Constraints of Onion (Alluim cepa.Var.cepa L.) Yield Production and Food Preference to Shallot (Alluim cepa.Var.aggregatum) in the Case of Bibugn Woreda, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

This study was conducted with the main objective of assessing the constraints of onion bulb production and its food preference to shallot at Bibugn Woreda, east Gojjam zone in Ethiopia. The relevant data were generated from both primary and secondary data sources. Sample rural farmer survey, field observation, related and relevant experts and officials’ interview were the major means of generating data. Secondary data were also obtained from relevant organizations document and journal articles. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques were employed to analyze the data. The collected data was analyzed using Microsoft office Excel.  The findings of the study revealed that the cultivation system of onion at the Bibugn Woreda (District) is both irrigation and rain fed with major cultivation system being irrigation. The major constraint of onion production is low water accessibility and disease occurrence. 98 % of both onion and shallot consumers prefer onion to shallot with regards to the food flavouring quality in the study area. So, rural farmers and Woreda Agriculture Office should take controlling and protection measure of onion disease either through supplying disease resistance varieties or improving cultural practices. However, the area could be suitable for onion production as far as such constraints are avoided or reduced. Chemical analysis of onion and shallot bulbs should be identified so as to recognize the case of their flavouring variability for food preference of onion. Keywords: onion, shallot, food preference, Ethiopi

Access to improved water source and satisfaction with services: Evidence from rural Ethiopia

In recent years access to safe and reliable water supplies has received increased government attention in Ethiopia. As a result, the national coverage rate for this service has gradually improved. Yet millions of people in rural areas still do not get drinking water from an improved water source. While expanding improved water source schemes is generally essential, it is equally important to ensure that the schemes have increased users' satisfaction with water quality and availability for everyday use. Using household survey data and employing univariate and bivariate probit models, this paper attempts to investigate the effect of access to an improved water source on users' satisfaction with both quality and availability of water. The study findings suggest that access to an improved water source significantly raised household satisfaction with both quality and availability of water. However, the effect of the improved water source on users' satisfaction was slightly lower for water availability than for water quality.drinking water, users' satisfaction, bivariate probit,

Exploring the practices and contextual factors in teaching writing skills in EFL classrooms: a case study

This study explored four experienced teachers’ practices and challenges in teaching writing in English as a foreign language (EFL) in a secondary school in Ethiopia. While a single secondary school was selected based on a convenient sampling technique, four EFL teachers were selected using a purposive sampling technique. The data were collected using classroom observations, stimulated recall interviews, and course document analysis and were analyzed thematically. The findings of the study revealed that the teachers employed a product-oriented approach with a focus on rhetorical features and patterns about different types of texts. Large class sizes, lack of students’ language proficiency, lack of teachers’ pedagogical competence in teaching writing, and insufficiency of instructional time to develop drafts were found to impede teachers’ classroom practices in the study context. Based on the findings, it was recommended that teachers should assist students to do their writing outside the classroom ahead of each writing lesson so that they can use the lesson time for productive learning tasks. Besides, the Ministry of Education should spread systems to offer on-job training regarding up-to-date and innovative ways of teaching writing skills

Compact Composition Operators on the Hardyand Bergman Spaces

The thesis consists of three pieces of results on compact composition operators on the Hardy and Bergman spaces. In the first part, chapter 2, we re-formulate Lotto's conjecture on the weighted Bergman space [Special characters omitted.] ,(-1 < α < ∞), setting. We used the result of D. H. Luecking and K. H. Zhu (1992) to extend Zhu's solution (on the Hardy space H 2 ) to the weighted Bergman space [Special characters omitted.] . The results of this chapter has been published in Tadesse (2004).In the second part of the thesis, chapter 3, we investigate compact composition operators which are not Hilbert-Schmidt. We consider the class of examples (see B. Lotto (1998)) of composition operators C [straight phi] whose symbol [straight phi] is a Riemann map from the unit disk D onto the semi-disk with center (½, 0), radius ½ and, in general, onto a "crescent" shaped regions constructed based on this semi-disk (see also B. Lotto (1998)) We use the R. Riedel (1994) characterization of β-boundedness/compactness on H 2 to determine the range of values of β ∈ [Special characters omitted.] for which C [straight phi] is β-bounded/compact. Similar result also extends to composition operators acting on the weighted Bergman spaces [Special characters omitted.] (α ≥ -1) based on W.Smith (2003) characterization of β-boundednes/compactness on these spaces. In particular, we show that the class of Riemann maps under consideration gives example(s) of β-bounded composition operators C [straight phi] which fail to be β compact (0 < β < ∞) This was an open question raised by Hunziker and Jarchaw (1991)(Section 5.2). Our second result arises from our attempt to generalize these observations to relate Hilbert-Schmidt classes with β-bounded/compact operators. We prove a necessary condition for C [straight phi] to be Hilbert-Schmidt in terms of β-boundedness. Extending this result to the Schatten classes, we proved a necessary condition relating β-bounded composition operators with those that belong to the Schatten ideals. The results of this chapter has been presented at the January 2005 AMS joint meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, and they are under preparation for publication.In the last part of the thesis, Chapter 4, we characterized compact composition operators on the Hardy-Smirnov spaces over a simply connected domain. In the end, we gave an explicit example demonstrating the main results of this chapter for a simple geometry where an explicit and simplified expression for the Riemann map is known. The results of this chapter has been presented at the January 2006 AMS joint meeting in San Antonio, Texas, at the Analysis conference in honor of Prof. Vladmir Gurariy at Kent State University and it is also under preparation for publication

Determinants of financial performance: a study on selected micro finance institutions in Ethiopia

Microfinance promises to reduce poverty. To achieve this amazing objective Microfinance institutions have to become strong enough in financial performance because donor constancy is not a given. Thus the question is: In what extent the MFI-specific, industry-specific and macroeconomic factors determinants the Ethiopian micro finance industry financial performance from the period 2003-2011.By using OLS estimation method to measure the effect of internal and external determinants on financial performance in terms of return on asset. The study was based on a nine years secondary data obtained from AEMFI performance analysis report and MOFAD for thirteen (13) selected MFIs in Ethiopia. Beside this the study used primary data analysis to solicit mangers perception towards the determinants of financial performance of MFIs in Ethiopia. Regarding the explanatory variables, operational efficiency, GDP and size of MFIs affect MFIs financial performance significantly. The outcome of the study shows that Age of microfinance institutions has a positive but statistically insignificant effect on their financial performance. The other explanatory variables which is Portfolio at risk>30, Gearing ratio, capital to asset ratio and Market concentration affect negatively and not significant.The Ethiopian MFIs policy makers and managers should give high concern to the credit risk management, expense management and large MFIs size management and also the government and policy makers should work combining both poverty reduction and financial self- sufficiency of MFIs. And also MFIs have to emulate profit-making banking practices by implementing a sound financial management and good managerial governance to assure their financial performance and in the long run financial sustainability. Key words, financial performance, Micro finance institutionJimma Universit

Impacts of Household Wastewater on the Environment: The Case of Debre Markos Town, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

The study is conducted in Debre Markos Town which is the capital of East Gojjam Administrative Zone. The paper aims at assessing the impacts of household wastewater management on environment. The existing household wastewater management in the Town is very poor and creates adverse impact on environment like health problem, river and air pollution. These are due to shortage of vacuum trucks to empty toilet, absence of central sewer system, improper drainage systems of household wastewater, low income and lack of awareness of the community to manage household wastewater are the common problems in the Town. As the result, the community discharges household wastewater in to open space, river and streams. Both primary and secondary data were used. The existing household wastewater management condition, the impact of inadequate household wastewater management and challenges were evaluated after findings based on the household survey of 162 sample respondents, interview and field observations. Microsoft-excel were used to present and analyze; and bar graph, pie chart and tables, percentages and figures were used. The results of the study included: the existing household wastewater management services was inadequate, health problem, river, stream and air pollution are impacts of improper management of household wastewater, insufficient infrastructure, lack of coordination between institutions, inadequate participation of stakeholders and lack of community awareness are challenges to manage household wastewater in the Town. Based on findings of the result and the case study; increase inaccessibility of household wastewater management facilities, creating awareness to community, coordination and integration among institutions, participation of stakeholders and provide sewerage system are the recommendations forwarded in order to promote proper household wastewater management system in the Town

Host Preference and Seasonal Variation of Tick (Amblyomma cohaerens Donitz, 1909) on Naturally Infested Cattle in Jimma Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia

The seasonal dynamics of tick Amblyomma cohaerens on naturally infested cattle in Jimma Zone was studied from September 1998 to September 2000 using fifty cattles in five Localities. Monthly tick counts were made for two consecutive years. Although, Amblyomma cohaerens infestation occurred throughout the year, it was greater at the beginning and end of the rainy season. High humidity and temperature were the factors that influence the seasonal variation.Th e study on the host preference of different blood groups showed that host selection and specificity correlate with the abundance and distribution of the tick. These have been reflected by the presence of more tick in highbred cattle than the indigenous Zebu

The Role of Information and Communication Technologies for Agricultural Development in Developing Countries

Major challenges to agricultural development in developing countries have been the low level of agricultural information exchange among the different stakeholders in the agricultural sector. Fortunately, the recently radical penetration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) tools in developing countries offers a great opportunity for overcoming information problems. Use  information  and  communication  technology  (ICT)  enables to  facilitate  rapid,  efficient  and  cost  effective knowledge  management.  The  experiences  of  most  countries  indicate  that  the use of  ICT based extension, marketing and banking which  facilitates  the  flow  of  data  and  information,  that has  tremendously  enhanced  the  knowledge management, financial inclusion and market efficiency. This paper has intended to review, the subscription and broadband level of ICTs in least developing countries and to review the role of ICTs for rural and agricultural development in least developing countries. To review this paper all recently(conducted before 2010) ICT for agriculture (ICT 4Ag) related journals, reports, conferences, working papers and other documents studied for developing countries had used. Keywords: Agriculture; Developing countries; ICTs; Role DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-15-04 Publication date:August 31st 202

Exploration of Long-term CD4 Profile in HIV Patients Under HAART at Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital and Tepi General Hospital, South Western Ethiopia

Background: Currently, because of the wide availability and free service of HAART, HIV/AIDS related morbidity and mortality has decreased significantly. However, patients accessing antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes in sub-Saharan Africa frequently have very advanced immunodeficiency and various reserches suggest that such patients may have diminished capacity for CD4 cell count recovery. The objective of this study was to investigate the long-term effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy on the CD4 lymphocyte count of HIV-infected Patients.  Method: Subjects from the multicenter HAART Program cohort  (from Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital and Tepi General Hospital), aged 18 years or older and had an ART treatment start date in between February 1, 2017 to January 31, 2019 were enrolled in the present study and followed for a maximum of 3 years.  Liner mixed model with nested random effect were used to model the longitudianl CD4 count over time. Result: The data reveal robust CD4 responses to ART that are continual over several years. Being under HAART for long period and having baseline CD4 count greater than 150 were postively  associated with CD4 increment over time while starting ART at late stage (Stage 3 or 4) and being male are negatively assocted with CD4 increment over time.Conclusion: These data show strong and repetitive CD4 response to ART among patients remaining on therapy. Earlier HIV diagnosis and initiation of ART could significantly progress patient outcomes in the study area. Keywords: CD4counts, HAART, ART, Liner mixed model, Patients DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/11-19-02 Publication date:October 31st 202