Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) is one of the important legume crop grown in marginal soils of sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its importance in food security and income generation for small scale farmers, it remains as a neglected and underutilized crop and the productivity is very low in the field due to the lack of improved varieties and lack adequate farming practices. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate all aspects related to its production including source of seeds supply and farmers management practices, utilization, conservation and marketing. The results revealed that in this Region of Western Niger Bambara groundnut was mainly produced by female (95%) compared to male (5%).Farmers use their own recycled seed (80%) which is the main source followed by provision of recycled seeds by relatives (5%) and purchasing from the local market (15%). Also, this finding shows that there is a lack of adequate farming practices and the crop is mostly produced on inherited land without any inputs as reported by 80% of the respondents. Mono-cropping is mainly practiced by 97% of farmers while a few of them do rotation (2%) and most of pre and postharvest handling technologies are traditional. The most important traits preferred by Bambara farmers is seed colour (cream color), followed by high grain yield, early maturity and cooking ability according to the respondents with 98, 92, 88 and 72% respectively. Several features have to be taking into account in order to promote Bambara nut including its ability to do well in harsh conditions, its nutritional benefits, and its ability to fix nitrogen, thereby increasing soil fertility in mixed cropping systems.

The prevalence and intensity of the infection caused by schistosomiasis and geohelmintiasis were studied in relation to irrigated rice cultivation in Côte d'Ivoire. In a cross-sectional study conducted on schistosomiasis in Niakaramandougou, in the savannah (North) area of Côte d'Ivoire, from April to September 2001, the potential importance of soil-transmitted helminth infections was assessed. Villages were classified according to the surrounding inland valleys into two agro-ecosystems: (R2) full or partial water control allowing two rice cycles per year and (R0), the absence of rice growing. Urine and stool samples were collected from children in two villages in the savannah zone. Three hundred and fifty-three (353) children aged 4 to 15 years were examined, of whom 220 were from Kafiné village (R2) and 133 from Pékaha village (R0). The prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium was 10%, and 2.3% in R2 and R0 respectively. S. mansoni prevalence was 29.1% in R2 and 31.6% in R0. Ascariasis lumbricoides (12.3%) and Trichuris trichuira were the only species present in the two agro-ecosystems. Prevalences of S. haematobium adjusted for the effects on the villages were significantly different in the two agro-ecosystems. In savannah rice growing villages, negative binomial regression on the intensity of the infection of S. haematobium showed significant positive relations with the surface of rice cultivated inland valleys, whereas uncultivated inland valleys showed no significant relation. However, S. mansoni infection intensity showed significant negative relations with infection intensity of each agro-ecosystem.

Sorghum is the second most grown cereal crop in Niger. However, sorghum production in the country is dominated by indigenous cultivars with low productivity. Productivity in grain sorghum has been achieved in developing countries around the world using hybrids. This study was conducted to evaluate heterosis in F1 sorghum hybrids for grain yield and resistance to midge. Fifty F1 sorghum hybrids were evaluated for grain yield and resistance to midge. Variation for grain yield, midge resistance, and flowering time was observed. The magnitude of better parent heterosis for grain yield and resistance to midge varied significantly among hybrids. Four hybrids combined high better parent heterosis for both grain yield and resistance to midge while eight hybrids were better than their better parent for resistance to midge. These hybrids performed well for grain yield and/or resistance to midge. Therefore, the parental lines involved in these hybrids can be advanced for commercial hybrids production or used in sorghum improvement programs.

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