Status and Benefits of Renewable Energy Technologies in the Rural Areas of Ethiopia: a Case Study on Improved Cooking Stoves and Biogas Technologies

The majority of Ethiopia's people (85%) reside in rural areas, deriving their livelihood from agriculture. Ethiopia's energy system is characterized mainly by biomass fuel supply, with households being the greatest energy consumers. The household sector takes up nearly 94 % of the total energy supplies. Access to energy resources and technologies in rural Ethiopia is highly constrained which makes the energy supply and consumption pattern of the country to show many elements of un-sustainability. The concern on cooking practices, household economics, health, forest and agricultural resource management, and global greenhouse gas emissions has emerged as a transformative opportunity to improve individual lives, livelihoods, and the global environment. More decentralized renewable energy projects could play an important role in mitigating traditional biomass fuel use. Improved cooking stove (ICS) dissemination projects have been launched involving the private sector in the production and commercialization of the stoves. In doing so, about 3.7 million ICSs have been disseminated in the country so far which benefited stove users, producers and the total environment as about 30 million hectare of forest per year can be conserved. Conversion of animal waste to biogas energy to replace traditional fuel and use of the slurry as a fertilizer is the other current focus of the government of Ethiopia and installed more than 860 biogas digesters. The benefits obtained from these technologies are considerable and promising. However, the programs are not that much benefited the rural households where it had been intended to address. So, due attention should be given for those of the rural households in order to address the fuel wood crisis, environmental degradation and their health condition

Enhancement and Optimization Mechanisms of Biogas Production for Rural Household Energy in Developing Countries: a Review

Anaerobic digestion is common but vital process used for biogas and fertilizer production as well as one method for waste treatment. The process is currently used in developing countries primarily for biogas production in the household level of rural people. The aim of this review is to indicate possible ways of including rural households who own less than four heads of cattle for the biogas programs in developing countries. The review provides different research out puts on using biogas substrates other than cow dung or its mix through different enhancement and optimization mechanisms. Many biodegradable materials have been studied for alternative methane production. Therefore, these substrates could be used for production by addressing the optimum conditions for each factor and each processes for enhanced and optimized biogas production

Continuum Electromechanical Modeling of Protein-Membrane Interaction

A continuum electromechanical model is proposed to describe the membrane curvature induced by electrostatic interactions in a solvated protein-membrane system. The model couples the macroscopic strain energy of membrane and the electrostatic solvation energy of the system, and equilibrium membrane deformation is obtained by minimizing the electro-elastic energy functional with respect to the dielectric interface. The model is illustrated with the systems with increasing geometry complexity and captures the sensitivity of membrane curvature to the permanent and mobile charge distributions.Comment: 5 pages, 12 figure

Prevalence of mental distress and associated factors among Samara university students, Northeast Ethiopia

Background. Empirical findings have indicated that higher institution students experience a higher prevalence of mental distress compared to the general population. Understanding the magnitude and associated factors of mental distress in university students would be helpful to practitioners and policymakers in Ethiopia. The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence and associated factors of mental distress among Samara university students, Northeast Ethiopia. Methods. Institution based cross-sectional study design was conducted in Samara university from December to June 2018. A simple random sampling technique was employed to select the study participants. Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20) was used to measure the mental distress of students. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to examine the association between sociodemographic and psychosocial factors with the mental distress of students. Results. The proportion of students with mental distress were found to be 53.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 48.0%, 58.0%). Female students were more likely to be mentally distressed compared to male students (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 4.66; 95% CI: 2.81, 7.71). Ever khat use (AOR: 3.09; 95% CI: 1.74, 5.50) and poor sleep quality (AOR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.12, 3.66) were significantly associated with mental distress of students. Conclusion. Our study indicates that the proportion of mental distress was found to be higher among Samara university students as compared to previously published studies in Ethiopia. Female students, ever khat users and those with poor sleep quality were associated with mental distress. There is a need for evidence-based interventional strategies such as self-help measures, sleep hygiene and peer support, as well as professional mental health services as part of student health services that would be helpful to reduce the burden of mental distress of students

Household Fertilizers Use and Soil Fertility Management Practices in Vegetable Crops Production: The Case of Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Large areas of farms are covered by variety of vegetable crops in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. With a view to improve current vegetable production fertilizer use efficiency, survey has been conducted through collections of baseline information to describe household fertilizer uses and soil fertility management in vegetable production system using descriptive statistics. Multistage samplings were made to select  representative growers in the six districts of East Showa zone. Based on field observations and group discussions, vegetable growers grouped their farm land into four local categories. The survey revealed that tomato growers apply variable rates of urea and DAP fertilizers for tomato cultivation. Survey results indicated that highest 43.61% of onion growers apply 200 kg of DAP fertilizer on their onion field, while 30.85% of growers apply 300 kg DAP per ha, another 39.35% apply, 400 kg and above DAPfertilizer, still 8.5% of onion growers apply 600 kg DAP fertilizer on their onion farm. This survey indicated that fertilizers were not wisely used in the vegetable crops production systems and the applications are in excess rate, which could leads to pollution of the environment from over dose application and from runoff in to the water bodies and leaching in to the ground water with economic loss. Most of the tomato and onion growers use three splits application of UREA and DAP mainly at transplanting, at first and second cultivation for both crops as top-dressing. The survey results indicated that 54.44% of onion growers apply an average of 230.35 kg ha-1 DAP at transplanting, while 46.53% apply an average of 188.29kg ha-1 DAP at second split application, and finally 17.82% apply an  average of 119.44 kg ha-1 DAP at last third split applications. This is the first document come across that vegetable growers in the CRV area apply DAP fertilizer as much as three splits. This indicates that there are no  systems of updating of frontline development workers; poor extension services with shallow development workers knowledge made the growers totally depend on their own innovations for vegetable production

Irrigation Water Management Practices in Smallholder Vegetable Crops Production: The Case of the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Smallholder irrigated vegetable production in the Central Rift Valley region of Ethiopia is instrumental in ensuring the year-round availability of fresh vegetables in the local market in the country. However, a number of  problems constrain irrigated vegetable production in the region. Therefore, asurvey was conducted with the objectives of assessing smallholder  irrigated vegetable production practices and identifying factors associated with problems of irrigation water management. The survey was conducted in December 2011. A multistage purposive sampling procedure was  employed to select sample districts, peasant associations, and sample respondents that grew vegetables using small-scale irrigation. Key  informants were interviewed and group discussions were conducted with smallholder vegetable farmers. Data were collected on household irrigation knowledge, experiences, skills, irrigation water sources as well as on  irrigation water management practices such as methods, time, depth and frequency of irrigation. Data were also collected on supplemental irrigation practices under rain-fed vegetable production. In addition, household perceptions on the environmental impacts of irrigation, on-farm irrigation water related challenges, and related information were also recorded. About 16.5% of the respondents indicated that their knowledge and skills on irrigation water management practices were mainly drawn from experiences of trial and error.About 38.1% of the respondents indicated that they  irrigated their vegetable fields both in the morning and the afternoon  whereas 35.1% replied that they irrigated only in the afternoon. A large number of the respondents (89.6%) replied that they determined irrigation intervals based on specific crop needs. About 90.9% of the respondents replied that they applied enough irrigation water up to the point where the water level reached the furrow basin head. The survey result also indicated that 51.7% of the respondents practiced supplemental irrigation when shortage of moisture occurred in the soil during the rainy season as well at the end of the rainy season. One hundred percent of the respondents replied that they faced problems commonly related with the use of  irrigation, namely, soil salinity, waterlogging, soil erosion and degradation, sedimentation, and build-up of pests and diseases. In conclusion, the survey results revealed that extension services on irrigation water  management were almost non-existent, and the smallholder vegetable farmers managed irrigation water merely by intuition.Therefore,  participatory on-farm irrigation research and extension on irrigation water management practices should be formulated to generate appropriate technologies for enhanced and sustainable irrigated vegetable production in the region

Community knowledge, attitude and practice on rabies, incidence in humans and animals and risk factors to rabies in selected districts of Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Community awareness and assessing the trend of suspected rabies cases play a significant role in preventing its fatality. Therefore, a cross-sectional study design was employed (October 2016 - April 2017) to assess community knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP), and Incidence and risk factors to rabies (human and animal) in the study area. A semi-structured questionnaire was employed to collect required information from 1440 study participants. Retrospective data of five-year (2012-2016) from hospitals and health centers (human cases), and veterinary clinics (animal cases) was used. Majority of the study participants (64.3%) were rural residents, 95.2% have heard about rabies and 50.1% were found dog owners. Among the study participants, 72.2%, 66.0%, and 62.4% have a good level of knowledge, attitude, and practices about rabies, respectively. A strong association between knowledge, attitude and practice with sex; educational level; occupation, dog ownership and rural/urban dwellers (p<0.05) was recorded. Furthermore, a total dog bite cases of 398 domestic animals and 4617 humans were found registered on casebooks of both veterinary and human health service centers of the study districts during the five years study period among which the highest percentage (36.4%) was recorded from canines. The highest anti-rabies vaccine coverage recorded was 36.0% in the year 2016, and higher human dog bite cases recorded was 50.1% on individuals aged between 5-15 years (both male and female). Hence, the current findings suggest that there is a need for coordinated and integrated effort of government, professionals (medical and veterinarians), community and other stake holders towards rabies control and prevention.Keywords: Animal, Human, Tigray, Rabies, Statu

Unintended pregnancy among female sex workers in Mekelle city, northern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Unintended pregnancy is a significant public health concern in the world. Particularly, female sex workers are exposed to the risk of unintended pregnancy, abortion and their consequences. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess unintended pregnancy and associated factors among female sex workers in Mekelle city, northern Ethiopia. METHODS: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 346 female sex workers from five Kebelles (smallest administrative units in Ethiopia) of Mekelle city from March-April, 2014. Sex workers were selected with simple random sampling technique using sampling frame obtained from urban health extension program. Epi-data version 3.1 was used to enter data and analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to identify factors associated with unintended pregnancy using odds ratio and 95% confidence interval with P-value of 0.05. RESULTS: The magnitude of unintended pregnancy among female sex workers in the past two years was 28.6%. During this period, 59 women had abortion which represents three-fifths, (59.6%), of those who had unintended pregnancies, and 17.1% of all female sex workers. Female sex workers who gave birth and had history of abortion formerly had 3.1 (AOR = 3.07, 95% CI: [1.54, 6.09]) and 15.6 (AOR = 15.64 95% CI: [8.03, 30.47]) times higher odds of unintended pregnancy compared to their counterparts, respectively. Sex workers who had steady partners had 2.9 (AOR = 2.87, 95% CI: [1.47, 5.61]) times higher odds of have unintended pregnancy than those who hadn't. Drug users had 2.7 (AOR = 2.68, 95% CI: [1.30, 5.52]) times higher odds of unintended pregnancy than those who hadn't use. Sex workers who had 60-96 months of duration in sex work were 67% less likely to have unintended pregnancy than those with <12 months (AOR = 0.33, 95% CI: [0.11, 0.95]). CONCLUSIONS: High level of unintended pregnancy and a range of associated factors were identified among sex workers. Improving utilization of effective pregnancy prevention methods in a consistent manner can avert the existing high level of unintended pregnancy among female sex workers.Rishan Weldegebreal, Yohannes Adama Melaku, Mussie Alemayehu, and Tesfay Gebregzabher Gebrehiwo

Balanced feeding could improve productivity of cross-breed dairy cattle in smallholder systems (Tigray, northern Ethiopia)

The study was conducted to assess the feed baskets of lactating Holstein Friesian crossbred cows and to formulate suggestions for optimisation of the ration to balance crude protein and metabolisable energy (ME) supply for optimal milk production under smallholder dairy farming in Agula and Hagereselam districts of Tigray region, northern Ethiopia. A total of 60 smallholder dairy farmers (30 from each district) who owned 1-5 lactating cows were involved in the study during the months of July and August 2015. Feed intake and milk production were recorded. Weende and Van Soest analysis was done on representative feed samples from which ME content was assessed. The observed diets offered to lactating cows of both study sites were grouped into five categories based on the inclusion rate of wheat and barley straw (WBSM), noug seed cake (NSC) and atella (local brewery by-product). The average ration composition in the groups were: group 1 (60.4% WBSM, 30.8% wheat bran (WB) and 8.7% atella), group 2 (49.8% WBSM, 21.8% WB, 17.5% NSC and 10.8% atella), group 3 (53.5% WBSM, 24.5% WB, 13.3% NSC and 8.7% atella), group 4 (40.7% WBSM, 24% WB, 13.1% NSC and 22.2% atella) and group 5 (49.8% WBSM, 21.8% WB, 17.5% NSC and 10.8% atella). The potential milk yield was calculated based on ME and crude protein (CP) intake from the rations of each group. Protein and ME supply only seemed balanced in group 5 (18% of the farms). In the other groups imbalanced diets were fed, of which 26% were protein deficient (group 1), whereas (surprisingly) 56 % of the farms included more than 10% NSC in their diet, which resulted in an excessive protein supply. The milk yield of group 1 potentially could be increased by 114% with an additional supplement of 1.6 kg of NSC. Overall, NSC could be an excellent protein corrector, when included at a proportion of about 10% in the diet in combination with 43-58% WBSM, 23-31%WB and 9-20% atella