Institutions, sustainable land use and consumer welfare: the case of forest and grazing lands in northern Ethiopia

Land is an essential factor of production. Institutions that govern its efficient use determine the sustainability of this essential resource. In Ethiopia all land is publicly owned. Such an institutional setting is said to have resulted in the major degradation of Ethiopia's land resources and dissipation of the resource rent. An alternative to this is assigning a private property institution. In this paper, we examine the consumer welfare effects of a change in the institutional setting on communal forest and grazing lands, using a cross-section data set of 200 households in Northern Ethiopia. Findings suggest that changing the current institutional setting could indeed be welfare reducin

Numerical simulation and experimentation of pulsatile flows in axisymmetric arterial models

ABSTRACT NUMERICAL SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENTATION OF PULSATILE FLOWS IN AXISYMMETRIC ARTERIAL MODELS by TADESSE GEBREEGZIABHER December 2011 Co-advisors: 1. Dr. Emmanuel Ayorinde 2. Dr. Trilochan Singh Major: Mechanical Engineering Degree: Doctor of Philosophy The primary motivation for this dissertation is the fluid flow and structural response to unsteady blood flow in the human body. The research work is a synergistic merging of numerical simulation and experimentation. For the experiments, an all-encompassing, highly flexible experimental apparatus was designed and fabricated to facilitate a wide range of operating conditions, the range of which was chosen to accommodate mammalian cardiovascular system for both human and animal species. The parameters that were varied during the course of the experimentation include the frequency of the flow pulsation, tubular materials having various structural properties, and blockages of the tube cross sections to simulate the presence of plaque in arteries. The main outcome of the experimentation was a connection between the amplitude and frequency of the pulsations and the volumetric flow rate of the flowing fluid. Of equal importance is the extent of the response of the wall to the nature of the pulsating flow which was detected, located and characterized using a non-invasive acoustic emission equipment. The simulations that were performed represent a major advance over prior attempts to simulate pulsating flows in flexible- and rigid-walled tubes. That advance was embodied in the model that was used to characterize the flow. In most of prior studies, a particular flow regime was selected and used throughout the entire solution domain. This selection ignored the fact that flowing fluids passing through variable cross sections undergo changes of flow regime. In particular, a flow initiated in a relatively large upstream cross section may be laminar based on inlet conditions. However, as the fluid travels downstream and enters a constricted cross section, the laminar regime may undergo a transition and subsequently experience turbulence. The capability to accommodate all these flow regimes by a single model was first accomplished in this research. Of special relevance is that the capability to simulate the proper flow regime enabled a more realistic response of the bounding wall of the tube to the imposed pulsations. Comparisons were made between the experimental results and the predictions of the simulations for two purposes. One was to establish the ranges of applicability of the simulation model. The other established a body of archival-quality information based on confirming experimental and simulated results. Another unique contribution of this research is the determination of the presence of flow-induced acoustic emissions. The motivation for this part of this work is the development of a diagnostic tool to detect, locate, and characterize blockages in arterial models

Assessment of Goat Production Systems and Factors Affecting Production and Utilization of Goat’s Milk in Humbo District of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

This survey study was conducted in Humbo district of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia, with the objectives of assessing goat production systems, constraints of goat production, goat milk consumption status and factors affecting goat’s milk consumption. Stepwise sampling method was employed and 103 representative households were selected. The mean landholding size was 1.8 ha (ranging from 0.25 to 7 ha). The mean total goat holding was 5.2 heads (ranging from 1 to 22 heads). Goats were reared for asset, meat production, milk production and as source of income. Extensive (55.4%) and semi-intensive (44.6%) were the two goat production systems identified. Ranked by the respondents, shortage of browsing area (1st), feed shortage (2nd), prevalence of disease (3rd) and lack of improved goat breeds (4th) were the major constraints for goat production. Goat milk consumption was not common (about 96% of the respondents did not consume goat’s milk), because of different factors including culture (about 85%), lack of awareness on the importance of goat milk (9%) and low amount of goat’s milk produced. Therefore, different improvement strategies that can solve the existing constraints should be employed. Keywords: Goat, goat milk, production syste

Urban Fuel Demand in Ethiopia: An Almost-Ideal Demand System Approach

This paper investigates the opportunities for reducing the pressure of urban centers on rural forest areas, using a dataset of 350 urban households in Tigrai in northern Ethiopia. We applied an almost-ideal demand system to fuels. Because the same fuels were not always used by households, the analysis started with a probit model of fuel use. The inverse Mills ratios derived from it were inserted into the estimation of the fuel demand system to obtain a full set of price and income elasticities. The results suggest that reducing the pressure of urban centers on local forests cannot be seen in isolation from broader development policies aimed at raising the level of education and income of the population. Higher income also stimulates the demand for fuel.price elasticities, income elasticities, almost-ideal fuel demand system, reducing deforestation, Ethiopia

Participation in Off-Farm Employment, Rainfall Patterns, and Rate of Time Preferences: The Case of Ethiopia

Devoting time to off-farm activities, while complementing agricultural incomes, may be constrained by labor availability and financial capacity. This paper assesses the importance of rainfall patterns, which condition the availability of agricultural labor, and financial constraints on off-farm employment decisions. Using panel data from Ethiopia, which include experimental rate-of-time preference measures, we found that these and rainfall are significant determinants off-farm employment. Rural development policies should take into account the financial capacity of households and the role of off-farm opportunities as safety nets in the face of weather uncertainty.off-farm employment, rainfall variability, reduced availability of water, rate-of time-preferences, multinomial logit, Ethiopia

Urban Energy Transition and Technology Adoption: The Case of Tigrai, Northern Ethiopia

Dependency of urban Ethiopian households on rural areas for about 85 percent of their fuel needs is a significant cause of deforestation and forest degradation, resulting in growing fuel scarcity and higher firewood prices. One response to reducing the pressure on rural lands is for urban households to switch fuel sources (from fuelwood to electricity, for example) to slow deforestation and forest degradation and reduce indoor air pollution. However, such an energy transition is conditioned on the adoption of appropriate cooking appliances or stove technologies by the majority of users. This paper investigates urban energy transition and technology adoption conditions using a dataset of 350 urban households in Tigrai, in northern Ethiopia. Results suggest that the transition to electricity is affected by households adopting the electric mitad cooking appliance, which in turn is influenced by the level of education and income, among other things.urban energy transition, electric mitad cooking appliance, technology adoption, bivariate probit, Tigrai, Ethiopia

Participation of the Ethiopian Police Contingent in the United Nations Peace Operations: Focus on the Role and Challenges

This research article delved the role and challenges of the Ethiopian police contingent in the United Nations peace operations. To this end, the author used socio-legal research method. Both primary and secondary data collections tools were employed. Key informant interview based on the mission experience were used to collect primary data. Secondary data critically reviewed relevant normative frameworks, standards, official reports, websites and other materials. The finding indicated that the Ethiopian police contingents are performing policing roles including crime prevention; strengthen administration and capacity of local police, restructure and reform of the host states police. Nevertheless, Ethiopia’s participation remains very low and even nonexistent in most of the peace operations. The finding also indicated that lack of normative and institutional arrangements are among the major challenges of the police contingent. This in particular includes lack of clear selection guideline of the police for mission, pre-deployment training deficiencies to the police candidates on mission language, driving skill and mission area courses and lack of well-established training centers. This in turn stalled the Ethiopian police not to significantly respond to the call for UNPOL peace operations. Hence, Ethiopia’s normative frameworks and institutional arrangements should be in line with the UNPOL legal and policy frameworks. In this regard, lessons ought to be drawn from Rwanda, Ghana and Nigeria. Keywords: United Nations Police (UNPOL), Peace Operation, Role, Challenges DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/76-02 Publication date:October 31st 202

Household Tree Planting in Tigrai, Northern Ethiopia: Tree Species, Purposes, and Determinants

Trees have multiple purposes in rural Ethiopia, providing significant economic and ecological benefits. Planting trees supplies rural households with wood products for their own consumption, as well for sale, and decreases soil degradation. We used cross-sectional household-level data to analyze the determinants of household tree planting and explored the most important tree attributes or purpose(s) that enhance the propensity to plant trees. We set up a sample selection framework that simultaneously took into account the two decisions of tree growers (whether or not to plant trees and how many) to analyze the determinants of tree planting. We used logistic regression to analyze the most important tree attributes that contribute to households’ tree-planting decisions. We found that land size, age, gender, tenure security, education, exogenous income, and agro-ecology increased both the propensity to plant trees and the amount of tree planting, while increased livestock holding impacted both decisions negatively. Our findings also suggested that households consider a number of attributes in making the decision to plant trees. These results can be used by policymakers to promote tree planting in the study area by trengthening tenure security and considering households’ selection of specific tree species for their attributes.tree plantin, tree species, tree attributes or purposes, sample selection, Tigrai, Ethiopia

Marketing of Dairy Products in Selected Districts of Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia

The study was conducted to assess dairy products marketing from January to May 2015 in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. To undertaken the study, multistage sampling method was used and data was collected from both primary and secondary sources. The collected data was analyzed statistically using SPSS (version 17) for windows by using descriptive statistics and general liner model. The study showed that the respondents had multiple reasons for the cause of increasing demand of milk and milk products, of which the combination of due to dry season, holiday and festivals and fasting (52.3%); dry season and non fasting (23.9%) and only dry season (12.8%) were the major one. Most of the interviewed respondents sold their dairy products through formal marketing (85.7%) while the rests did sell through both formal and informal alternatively.  About 41.9, 41.0, 14.3 and 2.9% of the respondents sold to their dairy products to consumers directly; directly to consumers and retailers, only to retailers and cooperatives, respectively. As indicated by respondents, cooperative marketing was not well developed in the study area. The study was also reported that the respondents had never sold fresh (whole milk), butter milk, fermented milk (yogurt/ergo); whey and ghee but they only sold both butter and cheese. Out of 150 interviewed farmers 53.29, 48.68, 39.47, 38.82 and 44.74% sold butter in dry season, wet season, fasting period, no fasting period, and holidays and festivals period, respectively while 23.68, 20.39, 18.42, 20.39 and 20.39% of the respondents sold cheese respectively in dry season, wet season, fasting period, no fasting period, and holidays and festivals period. The results of the study indicated that the price of the butter was sold 134.79±1.6 Birr/kg in average. The price of butter was significantly (P<0.05) vary across agro-ecology (location) in all parameters (during wet season, dry season, fasting, no fasting and holidays and festivals periods); the farmers of lowland areas sold butter in more expensive price than midland.  As indicated in the study, the butter marketing price was also significantly different due to  effect of selling time in the overall result as well as in each agro-ecology (low land and mid land ). The price was significantly lower in wet season in both low land and overall results while in mid land, the price was equally significantly lower in both, wet season and fast period. On the other hand, the highest price was reported in holidays and festivals periods, dry season and none fasting periods in both lowland and overall result; but in mid land area, only in holidays and festivals periods was reported highest price. However, the marketing price of cheese was insignificantly different across agro-ecology (lowland and midland). But it was significantly differ cross influencing of selling time (during wet season, dry season, fasting, no fasting and holidays and festivals periods) in both agro –ecology midland and low land and in overall result at 5% level of significant. It was concluded that in the study area, of the dairy products only both butter and cheese were sold and the sale price of milk and milk products was not consistent across years it was varying due to the effect of season, holiday and festivals, fasting and no fasting conditio

Participation in Off-Farm Employment, Risk Preferences, and Weather Variability: The Case of Ethiopia

This article assesses the relative importance of risk preferences and rainfall availability on households’ decision to engage in off-farm employment. Devoting time for off-farm activities, while it helps households earn additional incomes, involves a number of uncertainties. Unique panel data from Ethiopia which includes experimentally generated risk preference measures combined with longitudinal rainfall data is used in the analysis. An off farm participation decision and activity choice showed that both variability and reduced availability of rainfall as well as neutral risk preferences increase the likelihood of off-farm participation. From policy perspective, the results imply that expanding off farm opportunities could act as safety nets in the face of weather uncertainty. In addition, policy initiatives geared towards encouraging income diversification through off farm employment need to address underlying factor that condition risk bearing ability of households.Off-farm employment, labor supply, rainfall variability/reduced availability, risk preferences, GLLAMM, Ethiopia, Labor and Human Capital, Q13, D81, C35, C93,