Engaging fathers to support child nutrition increases frequency of children's animal source food consumption in Rwanda.

Although social support from fathers is associated with improved child feeding practices, evidence on feasible, acceptable, and effective ways to involve fathers in supporting child nutrition, including animal source food (ASF) consumption, is limited. This study was a follow-on to a trial that tested the effects of social and behavior change communication (SBCC) targeted mainly at mothers to promote ASF consumption by children in households that received an exotic or crossbred cow through the government of Rwanda's Girinka "One Cow Per Poor Family" program (NCT0345567). A delayed SBCC intervention was provided to mothers in the non-intervention arms prior to the present pre/post study, which targeted fathers in households across the trial study arms. Baseline and endline surveys with a cohort of 149 fathers with a child <5 years were used to evaluate the effects of a SBCC intervention for fathers on their children's ASF consumption and on fathers' knowledge, awareness, and support for children's ASF consumption. Qualitative data collected from fathers, mothers, and program implementers were used to assess feasibility and acceptability of the intervention for fathers. The SBCC intervention comprised group meetings led by model fathers, text messages, print materials, and megaphone blasts. The odds of children consuming any type of ASF ≥2 times in the last week increased from baseline to endline (OR 4.9, 95% CI 1.9, 12.3), as did the odds consuming milk, eggs, and beef, but not fish. Fathers' mean ASF knowledge and awareness scores increased from baseline to endline (knowledge: 2.3 to 3.5 out of 4 items, P<0.001; awareness: 2.5 to 3.0 out of 3 items, P<0.001), with the largest changes observed in knowledge of timing of introduction of milk and other ASFs. The percentage of fathers who offered two or more supportive actions for their children's milk and other ASF consumption increased from baseline to endline (milk: 19.5% to 31.5%, P = 0.017; other ASFs: 18.8% to 37.6%, P<0.001). Fathers appreciated gaining knowledge on child nutrition in a setting specifically for men and liked the print materials that offered clear actions they could take to support their children's ASF consumption. This study shows that an SBCC intervention for fathers can improve children's ASF consumption and increase fathers' knowledge, awareness, and support for children's nutrition.

Participatory assessment of animal health and husbandry practices in smallholder pig production systems in three high poverty districts in Uganda.

While animal health constraints have been identified as a major limiting factor in smallholder pig production in Uganda, researchers and policy makers lack information on the relative incidence of diseases and their impacts on pig production. This study aimed to assess animal health and management practices, constraints and opportunities for intervention in smallholder pig value chains in three high poverty districts of Uganda. Semi-qualitative interview checklists through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were administered to 340 pig farmers in 35 villages in Masaka, Kamuli and Mukono districts. Quantitative data was obtained during the exercise through group consensus. Results of FGDs were further triangulated with secondary data and information obtained from key informant interviews. Findings show that pig keeping systems are dominated by tethering and scavenging in rural areas. In peri-urban and urban areas, intensive production systems are more practiced, with pigs confined in pens. The main constraints identified by farmers include high disease burden such as African swine fever (ASF) and parasites, poor housing and feeding practices, poor veterinary services, ineffective drugs and a general lack of knowledge on piggery management. According to farmers, ASF is the primary cause of pig mortality with epidemics occurring mainly during the dry season. Worms and ectoparasites namely; mange, lice and flies are endemic leading to stunted growth which reduces the market value of pigs. Diarrhoea and malnutrition are common in piglets. Ninety-three percent of farmers say they practice deworming, 37% practice ectoparasite spraying and 77% castrate their boars. Indigenous curative treatments include the application of human urine and concoctions of local herbs for ASF control and use of old engine oil or tobacco extracts to control ectoparasites. There is a need for better technical services to assist farmers with these problems.