The Role of Land Certification in Reducing Gender Gaps in Productivity in Rural Ethiopia

The importance of providing secure land rights to smallholder farmers in developing countries is now widely recognized. In line with this, our paper analyzes the impact of land certification on boosting productivity of female-headed households in Ethiopia, which are believed to be systematically more tenure insecure than their male counterparts. Based on parametric and semi-parametric analyses, the impact of certification on plot-level productivity is positive and significant. However, certification has different impacts on male and female productivity: male-headed households gain significantly and women gain only modestly. Hence, the results indicate that, while certification is clearly beneficial to farm-level productivity, it does not necessarily lead to more gains for female-headed households.productivity, female-headed households, land certification

Tenure Insecurity, Transaction Costs in the Land Lease Market and their Implications for Gendered Productivity Differentials

This study sets out to assess the link between land leasing behavior and productivity differentials between male and female-headed households. A double-moral hazard model allows us to show that landlord's tenure insecurity leads to sub-optimal level of effort on tenant's part, via its impact on the likelihood of contract renewal. The landlord's enforcement ability is also shown to increase the optimal level of effort. The empirical findings support the hypothesis that female heads of households have higher tenant turnover and lower enforcement ability. The results, however, show that contract renewal is not strongly linked to productivity.productivity, female headed households, contract length, enforcement ability, Land Economics/Use, D2, Q12, Q15, C21, C7,

Climate Change, Total Factor Productivity, and the Tanzanian Economy: A Computable General Equilibrium Analysis

This paper analyzes the economic impacts of climate change-induced adjustments on the performance of the Tanzanian economy, using a countrywide CGE (computable general equilibrium) model. The general equilibrium framework enables comparison of the effects of climate change to the overall growth of the economy because responsiveness to shocks is likely to depend on the macroeconomic structure of the economy. Effect of overall climate change on agricultural productivity is projected to be relatively limited until approximately 2030 and become worse thereafter. Our simulation results indicate that, despite the projected reduction in agricultural productivity, the negative impacts can potentially be quite limited. This is because the time scales involved and the low starting point of the economy leave ample time for factor substitutability (i.e., replacing reduced land productivity with increased use of capital and labor) and increased overall productivity. This indicates that policies that give farmers opportunity to invest in autonomous climate adaptation, as well as policies that improve the overall performance of the economy, can be as important for reducing the impacts of climate change in the economy as direct government policies for climate adaptation. The study results can inform policymakers when choosing between direct climate-change adaptation policies or measures aimed at strengthening the fundamentals of the economy, as ways of insulating against external shocks.climate change, agriculture, total factor productivity, Tanzania, CGE model

Sexual Risk Taking Among Young Adults in Cape Town: Effects of Expected Health and Income

The wide prevalence of HIV in Africa has long been associated with seemingly irrational levels of sexual risk taking. Hence understanding the rationale behind risky sexual behavior is critical for designing effective prevention policies. This paper empirically assesses links between expectations of future health and income on sexual risk taking. An important contribution of the paper lies in combining a wide range of variables measuring risky sexual behavior such that the maximum information possible is extracted from, and adequate weights are attached to each measure, as opposed to previous studies that are based on individual measures or arbitrary aggregations. The findings indicate that expected income and health and future uncertainty are significant determinants of current patterns of sexual risk taking. From a policy perspective, the results suggest that reducing poverty and improving social insurance as well as reducing the taboo related to talking about HIV, and further investigating the relatively low degree of condom use of women may constitute important issues to be addressed.

Sexual Risk Taking among Young Adults in Cape Town - Effects of Expected Health and Income

This paper empirically assesses links between expectations of future health and income on sexual risk taking on a sample of young adults in Cape Town, South Africa. An important contribution of the paper lies in combining a wide range of variables measuring risky sexual behavior such that the maximum information possible is extracted from, and adequate weights are attached to each measure, as opposed to previous studies that are based on individual measures or arbitrary aggregations. The findings indicate that expected income and health and future uncertainty are significant determinants of current patterns of sexual risk taking. From a policy perspective, the results suggest that reducing poverty and improving social insurance as well as reducing the taboo related to talking about HIV may constitute important issues to be addressed.HIV/AIDS; Health risk; Risk aversion

Soil Fertility Status as Affected by Different Land Use Types and Topographic Positions: A Case of Delta Sub-Watershed, Southwestern Ethiopia

This study was aimed at assessing the status of soil properties  under Enset (Enset ventricosum) farm, grazing and cultivated land from upper, middle and lower slope positions (15-25%, 8-15% and 3-8% slope) in Delta sub-watershed of Southwestern Ethiopia. Split block design was employed.  A total of 54 soil samples, from 3 slope positions x 3 land use types (treatments) x 2 depths (0-20 and 20-40cm)  x 3 replications, were collected and used to test for soil chemical properties. For soil physical properties assessment, 27 soil samples were collected from 0-20cm soil depth by using simple random sampling technique. The result from several soil chemical parameters revealed that  OC, TN, C/N, AvP, CEC, exchangeable bases (K+, Mg+2, Ca+2 and Na+), ESP, PBS were significantly lower (p<0.001) in both depths of cultivated land and upper slope position than in respective slope positions of the other two land use types. However, average soil EC and pH did not show variation with both slope positions and land use types. The result also showed that soil physical property parameters such as soil bulk density, soil moisture and clay content in grazing lands were significantly higher (p<0.001). In contrast, total porosity and silt content were relatively lower in grazing land. From this finding, it can be concluded that there needs to be a look into not only land use types but also slope positions in developing land use planning and soil management strategies in this region. Keywords: slope gradient, land use change, soil depth, soil propertie

Upper Primary School Basic Science Curriculum Materials Development Process in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

The purpose of this study was to explore upper primary school basic science curriculum materials development process in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. For the purpose of this study, qualitative research method, more specifically, case study design was used.  Non-probability purposive sampling techniques was used to select participants from various groups. To this effect, sample of five basic science curriculum experts were selected and used as a sample of the study. Interview guides and document analysis were employed to gather information.  Qualitative data analysis method was used to analyze the data. Qualitative data were analyzed through narrative description and direct quotations of the opinions of the participants. The result of data analyses revealed that curriculum experts from the Oromia Region Education Bureau, representatives from the Ministry of Education, representatives from colleges and universities were involved in the process of curriculum development. However, concerned bodies from primary school teachers, students, parents, who are the main actors of curriculum implementers were not involved in the process of curriculum development in Oromia Regional State. The study also revealed that no clearly defined model was used for the development and the selection of the components of the basic science curriculum in the upper primary in Oromia Regional State.  Based on the findings, it is recommended that policy makers and curriculum developers in the region reconsider and revisit the developed upper primary school basic science curriculum materials currently implemented in Oromia regional state. Keywords: Curriculum, Curriculum materials, Curriculum development, Basic science and Upper primary school. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-1-0