Determinants of Food Insecurity of Smallholder Farmers in Humbo Woreda

Food insecurity is a worldwide growing concern. According to the 2010 State of Food Insecurity report of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO), nearly one billion people are estimated to be under- nourished, of which developing nations account for 98% (UNFAO2010). Demeke et.al (1995) pointed out that, despite many efforts, food insecurity is still a prominent feature of Ethiopia. Half of the food insecure population of the Sub Saharan Africa is found in Ethiopia, which is one of the seven food insecure country in Sub Sahara Africa. The food insecurity situation in the Humbo woreda, Wolaita zone of Ethiopia shares similar features with that of the other regions (WVE, 2007). The problem of food insecurity has wide diversity and multiple dimensions, which ranges from the global to individual level. Nevertheless, variability, complexity and interrelated causes of household food insecurity and local responses during crisis require an analysis to move down to a household level. It is with regard to this that this study began with the primary objective of analyzing the determinants of household food insecurity of smallholder farmers in Humbo Woreda Southern Nation Nationality People Regional State. To achieve this objective, primary data were collected from a sample of farm households in the Woreda through a structured questionnaire. A total of 183 farm households’ cases were included in the final analysis. In addition, secondary data were collected from different organizations and pertinent publications in order to elaborate the present situation of the food insecurity status in the study area. Logit model was used to identify and analyze the effect of explanatory variables on the dependent variable. A total of twelve explanatory variables were included in the regression. Out of these, six variables were found to be significant in terms of food insecurity. The variables that have a significant relationship with the probability of food insecurity are: Use of Chemical Fertilizer, Use of irrigation, Land Size, Livestock Size, Food Aid, and Farm Credit Use. The rest of the explanatory variables, namely age, sex, education level, family size, dependency ratio, and other sources of income, had no significant effect on the probability of food insecurity. Therefore, consideration of these factors is vital as it provides information that would enable one to undertake effective measures with the aim of improving food security status in the study area. Keywords: Food insecurity, logit , Humbo woreda, smallholder farmers DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-11-01 Publication date:June 30th 201

Theoretical Study of Phase Transitions in Dilute Bose-Einstein Condensates

In this work, we study phase transitions in dilute Bose-Einstein Condensates theoretically. The Gross-Pitaevskii equation (GPE) is applied to describe the properties of dilute Bose gases near zero temperature for various confining geometries. Then, using the harmonic trap, the Thomas Fermi equation has been investigated. The Bose-Hubbard Model has been also investigated using the mean field approach. It is indicated that Bose-Einstein condensation is a second order phase transition. We also presented an exactly solvable phase transition model in which the phase transition is purely statistically derived. It is found out that the mean field theory can be applied to a number of physical systems so as to study the phenomena of Berezinsky-Kosterlitz- Thouless (BKT) phase transitions. Keywords: Phase Transition, BEC, GPE, Bose-Hubbard Model, Berezinsky-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT), Mean Field equatio

Literary Materials in Teaching Reading Skill: Teachers Perspective in Shanto Secondary and Preparatory School

The paper entitled “Literary Materials in Teaching Reading Skill: Teachers Perspective in Shanto Secondary and Preparatory School”. It is believed that learners need to know how to succeed in improving their reading skill and using literary texts in teaching reading skill provides opportunities for them to develop literal understanding, and promote problem-solving ability. For this reason, Ministry of Education in Ethiopia launched to incorporate literary texts in EFL students’ textbook. However, it was not yet implemented effectively and teachers were observed unresponsive in teaching reading skills through literary materials found in the textbook. In response of this, the study mainly focuses on investigating teachers’ practices and perceptions and hindrances they encountered in teaching literary texts. To conduct the study qualitative research design was employed. In-depth interview and classroom observation were used as data gathering tools. In-depth interview was administered for four English language teachers. On the other hand, among the total of ten sections, seven sections were selected randomly and observed four times each. While observing, semi-structured observation checklist was used. The data depicted that English language teachers in the study school are found de-motivated and have negative perception towards teaching reading skill through literary texts found in the students’ textbook, and many of them are not found in creating opportunities for the students to read different literary texts and practice pre, while and post-reading activities in the form of group work, role-play, storytelling, discussion, pair work, and debates. Furthermore, teachers’ practices of teaching reading skill through literary texts have challenged by a number of factors. Of which teachers’ perception, lack of experience and preparation, text authenticity, difficulty, length, and large class size, students’ motivation, and perception, shortage of time, and lack of in-service training are found the major ones. Finally, to meet the needs and interest of the teachers’ and students’, English language curriculum, syllabus designers, should consider their cultural background, linguistic level, and communicative competences. Keywords: Literary texts, teachers’ perceptions, practice, challenges, Reading Skil

Determinants of Formal Sources of Credit Loan Repayment of Small Holder Farmers in Wogera Woreda

There is no doubt about the crucial role of credit in economic development, although the success and repayment of loans in agricultural production are troubled with a number of problems, particularly among smallholder farmers. Therefore, the major concern of this study was to identify borrowers, institutional and loan factors that affect loan default rate of smallholder farmers in Wogera Woreda Amahara National Regional State. To achieve this objective, primary data were collected from a sample of formal credit borrower farmers in the Woreda through a structured questionnaire. A total of 206 farm households’ cases were included in the final analysis. Logit model was used to identify and analyze the effect of explanatory variables on the dependent variable. A total of fourteen explanatory variables were included in the regression. Out of these, seven variables were found to be significant in terms of the probability of defaulting.  The variables that have a significant relationship with formal credit users’ loan default rate are: saving habit, other sources of income, fertilizer use, sector, loan diversion, loan supervision, and repayment period. The rest of the explanatory variables, namely age, sex, education level, family size, dependency ratio, irrigation use and loan size, had no significant effect on the probability of defaulting. Therefore, consideration of these factors is vital as it provides information that would enable one to undertake effective measures with the aim of improving loan repayment in the study area. It would also enable lenders and policy makers to have information as to where and how to channel efforts in order to minimize loan default. Keywords: Loan repayment, logit, smallholder farmer

Determinants of Food Insecurity of Smallholder Farmers in Humbo Woreda

Food insecurity is a worldwide growing concern. According to the 2010 State of Food Insecurity report of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO), nearly one billion people are estimated to be under- nourished, of which developing nations account for 98% (UNFAO2010). Demeke et.al (1995) pointed out that, despite many efforts, food insecurity is still a prominent feature of Ethiopia. Half of the food insecure population of the Sub Saharan Africa is found in Ethiopia, which is one of the seven food insecure country in Sub Sahara Africa. The food insecurity situation in the Humbo woreda, Wolaita zone of Ethiopia shares similar features with that of the other regions (WVE, 2007). The problem of food insecurity has wide diversity and multiple dimensions, which ranges from the global to individual level. Nevertheless, variability, complexity and interrelated causes of household food insecurity and local responses during crisis require an analysis to move down to a household level. It is with regard to this that this study began with the primary objective of analyzing the determinants of household food insecurity of smallholder farmers in Humbo Woreda Southern Nation Nationality People Regional State. To achieve this objective, primary data were collected from a sample of farm households in the Woreda through a structured questionnaire. A total of 183 farm households’ cases were included in the final analysis. In addition, secondary data were collected from different organizations and pertinent publications in order to elaborate the present situation of the food insecurity status in the study area. Logit model was used to identify and analyze the effect of explanatory variables on the dependent variable. A total of twelve explanatory variables were included in the regression. Out of these, six variables were found to be significant in terms of food insecurity. The variables that have a significant relationship with the probability of food insecurity are: Use of Chemical Fertilizer, Use of irrigation, Land Size, Livestock Size, Food Aid, and Farm Credit Use. The rest of the explanatory variables, namely age, sex, education level, family size, dependency ratio, and other sources of income, had no significant effect on the probability of food insecurity. Therefore, consideration of these factors is vital as it provides information that would enable one to undertake effective measures with the aim of improving food security status in the study area. Keywords: Food insecurity, logit , Humbo woreda, smallholder farmers DOI: 10.7176/JPID/50-01 Publication date:June 30th 201

Forced displacement and community resilience: the case South Sudanese refugees in the Benishangul Gumuz region of Ethiopia

Forced displacement has continued to be a security and development concern, and different interventions are undertaken to address the needs of the displaced people. Yet, there is debate on the impact of these interventions and on factors that could affect the resilience of displaced populations in a refugee context. Thus, this study intended to examine the resilience of South Sudanese refugees and the factors that impact their recovery in the Benishangul Gumuz region of Ethiopia. The study applied a qualitative research design with data from both primary and secondary sources. The overall research finding is that due to policy restrictions, funding constraints, limited livelihood opportunities, and limited options to use refugee human capital, the resilience capacity of the South Sudanese refugees hosted in the Benishangul Gumuz region is not fully developed. Other factors such as access to social support, peaceful co-existence interventions also found to be influencing the resilience and recovery of the refugees. The results also show that the refugees are using mechanisms such as selling food rations, illegal gold mining and farming which involve child labour, low-paid incentive work with humanitarian organizations, small-scale farming inside the camp, remittances from abroad, farm activities with the host community, and running small shops in the camps to cope with the displacement related challenges. Therefore, it is recommended that UN organizations, donors, regional organizations, NGOs, the host government, and the refugees take practical actions of advocacy, allocation of adequate funding, utilisation of the refugee human capital, and easing policy-related barriers and restrictions. It is also recommended that a context-specific framework – the Refugee Resilience(2R) Framework and Matrix, which this study created, to be applied for studying and building resilience in refugee displacement caused by armed conflict.Development StudiesPh. D. (Developments Studies

Study of AGN contribution on morphological parameters of their host galaxies

We tested how the AGN contribution (5% - 75% of the total flux) may affect different morphological parameters commonly used in galaxy classification. We carried out all analysis at $z$,$sim$,0 and at higher redshifts that correspond to the COSMOS field. Using a local training sample of $>$,2000 visually classified galaxies, we carried out all measurements with and without the central source and quantified how the contribution of a bright nuclear point source could affect different morphological parameters, such as: Abraham and Concelice-Bershady indices, Gini, Asymmetry, $M20$ moment of light, and Smoothness. We found that concentration indexes are less sensitive to both redshift and brightness in comparison to the other parameters. We also found that all parameters change significantly with AGN contribution. At $z$$\sim$0, up to a 10% of AGN contribution the morphological classification will not be significantly affect, but for $\ge$25% of AGN contribution late-type spirals follow the range of parameters of elliptical galaxies and can therefore be misclassified early types.Comment: Proceedings paper of the IAU symposium "Nuclear Activity in Galaxies Across Cosmic Time" (Ethiopia) accepted to be published under the Cambridge University Press, eds. M. Povi\'c, P. Marziani, J. Masegosa, H. Netzer, S. H. Negu, and S. B. Tessem

Challenges of Tourism Destination Development in the Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia.

The main objective of this study was to identify the major challenges hampering destination development in the Amhara Region. For the purpose of collecting, presenting and analyzing data for this study, a crosssectional study design with qualitative and quantitative approaches has been used. The researchers used both primary and secondary sources of data. The target populations were selected using purposive sampling from government officials, tourism experts of different levels, private tourism businesses, and local community leaders in Gondar, Bahir Dar, Debark (SMNP) and Lalibela. Self-administered structured questionnaires, an in-depth open-ended and semi-structured interview, focus group discussion, observation checklists and document consultations were employed for data collection. The collected data from the various sources were analyzed and synthesized to draw inferences and make conclusions using both the qualitative and quantitative approach. Of the total respondents more than fifty-five percent either strongly agreed or agreed on the existence of current destination challenges such as poor community participation in tourist destination area; lack of benefit sharing; the lack of knowledge about the importance of tourism by a large segment of the society, problems in trained staffs and employees in tourism development. Moreover, destruction of natural resources in destination, lack of funding for tourism development, and resource competition from other sectors, less priority given for tourism investment, insufficient investment incentives, and lack of policy support were the major challenges in the four destination areas. Based on the analysis, we can conclude that major tourist destination in Amhara Regional State has been challenged by different factors including inter alia, low levels of community participation, lack of community leadership and good governance, lack of stakeholders collaboration, tourism resources degradation, low/lack incentive to tourism investment, poor tourist facility and infrastructure and weak policy implementation. Therefore, it is recommended that the government bodies and other tourism sector stakeholders give special attention supporting initiatives aimed at reducing all challenges

Exposure of Ophthalmology Residents to Cornea and Keratorefractive Surgeries in the United States

Purpose: To describe the cornea and keratorefractive surgeries experience of U.S. ophthalmology residents. Methods: Deidentified case logs of residents graduating in 2018 were collected from ophthalmology residency program directors in the United States. Using Current Procedure Terminology codes, case logs were reviewed in the categories of cornea and keratorefractive surgeries. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education national graduating resident surgical case logs on cornea procedures published from 2010 to 2020 were also analyzed. Results: Case logs were received for 152/488 (31.1%) residents from 36/115 (31.3%) ophthalmology residency programs. The most common procedures logged by residents as primary surgeons were pterygium removal (4.3 ± 4.2) and keratorefractive surgeries (3.6 ± 6.2). Residents logged an average of 2.4 keratoplasties as primary surgeon, performing an average of 1.4 penetrating keratoplasties (PKs) and 0.8 endothelial keratoplasties (EKs). As assistants, the most common procedures logged were keratorefractive surgeries (6.1 ± 4.9), EKs (3.8 ± 3.3), and PKs (3.5 ± 2.3). Medium or large residency class size was associated with higher cornea procedural volumes (odds ratio: 8.9; 95% confidence interval: 1.1–75.6; p  Conclusion: The most common cornea surgeries performed by residents include keratoplasty, keratorefractive, and pterygium procedures. Larger program size was associated with greater relative cornea surgery volume. More specific guidelines for logging of procedures could provide a more accurate assessment of resident exposure to critical techniques such as suturing as well as reflect trends in current practice such as the overall increase in EKs.</p