Analysis of Fish Value Chain: The Case of Gilgel Gibe Dam I Reservoir, Southwest of Ethiopia

The study was undertaken with the objectives of mapping fish value chain and identifies the major actors and analyzing the determinants of value addition of fish in Gilgel Gibe dam I reservoir Southwest of Ethiopia. Out of the total 510 individual fishermen on this reservoir, 128 individuals were selected using a three stage sampling procedure which includes both purposive and simple random sampling methods. Data were collected using interview schedule and analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logit models. The result of value chain analysis indicated that the direct fish value chain actors in this study area are fishermen, local collectors, fishery cooperatives, whole sellers, retailer and restaurants and hotels while the major enablers are Woreda office of Agriculture and Administrative, NGO’s, Bureau of Agriculture, financial institutions, Jimma research center and University and the  binary logit model indicated that the value addition of fish were significantly affected by education level, fishing equipment, access to extension service; market information; competitive market agents and credit service. The policy implication is that the fishermen should be educated through extension service, providing modern input and technologies, strengthening of market extension and linking them with financial service provider and empowering fishery cooperatives improves the fishery value addition development; thus income of individual fishermen could be enhanced. Keywords: Binary logit model, Fish Value chain, Fish Value Chain Map, Gilgel Gibe dam I reservoi

Forecasting GDP Growth: Application of Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Model

This paper uses Box-Jenkins approach to model and forecast real GDP growth in Ethiopia. Such an approach could easily provide forecast for key macroeconomic variables in limited data environment. Based on the approach, the paper estimates Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average ARIMA (1,1,1) model and forecasts real GDP growth. Both the in-sample fit and pseudo-out of sample forecasts show that the ARIMA model’s performance are good and better than other forecasts

Optimizing aerodynamic lenses for single-particle imaging

A numerical simulation infrastructure capable of calculating the flow of gas and the trajectories of particles through an aerodynamic lens injector is presented. The simulations increase the fundamental understanding and predict optimized injection geometries and parameters. Our simulation results were compared to previous reports and also validated against experimental data for 500 nm polystyrene spheres from an aerosol-beam- characterization setup. The simulations yielded a detailed understanding of the radial phase-space distribution and highlighted weaknesses of current aerosol injectors for single-particle diffractive imaging. With the aid of these simulations we developed new experimental implementations to overcome current limitations

Evaluating the Performance of Improved Sweet Potato (Ipomoea Batatas) Varieties at Shishir, Southern Ethiopia

Field trial was conducted in 2014 rainy season at the Shishir Kebele of South Ari Woreda. The objective of the study was to evaluate the performance of improved sweet potato varieties with a view to identify those that may be adaptable with high yielding potential in the study area. The treatments consisted of 7 sweet potato varieties: Awassa-83, Temesgen, Beletech, Kulfo, Tula, Belela, Guntutea and a local check. These were laid out in a Randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Significant differences were observed on the parameters mean number of roots per plot, total fruit weight per hectare, marketable fruit weight per hectare, unmarketable fruit weight per hectare, mean vine weight per plot, average root diameter and average root length. Maximum number of roots per plot was recorded on varieties Beletech (87.00) and Local check; whereas minimum number of roots per plot was recorded on Guntutea and Kulfo. Awassa-83 (135.66 ton ha-1) and Kulfo (124.66 ton ha-1) recorded maximum marketable fresh weight per hectare; whereas minimum mean marketable fresh weight per hectare was recorded on Local check (43.00 ton ha-1). Sweet potato need to be cultivated as a stable food crop for food security and nutritional security to feed the ever increasing population of Ethiopia. To increase production and productivity appropriate varieties has to be looked for beside other agronomic and plant protection activities. In the present experiment, since the local variety performed less as compared to the improved ones farmers should avoid using of the Local variety and replace with the well performed white fleshed and orange fleshed sweet potato varieties. Keywords: Orange fleshed; Sothern Ethiopia; sweet potato; variety evaluation; white fleshe

WEIGHTED STATISTICAL CONVERGENCE OF REAL VALUED SEQUENCES

Functions defined in the form ``$g:\mathbb{N}\to[0,\infty)$ such that $\lim_{n\to\infty}g(n)=\infty$ and $\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{n}{g(n)}=0$'' are called weight functions. Using the weight function, the concept of weighted density, which is a generalization of natural density, was defined by Balcerzak, Das, Filipczak and Swaczyna in the paper ``Generalized kinsd of density and the associated ideals'', Acta Mathematica Hungarica 147(1) (2015), 97-115.In this study, the definitions of $g$-statistical convergence and $g$-statisticalCauchy sequence for any weight function $g$ are given and it is proved that these two concepts are equivalent. Also some inclusions of the sets of all weight $g_1$-statistical convergent and weight $g_2$-statistical convergent sequences for $g_1,g_2$ which have the initial conditions are given

Effects of terms of trade and its volatility on economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

This paper investigated the effect of terms of trade and its volatility on economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa. The study employed dynamic panel data models of difference and system Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), which could account for biases associated with endogeneity of explanatory variables and problems induced by, unobserved country-specific characteristics. The study used both net barter terms of trade and income terms of trade as a measure of terms of trade for the analysis of the entire data for this paper. Using data from 1985 to 2014, the study found that the improvement in both net barter terms of trade and income terms of trade is growth-enhancing, whereas its deterioration is growth-retarding. As the majority of the sample countries are primary commodity exporters, their terms of trade shows deterioration through time and this adversely affects economic growth. Furthermore, the result proved that volatility of net barter terms of trade and income terms of trade has a negative and significant effect on economic growth. Finally, the use of alternative data set contributed to the result being robust

Les archives photographiques de la guerre des années 1990. Une approche par l’ethnographie

L’article propose une réflexion autour des archives photographiques du conflit des années 1990 en Algérie. En s’appuyant sur une ethnographie réalisée dans le présent, il retrace la trajectoire de photographies produites par des photographes de presse dans les années 1990, et questionne la place qu’elles occupent aujourd’hui, à la fois en tant qu’objets matériels et images. Interrogeant la notion d’archive(s) dans le contexte algérien, l’article propose une description des contextes et des pratiques qui ont participé à façonner ces photographies à travers le temps, en s’intéressant aux images dans les rapports que les acteurs entretiennent avec elles.The article examines the photographic archives of the 1990s conflict in Algeria. Based on an ethnography carried out in the present, it traces the trajectory of photographs produced by press photographers in the 1990s, and questions the place they occupy today, both as material objects and images. Questioning the notion of archive(s) in the Algerian context, the article attempts to describe the contexts and practices that have helped shape these photographs over time, focusing on the images and their relationships to the actors

Colloidal stability of gold nanoparticles in organic and aqueous media / Egbert Awel

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is the most stable metal nanoparticles but they have a tendency to agglomerate. When agglomeration occur, the stability of the gold nanoparticles is decreasing. In order to prevent the agglomeration, a stabilizer need to be introduce into the system. Colloidal stability is the main parameter in order to prevent the agglomeration of gold nanoparticles. Steric or electrostatic stabilization need to be introduced to increase the stability of the gold AuNPs. In this work, the main objectives is to characterize the physical properties of the AuNPs in both organic and aqueous media after it is being synthesise by using the citrate reduction method. On the other hand, The effect of the temperature and time is being investigated in order to know the size and the stability of the AuNPs. The gold nanoparticle initially will be synthesised by using sodium citrate reduction method and refer as the gold precursor before it is further dissolved in the organic media, dimethylformamide (DMF). The naked AuNPs and the AuNPs that is dissolved in the organic media will be analysed by using TEM, Zeta Sizer and UV-vzs. The maximum peak appeared at 0.8447 A and maximum wavelength of 522 nm is observed from the UV-vzs analysis. The AuNPs are well dispersed on the organic media but there are some agglomeration occur where the particles size distribution is approximately 3.5 nm. From the observation, the optimum temperature for AuNPs in both organic and aqueous media are 35 °C