IMPACT OF RISK AVERSE BEHAVIOR ON FERTILIZER DEMAND FOR TAME FORAGES

Risk and Uncertainty,

Verification of Soil Test Based Phosphorus Fertilizer Recommendation for Yield and Yield Components of Wheat in Hintalo-wajirat District, Ethiopia

The popularization of urea and DAP (Diammonium Phosphate) fertilizers are increasing from time to time.  However, small holder farmers are facing challenges on the price, amount and type of fertilizers to be applied on their land. These farmers were using blanket type of fertilizer application which is not recommended based on soil fertility status and crop nutrient requirements. Due to this, Mekelle Agricultural Research Centre has developed soil test based phosphorus critical value and phosphorus requirement factor for wheat in Enderta district. So, this trial was conducted in Tigray region Hintalo- wajirate district with the objective of verifying soil test phosphorus calibration findings established at Enderta district using wheat as an indicator crop. This was evaluated using three rates of fertilizer application treatments with no fertilizer applied, blanket type of fertilizer application and soil test based fertilizer recommendation laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with eighteen replications at nine farmer’s field. Data on yield and yield components of wheat was collected and the result reveals  that the straw and grain yield observed in soil test based fertilizer recommendation were 21% and 14% higher than the blanket type of application (50 Urea:100 DAP), respectively. Hence, in this trial there was a significant (p<0.05) grain as well as straw yield difference among the treatments. This shows that it is recommended to use the soil test based phosphorus fertilizer recommendation rate calibrated in Enderta district at similar agro ecological and soil types of wheat growing areas of Hintalo-wajirate district. Keywords: Soil Test, fertilizer, wheat, Hintalo- wajirate

Framing a Research Question

https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152363/1/2019-CIRHT-UM-Gebremeskel_ResearchQuestion.avihttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152363/2/2019-CIRHT-UM-Gebremeskel_ResearchQuestion.pd

Determination Time of Nitrogen Fertilizer Top Dressing for Teff Grown on Vertisols in the Northern Part of Ethiopia

Teff is a highly valued crop in more than 50-million Ethiopian people. However low plant available soil nitrogen due to depleting soil organic matter content and high leaching losses of mineralized nitrogen during the growing rainy seasons is one of the constraints listed for its low production and productivity in the country. The nationwide N fertilizer Recommendation for heavy soils (including Vertisols) was 60 kgha-1 and this rate  most of the farmer were recommended  to apply at 50% one week after emergence and 50% at 35-40 days after planting that is without any application of nitrogen at sowing/planting. Therefore, a field experiment was carried out during 2012 and 2013 main cropping season from July to November in Tahtay Machew district of central zone of Tigray region, Ethiopia. The objectives was  to  determine the most effective  time of nitrogen fertilizer application for tef production in the study area,  effect on yield and yield components of teff and Total nitrogen uptake by the plant.. The treatments were T1: (100% applied at Planting) Control, T2: (100% applied at Emergence), T3: (100% applied at Tillering), T4:(75% at Planting and 25% at Tillering), T5: (75% at Emergence and 25% at Tillering), T6: (75% at tillering and 25% at Emergence, T7: (50% at Planting and 50% at Tillering), T8: (50% at, Emergence, 25% at Tillering 25%   at planting), T9: (50% at Tillering and 50% at Emergence), T10: (25% at Planting and 75% at Tillering), T11: (25 % at emergence, 50% at tillering and 25% at planting), T12: (25% at tillering, 25 % at Emergence and 50% at planting. The experiment was laid out as a randomized complete block design with four replications.  All the parameters collected were computed using Gen-Stat 13th edition statistical software. The parameters were: days to panicle emergence, days to maturity, plant height, panicle length, lodging percentage, grain yield, biomass yield, harvest index and total Ni uptake by the plant. In general the highest panicle length, plant height, lodging percentage, grain yield, biomass yield, harvest index and total nitrogen was recorded when the recommended N is applied 25% at planting and 75% at tillering as compare to other treatments. Thus in heavy soils, where by the recommendation rate of 60-kgha-1 should be applied at a time of 25% at planting and &75% at tillering. Keywords: Tillering, Lodging percentage, Grain yield, Total N Uptake

County-Level Determinants of Local Public Services in Appalachia: A Multivariate Spatial Autoregressive Model Approach

In this paper, multivariate spatial autoregressive model of local public expenditure determination is developed. The empirical model is developed based on maximization of community utility function. The model is estimate by efficient GMM using Appalachian counties and the results indicate significant spatial spillover effects with respect to local public expenditures.Public Economics,

A Review on: The Effect of Agro Forestry Trees on Minimizing Infestation of Striga hermonthica Through the Enhancement of Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) with Sorghum in the Northern Part of Ethiopia

Sorghum is one of the major food grain crops in Ethiopia, especially in the northern part of the country. The production and productivity of sorghum is affected by the root hemi parasite Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth. (Orobanchaceae). In Ethiopia it is limited integrated control measure have been carried out to combat Striga. Reasons for the limited success in Striga control include prolific seed production, monocropping, close coupling of its life cycle to that of its host, and the fact that effective control methods are not within the reach of farmers practicing subsistence agriculture (Oswald A.2005). Sustainable management systems targeting Striga management on cereals in general or sorghum in particular might benefit from managing this symbiotic interaction. Agro forestry trees have the capacity to enhance AM and symbiotic relationship between sorghum can blocks for Striga hermonthica so as not to get any communication with its host. Keywords: AM symbiotic, Striga hermonthica

The Role of Food for work to Cooperatives on Household food security

The research was conducted in Enderta Woreda, in southern zone of Tigray National Regional State, to assess the beneficiaries’ perception on the role of food for work and to review and assess the discouragement effect. During the study, primary data were collected from 120 members of a multi purpose cooperative and 30 non members. In addition secondary data were collected from the relevant institutions. For the data analysis, descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution and percentages were used to describe institutional and socio-economic characteristics of the respondents. In addition, the t and Chi-square tests were employed to test the relationship of dependent variables with respect to some explanatory variables. A Multiple regression model was used to analyze factors influencing average annual income of respondents. The study revealed that the FFW beneficiaries have better access to food and their availability to food was also improved. The nutritional status has improved due to their participation in the project. FFW projects have also protected from migration for the 98.6% of the respondents. Moreover, it helped 88.4% of the respondents to enroll more children in schools. Besides, the study findings indicate that the only source of income for the majority of the respondents was farming. Even though, there are some problems in targeting in food aid, the study revealed that targeting in food for work was fairly done. This was confirmed by 94.3% of the respondents. Respondents in the survey area conformed that (51.4%) the payment was not enough and (48.6%) said it was enough. It was found from the study, the the average year of participation on food for work projects was 6 – 9 years. According to the estimates of the regression model the variables which greatly affect the income of respondents include age of beneficiaries and number of oxen owned

Measuring Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) Market Performance in Zambia

Given the role of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in developing economies in terms of job creation, poverty reduction, production and distribution of goods and services,  and foreign exchange earning, it is important to understand the determinants of firm performance. Business firm performance is usually measured by revenue, profitability, employment, stock price, production efficiency. This paper considers profitability as a major indicator of firm market performance. By conducting an empirical study using 187 micro and small sized firms from Lusaka and Central  provinces of Zambia, the paper analyzed the determinants of firm performance by considering profitability as a proxy variable. This study seeks to look at the role of firm-specific factors in profitability of MSEs by employing a quantitative method from qualitative responses collected on the performance of enterprises. The analysis is done by using both Descriptive statistics and a Ordered Probit Regression Model. Explanatory variables, to explain changes in profit across time by a business firm, included are sales/revenue, cost, market coverage, competition, training, and owning more than one business. The Ordered Probit Regression result showed that increase in sales and expansion in market coverage over time are the significant variables that explain variations in firm’s profitability. Keywords: Firm Performance, Profitability, Ordered Probit Model, Zambia

Irrigation in Ethiopia, a Review

A critical review of recent studies on irrigation systems and developments in Ethiopia was conducted from the historical point of view up to the present and the future. This review discusses the Ethiopian irrigation based on the historical backgrounds, current conditions of development and its contributions to the national economy, challenges and opportunities, and future development perspectives. It is believed that irrigation practices were long been in use during ancient times with unspecified beginning period. However, Irrigation was not likely a driving force for the initiation of ancient civilization in Ethiopia. Since 1950’s modern irrigation was introduced at the Rift Valley basin for productions of commercial crops. Government, donors and NGOs are investing in developing irrigation systems, especially on small-scale irrigations. As a result, irrigation is developing rapidly. However, its contribution to the national economy is not significant when compared to rain-fed agriculture. There is a scanty of detail study regarding water potentials and its developmental perspectives in the Ethiopian context as it lacks an agreed reports in common consensus. There should possibly be well-studied and documented reports in the field. It is evident that irrigation will play a significant role in the food security enhancement and economic development of Ethiopia, provided the efficient use of water is required. Keywords: Small Scale Irrigation; Irrigation; Review; Ethiopi

Modeling and Estimation Issues in Spatial Simultaneous Equations Models

Spatial dependence is one of the main problems in stochastic processes and can be caused by a variety of measurement problems that are associated with the arbitrary delineation of spatial units of observation (such as counties boundaries, census tracts), problems of spatial aggregation, and the presence of spatial externalities and spillover effects. The existence of spatial dependence would then mean that the observations contain less information than if there had been spatial independence. Consequently, hypothesis tests and the statistical properties for estimators in the standard econometric approach will not hold. Thus, in order to obtain approximately the same information as in the case of spatial independence, the spatial dependence needs to be explicitly quantified and modeled. Although advances in spatial econometrics provide researchers with new avenues to address regression problems that are associated with the existence of spatial dependence in regional data sets, most of the applications have, however, been in single-equation frame-works. Yet, for many economic problems there are both multiple endogenous variables and data on observations that interact across space. Therefore, researchers have been in the undesirable position of having to choose between modeling spatial interactions in a single equation frame-work, or using multiple equations but losing the advantage of a spatial econometric approach. In an attempt to address this undesirable position, this research work deals with the modeling and estimation issues in spatial simultaneous equations models. The first part discusses modeling issues in multi-equation Spatial Lag, Spatial Error, and Spatial Autoregressive Models in both cross sectional and panel data sets. Whereas, the second part deals with estimation issues in spatial simultaneous equations models in both cross sectional and panel data sets. Finally, issues related specification tests in spatial simultaneous equations models are discussed