Search

In Ethiopia, the dairy cows' major feed resources are natural pasture and crop residues, both of which are nutritionally low and do not even satisfy the maintenance requirement. Consequently, dairy productivity per head is low in the country. This paper reviews the existing knowledge of negative energy balance (NEB) and summarizes its implication on production and reproduction parameters, as well as the monitoring tools as a means of intervention in minimizing the effect on dairy cows. The presence of NEB in late gestation and early lactation of dairy cows could contribute to both short and long-term negative effects on production and reproduction ability. Lower body condition, reduced milk production, a change in the milk fat to protein ratio, an increasing incidence of health problems, a late time to become estrus, delayed ovarian cycle, and a lower conception rate are the common implications. Through the knowledge created so far, it can be concluded that NEB is almost a common phenomenon in transitional high milking dairy animals, but there is a possibility to shorten its persistence through strategic supplementation using the NEB monitoring tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia, marked by diverse geography and rapid land use/land cover (LULC) changes, grapples with formidable water resource management challenges. Understanding the hydrological response to these changes is paramount for sustainability. This review paper provides an overview of studies that investigated the hydrological impacts of LULC changes in Ethiopian basins. The review discusses methodologies, key findings, implications for sustainable land and water resource management, research gaps, and future directions. Emphasizing results from diverse studies that utilized hydrological and geospatial modelling, LULC significantly affects surface runoff, streamflow patterns, and groundwater recharge. The observed consequences are increased surface runoff, modified streamflow timing, and reduced groundwater recharge. The review underscores the urgency for integrated land and water management strategies to alleviate adverse effects. Future research priorities include basin-specific studies, long-term monitoring, integrated modelling, consideration of socio-economic factors, and incorporating climate change scenarios to enhance understanding and guide sustainable water resource management in Ethiopian basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5 for gender equality by 2030, it is crucial for health and development professionals and governmental officials to understand how legal systems empower or oppress populations on the basis of gender worldwide, including opportunities and challenges of statutory provisions created by legal pluralism. Using Ethiopia as a case study, this paper examines how local laws applied in Sharia and Customary Dispute Resolution courts impact gender equality and the health of women and girls inspite of the inculcation of human rights statutes into national legislation, including the Constitution. We identify several key issues with the substantive law and its enforcement. First, laws which have been instituted at the national level to improve gender equally have been poorly enforced at the local level. Second, there is a sustained enforcement of laws that oppress women and that protect male perpetrators of gender-based violations. Third, local courts limit female representation and uphold patriarchy. To improve the health of women and girls, stakeholders must take into consideration the ways in which legal systems uphold harmful gender norms and obstruct and/or advance progress towards equal representation, opportunities, and constitutionally-mandated protections for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a techno-economic analysis of the impact of distributed generation (DG) integration for power loss reduction and reliability of two 33 kV radial outgoing feeders at the Motta distribution substation in Ethiopia. Transient earth faults and permanent short-circuits were identified to be the most common causes of interruptions. The substation's system average interruption frequency index (SAIFI) is 806 and its system average interruption duration index (SAIDI) is 1394.145 for planned outages. This necessitates the pursuit of effective methods to increase the reliability of the distribution system. The results show that the distribution system is more reliable with the SAIFI and customer average interruption frequency index (CAIFI) reduced by 97.8%, SAIDI reduced by 76%, average service availability index (ASAI) increased by 14.38%, and average service unavailability index (ASUI) reduced by 76%, resulting in a total power loss reduction of 0.32 MW. The cost analysis was performed using the Monte Carlo (MC) reliability analysis and the DG net present cost analysis results in a payback period of less than five years indicating that the system is profitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity is one of the essential requirements for the economic development of a country. In Ethiopia, more than half of the total population does not have access to electric power. Micro-hydropower (MHP) is one of the most feasible renewable energy options for providing reliable electricity to rural areas. However, in low-income countries such as Ethiopia, the high price of a purpose-made turbine to generate electricity from MHP resources is difficult. This paper presents the feasibility study of a pump as a turbine (PAT) for MHP applications with and without impeller blade modification. The analysis was conducted in terms of initial investment cost, the net present value, payback periods, and the cost of energy. Decreasing blade thickness, blade tip rounding, adjusting blade inlet angle, and blade grooving, then comparing the result with PAT without modification and cross-flow turbine are the modification techniques considered in this research. Based on the projected system lifetime, the equivalent cost of power for the PAT and cross-flow turbines are 0.065 and 0.100 $/kWh respectively. The cross-flow turbine's payback period is 6.04 years, which is significantly longer than the PATs payback period of 3.42 years. From the entire study, it can be concluded that the MHP coupled with PAT provides a lower payback period and cheaper power production. Whereas, impeller blade modification has no significant advantage from the economic point of view. Generally, the impeller modification cost needs to be less than or equal to 25% of the initial cost of the PAT to use the less cost advantage of the PAT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the zooplankton abundance and composition along with various environmental factors in Lake Arekit – a shallow freshwater habitat in Ethiopia's rift valley system. Zooplankton samples and specific environmental data were collected by a seasonal campaign (rainy season: June to August) and dry season: March to May 2023) from three sites: inlet area (IA), pelagic area (PA), and macrophyte area (MA). In total, 11 zooplankton taxa from four different groups – rotifera (7 taxa), cladocera (2 taxa), copepod (1 taxa), and ostracoda (1 taxa) – were identified in Lake Arekit. Large-bodied copepoda and cladocera comprised 90% of the zooplankton density in the lake, but small-bodied rotifers dominated the zooplankton diversity. The most noticeable zooplankton in the lake were Mesocyclops aequatorialis, Daphnia barbata, and Cypridopsis vidua. Seasonal difference in the total zooplankton abundance was evident (p < 0.01): being high during the rainy season which was accompanied by an increase in the lake's water temperature and nutrient levels. At MA, where D. barbata predominated, chlorophyll a was relatively low. Chlorophyll a had a strong negative correlation with the abundance of grazing zooplankton, especially with D. barbata (r = −0.563) and C. vidua (r = −0.518). The zooplankton composition and abundance of Lake Arekit reveal a low Shannon diversity index (H') (1.03) and a predominance of a few species, indicating heavy contamination of the lake's water. Moreover, Lake Arekit was determined to be hypertrophic (TSI > 70) using Carlson's trophic index (TSI), which took into account the lake's water transparency, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll a. Our results indicated that high densities of Daphnia should be the goal of biomanipulation since they can achieve filtration potentials high enough to enhance the water's clarity in hypereutrophic lake. Even though high D. barbata concentrations cannot address the underlying cause of eutrophication, grazing can assist by lengthening the clear-water stages in a hypertrophic lake – Lake Arekit. The sources of pollution for the lake are the discharge of wastewater from nearby water bottling companies and possibly high nutrient levels from the lake's geological history. Stopping the discharge of wastewater from the nearby commercial industries (the major source of contaminant) into heavily washed open areas and establishing a buffer zone may help manage the water quality of Lake Arekit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Profitable goat production is explained by an increased ratio of outputs (meat, milk, flees and skin) per production inputs (labour, feed and management costs). The productive potential of goats depends on their productive efficiency, which is associated with their reproductive rates. Moreover, the reproductive efficiency of individual breeding females determines the production potential of the flock. This paper reviewed the major reproductive performances of Ethiopian indigenous goat populations reported by several scholars under different management conditions. The evidence from the literature indicated that the reproductive performances of the Ethiopian goats ranged from 6.61 to 14.83 months, 11.82 to 28.46 months, 5.47 to 12.07 months, 1.00 to 2.15 kids and 4.72 to 10.2 years for pubertal age of females, age at first kidding, kidding interval, litter size at birth, and does' average productive life, respectively. This indicates that there is considerable variation within and among the Ethiopian indigenous goat populations regarding the aforementioned reproductive parameters. Similarly, some reproductive traits including age at first kidding, kidding interval and litter size at birth have shown potential differences between management conditions. Hence, reproductive performances of the Ethiopian indigenous goat populations can be optimized using improved management, and within and between breed selective breeding schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small ruminant production plays a great role in the livelihood of smallholder farmers. But their production is constrained by pneumonic pasteurellosis. It is a high-priority issue at the national level. So, in this paper, relevant aspects of pneumonic pasteurellosis in small ruminants are reviewed. The disease is most frequent as air is the main route of transmission. They are characterized by high fever, coughing, dyspnoea and muco-purulent nasal discharge that commonly develops in immunocompromized hosts. Stressors being psychological and/or physical are associated with poor management practices. It is a multifactorial disease. But clinical infections are mainly caused by Mannheimia haemolytica, Bibersteinia trehalosi and Pasteurella multocida. Eleven of the known 17 serotypes of M. haemolytica and B. trehalosi have so far been identified in Ethiopia. Virulence factors like cell capsules, fimbriae and endotoxin play a great role in disease development. The disease causes heavy losses that deserve control. However, the presence of multiple serotypes without crossprotection and the development of drug resistance complicated its control. Moreover, the causative agents are normal commensal of the upper respiratory tract which may cause infection in immunocompromized conditions. Therefore, proper management, sound diagnostic methods and the available serotypes should be considered in vaccine preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many parts of the Global South, food systems are confronted with complex sustainability challenges including high levels of poverty, food insecurity, malnutrition, disempowerment, and degraded environments. Transformation is broadly discussed in research, policy, and planning as the systemic change required to address complex sustainability issues. Transformation of food systems has become a global priority for research and action. However, transformation processes are not neutral, but are associated with losses and gains that are unevenly distributed. Institutions play an important role in relation to how transformation of food systems occur and with what outcomes. Empirical understandings of how institutions can influence transformation processes in a way that avoids risks or the so-called dark side of transformation are needed. This article aims to contribute towards understanding the roles that institutions play in transformation processes in the context of Global South food systems through synthesising insights from transdisciplinary case studies. The three case studies include multi-purpose cooperative institutions in farming areas in southwest Ethiopia, fisherfolk organisations in aquatic food-producing areas in northern Philippines, and Gotong Royong for irrigation canal management for pond aquaculture in Indonesia. The article examines whether and how institutions advance inclusion and participation in food systems, and whether institutions enable or constrain food system actors in mitigating or avoiding transformation risks. The paper reflects on the role of community-level institutions and hybrid governance arrangements, and the interplay of structure and agency in transformation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) seeks to improve young people's knowledge, attitudes and practices in relation to sexual and reproductive health, sexual and social relationships, and dignity and rights. In Ethiopia, young people with disabilities and young women involved in sex work are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence and poor sexual health, yet face stigma and accessibility challenges that continue to exclude them from information, support and services. Because they are often out of school, these groups are also often excluded from programmes that are largely delivered in school settings. This paper explores the challenges faced by these groups of young people in accessing inclusive and age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health knowledge and services in the Ethiopian context and the implications for delivering CSE. The research included literature review, mapping analysis and interviews with young people from those two groups and with service providers and programme implementers. Our findings indicate that young people with disabilities and young women involved in sex work face myriad barriers to accessing information and services that support positive and healthy sexuality, relationships and rights. However, changes over the past decade to national and regional governance structures and a political environment in which CSE has become increasingly contested have generated siloed approaches to the provision of sexual and reproductive health information and services, and poor linkages to complementary services including violence prevention and social protection. It is vital that efforts to implement comprehensive sexuality education are informed by these challenges in the wider policy environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the role of agricultural productivity in alleviating poverty and enhancing household well-being is widely acknowledged, the micro-level evidence on the relationship between smallholder productivity and rural household welfare remains scarce in sub-Saharan Africa. Utilising three-wave comprehensive panel data from rural Ethiopia, this paper offers valuable insights into the effect of maize productivity on rural household welfare. We use both fixed-effects and correlated random-effects IV estimators to account for unobserved heterogeneity and endogeneity. Our findings reveal that increased maize productivity leads to higher household income, enhanced maize consumption, and greater asset ownership, ultimately reducing rural poverty. Notably, the welfare gains from maize productivity vary among farm households, with the most substantial effects observed among advantaged households, particularly those headed by male farmers and those with a more favourable economic standing in terms of poverty status. These results not only hold promise for poverty reduction through intensified agricultural practices in rural Ethiopia but also emphasise the necessity for targeted interventions to ensure equitable distribution of welfare benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to identify and select an appropriate business model for the utilization of maize shelling technologies in small-scale farming practices. Though a very old practice, agriculture is still the central activity of the entire globe due the reason that it directly or indirectly affects the livelihood of the inhabitants. West Gojjam zone of the Amhara National Regional State (ANRS) in Ethiopia is among the known maize producing zones in Country for both consumption and as a cash crop. But, the problem is the high wastage of production due to post-harvest losses (PHL) due to mechanical shelling practices. Aiming to solve this PHL of maize production, at the shelling stage, assessments and discussion with the maize growing farmers and experts concerned were conducted. This paper tries to present an appropriate business model for enabling local small holder farmers get access to different maize shelling technologies. The research follows a survey-type design which provides both a quantitative and a qualitative description of operational and business variables, attitudes, or opinions of a population in the target area, and overall insight of the technology market. The current data shows that rental maize shelling service is feasible for the fragmented maize production of the West Gojjam zone, in the Amhara National Regional State of Ethiopia. Hence, a generic conceptual model has been developed based on the feedbacks of local smallholder farmers, agricultural agents, service providers and suppliers. This model shows how to select and make available appropriate maize shelling technologies that will fit the actual demand at household level. It also shows a rent-to-own approach of maize shelling service that will help the unemployed youth in the localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) seeks to improve young people's knowledge, attitudes and practices in relation to sexual and reproductive health, sexual and social relationships, and dignity and rights. In Ethiopia, young people with disabilities and young women involved in sex work are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence and poor sexual health, yet face stigma and accessibility challenges that continue to exclude them from information, support and services. Because they are often out of school, these groups are also often excluded from programmes that are largely delivered in school settings. This paper explores the challenges faced by these groups of young people in accessing inclusive and age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health knowledge and services in the Ethiopian context and the implications for delivering CSE. The research included literature review, mapping analysis and interviews with young people from those two groups and with service providers and programme implementers. Our findings indicate that young people with disabilities and young women involved in sex work face myriad barriers to accessing information and services that support positive and healthy sexuality, relationships and rights. However, changes over the past decade to national and regional governance structures and a political environment in which CSE has become increasingly contested have generated siloed approaches to the provision of sexual and reproductive health information and services, and poor linkages to complementary services including violence prevention and social protection. It is vital that efforts to implement comprehensive sexuality education are informed by these challenges in the wider policy environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review paper focuses on the question of what will happen to the future water resource system of Grand Renaissance Dam of Ethiopia based on the projected hydrology of the Upper Blue Nile River basin. For this, the hydrological extremes, the baseline hydrological trends, and projected hydrological extremes of the Upper Blue Nile River basin were reviewed from various published and unpublished sources. Changes in the future hydrology of the Upper Blue Nile River basin due to climate change or any other natural or manmade modification of the river basin deserve concerted attention in the future water resources system of the Grand Renaissance Dam of Ethiopia, because the water resources of the dam mainly depend on the water potential nature of the Upper Blue Nile River basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From several countries trend bamboo has been used as a scaffolding material in building projects. Nonetheless, Ethiopia is known for the high population of bamboo vegetation such utilization of the material remained untapped. The purpose of this paper is to identify factors that influence bamboo’s structural suitability as a temporary material and to create a conceptual map for using it as an alternative structural material. Following the identification of important applications influencing parameters via literature analysis, both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to identify significant factors. The paper also used a series of protocols; at first, several documents were selected based on criteria to provide an overview of bamboo- based construction systems. Following that, four major categories for SWOT analysis were chosen to examine the Ethiopian construction industry’s stance on the use of bamboo as a scaffolding material. Finally, a scoring model was employed as a quantitative analysis protocol to calculate the weight of factors (safety, procedure and implementation, time, and cost) through expert opinions. The investigation revealed that the use of bamboo has a cost and time savings advantage, while an increase in trash at acute and intermittent areas was one of the challenges. Furthermore, one of the challenges in creating bamboo formwork is a lack of complementary joinery techniques. Besides that, it is expected that the bamboo content will fall short of technical requirements. On the Brightside, every single respondent stated unequivo- cally that bamboo-made formwork meets a low-cost requirement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Good quality data are a key to quality health care. In 2017, WHO has launched the Quality of Care Network (QCN) to reduce maternal, newborn and stillbirth mortality via learning and sharing networks. Guided by the principle of equity and dignity, the network members agreed to implement the programme in 2017–2021. This paper seeks to explore how QCN has contributed to improving data quality and to identify factors influencing quality of data in Ethiopia. We conducted a qualitative study in selected QCN facilities in Ethiopia using key informant interview and observation methods. We interviewed 40 people at national, sub-national and facility levels. Non-participant observations were carried out in four purposively selected health facilities; we accessed monthly reports from 41 QCN learning facilities. A codebook was prepared following a deductive and inductive analytical approach, coded using Nvivo 12 and thematically analysed. There was a general perception that QCN had improved health data documentation and use in the learning facilities, achieved through coaching, learning and building from pre-existing initiatives. QCN also enhanced the data elements available by introducing a broader set of quality indicators. However, the perception of poor data quality persisted. Factors negatively affecting data quality included a lack of integration of QCN data within routine health system activities, the perception that QCN was a pilot, plus a lack of inclusive engagement at different levels. Both individual and system capabilities needed to be strengthened. There is evidence of QCN's contribution to improving data awareness. But a lack of inclusive engagement of actors, alignment and limited skill for data collection and analysis continued to affect data quality and use. In the absence of new resources, integration of new data activities within existing routine health information systems emerged as the most important potential action for positive change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An infant in the first 28 days following birth is referred to as a newborn baby. In Ethiopia, neonatal mortality is a serious problem that accounts for the lion's share of under-five mortality. Diagnosis and treatment of infant disease need specialized medical resources with plenty of expert knowledge and experience. Globally and particularly in low-income countries, there is a lack of such professional which make the diagnosis and treatment more difficult. The goal of this paper is to design a knowledge-based system for the diagnosis and treatment recommendation of neonatal diseases by collaborating with the knowledge obtained from machine learning and health experts. Design science research approach has been employed as the overall research design, and the hybrid data mining process model is used to extract knowledge from the collected clinical dataset. To this end, three classification algorithms in WEKA tools, namely, J48, PART, and JRip, were considered. Then, a partial decision tree (PART) algorithm under 10-fold cross-validation achieved the highest performance result with an accuracy of 98.06% and the researchers decided to use the generated rules for the development of a knowledge-based system. Evaluation results show that the developed prototype registers 90.9% accuracy in system performance testing and 89.2% in user acceptance testing. In conclusion, the system is used as an assistant tool for healthcare experts and could be effective if it could be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the critical BIM adoption strategies for public construction projects in developing countries to enhance successful BIM implementation schemes in the AEC industry. Initially, an empirical study was conducted using a structured questionnaire survey which is first validated though a pilot test. Then, the study investigated the discrepancy of professional groups on the perception of critical adoption strategies using different statistical tools. Further, factor analysis was conducted to identify potential latent factors associated with public construction projects. The result indicates that the top ranked BIM adoption strategies are strategic & adequate IT infrastructure, availability of standards and guidelines for BIM adoption, and government policy. Similarly, six latent constructs were developed from the factor analysis: organization, application & tools, market, information management, project, and process. The study highlighted critical strategies that are deemed most important to various professionals and business owners, in an effort to improve BIM adoption in the developing countries. The novelty of this study is in relation to BIM implementation strategies towards infrastructure construction projects in developing countries, particularly in the east African region. This paper can also be particularly beneficial to construction firms involved in public construction projects to facilitate the implementation of BIM in their own organizational nature. Moreover, the crosscountry comparative analysis provides a global perspective to improve the gap in the understanding and adoption of BIM in the Sub-Saharan African region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The repellency of solvent extracts of Calpurnia aurea leaves was evaluated on the maize weevils and the red flour beetles. Nine-cm Whatman number 1 filter paper that is partitioned into treatment, neutral and non-treatment portions was used for the experiment. Each solvent extract treatment was applied at 2.5, 5 and 10% rates. Insects were released in the neutral portion, while the untreated part served as a control. A choice bioassay experimental method that is laid down in a completely randomized design within three replications was used. 5 and 10% rates of the polar solvent extracts of Calpurnia aurea leaves induced significantly (p < 0.05) higher percentage weevils and beetles repellency (≥50.00%) at 2 days after treatment than non-polar and partial polar solvent extract treatments and the untreated check. 10% dosage of Calpurnia aurea leaves' polar solvent extract treatments caused 100% weevils and beetles repellency three days after treatment. Consequently, the polar solvent extracts of the tested plant were potent and could be used at 5 and10%rates for the maize weevils and the red flour beetles' management under farmers' maize storage conditions. Nevertheless, their impact on cost-effectiveness, natural enemies and human beings needs additional study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper's main aim is to investigate the 2019 coronavirus disease in Ethiopia using a fractional-order mathematical model. It would also focus on the importance of fractional-order derivatives that may help us in modelling the system and understanding the effect of model parameters and fractional derivative orders on the approximate solutions of our model. A SELAIQHCR model is constructed using nonlinear differential equations in the Atangana–Baleanu non-integer operator in the Caputo sense. After that, the Chebyshev fourth kind spectral collocation method is used to change a fractional system to an algebraic system. Newton iterative technique is used to solve the converted system. The next-generation matrix technique is used to obtain the effective reproduction number. The COVID-19-free equilibrium point and endemic equilibrium point, solution positivity and boundedness, and their stability are all carefully done. The sensitivity of the effective reproduction value with respect to the key model parameters is discussed. The beginning values provided for our system were obtained using reports from the Ethiopian Public Health Institute from 29 February 2021 to 7 June 2021. The fundamental reproduction number is obtained with R 0 = 1.4331. The model's numerical solutions are represented graphically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A leverage points perspective recognises different levels of systemic depth, ranging from the relatively shallow levels of parameters and feedbacks to the deeper levels of system design and intent. Analysing a given social-ecological system for its characteristics across these four levels of systemic depth provides a useful diagnostic to better understand sustainability problems, and can complement other types of cause-and-effect systems modelling. Moreover, the structured comparison of multiple systems can highlight whether sustainability challenges in different systems have a similar origin (e.g. similar feedbacks or similar design). We used a leverage points perspective to systematically compare findings from three in-depth social-ecological case studies, which investigated rural landscapes in southeastern Australia, central Romania, and southwestern Ethiopia. Inductive coding of key findings documented in over 60 empirical publications was used to generate synthesis statements of key findings in the three case studies. Despite major socioeconomic and ecological differences, many synthesis statements applied to all three case studies. Major sustainability problems occurred at the design and intent levels. For example, at the intent level, all three rural landscapes were driven by goals and paradigms that mirrored a productivist green revolution discourse. Our paper thus highlights that there are underlying challenges for rural sustainability across the world, which appear to apply similarly across strongly contrasting socioeconomic contexts. Sustainability interventions should be mindful of such deep similarities in system characteristics. We conclude that a leverage points perspective could be used to compare many other types of social-ecological systems around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large scale agricultural projects driven by a high modernist ideology have been closely interlinked with the process of state building at the Ethiopian lowland frontier since the second half of the twentieth century. This paper provides a diachronic analysis of the political economy of agricultural development and the associated frontier effect in the western and north-eastern lowlands of the country across three different political regimes. A comparative assessment of these patterns suggests that the high modernist paradigm should be applied with some qualification to the agenda of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), the coalition that ruled Ethiopia from 1994 to 2019. The EPRDF was far more pragmatic than its predecessors; the oscillation between different degrees of state intervention was based upon past experiences of success and failure in the territorialization of state power in contested borderlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effects of rainfall variability on agricultural input demand while controlling for risk preference and other covariates. For the empirical analysis, rural household survey data, which was matched with rainfall variability data and experimentally generated measures of risk preference, was used. The results show that increased rainfall variability prompts households to reduce the application of productivity-enhancing inputs, such as fertiliser, but bolsters the application of low-risk inputs such as manure. These results are robust to alternative specifications and support the theoretical predictions developed. The findings suggest the following policy implications for chemical fertiliser use among risk-averse smallholder farmers in areas characterized by rainfall variability. First, developing more weather-resilient crop varieties and irrigation could stimulate higher use of chemical fertiliser by producing more stable yields. Secondly, weather index insurance (WII) could incentivize higher chemical fertiliser use by reducing income risk and easing liquidity constraints. Thirdly, social protection such as cash transfer programmes could lead to a higher use of chemical fertiliser by serving as insurance against income risks (i.e., through providing regular and predictable financial resources). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of the spatial and temporal distribution of surface water balance (SWB) components for a river basin having complex topography with limited observed data is challenging. This paper focused on estimating the spatial-temporal variability of long-term average monthly, seasonal, and annual SWB components using the modified Water Energy Transfer between Soil, Plants, and Atmosphere in Steady State (WetSpass-M) physically based hydrological model in Ethiopia's data-scarce Omo River basin. Further, the model output was used for estimating the spatial variation of the average monthly crop water deficit. A sensitivity analysis was performed on the global and local parameters of the model for analysing the relative variation in the SWB components. It was found that actual evapotranspiration (AET) and interception are insensitive to average rainfall intensity while surface runoff is highly sensitive. The variation of SWB under different combinations of land-use/land cover (LU/LC) and soil type indicates that SWB types such as surface runoff, AET, and interception are influenced more by LU/LC than by soil type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robust governance frameworks are crucial for maximizing the benefits of natural resource development in mining regions and minimising adverse social and environmental impacts. This paper analyses Ethiopia's current ESIA policy, legal framework and implementation process to identify opportunities for policy reform. To gain perspective on leading practices in other countries, a comparative analysis of policies in Chile, Peru, Ghana, and Canada was performed. Interviews with representatives from government, industry, and civil society in Ethiopia were completed to gain perspective on the policy structures currently in place, and to identify areas for improvement. Results conclude that accountability mechanisms are currently limited in Ethiopia and that at the time of this study, the same authority was responsible for promoting mining and evaluating ESIAs. Contrary to legislative requirements, there was found to be a lack of transparency in the public availability of ESIAs and limited community participation. Compliance and monitoring processes were also found to be inadequate. Addressing these gaps is important to ensure that the expansion of Ethiopia's mining sector proceeds in a sustainable manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with determination of the ethanol concentration and its heating value (calorific value in local distilled Ethiopian Areki, which is extracted from Maize, Dagussa (Sorghum) and Gibto (Lupin). The primary target of this paper is assessing the energy potential of some locally produced Ethiopian alcohols by identifying the major parameters like ethanol concentration, calorific value and its acidity. The samples of Areki were prepared in one of the vending houses in Injibara Ethiopia and raw material used for their preparation was measured before preparation. The levels of ethanol concentration among the sample were determined using a UV/vis spectrophotometer. After calibrating with a standard sample (benzoic acid), the GCV of the alcohol samples was determined experimentally using an oxygen bomb calorimeter (IKA® Model C200 bomb Calorimeter). The quantitative analysis of ethanol in the sample was done by preparing an aqueous solution of ethanol to draw by means of absorbance versus concentration calibration line at a wavelength of 986 nm. The investigation shows that maximum and minimum percentages of ethanol concentration (%v/v) in the samples were found for dagim maize (50.17%) and dagim lupin Areki(26.64%), respectively. The gross calorific value of local distilled areki ranges from 6.616 MJ/kg-13.1432 MJ/kg. The highest GCV was obtained by dagim maize alcohol due to the higher ethanol content and dagim lupin alcohol with a small ethanol concentration has the lowest GCV. According to the findings, dagim alcohols extracted from sorghum and maize have high potential energy and can be blended with other fossil fuels with little purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide rural communities with low-cost electricity, innovative off-grid renewable energy producing techniques have emerged. The International Energy Agency estimates that around 45% of Ethiopia’s total population have access to electricity. Nearly 85% of Ethiopia’s urban population has access to public electricity, but this figure is only 29% for the rural population. This study examines the feasibility of using combined photovoltaic (PV)/diesel/battery systems to power a remote rural school in southern Ethiopia. The performance of various hybrid systems was assessed using techno-economic and environmental analyses, and the optimal solution was chosen using the Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER) analytic tool. The evaluation criteria include net present cost (NPC), cost of energy (COE) and emissions. The results indicate that PV/DG/battery hybrid energy system (HES) with a 7.5 kW PV, 7.3 kW DG, 6.60 kW converter, and 11 units of batteries (case I) is the most feasible, optimized, cost-effective and environmentally friendly system among the systems considered. This system has a Net Present Cost (NPC) of $32,019 and a Cost of Energy (COE) of $0.254/kWh, as computed using current equipment values. The optimized system is also environmentally benign, emitting 793 kg of carbon dioxide per year, about 91% less than the PV/diesel combination (worst case IV). Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was performed to examine the impacts of altering factors such as solar radiation, fuel price, and battery minimum state of charge (SOCmin) on system cost and performance. We believe that the information given in this paper will shed light on the current state and future prospects for renewable energy deployment in Ethiopia, and also show that, if policymakers create the necessary investment environment, such projects can be a viable alternative to rural electrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lean manufacturing (LM) practices and tools have played vital role in several manufacturing industries to enhance the competitive edge in in the global market. The purpose of this paper is to use the lean principles, practice and tools in Hibret Manufacturing & Machine Building Industries (HMMBI) in Ethiopia. The existence of high production lead time is getting the basic problem for HMBI that is why this research gives more attention. The study aims to improve the production lead time by minimizing non-value adding activities associated with several resources in the process. Both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods are used. The process time and floor layout are studied and mapped using Value Stream Mapping, and Spaghetti Diagram to identify wastes. The result shows that production lead time, work in process (WIP), non-value adding time (waiting time) and total distance traveled are reduced by 23.66%, 8.6%, 37.74%, 61.2% respectively. Finally, the process cycle efficiency is improved by 25.59%. The study is found significant for Hibret Manufacturing & Machine Building Industries (HMMBI) and for similar manufacturing industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to map regional ionospheric Total Electron Content (vTEC) using Global Positioning System (GPS) data from 10 different GPS receiver sites in Ethiopia, to capture ionospheric phenomena (such as storm effect, Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) distribution) and to see the hourly evolution of the ionosphere for a single stormy day. GPS based TEC data acquired on 17 March 2013 was used for diurnal and anomaly observations and 17 March 2015 storm-day (storm intensity, Dst = −222nT) data was used for storm-time vTEC mapping. For regional ionosphere characterization, we converted slant TEC (sTEC) to equivalent vTEC. This is done by applying the ionospheric thin shell model. For smooth latitude and longitude boundary interpolation inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation technique was used. The map was produced with spatial resolution of 0:80 by 0:80 latitude and longitude, respectively. The result shows significant diurnal dependence of TEC. It also exhibits an equatorial ionospheric anomaly, characterized by minimum vTEC associated to lower latitudes and maximum vTEC over the higher latitude in the region. We noted that the equatorial anomaly distribution is pronounced during several of the early afternoon hours (13:00Lt, 14:00 LT and 15:00LT). The maps showed the enhancement of vTEC up to 85TECU during 17 March 2015 storm compared to the depletion up to 40TECU on 19 March 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presents analytical data-based multi-criteria approach of critical success factors of infrastructure construction projects analyzed in the Ethiopian con- struction industry. This multi-criteria technique helps to improve the decision cap- abilities and ultimate performance of construction processes in various low-income countries of the East African region. The aim of this paper is to establish a logical relationship and interdependencies of success-related factors for enhancing decision making for various project teams and identify priorities while taking into account all known construction organizational constraints. A structured hierarchical matrix was developed based on a pre-identified success-related factors, and initially evaluated by experienced professionals as part of a content validation of the survey. Different professionals working in various construction organizations in Ethiopia were invited to participate in the questionnaire survey. All the required data analysis, including sen- sitivity performance, was conducted through Expert Choice© 11. Further, Kendall’s coefficient of concordance was conducted to examine and compare multiple expert responses. Based on the findings, the top success-related factors that affect decision making in construction projects are Adequate Goals/Objectives, Consultant’s Competency, Prior Experience of Consulting Firms, Consulting Firm’s Willingness and Cooperation, and Financial Standing of Contractor. The results are based on their global priority weights in the hierarchical model. The findings highlighted that there is disagreement between the major stakeholders involved in the construction process. The contribution of the study is introducing a bench-marking multi-criteria decision analysis technique to enhance decision making in the Ethiopian infrastructure sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to a lack of solar radiation measurement instruments in various regions across the world, particularly in Ethiopia, many empirical models have been developed to estimate global solar radiation. Reliable global solar radiation infor- mation is essential for the design and development of solar energy systems.Thus, the aim of this paper is to investigate the feasibility of using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to predict mean daily global solar radiation (GSR) and to compare the performance of ANN and empirical models based on sunshine in estimating mean daily global solar irradiation on a horizontal surface.For the ANN model, network inputs were daily data for a number of days, average daily data (sunshine hours, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, and pressure), and while daily averaged global solar radiation was the network output.After training, the model had R values of 0.891 for training, 0.932 for validation, 0.920 for testing, and 0.903 for all, with validation performance of 0.0797.The results of the ANN model were compared to the empirical equations using statistical error evaluation (MBEANN = 0.0005, RMSEANN = 0.3310, and R2ANN = 0.7998).The agreement between the values of NASA and estimated values reveals that the ANN exhibits good performance in studying daily GSR. The result also shows that the mean daily GSR is varying between 3.675KWh/m² (August-1) and 6.935 KWh/m² (April-19) in the study site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ethiopian health system faces persistent inequities in health-care utilization and outcomes, despite continued efforts to expand health service coverage. There is little evidence in the literature describing the status of equity in the quality of healthcare. This paper aims to understand the disparities in quality of antenatal care (ANC) and family planning (FP) among the poor and non-poor communities. We used the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data to compute a Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), and the 2014 Service Provision Assessment (SPA) data to assess quality of ANC and FP services—defined as the level of adherence to World Health Organization (WHO) clinical and service guidelines. We merged the two datasets using geographical coordinates, and aggregated service users into facility catchment area clusters using a 2-km radius for urban and 10-km radius for rural facilities. We computed ANC and FP quality and MPI indices for each facility and assigned these to catchment areas. Using the international cutoff point for deprivation (MPI = 33.3%), we evaluated whether the quality of ANC and FP services varies by poor and non-poor catchment areas. We found that most of catchment areas (75.7%) were deprived. While the overall quality of ANC and FP services are low (33% and 34% respectively), we found little variation in the distribution of the quality of these services between poor and non-poor areas, urban and rural settings, or regionally. The short-term focus needs to be on improving the overall quality of services rather than on its distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While previous studies recognise the importance of social capital for cooperatives' social and economic outcomes, there are no empirical studies on the determinants of farmers' social capital in cooperatives. This paper investigates the determinants of social capital using data from farmers in dairy cooperatives in Ethiopia. First, principal component analyses (PCAs) are performed on the data set of dimensions of social capital: structural, relational and cognitive. After applying PCA, composite indicators are developed as measures of farmers' dimensions of social capital. Second, seemingly unrelated regression is employed to identify the determinants of the dimensions of social capital. The results suggest that marital status, education level and length of membership have a positive effect on the structural dimension. The relational dimension has a positive relationship with the ownership of a radio, the number of close friends, and membership in associations, while training access and number of close friends positively influence the cognitive dimension. The study concludes that improving farmers' social capital in dairy cooperatives requires investment in the educational system, creating and developing local associations, promoting cooperatives through mass media, and strengthening the existing training programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While previous studies recognise the importance of trust in cooperatives, there are very few empirical studies on the role trust plays in market participation in dairy cooperatives. This paper investigates the effect of trust on farmers' milk market participation using data from dairy cooperatives in Ethiopia. First, a principal component analysis was performed on the data set of trust indicators to construct a composite indicator for measuring farmers' trust. Second, the Heckman two-step procedure was employed to investigate the effect of trust on milk market participation. The result from the Tobit model indicates that trust is an important factor influencing the intensity of milk marketing through the cooperatives. The following implications are worthy of consideration for improving farmers' trust and thereby market participation: improving the competency of the management, communicating and sharing of information, and democratic election of the management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) forces governments to consider not only how services will be provided – but which services – and to whom, when, where, how and at what cost. This paper considers the implications for achieving UHC through the lens of abortion-related care for adolescents. Our comparative study design includes three countries purposively selected to represent varying levels of restriction on access to abortion: Ethiopia (abortion is legal and services implemented); Zambia (legal, complex services with numerous barriers to implementations and provision of information); Malawi (legally highly restricted). Our policy and legal analyses are supplemented by comparative vignettes based on interviews (n = 330) in 2018/2019 with adolescents aged 10–19 who have sought abortion-related care in each country. We focus on an under-considered but critical legal framing for adolescents – the age of consent. We compare legal and political commitments to advancing adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights, including abortion-related care. Ethiopia appears to approach UHC for safe abortion care, and the legal provision for under 18-year-olds appears to be critical. In Malawi, the most restrictive legal environment for abortion, little progress appears to have been made towards UHC for adolescents. In Zambia, despite longstanding legal provision for safe abortion on a wide range of grounds, the limited services combined with low levels of knowledge of the law mean that the combined rights and technical agendas of UHC have not yet been realised. Our comparative analyses showing how policies and laws are framed have critical implications for equity and justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cooperative landscape in Ethiopia is very heterogeneous with a mixture of remains of the pre-1991 government-controlled system and new post-1991 bottom-up collective action initiatives. This heterogeneity, coupled with a large growth in the number of cooperatives in the country, offers an interesting perspective to study the determinants of the (in)efficiency of cooperatives. In this paper, we analyse the performance of Ethiopian agricultural cooperatives, focusing on the degree of technical (in)efficiency and its determinants. We use the stochastic frontier approach in which we account for heteroskedasticity and the monotonicity of production functions, presenting a methodological improvement with respect to previous technical efficiency studies. The results show that NGO- and government-initiated cooperatives are less efficient than community-initiated ones, implying that governments and NGOs should not interfere too strongly in cooperative formation. Cooperatives with a high degree of heterogeneity in members' participation are found to be about 98% less efficient, while cooperatives that have paid employees are 33% more efficient. Besides, results show that cooperatives in Ethiopia function more efficiently if they incentivize committee members through monetary compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous improvement strategies are the way of making small incremental improvements in the organization processes. These organizations are in a constant need to maintain a low cost of quality, reduce waste, trim production lines, and speed up manufacturing to achieve a maintain competitiveness. Companies both from developed and developing countries are striving to acquire the habit of improvement using Kaizen, as well as to focus on a customer-driven strategy to improve productivity. The quality of products and services are continuously amassing marginal improvements over time. Kaizen, a Japanese concept that calls for continuous improvement has introduced in Ethiopia to strengthen organization performance through productivity and quality improvement. Even though, the interest in Kaizen implementation has been elapsed twenty years officially, the fruits of implementation rarely observed. This paper examines the acceptability and feasibility of Kaizen among organization in Southern Nation sand Nationality and People Regional State. A survey of 71 stakeholders and 24 pilot enterprises conducted out using questionnaire, interview, and observation in Region. The study revealed that participants demonstrated willingness to implement Kaizen. However, the study revealed some challenges confronting the feasibility of Kaizen practices. The results of the study have shown that Kaizen is acceptable and suitable among organizations under the study though its feasibility is very challenging. The study also found that the executives of the enterprises did not seem to be committed to the Kaizen teamwork. Though vital for continuous improvement, the front line workers are rarely invited to participate in teamworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To make progress toward universal health coverage, countries should define the type and mix of health services that respond to their populations' needs. Ethiopia revised its essential health services package (EHSP) in 2019. This paper describes the process, methodology and key features of the new EHSP. A total of 35 consultative workshops were convened with experts and the public to define the scope of the revision, develop a list of health interventions, agree on the prioritization criteria, gather evidence and compare health interventions. Seven prioritization criteria were employed: disease burden, cost effectiveness, equity, financial risk protection, budget impact, public acceptability and political acceptability. In the first phase, 1,749 interventions were identified, including existing and new interventions, which were regrouped and reorganized to identify 1,442 interventions as relevant. The second phase removed interventions that did not match the burden of disease or were not relevant in the Ethiopian setting, reducing the number of interventions to 1,018. These were evaluated further and ranked by the other criteria. Finally, 594 interventions were classified as high priority (58%), 213 as medium priorities (21%) and 211 as low priority interventions (21%). The current policy is to provide 570 interventions (56%) free of charge while guaranteeing the availability of the remaining services with cost-sharing (38%) and cost-recovery (6%) mechanisms in place. In conclusion, the revision of Ethiopia's EHSP followed a participatory, inclusive and evidence-based prioritization process. The interventions included in the EHSP were comprehensive and were assigned to health care delivery platforms and linked to financing mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper contributes to the scant literature on vertical price transmission between farmers and retailers in the white teff market in Ethiopia, investigating the features of this phenomenon across the most important production regions. Using Vector Error Correction and Threshold Vector Error Correction models, our study complements the traditional investigations of linear vertical integration with the analysis of possible asymmetries in price transmission. We adopted monthly retail price series from July 2004 until January 2014. The retail price allowed us a better understanding of how an inefficient market system taxes consumers than did the wholesale price normally used in the literature. We found a low speed of vertical price co-integration for white teff with different features at the regional level. Our results show linear or symmetric price transmission for the Amhara and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region regions, revealing the relative efficiency and competitiveness of the market. On the other hand, we found the presence of non-linear price transmission for the Oromia and Tigrai regions; this asymmetry result pronounced towards positive price shocks implying a persistent price rise that worsens the livelihood of final users. Based on our findings, we suggest, among other measures, providing better market infrastructure, encouraging market participation for the product, introducing and disseminating cultures and institutions that bring producers and sellers closer, increasing the productivity of producers and the supply of their produce, and strengthening farmers' organisation as measures of policy intervention to enhance efficiency and competitiveness of the white teff supply chain in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the literature, there are limited studies on how socio-psychological factors affect farmers' attitudes towards risks. Therefore, this paper looks into this issue in Ethiopia for better understanding of how socio-psychological issues influence farmers' risk attitudes. The study uses data from a cross-sectional survey and a generalised ordered logistic regression is used to analyse the data. The findings show that farmers perceive natural hazards, input and output price volatility, technological risks, financial shocks and human security as the main sources of risks for agricultural production and livelihoods. Farmers' risk attitudes were assessed dividing them into three categories from more to less risk averse. Education, relational capital, attitudes, group membership, technical training and household sise were found to be the factors influencing farmers' risk attitudes. Farmers who can read and write, who have strong social capital and who have received training are less risk averse. Finally, this study confirms the importance of positive attitudes, strong social capital (group membership and relational capital) and satisfactory competence to motivate farmers to take risks related to technological innovations and others in the agricultural production. Therefore, attention should be given to specific initiatives to enhance their awareness, build their adaptive capacity to shocks and hazards, provide timely and up-to-date information, and improve their skills and knowledge. These issues would help to avert the risk aversion of smallholder farmers, who are usually thought to be risk-averse in low-income economies and to stimulate them to adopt sustainable agriculture and technological innovations, which are expected to improve agricultural production and enhance the tolerance of local systems for risks and shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The first 12 months following childbirth are a period when a subsequent pregnancy holds the greatest risk for mother and baby, but also when there are numerous contacts with the healthcare system for postnatal care for mother and baby (immunisation, nutrition, etc.). The benefits and importance of postpartum family planning are well documented. They include a reduction in risk of miscarriage, as well as mitigation of (or protection against) low birth weight, neonatal and maternal death, preterm birth, and anaemia. Objectives: The objectives of this paper are to assess patterns and trends in the use of postpartum family planning at the country level, to determine whether postpartum family planning is associated with birth interval and parity, and to identify the health services most closely associated with postpartum family planning after adjusting for socio-economic characteristics. Design: Data were used from Demographic and Health Surveys that contain a reproductive calendar, carried out within the last 10 years, from Ethiopia, Malawi, and Nigeria. All women for whom the calendar was completed and who gave birth between 57 and 60 months prior to data collection were included in the analysis. For each of the births, we merged the reproductive calendar with the birth record into a survey for each country reflecting the previous 60 months. The definition of the postpartum period in this paper is based on a period of 3 months postpartum. We used this definition to assess early adoption of postpartum family planning. We assessed variations in postpartum family planning according to demographic and socio-economic variables, as well as its association with various contact opportunities with the health system [antenatal care (ANC), childbirth in facilities, immunisation, etc.]. We did simple descriptive analysis with tabular, graphic, and 'equiplot' displays and a logistic regression controlling for important background characteristics. Results: Overall, variation in postpartum use of modern contraception was not affected over the years by age or marital status. One contrast to this is in Ethiopia, where the data show a significant increase in uptake of postpartum contraception among adolescents from 2005 to 2011. There are systematic and pervasive equity issues in the use of modern postpartum family planning by education level, place of residence, and wealth quintile, especially in Ethiopia where the gaps are very large. Disaggregation of data also point to significant sub-national variations. After adjusting for socio-economic variables, the most consistent health sector services associated with modern postpartum contraception are institutional childbirth and child immunisation. ANC is less likely to be associated with the use of modern postpartum family planning. Conclusion: Postpartum use of modern family planning has remained very low over the years, including for childbearing adolescents. Our results indicate that improving postpartum family planning requires policies and strategies to address the inequalities caused by socio-economic factors and the integration of family planning with maternal and newborn health services, particularly with childbirth in facilities and child immunisation. Scaling up systematic screening, training of providers, and generation of demand are some possible ways forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: From conception to 6 months of age, an infant is entirely dependent for its nutrition on the mother: via the placenta and then ideally via exclusive breastfeeding. This period of 15 months - about 500 days - is the most important and vulnerable in a child's life: it must be protected through policies supporting maternal nutrition and health. Those addressing nutritional status are discussed here. Objective and design: This paper aims to summarize research on policies and programs to protect women's nutrition in order to improve birth outcomes in low- and middle-income countries, based on studies of efficacy from the literature, and on effectiveness, globally and in selected countries involving in-depth data collection in communities in Ethiopia, India and Northern Nigeria. Results of this research have been published in the academic literature (more than 30 papers). The conclusions now need to be advocated to policy-makers. Results: The priority problems addressed are: intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), women's anemia, thinness, and stunting. The priority interventions that need to be widely expanded for women before and during pregnancy, are: supplementation with iron-folic acid or multiple micronutrients; expanding coverage of iodine fortification of salt particularly to remote areas and the poorest populations; targeted provision of balanced protein energy supplements when significant resources are available; reducing teenage pregnancies; increasing interpregnancy intervals through family planning programs; and building on conditional cash transfer programs, both to provide resources and as a platform for public education. All these have known efficacy but are of inadequate coverage and resourcing. The next steps are to overcome barriers to wide implementation, without which targets for maternal and child health and nutrition (e.g. by WHO) are unlikely to be met, especially in the poorest countries. Conclusions: This agenda requires policy decisions both at Ministry and donor levels, and throughout the administrative system. Evidence-based interventions are established as a basis for these decisions, there are clear advocacy messages, and there are no scientific reasons for delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The benefits of universal access to voluntary contraception have been widely documented in terms of maternal and newborn survival, women's empowerment, and human capital. Given population dynamics, the choices and opportunities adolescents have in terms of access to sexual and reproductive health information and services could significantly affect the burden of diseases and nations' human capital. Objectives: The objectives of this paper are to assess the patterns and trends of modern contraception use among sexually active adolescents by socio-economic characteristics and by birth spacing and parity; to explore predictors of use of modern contraception in relation to the health system; and to discuss implications of the findings for family planning policy and programmes. Design: Data are from the last three Demographic and Health Surveys of Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria. The descriptive analysis focused on sexually active adolescents (15- to 19-year age group), used modern contraception as the dependent variable, and a series of contact points with the health system (antenatal care, institutional delivery, postnatal care, immunisation) as covariates. The multivariate analysis used the same covariates, adjusting for socio-economic variables. Results: There are two different groups of sexually active adolescents: those married or in a union with very low use of modern contraception and lower socio-economic status, and those unmarried, among whom nearly 50% are using modern contraception. Younger adolescents have lower modern contraceptive prevalence. There are significant inequality issues in modern contraception use by education, residence, and wealth quintile. However, while there was no significant progress in Burkina Faso and Nigeria, the data in Ethiopia point to a significant and systematic reduction of inequalities. The narrowing of the equity gap was most notable for childbearing adolescents with no education or living in rural areas. In the three countries, after adjusting for socio-economic variables, the strongest factors affecting modern contraception use among childbearing adolescents were marriage and child immunisation. Conclusions: Addressing child marriage and adopting effective policies and strategies to reach married adolescents are critical for improving empowerment and human capital of adolescent girls. The reduction of the equity gap in coverage in Ethiopia warrants further studies and documentation. The results suggest a missed opportunity for maternal and newborn and family planning integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of rainfall characteristics is important for estimating soil erosion in arid areas. We determined basic rainfall characteristics (raindrop size distribution, intensity and kinetic energy), evaluated the erosivity of rainfall events, and established a relationship between rainfall intensity I and volume-specific kinetic energy KEvol for the Central Rift Valley area of the Ethiopian highlands. We collected raindrops on dyed filter paper and calculated KEvol and erosivity values for each rainfall event. For most rainfall intensities the median volume drop diameter (D50) was higher than expected, or reported in most studies. Rainfall intensity in the region was not high, with 8% of rain events exceeding 30 mm h-1. We calculated soil erosion from storm energy and maximum 30-min intensity for soils of different erodibility under conditions of fallow (unprotected soil), steep slope (about 9%) and no cover and management practice on the surface, and determined that 3 MJ mm ha-1 h-1 is the threshold erosivity, while erosivity of >7 MJ mm ha-1 h-1 could cause substantial erosion in all soil types in the area. Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Associate Editor Q. Zhang [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines claims and conflicts in the management of the Abijata-Shalla Lakes National Park in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. We used data from households, key informants (elders, park managers), and focus group discussions. Poor wildlife policy resulting in space competition between wildlife and humans (other forms of land use), limited means of revenue generation for insiders and centralized benefits from tourism have accumulated grievance and then conflict between national park authority and local communities. Contested land tenure and overlapping claims generated by ill-defined property rights, as interrelated factors, sustained the conflicts. Weak information sharing, rising demographic pressure and conservation policies, giving more priority to global and national than local interests, contributed to the conflict. The result implies that efforts in revitalizing customary authorities and institutions and introducing a co-management strategy can immensely provide an avenue to manage conflicts between communities and park managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed at improving the production of a household utensils manufacturing company with flow shop scheduling heuristics. To achieve the planned production volume, a company needs to establish an optimal production sequences. A household utensils manufacturer in Ethiopia was our case company to investigate. We have studied the production sequence of a flat cooking pan, where one packed set of a flat cooking pan comprises seven diametrically ordered flat cook pans. Three production scenarios were developed based on the production line constraints of the case company. Among the various flow shop scheduling heuristics, Campbell, Dudek and Smith (CDC), and Nawaz, Enscor and Ham (NEH) methods were applied. In all production scenarios the applied heuristics yields an optimal production sequences with considerable reduction of a makespan. The optimal production sequences improved the annually planned production volume by more than 22%. Moreover, the paper discusses the performance of the applied heuristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The paper examines external multiple job holding practices in public health training institutions based in prominent public universities in three sub-Saharan Africa countries (Rwanda, Ethiopia, Mozambique). Objective: The study aims to contribute to broadening understanding about multiple job holding (nature and scale, drivers and reasons, impact, and efforts to regulate) in public health training schools in public universities. Methods: A qualitative multiple case study approach was used. Data were collected through document reviews and in-depth interviews with 18 key informants. Data were then triangulated and analyzed thematically. Results: External multiple job holding practices among faculty of the three public health training institutions were widely prevalent. Different factors at individual, institutional, and national levels were reported to underlie and mediate the practice. While it evidently contributes to increasing income of academics, which many described as enabling their continuing employment in the public sector, many pointed to the negative effects as well. Similarities were found regarding the nature and drivers of the practice across the institutions, but differences exist with respect to mechanisms for and extent of regulation. Regulatory mechanisms were often not clear or enforced, and academics are often left to self-regulate their engagement. Lack of regulation has been cited as allowing excessive engagement in multiple job holding practice among academics at the expense of their core institutional responsibility. This could further weaken institutional capacity and performance, and quality of training and support to students. Conclusion: The research describes the complexity of external multiple job holding practice, which is characterized by a cluster of drivers, multiple processes and actors, and lack of consensus about its implication for individual and institutional capacity. In the absence of a strong accountability mechanism, the practice could perpetuate and aggravate the fledgling capacity of public health training institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]