Effect of Sorghum and Cowpea of Intercropping Systems at Mechara on Station, West Hararghe, Eastern Oromia, Ethiopia

The experiment was conducted at Mechara Agricultural Research Center (McARC) on experimental station with the objectives to evaluate the effect sorghum and cowpea intercropping on grain and forage dry matter yield and to recommend appropriate intercropping strategy for the study area. A total of ten treatments; Abshir + cow pea + fertilizer, Abshir + cow pea without fertilizer, Abshir sole with fertilizer, cow pea sole without fertilizer, IS-9302 + cow pea + fertilizer, IS-9302 + cow pea without fertilizer, IS-9302 sole with fertilizer, Seredo + cow pea + fertilizer, Seredo + cow pea without fertilizer and Seredo sole with fertilizer were used. The experiment was arranged using randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The experiment was conducted on the plot size of 4m*6m. The sorghum varieties were sown at the spacing of 75cm between rows and 20cm between plants. Cowpea also planted with spacing of two rows between sorghum spaced at 25cm away from the rows of the sorghum at the time of the first weeding of sorghum to minimize any competition. The grain yield of the sorghum, IS-9302 and cowpea with fertilizer (37.54 Qt/ha) showed was significantly higher than the rest of the other sorghums (Abshir and Seredo) (P<0.05). The mean grain yield of Abshir and cowpea intercropping without fertilizer (5.59 Qt/ha) was significantly lower than those of the sorghums-cowpea intercrops (8.86-37.54 Qt/ha) (P>0.05). The mean grain yield of sole cowpea (6.01 t/ha) was significantly higher than those of the IS-9302-cowpea intercrop with fertilize (2.86t/ha), IS-9302-cowpea intercrop without fertilize (3.13t/ha) and Seredo-cowpea intercrop without fertilize (3.59t/ha) (P<0.05). The biomass yield of the individual sorghums and cowpea showed were not significantly difference to each other (P>0.05). The results suggest that sorghums and cowpea grain yields and biomass yields of intercrops can be maximized for both human and livestock feeding by integrating IS-9302 and cowpea with fertilizer (37.54 Qt/ha). Hence, from the overall performances IS-9302 IS-9302 and cowpea intercropping with fertilizer was selected for demonstration and promotion in the study area. Keywords: Abshir, Cowpea, Seredo, Sorghum, Intercropping and IS-930

Impact of Small-Scale Irrigation on Household Food Security in Central Highlands of Ethiopia: Evidences from Walmara District

Small-scale irrigation is among the feasible way in which agricultural production and productivity can be boosted to meet the ever-growing food demand of least developed countries like Ethiopia. But, unlike the potential, the level of utilization is very low. This study was conducted to assess the impact of small-scale irrigation on household food security using the primary data collected from 220 sample households from Walmara district, Finfinnee surrounding Oromia special zone. Descriptive and econometric data analyses were executed. Logistic regression was the model used and propensity score matching (PSM) was the method used to measure the impact of irrigation use on household food security. Using the result of PSM, 118 irrigation non-irrigators were matched with 83 irrigators by discarding 19 observations that are out of the common support. Then, the average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) was estimated and the result was 529kcal. Finally, the sensitivity analysis was done and the result showed that the estimated ATT was insensitive to unobserved bias up to 200%. This means family members of irrigation user households on average consume more calories of 529 kcal than irrigation non-users per day and this result is statistically significant. Therefore, agricultural policy interventions giving priority to small-scale irrigation facilities are recommended for their contributions in improving household food security in the study area. Keywords: Impact, Small-scale irrigation, Food security, Calorie, Walmara, PSM DOI: 10.7176/JESD/12-3-04 Publication date: February 28th 202

GIS Based Assessment of Suitability area of Rainwater Harvesting in Daro Labu District, Oromia, Ethiopia

Rainwater harvesting is the process of intercepting, conveying and storing rainfall for future uses. The aim of the research was to assess and mapping suitability area of water harvesting site in Daro Labu District. Various methodologies to identify suitable sites and techniques for rainwater harvesting were use. GIS is the recent technology of spatiotemporal data used to assess the factor of influences for rainfall and runoff depth estimation. The influence factors for the assessment was climate data, soil texture and depth, land use and land cover type, slope difference were use. The SCS–CN for rainfall used to runoff depth estimation and volume from the land surface depends on the level of antecedent moisture condition (AMC.) The length of wet and dry season of the study area were known with antecedent moisture condition of II, I III by having the values of 82, 67and 91 respectively. The annual of 20 years average rainfall was 925.2 mm with maximum and minimum of 1134 mm and 737.3 mm respectively with average annual runoff depth of estimate was 185.3 mm.  From the estimated annual runoff, the volume of water harvested was about 2.89 x 108 m3. From the total area of (156064.72 ha), the suitability map of the study area shows very highly, highly, low  and not potential accounts by coverage areas about 8.2%, 16.6%, 63.5%, and) 7.5% respectively. The runoff in the study area was affected by geomorphological factors, land use change, topography, soil texture and depth, affects the runoff rate and volume significantly. Key words: ArcGIS, Rainwater Harvesting, SCS-Curve Number, Suitability area Daro Labu DOI: 10.7176/JEES/12-10-04 Publication date:October 31st 202

Food Security Status and Its Determinant Factors in Central Ethiopia: Empirical Evidence from Walmara District

The study was conducted with the objective of assessing factors associated with farm households’ food security status using primary data collected from 220 sample households from Walmara district, central Ethiopia. The multistage sampling technique was the sampling procedure followed to take the required sample. Descriptive and econometric data analyses were executed. The descriptive result revealed that sex of the head, access to credit services, access to extension contact, educational level of the household head, livestock holding, and land owned were positively related, while the occurrence of crop pests, age of the household head, dependency ratio, family size, market distance, and irrigation distance negatively related to household food security status. Logistic regression was the model used, and the result revealed that sex of the household head, livestock holding, land owned, access to extension contacts, access to irrigation services, and access to credit services showed a positive association, while the family size and dependency ratio negatively and significantly associated with household foods security status. Therefore, policies and strategies focusing on the provision of gender-based training, establishing irrigation facilities, promoting mixed farming of crop and livestock, and availing institutional facilities that providing financial and technical services to farm households are recommended as they contribute more in improving the food security status of farm households. Keywords: Food security, Calorie, logistic regression, Walmara DOI: 10.7176/FSQM/108-03 Publication date:May 31st 2021

Analysis of the Technical, Allocative, and Economic Efficiencies of Tef Producers in Ejersa Lafo District, Central Oromia, Ethiopia

Tef is the most important food and cash crop for more than 70 million people. It is the second-largest crop in terms acreage, but its average productivity is lower compared to other that may arise from different factors. Therefore, this research was intended to assess technical, allocative and economic efficiency of tef producers, and factors affecting technical inefficiency of tef producers using primary data collected from 472 tef producers from Ejersa Lafo district, Oromia, Ethiopia. The result of the stochastic frontier model and Cobb-Douglas production function revealed that the mean technical, allocative, and economic efficiency scores were 80.85%, 88.91% and 71.89% respectively. The result also revealed that all the included production variable; land, labor, fertilizer, chemicals, seed, and size of the plot allotted for tef significantly affected yield per hectare. Moreover, sex, education, experience in tef production, age of the head, distance from farmers’ training center and dependence ratio were the variable significantly affected technical inefficiency of teff producers. The conclusion from these results is that there is a room for farmers to reallocate their resources and achieve higher tef yield per hectare by 19.15%, and minimize their cost of tef production per hectare by 28.11%. Keywords: Allocative efficiency, Economic efficiency, Stochastic frontier, Technical efficiency, Tef, Ethiopia DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/12-13-02 Publication date:July 31st 202

A Review on Synthesis, Characterization Methods and Biological Activities of Semicarbazone, Thiosemi-Carbazone and Their Transition Metal Complexes

Semicarbazones and thiosemicarbazones are compounds obtained by condensation of Semicarbazides and thiosemicarbazide with suitable aldehydes or ketones. They are potent intermediates for the synthesis of pharmaceutical and bioactive materials and thus, they are used extensively in the field of medicinal chemistry. The development of new beneficial bioactive compounds exhibiting different biological activities is one of the crucial aims in medicinal and bioinorganic chemistry. Semicarbazones, thiosemicarbazones and their derivatives have been evaluated as antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, antiviral, radical scavenging, antitubercular, antitumor and anticancer therapeutics especially when bind to transition metals. Their biological activities are considered to be related to their ability to form chelates with metals. The structures of the compounds have been characterized on the basis of their IR and 1H-NMR data. Studies have been conducted on compounds bearing –N=N-, -N-C=S, and -CH=N- as pharmacophore. Accordingly by considering this biological potential herein, the synthesis root of some of these derivatives and complexes are reviewed as for biological activities and is aim to organize the different biological activities of some synthesized semicarbazone and thiosemicarbazone derivatives with transition metals. Keywords: Semicarbazone, thiosemicarbazones, Metal Complexes, antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer therapeutics. DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/9-17-04 Publication date:September 30th 201

Evaluation of the Nutritional Composition of Selected Indigenous Fodder Trees and Shrubs in Daro Labu District, Eastern Ethiopia

Low availability of quality fodder particularly in the dry season is a major factor constraining livestock production in Ethiopia. Therefore, a study was conducted in Daro Labu District of West Hararghe Zone, Eastern Ethiopia to evaluate the nutritional composition of selected indigenous fodder trees and shrubs as a feed resources. Three Rural Kebeles (villages) were purposively selected in the highland, midland, and lowland in the district. Chemical analysis of leaves of selected fodder trees and shrub samples, namely, Acacia brevispica L., Combretum molle, Erythrina abyssinic (Lam), and Cordia africana (Lam) were analyzed for their chemical composition. The results of chemical analysis of feed samples of the selected fodder trees and shrubs revealed that the dry matter of Combretum molle was found to be significantly higher (P<0.01) than that of Accia brevispica. The ash content of the selected fodder trees and shrubs ranged 7.3-16.6%. The ash content of Cordia africana was significantly higher (P<0.01) than that of Combretum molle. The crude protein contents of Acacia brevispica L., Combretum molle, Erythrina abyssinic (Lam) and Cordia africana (Lam) were 17.51, 15.84, 14.04 and 8.89%, respectively. The neutral detergent fiber was greater (59.14%) in Cordia africana and lower (47.49%) in Acacia brevispica. The relative feed value of Acacia brevispica, Combretum molle, Erythrina abyssinica and Cordia africana were 136.3, 121.26, 112.9 and 74.8, respectively. The crude protein (CP) content and relative feeding value (RFV) of Acacia brevispica was significantly higher (P< 0.05) than the crude protein contents and relative feeding values of the other fodder tree/shrub species. This closely followed by the crude protein and feeding value of the leaves of Erythrina abyssinica. Generally, Acacia brevispica and Erythrina abyssinica had higher potential as animal feed in terms of crude protein contents and relative feeding value. In conclusion based on these results, Acacia brevispica and Erythrina abyssinica species could be recommended as potential animal feed resources in the study area. Keywords: Chemical analysis, feed resources, fodder trees and shrub

Selecting and Introducing Preferable Methods of Cyanide Removal from Cassava Root in Selected Iodine Deficiency Disordered (IDD) Areas of Wolaita Zone

Cassava is a major source of food in developing countries, but consumption of cassava products that contain large amounts of cyanogens can cause cyanide poisoning. Identification of highly effective methods or procedures that reduce the cyanogens contained in cassava roots which require no sophisticated equipment, and can readily be adopted by  users is of tremendous importance. So the aim of the study was to select and introduce the best methods of cyanide removal from cassava by the detoxification methods: fermentation, sun drying, boiling, milling and ANU (wetting) methods. And to assess the iodine status of the community, urine samples were selected from the health centers for urinary iodine excretion test. The result obtained indicates that the most compatible methods for reduction of the cyanide from the cassava was found to be the ANU (wetting) methods and fermentation methods, which reduces 94.55% and 90.35% mean reduction of cyanide respectively. The median urinary iodine concentration (38.27µg/L) was also found in study site confirms that the area is moderately affected by iodine deficiency. So there is need to use improved methods of processing that greatly reduce the total cyanide content of flour like fermentation and wetting methods, to lower cyanide concentration to be blow WHO tolerance limits. The occurrence of IDD is very probably due to high cyanide intake over several years from mainly high cassava consumer. Keywords: Cassava, cyanide, urinary iodine, detoxification, wetting, fermentation

Determination of Cyanide Concentration Levels in Different Cassava Varieties in Selected Iodine Deficiency Disordered (IDD) Areas of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a cyanogenic plant which is toxic when consumed without sufficient processing. Cassava is characterized by presence of linamarin a cyanogenic glycoside and when acted upon by an enzyme linamarase is hydrolysed into cyanohydrin which is further hydrolyzed to give hydrogen cyanide (HCN) which is toxic. This study aimed at determination of the levels of cyanide in the sweet cassava variety grown in different geographical regions of Wolaita zone namely Offa, Kindo koysha and Kindo didaye woredas. The picrate paper method and UV-Visible Spectrophotometric Determination Procedure were used. The study also reports on variation of cyanide concentration within varieties and its concentration in different parts of cassava root. The concentration of cyanide varied significantly (p<0.05), with the geographical location. The concentration of cyanide in cassava from Kindo koysha was highest (66±3.5 mg/kg), while cassava from Kindo didaye had the lowest cyanide concentration (29.35± 3.7 mg/kg), While the cyanide concentration in cassava from Offa was 47.725± 4.21 mg/kg. Three parts of cassava root (Pith,Cortex and Parechyma) contained significantly different concentrations of cyanide; 49.24±3.12, 81.23±2.84, 68.45±2.2mg/kg respectively. The concentrations of cyanide in cassava from all the study sites were higher than the recommended level by WHO (10mg of HCN/kg body weight). The median urinary iodine concentration (38.27μg/L) was also found in study site confirms that the area is moderately affected by iodine deficiency. This study provides critical information on the potential toxicity of cyanide in cassava from the three woredas of Wolaita zone. Keywords: cassava; cyanide; picrate method; Kello; Qull

Assessment of Feed Resources Availability and Utilization in Daro Labu district, Western Hararghe Zone

The study was conducted in Daro Labu District of West Hararghe Zone, Eastern Ethiopia to assess the availability and utilization practices of feed resources in the study area. Data was collected by semi structured interview, focus group discussion and secondary data was collected from different sources. Three Rural Kebeles (villages) were purposively selected in the highland, midland, and lowland in the district. The purpose of keeping livestock species in the study area were for milk (for sale and home consumption), meat, draft power, source of cash (from sale of animals and their products), source of manure and transport. The survey result indicated that mixed crop-livestock production is the key farming activity in the study district. Both sale of crops and livestock were the main sources of income. Crop residues and leaves of fodder trees and shrubs were the major sources of feed in dry season while thinned plants and weeds from crop fields were the primary sources of feed in the wet season of the study area. It is concluded that crop residues, fodder trees and shrubs, and thinned plants and weeds from crop fields are the major feed resources in the study area. Feed shortage, livestock disease, water shortage, extended drought and market problem is the major identified problems and constraints of livestock production in the study area. Finding of the study also revealed that frequent occurrence of drought, over population, and cropland expansion account for the major causes of feed resource shortage in the study area. Proper cultivation and utilization of improved forage and fodder trees and shrubs can serve as a means of improving animal feed availability. This opportunity should be recommended to supplement with other feed resources to improve the nutritional quality of available feed resources. More and effective extension services and strengthening the capacity of farmers in feed resource conservation techniques should focus on solving for livestock feed shortage in the study area. Keywords: Crop residues, Feed, Feed resources, Fodder trees and shrub