STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE LAND MANAGEMENT, CROP PRODUCTION, AND HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN THE HIGHLANDS OF TIGRAY, NORTHERN ETHIOPIA

This paper investigates strategies to improve land management, crop production and household income in the northern Ethiopian highlands based upon econometric analysis of household and plot level survey data collected from 500 households. We find that several profitable opportunities exist to improve land management, agricultural production and incomes.International Development,

Community natural resource management: the case of woodlots in northern Ethiopia

This paper examines the nature of community management of woodlots and investigates the determinants of collective action and its effectiveness in managing woodlots, based on a survey of 100 villages in Tigray, northern Ethiopia. We find that collective management of woodlots generally functions well in Tigray. Despite limited current benefits received by community members, the woodlots contribute substantially to community wealth, increasing members' willingness to provide collective effort to manage the woodlots. We find that benefits are greater and problems less on woodlots managed at the village level than those managed at a higher municipality level, and that the average intensity of management is greater on village-managed woodlots. Nevertheless, we find little evidence of differences in collective management of woodlots or its effectiveness on village vs. municipality-managed woodlots, after controlling for other factors. The factors that do significantly affect collective action include population density (higher collective labor input and lower planting density at intermediate than at low or high density), market access (less labor input, planting density and tree survival where market access is better), and presence of external organizations promoting the woodlot (reduces local effort to protect the woodlot and tree survival). The negative effect of market access suggests that higher opportunity costs of labor and/or increased “exit options” undermine collective resource management. The findings suggest collective action may be more beneficial and more effective when managed at a more local level, when the role of external organizations is more demand-driven, and when promoted in intermediate population density communities more remote from markets. In higher population density settings and areas closer to markets, private-oriented approaches are likely to be more effective.resource management, Forest management, Population density, Collective behavior, Ethiopia,

Determinants of cereal diversity in communities and on household farms of the Northern Ethiopian Highlands:

"On farm conservation of crop diversity poses obvious policy challenges in terms of the design of appropriate incentive mechanisms and possible trade-offs between conservation and productivity. This paper compares factors explaining the inter-specific diversity (diversity among species) and infra-specific diversity (diversity among varieties within a species) of cereal crops grown in communities and on individual farms in the northern Ethiopian highlands....If agrobiodiversity conservation is to be seriously considered as a policy option in these communities, applied economics researchers will need to 1) establish the relationship of cereal diversity conservation to private and social welfare, and 2) articulate the relationship between the names of varieties managed by farmers and infra-specific, genetic diversity measured through agro-morphological or molecular analysis. Methodological advance may be required to relate policies to diversity outcomes measured at various geographical scales or levels of aggregation in the same farming system. Specific issues for further social science research include the relationship of seed management practices, seed markets, tenure and soil conservation practices to diversity conservation, and the possible application of bio-economic models to the analysis of species and genetic diversity interactions with farming systems. For policy purposes, it will be important to better understand the particular institutional and social elements that cause communities to behave differently in terms of conservation than the individual household farms of which they are composed, and for some communities to conserve more than others. " Authors' AbstractEthiopia, households, Farms, small, africa, Biological diversity conservation, Communities,

THE DETERMINANTS OF CEREAL CROP DIVERSITY ON FARMS IN THE ETHIOPIAN HIGHLANDS

On farm conservation of crop diversity entails policy challenges, especially when the diversity of crops maintained on farms has both inter-specific (among crops) and infra-specific (within a crop) components. Survey data is used to compare the determinants of inter- and infra-specific diversity on household farms in the highlands of northern Ethiopia. Physical features of the farm, and household characteristics such as livestock assets and the proportion of adults that are men, have large and significant effects on both the diversity among and within cereal crops grown, varying among crops. Demographic aspects such as age of household head and adult education levels affect only infra-specific diversity of cereals. Though there are no apparent trade-offs between policies that would enhance one type of diversity (richness) versus another (evenness), those designed to encourage infra-specific diversity in one cereal crop might have the opposite effect on another crop. Trade-offs between development and diversity in this resource-poor system are not evident. Market-related variables and population density have ambiguous effects. Education positively influences cereal crop diversity. Growing modern varieties of maize or wheat does not detract from the richness or evenness of these cereals on household farms.Crop Production/Industries,

Optimierung von Saatgutbehandlungsmitteln mit Wirkung gegen Flugbrand an Gerste und Weizen (Ustilago nuda, U. tritici) unter Nutzung verbesserter Verfahren zum Nachweis der Erreger

Ziel des Projektes war die Entwicklung von Saatgutbehandlungsmitteln zur Flugbrandbekämpfung im Ökolandbau und von Techniken die geeignet sind, die Entwicklung solcher Saatgutbehandlungsmittel zu beschleunigen. In Inokulationsversuchen konnte im Feldversuch durch Ausstäuben von Sporen Saatgut mit 2-5% Flugbrandbefall erzeugt werden. Nach Einzelblüteninokulation lag der Befall oft über 60%. Anders als bei Weizen waren bei Gerste die Keimfähigkeit und das Tausendkorngewicht von solchem Saatgut deutlich reduziert. Von ca. 30 geprüften Pflanzenextrakten führten neun nach Inkorporation in PDA zu einer vollständigen Hemmung der Brandsporenkeimung. In Hemmtesten mit Mikroorganismen betrug der Anteil wirksamer Isolate bei den Trichoderma-Isolaten 43%, bei den Actinomyceten 30% und bei den übrigen Bakterien 11%. In mehrjährig durchgeführten Kleinparzellenversuchen mit flugbrandinfizierter Gerste und Weizen wurden mit einigen Behandlungsvarianten Bekämpfungserfolge erzielt. Die Effekte waren aber zu gering für die praktische Anwendung und nur bedingt reproduzierbar. Topfversuche im Gewächshaus mit hochinfizierten Saatgutchargen erbrachten ähnliche Ergebnisse. Die Wirksamkeit gegen Haferflugbrand wurde nur einmal überprüft. Wie im Falle von Gersten- und Weizenflugbrand war der Bekämpfungserfolg auch beim Haferflugbrand unbefriedigend. Eine Ausnahme bildete die Saatgutbehandlung mit Ethanol (70%). Mit ihr wurde bei Hafer eine Flugbrandwirksamkeit von ca. 80% erzielt. Nach Anfärbung mit dem Fluoreszenzfarbstoff Blankophor wurde beobachtet, dass der Pilz schon wenige Tage nach Beginn der Keimung in das Apikalmeristem und die Blattprimordien eindrang. Im 1-Knotenstadium waren die Ährenanlagen meist völlig besiedelt. Ein Protokoll für einen immunologischen (ELISA) und für einen molekularbiologischen (real-time PCR) Nachweis wurde entwickelt und zur Quantifizierung des Pilzes in Jungpflanzen angewendet. Die mit beiden Methoden erhaltenen Daten stimmten gut überein. In weiteren Versuchen konnte die Anwendbarkeit des mikroskopischen Nachweises und des ELISA für die Entwicklung von Saatgutbehandlungsmitteln und –verfahren exemplarisch gezeigt werden

Significant association between perceived HIV related stigma and late presentation for HIV/AIDS care in low and middle-income countries: A systematic review and metaanalysis

Background Late presentation for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care is a major impediment for the success of antiretroviral therapy (ART) outcomes. The role that stigma plays as a potential barrier to timely diagnosis and treatment of HIV among people living with HIV/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is ambivalent. This review aimed to assess the best available evidence regarding the association between perceived HIV related stigma and time to present for HIV/AIDS care. Methods Quantitative studies conducted in English language between 2002 and 2016 that evaluated the association between HIV related stigma and late presentation for HIV care were sought across four major databases. This review considered studies that included the following outcome:late HIV testing',late HIV diagnosis' andlate presentation for HIV care after testing'. Data were extracted using a standardized Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) data extraction tool. Meta-Analysis was undertaken using Revman-5 software. I2 and chi-square test were used to assess heterogeneity. Summary statistics were expressed as pooled odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals and corresponding p-value. Results Ten studies from low-And middle- income countries met the search criteria, including six (6) and four (4) case control studies and cross-sectional studies respectively. The total sample size in the included studies was 3,788 participants. Half (5) of the studies reported a significant association between stigma and late presentation for HIV care. The meta-Analytical association showed that people who perceived high HIV related stigma had two times more probability of late presentation for HIV care than who perceived low stigma (pooled odds ratio = 2.4; 95%CI: 1.6±3.6, I2 = 79%). Conclusions High perceptions of HIV related stigma influenced timely presentation for HIV care. In order to avoid late HIV care presentation due the fear of stigma among patients, health professionals should play a key role in informing and counselling patients on the benefits of early HIV testing or early entry to HIV care. Additionally, linking the systems and positive case tracing after HIV testing should be strengthened

DETEKSI GLUKOSA DALAM URIN ORANGUTAN SUMATERA (PONGO ABELII) MENGGUNAKAN STRIPTEST SEMIKUANTITATIF DI TAMAN HEWAN PEMATANG SIANTAR

Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui ada tidaknya glukosa dalam uron orangutan sumatera (Pongo abelii) sebagai penunjang diagnosa di Taman Hewan Pematang Siantar, Sumatera Utara. Pengoleksian urin terhadap 4 ekor orangutan sumatera di dalam kandang yang dilakukan pada pagi hari yaitu saat orangutan bangun tidur atau sebelum pemberian pakan orangutan. Pengulangan uji dilakukan 3 kali selama 10 hari pada bulan Januari 2015. Setelah pengoleksian urin kemudian dilakukan pemeriksaan dengan cara mencelupkan stripstest pada 5-10 ml urin selama 30 detik. Analisis data menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif dengan hasil bersifat semikuantitatif melalui pembacaan nilai glukosa pada stripstest yang memiliki skala perubahan warna yaitu : negatif, positif 1 (100 mg/dL), positif 2 (250 mg/dL), positif 3 (500 mg/dL), dan positif 4 (1000 mg/dL). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa dari 4 sampel urin orangutan sumatera tidak terdeteksi adanya glukosa dalam urin