SAVI, M. K. (2026). Pathways of Banana Bunchy Top Disease in Benin: Structural Canalization. Zenodo.
doi.org
# Tracing the Pathways of Banana Bunchy Top Disease in Benin
## 1. Overview
This project investigates the dominant transmission mechanisms of Banana Bunchy Top Disease (BBTD) in Benin using a spatially explicit stochastic metapopulation framework.
The analysis is built as a modular pipeline that integrates:
* Field-level observational data
* Bias-adjusted prevalence estimation
* Spatial data processing
* Bayesian inference via Stan
* Simulation-based inference (SMC-ABC) for transmission dynamics
The goal is to infer population-level transmission processes, not individual infection histories.
## 2. Scope of This Repository
This repository contains the data processing and observational inference layer of the broader modeling framework.
It represents the data-driven foundation upon which the simulation and ABC-SMC inference pipeline is built.
⚠️ The simulation and model calibration components (IBM, SMC-ABC) are implemented in a separate computational workflow and are not fully contained in this repository.
## 3. Project Philosophy
The workflow is designed to be:
* Modular → each stage is independent and reusable
* Reproducible → all steps are script-based and traceable
* Scalable → compatible with high-performance computing workflows
* Statistically rigorous → integrates Bayesian inference with uncertainty quantification
## 4. Data Pipeline Overview
The pipeline processes raw survey and spatial data into structured inputs suitable for downstream modeling.
* Core Steps
* Data Cleaning
* Standardization of field identifiers
* Handling missing values
* Harmonization of survey formats
* Historical Data Integration
* Incorporation of archival surveillance records
* Alignment of temporal references
* Spatial Processing
* Mapping farms to administrative boundaries
* Linking geospatial shapefiles with field data
* Prevalence Estimation
* Bayesian estimation of field-level prevalence
* Adjustment for diagnostic misclassification (sensitivity/specificity)
* Data …