Assessment and Documentation of Indigenous and Introduced Soil and Water Conservation Practices in Selected Districts of SNNPRS, Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, soil erosion is the major problem which caused food security problem among rural households. Soil and water conservation is the only way to protect, control and manage soil erosion caused by water, wind and farming practices. In many parts of Ethiopia particularly southern Region many introduced and indigenous soil and water conservation measures were practiced using different approach. But, different indigenous and introduced SWC practices implemented were not assessed, identified and documented well yet. This study identified different indigenous and introduced SWC practices including their implementing system, function, category, and implementing season of each practice. The cropping system and its function, and the limitations of implementing SWC practices were also assessed. The study was undertaken at Layigna Arisho, M/gortanicho kebeles of Wera Zuria district, Tanakaka Umbullo and Kajima Umbullo of Hawassa Zuria district, Tutitti and worabi kebeles of Yirga Chafe district. The results show that at all study kebele’s there was a practice of both indigenous and introduced SWC practices. Indigenous SWC practices are basic for introduced practices. There were different indigenous practices which were practiced at specific district but not at other district. Keywords: Soil erosion, indigenous soil and water conservation measures, introduced soil and water conservation measures. DOI: 10.7176/JEES/10-1-04 Publication date: January 31st 202

Effect of Intercropping Maize with Bean at Different Planting Dates in Southern Region of Ethiopia

Establishment of the ideal time planting is an important factor for obtaining maximum benefits while growing two different species together. Experiments were carried out at Hawassa agricultural research experimental field in two successive growing seasons (2011/12 and 2012/13) to determine optimal planting time for common bean while intercropping and investigate the performances of the component crops. The varieties BH-543(Maize) and Hawassa-Dume (common bean) were used and grown under conventional tillage practice.  The plot size of 35.7 square was used having 5.1 meter long and 7 meter wide been employed to conduct the experiment. Common bean was planted simultaneously with maize, 30 days after maize and 60 days after maize. Sole planting of maize, sole planting of common bean, sole planting of common bean after thirty and sixty days maize were used to determine relative and land productivity for maize-bean intercropping system. The results showed that average maize grain yield across different planting time in intercropping were almost the same to those obtained from sole cropping in each seasons. Bean seed 60 days after maize had no significant adverse effect on maize yield and an additional 1.3 tons per of bean seed yield was obtained in 2011 growing season. In 2012 growing season, all but simultaneous growing of bean with maize improved maize grain yield higher than the second and last dates of bean intercropping with maize. Relative yields of maize showed that maize yields were lower in mixture than mono cropping during 2011 and higher in 2012. The results of the study also showed that the total yield of maize-bean mixtures per unit area of land were considerably higher than those obtained from the two crops grown separately in both seasons. Overall Land Equivalent Ratio(LER) values for grain yields of maize and beans showed that intercropping compared to sole cropping is advantageous and best indices were obtained at bean planting dates of 60 days after maize in no moisture stress season of 2011 and  same time planting under moisture stress growing season of 2012. Keywords: intercropping, planting time, land equivalent rati

Book reviews: Robert Guest (2004) “The Shackled Continent: Power, Corruption, and African Lives”

Over the past two decades, extreme poverty has been decreasing in all regions of the world except for sub-Saharan Africa. This attracted the attention of many scholars and policymakers from Africa and other continents of the world to study and understand the reason why Africa has remained so poor. As a result, many scholars have advanced many reasons for poverty and underdevelopment on the continent.  However, no consensus is reached among scholars for poverty and underdevelopment of Africa. 'The shackled continent' is one of the books that has attempted to explain the reasons why Africa has remained so poor. The main of this paper was to critically review the book. The shackled continent has critically analyzed and identified many hobbles that have affected the development process in Africa.  In this regard, the author assumption is that Africa has remained so poor as a result of several factors which includes failures of leadership, tribal politics, bad governance, impacts of AIDs, resource curse, lack of transparent property rights, ethnic strife, corruption, frequent military coups, and development assistance failures. Guest admits that these reasons to some extent contribute to the Africans' development challenges. However, arguably failures of leadership are the main reason for underdevelopment in Africa. The author argues that global capitalism is merely a solution to Africa's problems. This book has many strengths as well as weaknesses

Assessing the Organizational Communication Style and Its Effect on Employees' Performance in the Case of Wachemo University

In the case of Wachemo University, this paper looks into evaluating organizational communication style and how it affects employee performance. 261 sample respondents were given a standardized questionnaire as part of the study's survey methodology. The study's aims were achieved by combining the dependent variable, employee performance in the organization, with the independent variables completeness, correctness, consideration, clarity, conciseness, courtesy, and concreteness. Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs, Research and Community Service, and Administrative and Development are all involved in this investigation. The sample was chosen purposefully within each office: from the academic vice-president's office, the colleges of business and economics, social science, and agricultural science were chosen; from the research and community service vice-president office, the following institutions were chosen: Community service directorate office, Research publication office, and Research directorate office. The finance office and Student service office were chosen from the administrative and development vice-president office. Following collection, the data was analyzed using tables and graphs that use descriptive statistics. Additionally, a multiple linear regression model was employed to investigate how changes in each of the study's independent factors affected how well the employees performed. The results demonstrate that every independent variable has a favorable and significant impact on how well an organization's employees perform. Affective commitment and the communication surrounding work and organization were both favorably impacted by social and emotional subjects that were discussed between superiors and subordinates. The organization should build a fluid communication style between different departments for them to better coordinate and cooperate to achieve the overall organizational goals, according to the results and recommendations

Ethnoveterinary plants of Ankober District, North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Background: Traditional herbal preparations for addressing veterinary problems have been applied in Ankober District, Ethiopia, for generations. However, the millennia-old ethnoveterinary knowledge of the community, and the plants are subjected to loss without being scientifically documented due to anthropogenic and environmental threats. Hence, this study aims at providing a comprehensive documentation on ethnoveterinary plant knowledge of the people in order to preserve the fast-eroding knowledge and resources of the area. Methods: Semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, participant observation and walk-in-the-woods methods were used to gather ethnoveterinary data. Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) and Fidelity level (FL) values were calculated using quantitative approaches so as to check the level of informants' agreement on plant use and healing potential of ethnoveterinary medicinal plant species, respectively. Indigenous knowledge on use of medicinal plants for ethnoveterinary purposes among different informant groups was compared using One-way ANOVA and t-tests. Results: A total of 51 plant species representing 50 genera and 35 botanical families used in the treatment of 33 different ailments were identified. Medicinal plant species belonging to families Asteraceae, Asclepiadaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Ranunculaceae were reported to be of frequent use in the local ethnoveterinary medical system. Roots (65%, 33 species) were most often utilized for remedy preparation. Highest ICF values were recorded for gastro-intestinal (0.71) ailments depicting best agreement on knowledge of medicinal plants used to treat aliments in this category. Embelia schimperi Vatke showed highest fidelity level value (90%) to treat gastro-intestinal diseases showing conformity of knowledge on this species' healing potential. Significant difference (P<0.05) was observed in average number of therapeutic plants reported by senior members of the community than younger groups. Embelia schimperi Vatke and Rubus steudnerii Schweinf. were the most-preferred species to treat diarrhoea. Conclusion: The study indicated that indigenous knowledge on ethnoveterinary medicinal plant use is still rich and active in the District. Species with recorded highest consensus for curative role are a useful pool for further phytochemical and pharmacological validation for better utilization. Declining wild medicinal flora of the area calls for implementation of a coordinated complementary in situ and ex situ conservation strategy

An iconic traditional apiculture of park fringe communities of Borena Sayint National Park, north eastern Ethiopia

Background: Traditional apiculture has been practised in Ethiopia over a long historical period and still remains a benign means to extract direct benefits from natural ecosystems. While its contribution to economic development and watershed protection is increasingly recognized its cultural significance is however, seldom noticed. This study was conducted using an ethnobotanical study approach to document the honey bee flora and associated indigenous knowledge of local communities in Borena Sayint National Park (BSNP), north eastern Ethiopia. Methods: Data were collected from 170 informants through semi-structured interviews and guided field walks, focus group discussion with 37 informants and 14 key informants and analyzed using standard analytical tools including ranking, comparisons and multivariate analyses. Results: In total, 152 bee forage species in 133 genera and 74 families were documented. The Asteraceae and Rosaceae were represented with six species each over the other plant families. Percentage of mentions per species ranged between 76.9 and 13.5 % for the most salient bee forage species. Dombeya torrida, Erica arborea, and Olinia rochetiana captured high community consensus as measured by rank order of popularity and designated as local appellation names of honey. Cluster analysis of priority ranking data showed relationships between key informants with respect to preferences, but ordination analysis did not indicate environmental proximity as a determinant of their responses. Five honey harvesting seasons occur each corresponding to the floral calendar of a dominant bee forage species that stipulate relocation of hives to appropriate locations within the national park. Conclusion: The apicultural tradition is iconic with economic value and forming part of the local peoples' cultural identity apt to be preserved as a bequest for posterity

Plant Diversity Study on Kelekal Protected Forest in Debre Markos Town District, East Gojjam, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

This research was aimed to investigate floristic composition and structure of Kelekal protected forest established since 1999. For plant data collection, 33 different quadrats having 400 m2 along seven different line transects were used. The structural data like Frequencies, Density, DBH, Height, Relative dominance, Relative density and IVI values were calculated for each species and for the selected woody plants. The woody plant species having DBH ? 2.5 cm and height greater than 2.5 m were measured. A hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to classify different plant communities. Shannon winner diversity indices and Sorensen’s similarity indices were used to compare the identified plant communities. Endemic and economically important plants were identified from Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea books. This research resulted 103 different vascular plants. Eight (7.77%) plants are endemic and the “K” partitioning in the R program using hierarchical cluster analysis resulted three-plant community types. The general distribution pattern of these woody plants at different DBH and height classes showed an inverted “J” shape pattern. Four different population patterns were investigated from the density of these species recorded at different DBH class. The result of the structural data provides pertinent information for future forest management techniques in Kelekal protected forest

The Role of Wild and Semi-wild Edible Plants to Household Food Sovereignty in Hamar and Konso Communities, South Ethiopia

Population based survey was conducted to investigate incidence of food shortage and coping mechanisms; knowledge, attitude and practice on consumption, conservation and management of wild and semi-wild edible plant species (WEPS) by Hamar and Konso communities of Ethiopia. The research used different ethnobotanical data collection methods and statistical tools. Irrespective of their social and economic strata, all study participants reported consumption of WEPS with increasing frequency, quantity and number of species consumed during food scarcity. More WEPS with lower sensory acceptability, poor cooking quality, and inflicting some kind of health problems were consumed during famine. Leptadenia hastata was the most preferred WEPS sought after during food deficiency by both communities. Ninety three WEPS are managed by both communities mainly in the vicinity of human settlements and farmlands. The Konso community demonstrated long established cultural practices of conserving, managing and using WEPS. Planning on promotion, sustainable use and conservation of WEPS must take note of the knowledge and practices of local communities on account of the key roles they would play in food security-sovereignty initiatives.

Wild edible plants: sustainable use and management by indigenous communities in and the buffer area of Awash National Park, Ethiopia

Wild edible plants are valuable resources in rural livelihoods for supplementing the staple food, ensuring food security, dietary diversification and sustained income. This study aimed to identify and document indigenous uses and management of wild edible plants being used by the Afar and Oromo communities in and the buffer area of Awash National Park. A total of 96 informants between the ages of 20 and 80 were identified using prior information. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, guided field walk, discussions, market surveys and field observation. A total of 55 wild edible species were identified by members of the local communities. About 93% of the species were reported with their vernacular (local) names, where 69% were reported by the Afar and 87% by the Oromo communities. Eighty-nine percent of the species were classified as indigenous to the area, while 11% were classified as exotics. Preference ranking indicated that the fruits of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del. are the most preferred edible fruit by the local communities. The local people access the National Park for some of the wild edible plants as they are largely depleted from the surrounding areas. The yet untapped potentials of the wild edible plants as food sources in the area need better attention in future research plans. The issue of conservation of wild edible plants is unquestionable to ensure household food security, dietary diversification and local communities’ income, which also contributes to the biodiversity