The Experts below are selected from a list of 157962 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Hans Kromhout - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Occupational Activities Associated with a Reported History of Malaria among Women Working in Small-Scale Agriculture in South Africa
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 2011Co-Authors: Saloshni Naidoo, Leslie London, Alex Burdorf, Rajen N. Naidoo, Hans KromhoutAbstract:Human immunodeficiency virus infection has been associated with an increased risk of malaria in northern KwaZulu-Natal, suggesting that infection with this virus may be causing an increase in malaria incidence in the area. 5 Abstract. Malaria-endemic agricultural communities are at risk for this disease because of crop and agricultural activi- ties. A cross-sectional survey among women in Small-Scale Agriculture on irrigated and dryland areas in Makhatini Flats, KwaZulu-Natal South Africa explored associations with self-reported history of malaria, including demographics, crop production, and specific agricultural activities. Ninety-eight (15.2%) of 644 women reported malaria while working in Agriculture. More women working in drylands than women working in irrigation scheme reported disease (18.4% ver- sus 10.9%; P < 0.05). Working self or family-owned farms (prevalence ratio (PR) = 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3-5.2), spraying pesticides (PR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.4-3.8), cultivating sugar cane (PR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1-2.3), and cultivat- ing cotton and mangoes (PR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.1-2.6) were positively associated with a history of malaria while working in Agriculture. This study suggests that certain agricultural activities and types of crop production may increase the risk for malaria among women working in Small-Scale Agriculture.
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Pesticide safety training and practices in women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in South Africa
Occupational and environmental medicine, 2010Co-Authors: Saloshni Naidoo, Leslie London, Hanna-andrea Rother, Alex Burdorf, Rajen N. Naidoo, Hans KromhoutAbstract:Objectives Unregulated use of pesticides continues in developing countries in the presence of illiteracy and limited safety training and practices. This paper describes training and safety practices when mixing and spraying pesticides, and acetylcholinesterase levels among women farmers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods A cross-sectional study conducted in women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in 2006 assessed pesticide training and safety practices using a questionnaire survey and measured acetylcholinesterase levels in 803 women. Three components of safety behaviour were identified through principle component analysis and described. Results The mean age of participants was 41.8 years (range 18–82 years) with a mean of 6.9 years (range 1–12 years) of education among school attendees. Among the 803 women included, 366 (45.6%) were the primary sprayers on their farm. Only 16.4% of the sprayers had ever attended a pesticide training course and only 18.0% reported ever reading pesticide labels. Of the women using some form of protective equipment, 56.7% and 54.9% reported doing so when mixing and spraying pesticides, respectively. The mean acetylcholinesterase level corrected for haemoglobin among study participants was 28.9 U/g Hb (95% CI 28.4 to 29.4). Conclusion Women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in rural KwaZulu-Natal with limited access to pesticide training observe few safety practices when mixing and spraying pesticides.
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Musculoskeletal pain in women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in South Africa.
American journal of industrial medicine, 2009Co-Authors: Saloshni Naidoo, Leslie London, Hans Kromhout, Rishendran Naidoo, Alex BurdorfAbstract:Background Musculoskeletal pain is associated with demographic, occupational and physical factors. Methods Our study investigated the prevalence and factors associated with musculoskeletal pain in 911 women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in rural northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in 2006 using a questionnaire survey. Results In total, 67% (n = 574) of women reported any chronic musculoskeletal pain. The 12-month prevalence of pain ranged from 63.9% to 73.3% and the prevalence of specific chronic pain lasting more than 3 months ranged from 42.8% to 48.3%. Older age, carrying heavy loads, working with hands above shoulder height, and frequently squatting and kneeling were associated with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Conclusion The prevalence of pain reported in our study, was similar to other developing countries, but considerably higher than in developed countries. Ergonomic interventions including improved and adapted work techniques and tools should be considered to reduce the prevalence of pain in our study population.
Saloshni Naidoo - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Women's occupational health working in Small-Scale Agriculture in South Africa
2011Co-Authors: Saloshni NaidooAbstract:In developing economies women’s contributions are in Agriculture. Trends indicate that women’s participation in Small-Scale Agriculture is increasing. On the Makhatini Flats in northern KwaZulu-Natal intensive Small-Scale farming takes place with > 4 000 women involved. A cross-sectional study on the Irrigation Scheme and Drylands areas of the Makhatini Flats described and compared occupational activities, crop production, pesticide use and adverse health outcomes among women working in Small-Scale Agriculture. In total 376 women from the Irrigation Scheme and 535 from the Drylands were interviewed. A largely illiterate population (44%) Dryland women were significantly more likely to conduct all agricultural activities than women working on the Irrigation Scheme (p
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Occupational Activities Associated with a Reported History of Malaria among Women Working in Small-Scale Agriculture in South Africa
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 2011Co-Authors: Saloshni Naidoo, Leslie London, Alex Burdorf, Rajen N. Naidoo, Hans KromhoutAbstract:Human immunodeficiency virus infection has been associated with an increased risk of malaria in northern KwaZulu-Natal, suggesting that infection with this virus may be causing an increase in malaria incidence in the area. 5 Abstract. Malaria-endemic agricultural communities are at risk for this disease because of crop and agricultural activi- ties. A cross-sectional survey among women in Small-Scale Agriculture on irrigated and dryland areas in Makhatini Flats, KwaZulu-Natal South Africa explored associations with self-reported history of malaria, including demographics, crop production, and specific agricultural activities. Ninety-eight (15.2%) of 644 women reported malaria while working in Agriculture. More women working in drylands than women working in irrigation scheme reported disease (18.4% ver- sus 10.9%; P < 0.05). Working self or family-owned farms (prevalence ratio (PR) = 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3-5.2), spraying pesticides (PR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.4-3.8), cultivating sugar cane (PR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1-2.3), and cultivat- ing cotton and mangoes (PR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.1-2.6) were positively associated with a history of malaria while working in Agriculture. This study suggests that certain agricultural activities and types of crop production may increase the risk for malaria among women working in Small-Scale Agriculture.
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Pesticide safety training and practices in women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in South Africa
Occupational and environmental medicine, 2010Co-Authors: Saloshni Naidoo, Leslie London, Hanna-andrea Rother, Alex Burdorf, Rajen N. Naidoo, Hans KromhoutAbstract:Objectives Unregulated use of pesticides continues in developing countries in the presence of illiteracy and limited safety training and practices. This paper describes training and safety practices when mixing and spraying pesticides, and acetylcholinesterase levels among women farmers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods A cross-sectional study conducted in women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in 2006 assessed pesticide training and safety practices using a questionnaire survey and measured acetylcholinesterase levels in 803 women. Three components of safety behaviour were identified through principle component analysis and described. Results The mean age of participants was 41.8 years (range 18–82 years) with a mean of 6.9 years (range 1–12 years) of education among school attendees. Among the 803 women included, 366 (45.6%) were the primary sprayers on their farm. Only 16.4% of the sprayers had ever attended a pesticide training course and only 18.0% reported ever reading pesticide labels. Of the women using some form of protective equipment, 56.7% and 54.9% reported doing so when mixing and spraying pesticides, respectively. The mean acetylcholinesterase level corrected for haemoglobin among study participants was 28.9 U/g Hb (95% CI 28.4 to 29.4). Conclusion Women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in rural KwaZulu-Natal with limited access to pesticide training observe few safety practices when mixing and spraying pesticides.
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Musculoskeletal pain in women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in South Africa.
American journal of industrial medicine, 2009Co-Authors: Saloshni Naidoo, Leslie London, Hans Kromhout, Rishendran Naidoo, Alex BurdorfAbstract:Background Musculoskeletal pain is associated with demographic, occupational and physical factors. Methods Our study investigated the prevalence and factors associated with musculoskeletal pain in 911 women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in rural northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in 2006 using a questionnaire survey. Results In total, 67% (n = 574) of women reported any chronic musculoskeletal pain. The 12-month prevalence of pain ranged from 63.9% to 73.3% and the prevalence of specific chronic pain lasting more than 3 months ranged from 42.8% to 48.3%. Older age, carrying heavy loads, working with hands above shoulder height, and frequently squatting and kneeling were associated with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Conclusion The prevalence of pain reported in our study, was similar to other developing countries, but considerably higher than in developed countries. Ergonomic interventions including improved and adapted work techniques and tools should be considered to reduce the prevalence of pain in our study population.
Péter Batáry - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Large carabids enhance weed seed removal in organic fields and in large-scale, but not Small-Scale Agriculture
Landscape Ecology, 2020Co-Authors: Christina Fischer, Teja Tscharntke, Friederike Riesch, Péter BatáryAbstract:Context Biological weed control by seed predators is an ecosystem service reducing weed population densities in agricultural landscapes. Drivers of seed predation are manifold and may change with spatial scales considered. Objectives We aimed at identifying the functional identity of seed predators, food web interactions and feeding links between weed and wheat seeds, considering the causal relationships between local and landscape-scale patterns. Methods We investigated direct and indirect effects of local management intensity in winter wheat fields (organic vs. conventional farming), local crop characteristics (wheat density and height), edge effects, landscape composition (measured as land-use diversity) and configuration (edge length) on carabid beetles of different body size (large vs. small carabids), and removal of weed and wheat seeds. Results We showed the importance of indirect local- and landscape-scale effects for weed seed removal via the activity density, but not assemblage composition, of large, but not small carabids, which was driven by few ubiquitous species. The activity density of large carabids increased with decreasing wheat density and increasing wheat height, which was highest in organic fields and in landscapes with low compositional and configurational heterogeneity. Further, the availability of nutrient-rich wheat seeds enhanced weed seed removal rates. Conclusions We found highest weed seed removal via large carabids in organic fields in large-scale agricultural landscapes. Predator body size and species identity as well as the availability of additional food items need to be taken into account for better predicting the biological weed control potential and reducing the use of plant protection products.
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landscape configuration organic management and within field position drive functional diversity of spiders and carabids
Journal of Applied Ecology, 2019Co-Authors: Teja Tscharntke, Aliette Bosem Baillod, Anne-kathrin Happe, Róbert Gallé, Péter BatáryAbstract:1. Agricultural management intensity and landscape heterogeneity act as the main drivers of biodiversity loss in agricultural landscapes while also determining ecosystem services. The trait‐based functional diversity approach offers a way to assess changes in community functionality across agroecosystems. We focused on carabids and spiders, because they are an important component of crop field biodiversity and have significant biological control potential. 2. We assessed the effect of small‐ vs. large‐scale agricultural landscapes, organic farming, and within‐field position on functional diversity of spiders and carabids. We sampled pairs of organic and conventional winter wheat fields in small‐scale agricultural landscapes (former West Germany) and in neighbouring large‐scale agricultural landscapes (former East Germany). We sampled arthropods with funnel traps in transects at field edges, field interiors (15 m from edge), and field centres. 3. The gradient from field edges towards the centres played an important role: spider body size decreased; ballooning ability increased, and hunting strategy switched from active hunters to more web‐builders—presumably, due to higher microhabitat stability in the field centre. Higher trait diversity of spiders in field edges suggested higher biocontrol potential in small‐scale Agriculture. In contrast, carabid feeding switched from herbivores to carnivores, presumably due to higher pest densities inside crop fields. Furthermore, small‐scale agricultural landscapes and organic management supported larger, i.e., less dispersive carabids. 4. Synthesis and applications. In our research, spiders were more sensitive to edge effects and less sensitive to management and landscape composition than carabids. Smaller fields and longer edges, as well as organic management increase carabid functional diversity, which may increase resilience to environmental change. Since many spider species are confined to field edges, the effect of within‐field position on functional diversity is more important in small‐scale agricultural landscapes with more edge habitat than in large‐scale agricultural landscapes. Our findings suggest that European Union policy should acknowledge the high benefits of small‐scale Agriculture for the functional role of major predators such as spiders and carabid beetles, as the benefits are equal to those from a conversion to organic Agriculture.
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Small-Scale agricultural landscapes and organic management support wild bee communities of cereal field boundaries
Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2018Co-Authors: Anne-kathrin Happe, Teja Tscharntke, Friederike Riesch, Verena Rösch, Róbert Gallé, Péter BatáryAbstract:Abstract Pollinators are sensitive to agricultural intensification at both local and landscape scales. High configurational landscape heterogeneity due to small fields and a high amount of field boundaries is hypothesized to enhance farmland biodiversity. Here, we investigated the effects of organic vs. conventional farming in large- vs. Small-Scale agricultural landscapes on wild bee communities and their floral resources to improve conservation schemes for pollinators. We sampled bees in Central Germany at the field boundaries of 18 pairs of conventionally and organically managed winter wheat fields along the former iron curtain using pan traps and trap nests. Around traps, we surveyed species richness and flower cover of insect-pollinated forbs. Compared to conventional farming, organic farming was related to higher insect-pollinated forb species richness and flower cover in the field boundaries, presumably due to the lack of herbicide use. Interestingly, Small-Scale Agriculture did not counteract the loss of floral resources under conventional management, as the difference to organic management was even larger in Western Small-Scale Agriculture. Organic farming, but not Small-Scale Agriculture, enhanced species richness of solitary bees, which is in line with their small home ranges. In contrast, bumblebees benefitted only from Small-Scale Agriculture, which matches with their high dispersal ability. Despite similar levels of abundance and diversity of trap-nesting bees in the two landscape types, brood cell parasitism was also higher in Small-Scale Agriculture. Both organic farming and Small-Scale Agriculture directly and indirectly supported different groups of wild bees, suggesting long-term benefits for conservation. Agri-environment schemes should acknowledge the so far neglected benefits of Small-Scale Agriculture for biodiversity and its potential services.
Pamela Jagger - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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40 years of dialogue on food sovereignty a review and a look ahead
Global Food Security, 2014Co-Authors: Ashley Chaifetz, Pamela JaggerAbstract:We review the evolution of the food sovereignty movement from its Green Revolution origins centered on food self-sufficiency to current dialogue focused on reduced use of transgenic crops, supporting Small-Scale Agriculture, eschewing trade liberalization, and promoting agroecology principles. We discuss food sovereignty in the context of a “right to food” as has been put forward by the United Nations. We review food sovereignty discourse to assess what it contributes to key aspects of global food security. We conclude that, while food sovereignty has promise as a normative concept, it is unlikely to be implemented in any substantive way in the near future. Forces affecting the future of food including rapid population growth, upward food price trends, globalization, and institutional path dependence in global food and agricultural input markets are formidable adversaries.
Alex Burdorf - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Occupational Activities Associated with a Reported History of Malaria among Women Working in Small-Scale Agriculture in South Africa
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 2011Co-Authors: Saloshni Naidoo, Leslie London, Alex Burdorf, Rajen N. Naidoo, Hans KromhoutAbstract:Human immunodeficiency virus infection has been associated with an increased risk of malaria in northern KwaZulu-Natal, suggesting that infection with this virus may be causing an increase in malaria incidence in the area. 5 Abstract. Malaria-endemic agricultural communities are at risk for this disease because of crop and agricultural activi- ties. A cross-sectional survey among women in Small-Scale Agriculture on irrigated and dryland areas in Makhatini Flats, KwaZulu-Natal South Africa explored associations with self-reported history of malaria, including demographics, crop production, and specific agricultural activities. Ninety-eight (15.2%) of 644 women reported malaria while working in Agriculture. More women working in drylands than women working in irrigation scheme reported disease (18.4% ver- sus 10.9%; P < 0.05). Working self or family-owned farms (prevalence ratio (PR) = 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3-5.2), spraying pesticides (PR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.4-3.8), cultivating sugar cane (PR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1-2.3), and cultivat- ing cotton and mangoes (PR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.1-2.6) were positively associated with a history of malaria while working in Agriculture. This study suggests that certain agricultural activities and types of crop production may increase the risk for malaria among women working in Small-Scale Agriculture.
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Pesticide safety training and practices in women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in South Africa
Occupational and environmental medicine, 2010Co-Authors: Saloshni Naidoo, Leslie London, Hanna-andrea Rother, Alex Burdorf, Rajen N. Naidoo, Hans KromhoutAbstract:Objectives Unregulated use of pesticides continues in developing countries in the presence of illiteracy and limited safety training and practices. This paper describes training and safety practices when mixing and spraying pesticides, and acetylcholinesterase levels among women farmers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods A cross-sectional study conducted in women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in 2006 assessed pesticide training and safety practices using a questionnaire survey and measured acetylcholinesterase levels in 803 women. Three components of safety behaviour were identified through principle component analysis and described. Results The mean age of participants was 41.8 years (range 18–82 years) with a mean of 6.9 years (range 1–12 years) of education among school attendees. Among the 803 women included, 366 (45.6%) were the primary sprayers on their farm. Only 16.4% of the sprayers had ever attended a pesticide training course and only 18.0% reported ever reading pesticide labels. Of the women using some form of protective equipment, 56.7% and 54.9% reported doing so when mixing and spraying pesticides, respectively. The mean acetylcholinesterase level corrected for haemoglobin among study participants was 28.9 U/g Hb (95% CI 28.4 to 29.4). Conclusion Women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in rural KwaZulu-Natal with limited access to pesticide training observe few safety practices when mixing and spraying pesticides.
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Musculoskeletal pain in women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in South Africa.
American journal of industrial medicine, 2009Co-Authors: Saloshni Naidoo, Leslie London, Hans Kromhout, Rishendran Naidoo, Alex BurdorfAbstract:Background Musculoskeletal pain is associated with demographic, occupational and physical factors. Methods Our study investigated the prevalence and factors associated with musculoskeletal pain in 911 women working in Small-Scale Agriculture in rural northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in 2006 using a questionnaire survey. Results In total, 67% (n = 574) of women reported any chronic musculoskeletal pain. The 12-month prevalence of pain ranged from 63.9% to 73.3% and the prevalence of specific chronic pain lasting more than 3 months ranged from 42.8% to 48.3%. Older age, carrying heavy loads, working with hands above shoulder height, and frequently squatting and kneeling were associated with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Conclusion The prevalence of pain reported in our study, was similar to other developing countries, but considerably higher than in developed countries. Ergonomic interventions including improved and adapted work techniques and tools should be considered to reduce the prevalence of pain in our study population.
