Search

The aim of the study was to construct a leadership model that drives the optimal institutionalisation of a results-based performance measurement and management (RBPMM) culture in the agricultural and natural resource sector of Ethiopia. A concurrent mixed-methods design was adopted for the research. The quantitative study comprised a total sample of 228 respondents, and face-to-face interviews were conducted with 20 key informants. The primary researcher administered a self-developed instrument with 167 items to the respondents, and made a discussion guide available to them in both English and Amharic. The methods of data analysis included various multivariate analysis methods and a structural equation analysis. A thematic content analysis was done to identify the themes emerging from the qualitative data. The direct influence of the independent variable of leadership roles and tasks on the optimal institutionalisation of an RBPMM culture was positive but not significant. Indirectly, this variable significantly influenced the indicator variables of the optimal institutionalisation of an RBPMM culture through the mediating variables of leading and managing for an institutionalised RBPMM culture. The adoption of performance measurement information for control and compliance purposes was evident in the Managing Environmental Resources to Enable Transition (MERET) programme, but its implementation to optimise decision-making, accountability and transparency was not evident. These results were confirmed by triangulating the qualitative findings with the quantitative results. The limitation of the study was that it focused on a specific region and a public service project in Ethiopia within a specific time frame and context. Therefore the study may not be representative of similar programmes in the private sector. Also, it was not a longitudinal study that tracked changes over time. The study contributes to scholarly discourse and the existing body of knowledge by presenting a leadership model that drives and optimally institutionalises an RBPMM culture in agricultural development programmes in Ethiopia. This model could be implemented in other developing economies as well. The mediating variables can be adopted by policy-makers and organisational practitioners for the optimisation of the institutionalisation of an RBPMM culture.

Background. Undernutrition is a global health problem, particularly in pregnant women. Despite the limited studies performed in different parts of Ethiopia, the information about the prevalence of undernutrition of pregnant women in the current study area is not documented. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of undernutrition and associated factors in pregnant women. Methods. An institution-based cross-sectional study design was conducted in the Tigray region from August 01 to December 30, 2018. Study subjects were selected by systematic sampling technique from the respective hospitals. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data were cleaned and entered using Epi-Data version 3.1 and then exported to statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 23.0 for analysis. Multivariate analyses were carried out, and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% CI and significance level ( p value) p value (

This paper tests the hypothesis that off-farm income relaxes the liquidity constraints of farm households using survey data derived from 734 households from eight villages, drawn from the three agro-climatic zones of northern Ethiopia. The results of the econometric models show that off-farm income positively affects agricultural input expenditure but negatively affects livestock investment. This may be explained by the higher per capita land holdings of households who invest in improved agricultural inputs compared to those who invest in livestock. Our results show the complementarities between off-farm activities and productivity enhancing investment for agricultural inputs. However, off-farm activities may be competing for labor resources for landless and near landless households (those who invest in livestock).

Frankincense from Boswellia papyrifera forest (BPF) is a traded commodity used in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and chemical industries. Ethiopia is an important producer of frankincense, but the resource is under continuous degradation and requires conservation. We applied a contingent valuation to assess rural households’ willingness to pay (WTP) and willingness to contribute labor (WTCL) for BPF conservation. Next to the bid, WTP is influenced most by income, education, and WTCL by family labor and gender of the household head. A household is willing to pay at least US$ 4.86 or contribute 7.17 labor days per year, which amounts to US$ 6.64 at per capita daily income. This suggests using per capita daily income rather than market wage rates could result in convergence in response asymmetry of labor and cash payment vehicles. The potential local demand for conservation of BPF could be mobilized effectively with complementary policy interventions aimed at sustainable use and poverty reduction.

Frankincense from Boswellia papyrifera forest (BPF) is a traded non timber forest product (NTFP) used in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and chemical industries. However, the resource in northeastern Africa is under continuous degradation and requires conservation measures. Data from a discrete choice contingent valuation study are used to assess the factors influencing rural households’ willingness to pay (WTP) and willingness to contribute labor (WTCL) for BPF conservation in Ethiopia. The standard probit, bivariate probit and interval data models were used for modeling respondents’ WTP and WTCL. We found household income as the most important factor affecting WTP whereas number of household labor is the most important factor affecting WTCL. Mean lower bound annual WTP of US$ 4.68 and WTCL of 7.03 days per household were estimated. This study indicated that despite Ethiopia is a low income country, people are willing to contribute for conservation of the resource.

There exists a huge agrifood potential in Ethiopia. However, the country's agrifood supply chains are underdeveloped to deliver quality supply to traders and supplement household livelihoods from the sector. The key factors that determine the proper functioning of supplier-trader chains were not rigorously investigated, at least in the case study area. This paper aims at examining the key determinants in choosing vertical coordination for agrifood products in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Structured questionnaires were administered to 247 traders in 10 towns in Tigray. Probit model was employed to identify the key determinants of vertical coordination. Model results show that market information, product characteristics, firm characteristics, and product quality were found significant factors in determining the adoption of vertical coordination. An interesting finding is that traders tend to vertically coordinate so as to get credit from suppliers. Based on our findings we suggest that strengthening quality assurance and contract enforcement institutions appears to be an important intervention area to improve the agrifood chain in the study area. Moreover, providing financial support to encourage the private sector to operate in agro-processing is among the efforts that need to be focused so that it facilitates the rural development process in the region.