 95% CI = 4.94-6.95) relative to those below 6 months. Feeding practices significantly predict growth outcomes, urging policies for age-appropriate diets, dietary diversity, and breastfeeding support. The findings underscore the urgent need to address child malnutrition, particularly stunting, wasting, and underweight, to improve child health and well-being. These findings should inform policymakers, healthcare professionals, and stakeholders in developing effective strategies to improve child nutrition and overall well-being in the region. Context-specific policies and interventions, prioritizing maternal nutrition, access to quality prenatal care, and appropriate infant feeding practices, are crucial in mitigating the impact of malnutrition on children in the region. Further research and collaboration are needed to develop targeted strategies and sustainable solutions to tackle child malnutrition effectively in sub-Saharan Africa.

Abstract Background Insecticide resistance in the vectors population remains a major challenge to the effective control of arboviral diseases. In the current context where Aedes vectors have developed resistance to pyrethroids, it is essential to explore alternative insecticidal compounds. This study aimed to assess the resistance profiles of the main arbovirus vectors to next-generation insecticides, specifically Chlorfenapyr and Pyriproxyfen. Methods The study was conducted in four municipalities in southern Benin. Vectors were collected using ovitraps and reared to the adult stage. Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus populations were used directly for the various tests. CDC bottle bioassays were performed to evaluate vector susceptibility to Chlorfenapyr and to assess the reproductive inhibition properties of Pyriproxyfen. Cone and tunnel tests were conducted to determine the bioefficacy of Royal Guard ® and Interceptor ® G2 long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). Results Results revealed full susceptibility of both Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus to Chlorfenapyr, with mortality rates ranging from 98% to 100% across all municipalities. Pyriproxyfen significantly reduced oviposition in Aedes aegypti, with inhibition rates ranging from 91.7 % to 99% across all study sites. Similar outcomes were observed in Aedes albopictus, with oviposition rates ranging from 0% (0–3.6) to 6.1% (2.3–12.9). Blood-feeding and penetration rates for both species exposed to Interceptor® G2 were low, while mortality rates remained high. Both types of LLINs demonstrated optimal efficacy against the susceptible Aedes aegypti strain (Rockefeller). Conclusion The study demonstrated the effectiveness of Chlorfenapyr and Pyriproxyfen as promising alternatives for managing pyrethroid-resistant Aedes populations. The LLINs impregnated with these compounds Royal Guard® (alpha-cypermethrin + Pyriproxyfen) and Interceptor® G2 (alpha-cypermethrin + Chlorfenapyr) also proved effective against wild Aedes populations and could serve as valuable tools in arbovirus vector control strategies.

The application of geospatial information science and technology (GIST) within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) electoral observation missions (EOMs) represents a significant step toward the digital transformation of electoral governance in the region. Using spatial data, digital survey forms, and dynamic mapping tools, GIST enhances the transparency, timeliness, and analytical depth of observation activities. This approach allows for real-time collection, visualization, and spatial analysis of election-related data, supporting evidence-based assessments of polling station operations, voter participation, and incident distribution. Drawing on recent ECOWAS observation experiences in Senegal, ­Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, this article outlines how the integration of geospatial methods strengthens operational coordination, improves data consistency, and supports the production of interactive dashboards for decision making. The article also identifies key technical and institutional challenges, such as connectivity limitations and training needs, while highlighting GIST’s potential to promote more credible and efficient election observation processes across West Africa.

BackgroundIn July 2025, the WHO African Regional Committee adopted an ambitious strategy to address the 63% rehabilitation access gap through a comprehensive five-pillar framework. However, systematic educational exclusion of rehabilitation in African medical curricula may undermine implementation across all strategic pillars.MethodsAnalysis of the WHO AFRO 2025–2035 strategy implementation framework, complemented by systematic curriculum assessment across Central African medical schools and ethnographic observations from Cameroon documenting current access barriers and workforce knowledge gaps.ResultsMedical schools across Central Africa systematically exclude rehabilitation from curricula, with the University of Dschang representing a rare exception (4 h annually). This educational vacuum generates cascading failures: policymakers cannot prioritize services they don’t understand (Pillar 1: Governance), physicians cannot refer to specialists they’ve never encountered (Pillar 2: Workforce), evidence-based interventions are dismissed in favor of pharmaceuticals (Pillar 3: Service Delivery), rehabilitation needs remain invisible in data systems (Pillar 4: Information), and financing mechanisms struggle to support undervalued services (Pillar 5: Resources). Field evidence reveals patients traveling over 1,000 km for rare rehabilitation expertise, reflecting profound system-level educational failures.ConclusionWithout urgent educational reform, the WHO strategy risks replicating historical implementation failures despite comprehensive policy architecture. Educational exclusion represents not a peripheral concern but a foundational threat to strategy success. Medical curriculum integration offers a cost-effective, scalable intervention that amplifies all five strategic pillars. African health leaders must prioritize educational reform as essential infrastructure, not optional enhancement.

In response to the security vacuum and the limited effectiveness of military intervention in the fight against violent extremism, Burkina Faso has opted for a strategy based on citizen participation through the creation of Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP). Since 2022, this initiative has become the cornerstone of the national security strategy. This article aims to analyse the need for strategic anticipation in managing the evolving role of the VDP. To this end, a structural constructivist approach was employed to understand the role of VDPs in combating violent extremism. The study is based on qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews and documentary research. A total of 59 stakeholders, including representatives from public institutions, media professionals, research institutions, community and religious leaders, teacher-researchers, and a select group of the public, were interviewed. The information gathered was presented in verbatim form and subjected to content analysis. It has become clear that, while VDPs have played a crucial role in strengthening community security and supporting conventional forces, their long-term trajectory remains uncertain. Their growing presence raises essential political and social questions, including the risks of inter-community violence and the erosion of state legitimacy. The article argues that Burkina Faso needs to rethink the future of VDPs as part of a broader strategy of post-violent extremism governance. Drawing on community security models and post-crisis reintegration frameworks, the article emphasises the importance of disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration (DDR), as well as socio-economic support mechanisms, in the context of reintegration, to prevent long-term instability.