The Impact of Village Poultry Technology Adoption on the Livelihood of Smallholder Farmers in Central Oromia Region, Ethiopia

The study was conducted to assess the impact of village poultry technology adoption on smallholder farmers in central Oromia Region, Ethiopia.Using multi-stage random sampling method, 180 technology participants were selected for face to face interview. Structured questionnaire was employed to collect data. Propensity score matching (PSM) Logit model was used to test the impact of the technology. The study revealed that adopters were significantly benefited by 68.5% from the technology and could produce 101 more eggs per/layer, consumed 18 more eggs/year and got 168.65 Birr more income per layer/year as compared to non-adopters. In conclusion, improved chicken breeds intervention had positive impact on average treatment effect on treated (ATT) and average treatment effect (ATE) on study population. Except livelihood change, the significant differences between adopters and non-adopters on outcome variables were not due to hidden bias but due to the treatment effect of technology intervention. Keywords: Adoption, Impact, Propensity score matching, Village poultry technolog

Effect of Barley Bran, Linseed Meal and Their Mixes Supplementation on Carcass and Non-Carcass Components of Arsi-Bale Sheep Fed on Basal Diet of Faba Bean Haulms

Twenty five yearling male Arsi-Bale sheep breed with mean initial body weight of 19.8 ±1.29kg were used to evaluate the effect barley bran (BB), linseed meal (LSM) and their mixes supplementation on carcass, edible and non-edible offal components.  A complete randomized block design consisting of five treatments and five blocks was employed. The treatments were T1: ad libitum feeding of faba bean haulms, T2: ad libitum faba bean haulms + sole supplementation of BB, T3: ad libitum faba bean haulms + supplementation of 2BB:1LSM, T4: ad libitum faba bean haulms + supplementation of 1BB:2LSM and T5: ad libitum faba bean haulms + sole supplementation of LSM. To increase intake, haulms were chopped 2-5cm prior to offering. The supplement feeds were offered at 300 g/head per day in DM basis at 08:00 and at 16:00 hours by dividing the daily offer into two equal portions.  The feeding trial was conducted for 90 days. At the end of the feeding trail, sheep were fasted for 12 hours (with free access to water), weighed and slaughtered for carcass and non-carcass components analysis. Unsupplemented sheep resulted significantly lowest carcass (P<0.001), liver (P<0.05), kidneys and intestines (P<0.01) weights as compared to supplemented treatments. There were no significant differences (P>0.001) observed among supplemented groups. In conclusion, different proportion of concentrate supplements could affect the weight of both the carcass and non-carcass components. Keywords: Barley bran, carcass, faba bean haulms, linseed meal, offa

Biogas and bio-fertilizer production potential of abattoir waste as means of sustainable waste management option in Hawassa City, southern Ethiopia

The purpose of this study was to assess abattoir waste generation in Hawassa Municipality Abattoir (HMA) andits potential to produce biogas and bio-fertilizer employing a cross-sectional design and mathematical computation based on standard coefficients. The study demonstrated that HMA generates 885,881.6Kg of abattoir waste per year and using anaerobic digestion about 46,951.72m3/year of biogas can be produced. This waste has the potential of generating a total energy of 246,027.01KWh/year. The biogas or energy from the waste can replace the biomass (firewood and charcoal) and the expensive fossil fuels. Using the produced46, 951.72m3/year biogas could reduce the annual CO2 emission of 150,600.10Kg/kWh from kerosene, 150,600.10Kg/kWh from petrol, 132,882.50Kg/kWh from diesel or 132,882.50Kg/kWh from LPG use. The abattoir will be able to produce an estimated 65,112.3 Kg/year dry bio-fertilizer from biogas technology and this bio-fertilizer can be supplied to local farmers for crop production or can be used by city municipality for growing plants used for beautification. This obtainable bio- fertilizer is valued 29,951.66 USDper annum and to a certain extent will contribute to the reduction of domestic demand of chemical fertilizer thus will reduce the annual budget. As a long-term and sustainable waste management solution, installing anaerobic digestion plant is recommended, but using proper disposal method among the existing would serve as a short-term solution.Keywords: - Abattoir, Bio-fertilizer, Biogas, Energy, Hawassa, Wast

Characterization of the Adoption of Village Poultry Technology Package Elements, Chicken Breeds and Forms in the Central Oromia Region, Ethiopia

The Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development developed and disseminated village poultry technology package containing improved chicken breeds, improved poultry feeding, housing, watering and disease control. This study was conducted to characterize the adoption status of the technology package elements, chicken breeds and forms in different agro-ecological zones of central Oromia Region, Ethiopia. One hundred eighteen (180) village poultry technology package participants were used for this study. Structured questionnaire, field observations and focus group discussion were employed to collect detail information. The study revealed that respondents received 4.7(0.80) pullets with cockerel and 10.1(1.25) only pullets for the technology but their demands were 64.0(6.11) and 97.9(16.27) pullets with cockerels and only pullets, respectively. As compared with other technology elements, improved chicken breed adoption was better. The overall adoption level of the technology elements was 39.4%, where better adoption (48.3%) was in the highland and the least (33.3%) was in the lowland agro-ecologies. The mean adoption index was not significant among the study agro-ecologies. The overall adoption index of the technology was 0.34(0.03). In conclusion, the adoption level of technology is categorized as low level. Therefore, to improve the technology adoption, much effort is needed from concerned organizations, professionals and famers. Keywords: Adoption; Technology element; Technology form; Package; Village poultry

J/psi Elliptic Flow, High pT Suppression and Upsilon Measurements in A+A Collisions by the PHENIX Experiment

Three measurements that broaden the scope of the experimental investigation of quarkonia modifications in heavy ion collisions are presented. Although the current statistical precision on the first two measurements does not allow one to draw significant conclusions, J/$\psi$ elliptic flow and high pT suppression results are important proofs of principle measurements, and make the case for higher luminosities at RHIC. Finally, the first measurement of an upper limit on the nuclear modification R_AA of dielectrons in the $\Upsilon$ mass region in Au+Au collisions is presented. The results show a significant suppression with an upper limit of 0.64 at 90% CL.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures - To appear in the conference proceedings for Quark Matter 2009, March 30 - April 4, Knoxville, Tennesse

Observed changes in extremes of daily rainfall and temperature in Jemma Sub-Basin, Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

Climate variability has been a threat to the socio-economic development of Ethiopia. This paper examined the changes in rainfall, minimum, and maximum temperature extremes of Jemma Sub-Basin of the Upper Blue Nile Basin for the period of 1981 to 2014. The nonparametric Mann-Kendall, seasonal Mann-Kendall, and Sen’s slope estimator were used to estimate annual trends. Ten rainfall and 12 temperature indices were used to study changes in rainfall and temperature extremes. The results showed an increasing trend of annual and summer rainfall in more than 78% of the stations and a decreasing trend of spring rainfall in most of the stations. An increase in rainfall extreme events was detected in the majority of the stations. Several rainfall extreme indices showed wetting trends in the sub-basin, whereas limited indices indicated dryness in most of the stations. Annual maximum and minimum temperature and extreme temperature indices showed warming trend in the sub-basin. Presence of extreme rainfall and a warming trend of extreme temperature indices may suggest signs of climate change in the Jemma Sub-Basin. This study, therefore, recommended the need for exploring climate induced risks and implementing appropriate climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies

Statistical bias correction of regional climate model simulations for climate change projection in the Jemma sub-basin, upper Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia

This study evaluates bias correction methods and develops future climate scenarios using the output of a better bias correctiontechnique at the Jemma sub-basin. The performance of different bias correction techniques was evaluated using several statisticalmetrics. The bias correction methods performance under climate condition different from the current climate was also evaluatedusing the differential split sample testing (DSST) and reveals that the distribution mapping technique is valid under climatecondition different from the current climate. All bias correction methods were effective in adjusting mean monthly and annualRCM simulations of rainfall and temperature to the observed rainfall and temperature values. However, distribution mappingmethod was better in capturing the 90th percentile of observed rainfall and temperature and wet day probability of observedrainfall than other methods. As a result, we use the future (2021–2100) simulation of RCMs which are bias corrected usingdistribution mapping technique. The output of bias-adjusted RCMs unfolds a decline of rainfall, a persistent increase of temperature and an increase of extremes of rainfall and temperature in the future climate under emission scenarios of RepresentativeConcentration Pathways 4.5, 8.5 and 2.6 (RCP4.5, RCP8.5 and RCP2.6). Thus, climate adaptation strategies that can provideoptimal benefits under different climate scenarios should be developed to reduce the impact of future climate change