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Ethiopian economy is dominated by the agriculture sector and its contribution is vital to the national growth domestic product (GDP). Accordingly, cropproduction, will remain the major source of growth in the growth and transformation plan (GTP) of Ethiopia. Increasing the productivity of the smallholder farmers through scaling up of best practices, expansion of irrigation, natural resource conservation, production of high value crops and encouraging the private sector are among the strategic approaches in the GTP of the country. In realizing this, improved agricultural mechanization technologies must be taken as one of the critical factors as they enhance production and productivity through timeliness, better quality of operations and precision in application of biological and chemical inputs. Furthermore, they can contribute to adaptation to climate variability and change and addressing social issues of gender and youth. Therefore, this paper discuses the need for investing in agricultural mechanization sector through formulating clear strategies that encourage the whole value chain and developing the capacity of stakeholders that guarantee the availability and sustained use of the technologies to meet the envisaged targets.&nbsp

Local Economic development as approach to development is a prominent strategy to tackle unemployment and poverty in urban areas. Thus, the objective of the study was to assess and communicate the extent to which municipal Local Economic development initiatives contribute towards improving the livelihood of communities in Ambo Town for sustainable local economic development. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were employed in this study. Accordingly, data were collected from 152 participants through questionnaire, interview and observation; and analyzed using descriptive statistics, content analysis and description. The study revealed that local economic development has had a marginal impact on poverty alleviation due to a myriad of factors which reinforce and interact with each other thereby trapping entrepreneurs and residents in poverty. Local economic development approach, in most cases, to the development project planning and decision makings are in top-down which do not target all the segments of the poor in a meaningful way. Local economic development serves as an important strategy to boost local economies to address the high levels of poverty, unemployment and inequalities facing majority population. Participatory development process is crucial to properly translate the local economic development policy into meaningful practice so that there is a significant impact on alleviating poverty program., Journal of Science and Sustainable Development, Vol. 8 No. 2 (2020)

Gender disparity in utilizing agricultural information affects the agricultural productivity of male and female households. Thus, this study was carried out to examine the gender disparities in utilizating agricultural informaation by small scale farming households in Ambo district. To achieve the objective of the study, both primary and secondary sources of data were used. Data were collected using semi-structured interview schedule, key informant interviews and focus group discussions; and analysed using descriptive satatistics and description. The study revealed that the majority of the farmers rely on informal sources of information from neighbors, friends and colleagues rather than from the extension workers. Particularily, information sources of women did not enable them to get adequate and reliable information. It cloud be attributed to less mobility of women to access information, women responsibilities for household and child-rearing activities and workload. Gender disparity made great difference in using agricultural information for farmers since mostly women are playing a reproductive role. Therefore, improving participation of women farmers in various areas of extension programmes could facilitate empowering farm women for better utilization of agricultural information., Journal of Science and Sustainable Development, Vol. 7 No. 2 (2019)

Though barley value chains analysis assists governmental institutions and non-government organizations (NGOs) to assess their activities and redesign their operations, there has been no adequate study in Ambo district. Thus, this study aimed to analyze barley market value chain and identify determinants of the quantity of barley supply. The data were gathered from 132 randomly selected households, 20 traders and 4 input suppliers. Both descriptive statistics and econometric model were used for data analysis. The study revealed that the highest value added in barley value chains were about Birr 15.5/quintal. Rural assemblers in barley value chain obtained the highest share of gross profit next to producers. The Tobit regression estimator also revealed that age of the household, education of the household head, quantity of barley produced, use of fertilizer, improved seed used, and extension contact were significantly influencing the quantity of barley market supply. There was also no barley processor actor or that uses barley as a raw material in the barley value chain. Therefore, there is a need to promote agro-processors to be involved in barley processing and marketing., Journal of Science and Sustainable Development, Vol. 7 No. 1 (2019)

Food security strategy is the major component of the Agricultural Development Led Industry (ADLI) strategy of Ethiopia. So far, no systematic study has been undertaken on food security status of female-headed household in Ambo district. Thus, identifying the determining factors of female-headed households` food security is crucial for pertinent interventions. Accordingly, this study was carried out to identify factors influencing food security of female-headed households. To achieve the objective of the study, cross sectional survey was employed using 104 female-headed households. Structured household survey questionnaire, focus group discussions and key informant interviews were used for data collection, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression model. The result of binary logistic regression model revealed that age of household head, productive labor force, access to credit, number of oxen owned, use of chemical fertilizer, location of the household, share cropping, livestock holding, participation in social organization and non-farm income were found to be positively and significantly influencing the status of female-headed household food security. The study further indicated that the mean value of the energy available for food insecure and secure households was 1,843 Kcal/AE/day and 2,943 Kcal/AE/day respectively with the mean energy intake of all sample households 2,560 kcal. As female-headed household spent much of what they have for food than male-headed households, female-headed households are engaged in insecure livelihood system. Thus, it necessitates to improve female-headed household`s decision making power, resource allocation and control, access to markets, and asset ownership issues, which is likely to be a more powerful tool for poverty alleviation policies., Journal of Science and Sustainable Development, Vol. 5 No. 1 (2017)

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has always been a major source of various raw materials and commodities to the industrialized world. This paper specifically focuses on international business (IB) strategies in supply chains and commodities using the Ethiopian-Italian hides, skins and leather trade as a case study. The aim of this paper is to test to what extent internal public policy changes and competition from companies of newly emerging economies affected the business of long standing partners in the Ethiopian-Italian leather business. For the descriptive analysis, primary and secondary data are used. The primary data is gathered using personal observation and interviews with relevant personnel on both sides of the trade. Whereas, secondary data is collected from different published and unpublished materials including annual reports of relevant institutions. The Author primarily applies two theoretical perspectives: Michael Porter’s five competitive forces model and Ronald Coase’s transaction cost theory of the firm. The paper is narrowly focused on leather supply trade, but with implications on all old and rusting, strategic and non-strategic supply chains stretching out of Africa to Europe. The purpose of the paper is to contribute in furthering research agenda on identifying strategies tailored for researchers and executives interested in expanding to Africa. The conclusion is that, it seems, European leather companies have stuck to the strategies they’ve traditionally deployed in Africa. And, the old strategies of international business firms seem no more working in the continent. Even though, it is not possible to comprehensively present all the reasons for the competitive loss of European leather companies to newly emerging companies with regard to the African supplies, it could be better explained from the perspectives of complacency trap coupled with failure to develop dynamically tailored strategies, rather than the traditional business competitiveness theories.

Active members` participation is crucial for the sustainability of cooperative societies. However, there is no systematic study that reveals the role of members’ participation in enhancing sustainability of cooperative in the study area. This study was conducted to assess the role of members’ participation in provision of resources, in the process of decision-making, and in sharing of benefits to sustain their saving and credit cooperative society. Cross-sectional survey type was used for data collection using questionnaire, Focus Group Discussion, Key Informant Interview and observation; and was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The result of the study reveals that there was no active members’ participation: in provision of resources, in the decision-making processes and in the share benefits. This passive and inconsistent participation of members had a negative impact for the sustainability of cooperative societies. Hence, the cooperative organization needs to strongly work on the improvement of the member participation in all activities and at all levels of cooperatives in order to sustain cooperative societies., Journal of Science and Sustainable Development, Vol. 1 No. 2 (2013)

Human Immunode Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) are among serious health problems and obstacles of the development. Having realized the consequences, Ambo University has been involved in interventions to improve the knowledge, attitude and practices of student community; to prevent and control HIV/AIDS. This study assessed the level of students` knowledge, attitude and practices on the prevention of HIV/AIDS; and identifies the determinants of students’ knowledge, attitude and practice on the prevention of HIV/AIDS at Ambo University. Cross-sectional survey type was used for data collection using questionnaire, Focus Group Discussion, Key Informant Interview and observation; and was analyzed using descriptive statistics and econometric model. The study considered the undergraduate regular students of Ambo University as a target population of the study. Multistage stratified sampling technique was employed to include respondents in the study from different departments and class year. The findings indicated that respondents were knowledgeable and had positive attitude towards preventing HIV/AIDS, though majority were not practicing HIV prevention methods. The econometric model also revealed that class year, religion, training, PICT, interest for PICT, knowledge, condom accessibility were positively significant in influencing the adoption of HIV prevention methods. Hence, it is recommended that the University, Ambo hospital, anti HIV/AIDS clubs of the University, and the different NGOs working on HIV/AIDS prevention and control should synergistically coordinate their activities to bring the desired behavioral change on the students; and mainstreaming HIV/AIDS issues in different activities of the University., Journal of Science and Sustainable Development, Vol. 1 No. 2 (2013)

Southwest parts of Ethiopia particularly Kaffa, Sheka and Bench-Maji zones are endowed with very diverse and dense natural forests. This favours for the existence of dense honeybee population and production of large volume of honey. However, detail information on honey production systems of the area was lacking. In this study five representative districts were selected and data on beekeeping practice and its major constraints were collected. Traditional beekeeping system is practiced by more than 99% of beekeepers. The average traditional hives owned/household in Masha and Gesha were significantly higher (P

In view of the increasing international interest to do business with Africa, the paper provides analysis on the level of preparedness, and peculiar challenges facing Africa in conducting an effective commercial diplomacy. Increasing research is being done on commercial diplomacy in general and in the context of industrial countries. In the exception of South Africa, very little attention has been devoted to research on commercial diplomacy of Africa. The author wants to narrow this gap. Given its role on wealth creation through matching resources to investors, technology and markets, the author addresses general and specific challenges that have to be tackled for African commercial diplomacy to be able both attract and make the continent benefit fully from the newly enhanced international investments and trade. Some of the challenges, such as image building and media campaign, are beyond individual African nation’s capacity and can only be most effectively addressed by a pan-African (collective) approach....