How was Somalia One Health stakeholder mapping conducted?
The Somalia One Health stakeholder mapping was conducted using a net-mapping approach to identify key actors involved in One Health and understand their roles, levels of influence, relationships and patterns of collaboration. Stakeholders were drawn from the human, animal and environmental health sectors, including government institutions, development partners, academia and other relevant organizations. Participants helped identify who is involved in One Health activities, how different actors interact, and where influence and decision-making are concentrated. The exercise also highlighted coordination gaps and opportunities for stronger collaboration, providing evidence to inform stakeholder engagement, strengthen government leadership and improve the implementation and institutionalization of One Health in Somalia.
What key actions should Somalia prioritize to strengthen the implementation and sustainability of the One Health approach?
Somalia should prioritize stronger integration of environmental health interventions, particularly WASH programs and drought risk management, to reduce disease risks and build community resilience. Sustainable financing mechanisms and stronger national policy frameworks are also needed to support long-term implementation. Coordination among the human, animal and environmental health sectors should be improved through a functional and well-structured One Health platform. In addition, investment in laboratory infrastructure and diagnostic capacity is essential for timely detection of zoonotic and emerging diseases. Continuous training and capacity building for health workers, veterinarians and field personnel will also strengthen service delivery and improve preparedness and response to disease outbreaks.
This is a key finding from the net mapping exercise. While UN agencies and donors currently drive many OH activities, long-term sustainability requires stronger government ownership through improved coordination, domestic financing, policy integration and institutional leadership. The net mapping report provides evidence on key stakeholders, influence pathways and coordination gaps, helping to guide advocacy, strengthen government leadership and support the institutionalization of OH in Somalia.
How is genome editing transforming crop improvement strategies in Africa, and what collaborations are needed to support its adoption?
Genome editing is one of the recent molecular biology innovations that utilize enzymes to introduce useful small changes in the genetic make-up of organisms. The technology is particularly important to Africa as it is relatively cheaper, and accessible to individual researchers or small enterprises, thus basically democratizing the benefits of science. In order to access and make best use of this technology, public institution researchers have been collaborating closely with the private sector.
What impact has Bt cotton had on smallholder farmer livelihoods and pest management practices in African countries where it's been introduced?
Bt cotton is self protecting against the damaging bod borer pests that otherwise decimates cotton yields up to 100 percent. Adoption of Bt cotton has had the advantage therefore of ensuring that the maximum yields of the crop have been realized. In addition, the farmers save on the costs they would have used in the more than 12 spray rounds that they would apply on non-Bt cotton. With Bt cotton, farmers now only apply 2 to 3 rounds of spray against other important pests such as mealy bugs.
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