Study Type – Symptom prevalence (retrospective cohort)
Level of Evidence 2b OBJECTIVE To determine the risk of external urogenital birth defects (UGBDs) in newborn boys from a malarial area currently sprayed with technical 1,1,1‐trichloro‐2,2‐bis(4‐chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT), as increased fetal oestrogenic or anti‐androgenic exposure might be involved in the pathogenesis of increased prevalence of human male reproductive tract anomalies, and DDT and metabolites interact with both these receptors. SUBJECTS AND METHODS We examined 3310 newborn baby boys and recorded external UGBDs. RESULTS Of the newborn boys 10.8% (357) had UGBDs; a multivariate logistic model showed that mothers who lived in villages sprayed with DDT between 1995 and 2003 had a significantly greater chance (33%) of having a baby with a UGBD than mothers whose homes were not sprayed (odds ratio 1.33, 95% confidence interval 1.04–1.72). Being a homemaker instead of being employed further significantly increased the risk of having a baby with a UGBD by 41% (odds ratio 1.41, 1.13–1.77). CONCLUSIONS Maternal exposure to DDT by living in a DDT‐sprayed village was associated to having male offspring with one or more UGBDs. Monitoring the impact of indoor residual spraying on human and environmental health is imperative if DDT is being used, especially as climate change raises concerns about the global spread of malaria. Integrating adequate indoor residual spraying measures by malarial vector control programmes, and increased public awareness to limit personal exposure, are crucial components that need to be addressed.

There is an increasing recognition of the potential importance of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for employment, income and poverty reduction in Ethiopia. Although the MSME sector contributes significantly to the national economy, the high failure rate among well established small businesses and enterprises is a matter of major concern. A random sample of 500 small businesses and enterprises selected from five major cities in Ethiopia were followed up for 6 years in order to assess the impact of influential factors that affect the long-term survival and viability of small enterprises. Hazard ratios estimated from the Cox Proportional Hazards Model were used to quantify the impact of key predictors of survival. Businesses that ceased operation were characterised by inadequate finance (61%), low level of education (55%), poor managerial skills (54%), shortage of technical skills (49%), and inability to convert part of their profit to investment (46%). The study shows that participation in social capital and networking (iqqub schemes) was critically helpful for long-term survival. Businesses that did not participate in iqqub schemes regularly were found to be 3.25 times more likely to fail in comparison with businesses that did. Results of the study have implications that could be used for developing policy initiatives that are aimed at fostering long-term growth in small businesses and enterprises. Copyright (c) 2008 The Authors. Journal compilation (c) 2008 Economic Society of South Africa.

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This study explores factors that affect the adoption of agroforestry (AF) technologies in 'Tsolo' and 'Lusikisiki' areas in O.R. Tambo district in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is based on empirical evidence gathered from households in the study areas. The aim and objective of the study are consistent with the strategic priorities of the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. The study finds that agricultural farming experience, education level of the household head, a proxy variable for household wealth status, land size owned, number of livestock owned, pace of adoption of other agricultural technologies, the scale of slope of farm land, and percent of severely degraded farm land affect the adoption of AF technologies in the study areas significantly and with the higher magnitudes of the odds ratios. These variables need to be considered in all the initiatives by government and non-governmental organizations to promote AF as a strategy to realize integrated rural development in the study areas. These findings have policy implications to advance integrated sustainable rural development strategies. The local government in the study areas can use the promotion of AF technologies for multiple purposes, particularly as a tool toward rural poverty alleviation and climate change mitigation measures.

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