Investments in Land Conservation in the Ethiopian Highlands: A Household Plot-Level Analysis of the Roles of Poverty, Tenure Security, and Market Inventives

Land degradation is a major problem undermining land productivity in the highlands of Ethiopia. This study explores the factors that affect farm households’ decisions at the plot level to invest in land conservation and how much to invest, focusing on the roles of poverty, land tenure security, and market access. Unlike most other studies, we used a double-hurdle model in the analysis with panel data collected in a household survey of 6,408 plots in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. The results suggest that the decisions to adopt land conservation investment and how much to invest appear to be explained by different processes. Poverty-related factors seem to have a mixed effect on both the adoption and intensity decisions. While a farmer’s adoption decision is influenced by whether or not the plot is owner-operated (a measure of risk for the immediate period), intensity of conservation is determined by expectation of the certainty of cultivating the land for the next five years (a measure of risk for the longer term), farmer’s belief of land ownership, and distance from plot to home.Ethiopia, land conservation, poverty, tenure security

Private Trees as Household Assets and Determinants of Tree-Growing Behavior in Rural Ethiopia

This study looked into tree-growing behavior of rural households in Ethiopia. With data collected at household and parcel levels from the four major regions of Ethiopia, we analyzed the decision to grow trees and the number of trees grown, using such econometric strategies as a zero-inflated negative binomial model, Heckman’s two-step procedure, and panel data techniques. Our findings show the importance of analysis at the parcel level in addition to the more common household-level. Moreover, the empirical analysis indicates that the determinants of the decision to grow trees are not necessarily the same as those involved in deciding the number of trees grown. Land certification, as an indicator of tenure security, increases the likelihood that households will grow trees, but is not a significant determinant of the number of trees grown. Other variables, such as risk aversion, land size, adult male labor, and education of household head, also influence the number of trees grown. In general, the results suggest the need to use education and/or awareness of the role and importance of trees and point out the importance of household endowments and behavior, such as land, labor, and risk aversion, for tree growing. Finally, we observed that, while tree planting is practiced in all four regions covered, there are variations across regions.trees as assets, tree growing, Ethiopia

Physiochemical Characterization and Evaluation of Insecticidal Activities of Delonix Regia Seed oil against Termite (Odontotermes obesus), Ticks (Ixodes scapularis) and Cockroach (Blattella germanica)

Plant produces large number of compounds as secondary metabolites with complex structure and diversity with a potent insecticidal activity. Large number of plants has been identified so far for their insecticidal property and can be used as an alternative pest management for synthetic pesticides. The present study reports the physiochemical characterization and biocide from delonix regia seeds oil. The biocide potential of the seeds oil was evaluated against termite (Odontotermes obesus), tick (Ixodes scapularis) and cockroach (Blattella germanica). The bioassay study showed that Delonix regia 10% oil caused 100% mortality in 32 hrs, 41 hrs and 50 hrs against termite, tick and cockroach, respectively. The LD50 was determined to be 0.574%, 0.753% and 1.12% for termite, tick and cockroach, respectively for delonix regia oil after 32 hrs exposure. The biocidal potential of the oil is statistically significant (p < 0.05) when compared with blank and solvent controls at all concentration tested. Physicochemical parameters were also evaluated in accordance with American standard testing method specifications. Keywords: Anti-Termite, Anti-Tick, Anti-Cockroach, Biopesticide, Physicochemical Parameter

Urban Energy Transition and Technology Adoption: The Case of Tigrai, Northern Ethiopia

Dependency of urban Ethiopian households on rural areas for about 85 percent of their fuel needs is a significant cause of deforestation and forest degradation, resulting in growing fuel scarcity and higher firewood prices. One response to reducing the pressure on rural lands is for urban households to switch fuel sources (from fuelwood to electricity, for example) to slow deforestation and forest degradation and reduce indoor air pollution. However, such an energy transition is conditioned on the adoption of appropriate cooking appliances or stove technologies by the majority of users. This paper investigates urban energy transition and technology adoption conditions using a dataset of 350 urban households in Tigrai, in northern Ethiopia. Results suggest that the transition to electricity is affected by households adopting the electric mitad cooking appliance, which in turn is influenced by the level of education and income, among other things.urban energy transition, electric mitad cooking appliance, technology adoption, bivariate probit, Tigrai, Ethiopia

Household Tree Planting in Tigrai, Northern Ethiopia: Tree Species, Purposes, and Determinants

Trees have multiple purposes in rural Ethiopia, providing significant economic and ecological benefits. Planting trees supplies rural households with wood products for their own consumption, as well for sale, and decreases soil degradation. We used cross-sectional household-level data to analyze the determinants of household tree planting and explored the most important tree attributes or purpose(s) that enhance the propensity to plant trees. We set up a sample selection framework that simultaneously took into account the two decisions of tree growers (whether or not to plant trees and how many) to analyze the determinants of tree planting. We used logistic regression to analyze the most important tree attributes that contribute to households’ tree-planting decisions. We found that land size, age, gender, tenure security, education, exogenous income, and agro-ecology increased both the propensity to plant trees and the amount of tree planting, while increased livestock holding impacted both decisions negatively. Our findings also suggested that households consider a number of attributes in making the decision to plant trees. These results can be used by policymakers to promote tree planting in the study area by trengthening tenure security and considering households’ selection of specific tree species for their attributes.tree plantin, tree species, tree attributes or purposes, sample selection, Tigrai, Ethiopia

Insecticidal Activity of Prosopis Juliflora Seed Oil against Termite (Odontotermes obesus) and Cockroach (Blattella germanica)

Plant produces large number of compounds as secondary metabolites with complex structure and diversity with a potent insecticidal activity. Large number of plants has been identified so far for their insecticidal property and can be used as an alternative pest management for synthetic pesticides. The present investigation was conducted to evaluate the insecticidal activity of prosopis juliflora against termite (Odontotermes obesus) and cockroach (Blattella germanica). The n-hexane extract of the proposed plant showed higher percentage mortality at 10 % concentration in 30 and 42 hours against termite and cockroach respectively. The LD50 was determined to be 0.472% and 1.07% for termite and cockroach, respectively after 23 hours. The proposed plant showed significant insecticidal activity at 0.005% level of confidence. From the present investigation it can be suggested that prosopis juliflora can be used as potential insecticide. Keywords: Insecticidal, prosopis juliflora, Bio-degradabl

Youth Unemployment Challenges and Opportunities: the Case of Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone has gone through a ten-year civil conflict which brought considerable destruction, on the livelihoods of many. A good percentage of the population, before the war, was composed of young men and women who provided the labour force for activities on the farms. These youth (15-35 years of age) have undergone serious transformations as a result of the civil conflict. Most of them have got themselves completely disoriented. About 60% of the country’s youth are believed to be structurally unemployed. The study was aimed at assessing the main causes of youth unemployment in Sierra Leone and to develop sustainable employment strategic principles which will enhance the management of youth employment opportunities in the country. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Different reports, policy papers and publications were also reviewed. Legacy of the civil war, mismatch between the demand and supply side of labour, weak entrepreneurship services, rural to urban migration, and low level of involvement in agriculture were among the identified factors that aggravated the youth unemployment rate in the country. The study has also identified strategic directions which could help policy and decision makers in their effort for the development of the youth of the country

Sustainable Land Management

In one way or another, one out of three people are being affected by land degradation. It is estimated that, about every year, 75 billion tonnes of soil material are being lost worldwide as a result of land degradation. Recent findings also showed that about 2 billion hectares of land were severely degraded, in some cases in an irreversible way, all these caused a severe damage to local ecologies as well as contributed a lot for climate change and its associated effects on the wellbeing of humanity. Apart from this, the major portion of most developing countries population are still dependent on the un-mechanized and primitive forms agriculture, livestock production, forestry and fishery, and their livelihood and options for economic development are directly linked to the quality of the land and its resources. The objective of this article is to reaffirm the role of Sustainable Land Management in the process of agricultural development, the main source of livelihood in the developing countries. The paper initially explored the basic concept and principles of sustainable management. Causes of land degradation, the prime challenge of sustainable land management and development are also dealt in detail

Profitability of bioethanol production: the case of Ethiopia

This research investigates the profitability of bioethanol production in Africa, taking Ethiopia as a case in point, and suggests an oil price threshold beyond which biofuels may be profitable. Specifically, the study analyzes the viability of producing bioethanol from molasses in the context of Ethiopia, using data from a biofuels investment survey by EEPFE/EDRI in 2010. We draw on investment theory as our underlying conceptual framework and we employ unit cost analysis for our empirical analysis. Findings reveal that bioethanol production (from molasses) in Africa/Ethiopia can be quite viable and the biofuels industry can be viewed as a way out of poverty. This is a case study involving a few observations because of the small size of the universe of producers studied; hence the need for further analysis as the sector expands.Key words: profitability; bioethanol; oil price threshold; Ethiopia; AfricaJEL Codes: Q56, Q4