Response to malaria epidemics in Africa.

Malaria epidemics affect nonimmune populations in many highland and semi-arid areas of Africa. Effective prevention of these epidemics is challenging, particularly in the highlands where predictive accuracy of indicators is not sufficiently high to allow decisions involving expensive measures such as indoor residual spraying of insecticides. Advances in geographic information systems have proved useful in stratification of areas to guide selective targeting of interventions, including barrier application of insecticides in transmission foci to prevent spread of infection. Because rainfall is associated with epidemics in semi-arid areas, early warning methods based on seasonal climate predictions have been proposed. For most areas, response measures should focus on early recognition of anomalies and rapid mass drug administration. Vector control measures are useful if abnormal transmission is highly likely and if they can be selectively implemented at the early stages of an outbreak

Early warning systems for malaria in Africa: from blueprint to practice.

Although the development of early warning systems for malaria has been advocated by international agencies and academic researchers for many years, practical progress in this area has been relatively modest. In two recent articles, Thomson et al. provide new evidence that models of malaria incidence that incorporate monitored or predicted climate can provide early warnings of epidemics one to five months in advance in semi-arid areas. Although the potential benefits of these models in terms of improved management of epidemics are clear, several technical and practical hurdles still need to be overcome before the models can be widely integrated into routine malaria-control strategies

A Comparative Study of Reading Comprehension Skills between the Governmental and Non-Governmental Preparatory School Students of Jimma: Grade 12 in Focus

So as to find out whether there is difference in reading comprehension skill between the governmental and non-governmental grade 12 preparatory school students of Jimma town, necessary and relevant data were collected by using reading comprehension test, questionnaire for students and for teachers. The data so collected were analyzed quantitatively using statistical techniques of percentage and mean. According to the findings of the study the students of Jueps (Jimma university community preparatory school) have obtained a better result in the reading comprehension test than the students of JPS. The fact that the reading comprehension strategies, which the students of Jueps used, such as: being able to guess the meaning of new words in context and from word formation rather than turning to dictionaries now and then and skipping new words, being able to predict the main idea of the whole text from titles and keywords, grasping the gist of the material by quickly reading the first and the last paragraph, background experience and motivation that they got from parents and from their elementary and secondary school teachers, full support and belief of their current teachers to let them use different strategies in their reading comprehension activities every time, were the main factors or reasons that contributed to the difference. Finally recommendations believed to help develop the reading comprehension skill of the students of JPS (who obtained less result in the test) were made. These include: 1. EFLteachers should be made to change their belief about reading comprehension strategies and help their students to use them in any reading comprehension tasks. 2. In order to overcome the problem of shortage of time, EFLteachers should provide ample reading comprehension activities which worth some points to their students to be done as homework so that the students will practice and improve their reading comprehension skill. 3. Parents also should play their role in helping and motivating their children to develop the interest of reading and comprehending a written material. 4. EFLteachers and the English departments of both schools should arrange a program to discuss and share knowledge and experience related to reading comprehension skill between them. 5. Further research should be done to find out more insight into the issue of the difference in the reading comprehension skill between the students of different schools and institutions.Jimma Universit

Taxpayers’ Perception on the Seriousness of Tax Evasion in Dessie Town Administration, Ethiopia

Tax evasion is found to be threatening to tax authorities in developing countries including Ethiopia. Hence, this study was designed to evaluate the understanding of taxpayers themselves on the seriousness of tax evasion in Dessie town, Ethiopia. For this set objective, data were collected from 318 randomly selected self-employed taxpayers using 7 point likert scale questionnaire. The study found out that the more the respondents are educated and older, the more they likely to perceive that the government losses more due to tax evasion by tax evader. Seeing how serious tax is being evaded the study found out that only few people report all of their income to tax Authority (64.6%) and deliberate tax evasion is on the increase in study area (60.4%) though deliberate tax evasion is not considered acceptable by society (60.4%). Likewise, the summarization of taxpayers perception about the study area  tax administration indicated that taxpayers pay too much tax on what they earn already (76.4%), the taxes collected are used poorly (68.5%), there is a culture of tax evasion (63%), and the risk of getting caught for tax evader is low(49.1%). Overall, we can conclude that taxpayers themselves recognized that taxes are being seriously evaded due these different reasons. Therefore, tax authority is expected to improve its tax collection enforcements and exert efforts to change the culture. Further researches should be conducted to investigate the reasons for increment of deliberate tax evasion and tax evasion culture in the town. Keywords: taxpayers’ perception, tax evasion, seriousness, tax loss, Ethiopi

Dairy Production and Marketing Systems in Kaffa and Sheka Zones, Southern Ethiopia

The study was conducted in four districts of Kaffa and Sheka zones to assess dairy production, processing and marketing system. A total of 140 were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaire and the collected data was analyzed by using SPSS. Accordingly, the majority (42.7%) of the households use animal feeds from their own crop farm majority. About 88.8% of households milked their cows twice a day while the rest milk their cows once a day with 1.74 liters of milk per cow per day on average. In milk processing about 47.9% of dairy producers used traditional churning material called clay pot while the rest used wooden ‘Kell’, both wooden Kell and clay pot and plastic material. The major constraints for dairy production and marketing system in the study area are lack of improved forage seed and improved dairy breed, livestock diseases, lack of awareness on dairy husbandry practices, limited infrastructure, lack of dairy producing and marketing cooperative. There no formal channels for milk marketing in the study area as a result dairy cattle owners practice informal milk marketing system. The mean prices of milk, cheese (ayib) and butter in the study area were 14.04±.36 per liter; 33.3±.91 per kg and 92.84±2.07 per kg, respectively. Keywords:-Dairy, production, marketing system and postharvest handlin

Analysis of Sheep Value Chain in Kaffa Zone, Southern Ethiopia

The objective of the study was to identify major marketing routes, value chain actors and distribution of costs and margin of sheep value chain in Kafa zone southern Ethiopia. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools, Focus Group Discussions (FGD), key informant interviews and visual observations were used to collect primary data. A total of 120 farmers were interviewed. Bonga sheep one of indigenous breed that found in Southern Ethiopia of Kafa, Bench Majji, Sheka, Dawuro, Konta and South west part of  Oromia region. It is one of the most prolific fat-long-tailed and fast growing breed in the country. Introduction of value adding management practices and market linkage is the most important aspect of enhancing the livelihood and source of income for smallholder farmers in the zone. The core functions in the sheep value chain of the zone are input supply, production. Smallholder farmers are the main suppliers of the animal and sale at any time when immediate income is required. The sale fast growing young animals, mainly males, are sold or slaughtered for home consumption at as early as five to eight months of age. The major sources of sheep that where sheep are channeled to four different directions: Boka to Sherada, Gojeb,Shebe ;Gojjeb to Jimma town through Sherada and Shebe; to Amaya, Dawuro and Woliyita through Tello and to Bonga through Merra and finally from Gojjeb to Addis Abeba, Kombolicha and Mekele during New year, Easter and Christmas. The analysis of costs and margins along the different sheep market channels also shows that  the proportion of final sheep price that reaches producers from traders of Boka/Adiyo, Bonga, Gojeb,Tepi, Shebe and Jimma markets were 91.42%, 74.8% ,79.3%,87.4%,77.21%and 74.85%, respectively. Keywords: - Fattened sheep, market routes, producers, rams and value chai

Review on Diversity and Socio-Economic Contribution of Home Garden Agroforestryin Ethiopia

Agroforestry is the major component of Ethiopian farming systems. Based on the components, the Home garden agroforestry practice is held to be more different due to the combination of annual and perennial crops, trees, and livestock, it has a crucial strategy in achieving sustainableforest conservation and agricultural land management that combines the production of food, wood, and livestock for rural livelihoods, harmonizing biodiversity, increase the stability of social-economic, cultural value and protect species provenance while sustaining the natural environment. On the other hand, it sequesters carbon and the home garden experience has multifunctional value in the country. The objective of the review first to assess the composition of species diversity and homegarden agroforestry contribution socioeconomic in Ethiopia and the second is to illustrate accessible prospect to improve the practice with advocate the dual purpose that is socioeconomic, environmentally and biodiversity conservation. The dominant species in various home gardens are economically viable as they have prevailed up to fulfill their demand. Women are more engaged than men for home garden activity which creates job opportunities and other social acceptance. There is also available indigenous and scientific knowledge that has to be managed and governed by concerned stakeholders. To improve sustainable home garden production system in the country, the government should have undertaken positive actions like agroforestry awareness creation, scale-up appropriate home garden components combination based on agroecological zone away in the country, provide support with good and multipurpose hybrid varieties, and formulate policy and strategy that encourage farmers to take home garden substitute as an alternative to secure food stability. Keywords:Agroforestry, Biodiversity, Carbon sequestration, Home garden, Socioeconomic DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/12-7-04 Publication date: April 30th 202

A Study on the Trends of Cooperative Movement in South Wollo Zone, Ethiopia

The purpose of this study was to describe the growth of Cooperatives in south Wollo zone, Ethiopia for the period 1997 EC -2007 EC in which the role of cooperatives has been given recognition in the country. Cooperatives registration data for that period from cooperative registration office were used and a trend analysis was employed to analyze these collected data. The study determined that the overall growth of cooperatives in the study area is impressive both in size and type. Cooperatives has grown 6.6 times it has been ten years ago. The breakthrough new types of cooperatives like transport cooperatives, natural resource cooperatives and etc are being emerged recently. Multipurpose agricultural cooperatives were the dominant cooperatives but latter since 2000 EC SACCOs have taken over the domination. SACCOs took 53% of the total growth of cooperatives. Likewise, in group non-agricultural cooperatives become now dominant in the country. In the trends of cooperative movement consumer cooperatives are the slowly growing cooperatives. The objective of Housing cooperatives establishment lacks cooperative sprits. Furthermore, irrigation cooperatives are becoming known to high level of dormancy level. In proportion, 39% of such cooperatives are dormant. Emerging cooperatives are more likely to be dormant that than other cooperatives. Keywords: Dominant cooperatives, dormancy level, growth rate, emerging cooperatives

Final Report on Analyzing Budgeted Cost Effectiveness of Ethiopian Coffee Plantation Development Enterprise

Budgeted cost effectiveness, of coffee plantation development enterprise was assessed with in the light of two objectives. A. Detailed examination of both actual and budgeted income statement to hold revenue, cost and profit analysis. The importance, complexity and scope of the problems and possible requirements were identified after this detailed examination. B. Giving possible solutions for the significant problems identified after critical evaluation of the enterprise in relation to: Communication and coordination among g departments, sensitivity and analysis! price setting method, inflation and time coverage. Both primary and secondary datum required to fill the gap were collected and wisely used in both analysis and solution giving phase.Jimma Universit

Saving Practices of Rural Households in Ethiopia: Case of East Gojjam Zone, Amhara Regional State

Saving is an economic practice of keeping portion of income earned today from various sources of earning for future consumptions. The main aim of this study was to assess saving practice of rural households in East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia. Respondents were selected through two stage-sampling techniques, and 250 rural households were participated in the study. Primary data was collected from household heads by implementing household survey with in similar time interval. The collected data was analyzed using simple descriptive statistics. Findings of the study revealed that most households save their income, however, most rural households do not have long-run saving motives, and socio-cultural activities are harming the saving practices of rural households. Lack of willingness, less access to financial institutions, high income tax rate and less interest rate were not the main reasons for low household saving practices. The major reasons for not saving earnings were lack of adequate annual earnings, high living expenses and lack of good and adequate saving awareness. To improve saving practice of rural households more work should be performed on improving their saving motives, creating saving awareness, establishing accessibility to financial institutions and improve annual income of the households, and each household should overcome wasteful socio-cultural events. Keywords: Saving practice, rural households, motives, Ethiopi