This study presents an optimized methodology for transforming agricultural residues (maize husks, cobs, straws, spathes, and cassava waste) into energy briquettes. Ten types of briquettes were produced by varying residue proportions and applying pyrolysis (400–600 °C) with a 10
Soil Information Systems (SIS) are critical frameworks for collecting, managing, and disseminating soil data to guide decision-making towards sustainable agricultural and environmental policies. Despite their global importance, SIS development in Africa remains limited and fragmented. Synthesizing African experts’ knowledge on the requirements and barriers for developing robust and sustainable national SIS (NSIS) in Africa is pressing for effective and prioritized recommendations. A structured questionnaire was used to survey 81 soil information experts from twenty-seven (27) African countries. Close-ended questions were framed to comprehensively assess the understanding and the need for country-based SIS, current data infrastructure, institutional, technical, and financial challenges, stakeholder collaboration and data-sharing mechanisms within the SIS framework. The respondents are staff members of national soil information mandates. Composite indicators were generated by averaging recoded survey items within thematic sections and then subjected to Pearson correlation analysis. Results indicate that > 80 % of respondents are familiar with the SIS concept, but only a very small proportion (11 %) use it daily or weekly. A large majority of respondents (> 90 %) consider NSIS as a tool for supporting policy processes and boosting agricultural production. With regards to soil data, a substantial volume of Africa’s soil information remains confined to hardcopy archives or fragmented within legacy data systems. The major challenge in the development of NSIS includes financial constraints, with > 80 % of respondents characterizing available funding initiatives as very limited. Stakeholder collaboration and data accessibility are currently weak, as reflected in the very low composite scores, with only 30 % of respondents occasionally sharing their data. In general, there were low positive correlations between SIS familiarity/use and perceived usefulness (r = 0.29, p < 0.05) and between stakeholder collaboration and data accessibility (r = 0.28, p < 0.05), while a moderate relationship was found between data accessibility and perceived challenges (r = 0.40, p < 0.001). These findings emphasize the urgent need for harmonized methodologies, stronger institutional frameworks, capacity building, and enhanced regional cooperation to establish resilient and integrated NSIS that support sustainable land management and agricultural productivity across the continent.
Mobility is a fundamental component of urban life, yet in many cities, transport systems are designed without considering the distinct mobility patterns and safety needs of women. Despite the severity of these issues, the gendered dimensions of transport remain largely invisible in research and policy. To address these gaps, this study assesses the inclusivity of transport options in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Quantitative data was collected from 345 participants, and seventeen intersections were assessed via spatial analysis. The data was then analyzed using logistic regression, association analysis, and cluster analysis to model women’s mobility patterns, trip complexities, and safety perceptions. The findings reveal that women face disproportionate exposure to harassment, with a staggering 97% of respondents reporting victimization. This problem is compounded by inadequate infrastructure; 53% of the audited intersections lacked functional street lighting, and 70% had no marked crosswalks. Age and income levels are significantly associated with mobility choices. For each unit increase in income, the odds of a woman using a private car instead of a motorcycle increased by 66% (Odds Ratio = 1.662, p < 0.001), while older women were more than twice as likely to opt for taxis (OR = 2.052, p = 0.006). Cluster analysis identified six distinct user profiles, with the “Vulnerable Female Pedestrian” and “Young Women on Motorcycles” clusters reporting the highest rates of harassment (96–98%). These findings demonstrate that women’s mobility choices are dictated by a trade-off between affordability and pervasive safety threats. The research concludes that achieving gender-equitable transport in Yaoundé requires targeted interventions, including safer infrastructure and gender-sensitive policy enforcement.
Cameroonian taurine cattle breeds (Namchi, Kapsiki, Bamileke and Bamenda) possess valuable adaptive traits including trypanotolerance and hardiness, yet face genetic erosion from crossbreeding and small population sizes. This study characterised their nucleotide diversity, inbreeding, population structure and relationships with global cattle using ∼100 k SNP genotypes from 31 animals, merged with seven reference populations (African taurine, East African admixed and pure indicine breeds). After quality control, 162 individuals and 37,998 SNPs were retained. Observed heterozygosity was highest in Bamenda and lowest in Bamileke; expected heterozygosity and minor-allele frequency followed similar trends. Principal component analysis placed Namchi and Kapsiki close together with modest indicine influence in Namchi, while Bamenda and Bamileke formed more distinct clusters. Pairwise FST values were low among the northern Cameroonian taurines (Namchi and Kapsiki) (0.040–0.042) and highest between Bamileke and pure indicine breeds (∼0.48). Runs of homozygosity revealed low genomic inbreeding in Kapsiki, Bamenda and Namchi (mean FROH 0.031–0.051) but extreme autozygosity in Bamileke (mean FROH 0.461). Phylogenetic trees confirmed a core Cameroonian taurine cluster distinct from N'Dama and East African populations, with Bamileke intermediate yet differentiated. These results demonstrate retained diversity and breed-specific structure, but highlight unequal conservation risk. Priority should be given to structured mating programmes for Bamileke and Bamenda to limit further inbreeding while monitoring indicine introgression in Namchi and Kapsiki. The data provide a genomic baseline for sustainable management of Cameroon's endangered indigenous taurine resources.
Previous works in southern Cameroon have highlighted prominent geological structures, including faults sub parallel to the Central Cameroon Shear Zone and the Sanaga Shear zone, exposed within the Central African Fold Belt along the northern margin of the Congo Craton. However, the relationships between these structures and the regional lithology require updating. Aeromagnetic data from the Akonolinga-Nguinda study area were processed using Oasis Montaj (v.8.4) software. Interpretation of the Reduced-To-Equator (RTE) magnetic anomaly field revealed multiple magnetic targets characterized by both positive and negative intensities. The RTE map provides a robust lithostructural framework, allowing for the correlation of structural faults with regional rock units. Derivative filter grids (horizontal gradient, vertical gradient, analytic signal, and tilt derivative) display an undulatory pattern, suggesting that the study area has undergone complex tectonic deformation, as corroborated by the mapped lineaments and intrusions. Consequently, the resulting structural map reveals a complex network of linear features predominantly oriented NE–SW, N–S, E–W and ENE–WSW. The 2.75D modeling along two NW–SE profiles drawn on the RTE grid indicates a crystalline basement composed of schists, quartzites, micaschists, gneisses and granulites intruded by pegmatite and quartz veins. Combined, these geophysical and structural results demonstrate that the study area has experienced intense, polyphase tectonic activity.
