Analysis of service reliability of public transportation in the Helsinki capital region: The case of bus line 550

The rate of automobile ownership in Helsinki Capital Region has been on the rising trajectory, even bypassing population growth rate of the region. The population of the region expected to double in 2050, planning for a sustainable mobility becomes crucial. Effort is being exerted to minimize private car dependence and innovative transport solutions are being tested in the region. Increasing the share of public transport (PT) in the region is the main goal of Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL). To increase the share of PT, improving its efficiency and reliability becomes a crucial strategy by attracting private car users and keeping existing passengers. Therefore, PT agencies need to continuously evaluate the reliability of their service and take improvement actions accordingly. A reliable PT service is one that adheres to schedule and whose vehicles run on-time. It is generally recognized that deviation from schedule (unreliability) in PT is an important operational problem that affects both operators and passengers. Measuring the level of deviation from schedule helps operators and PT authorities identify and improve gaps in service delivery. Recorded large operational data from Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) and Automatic Passenger Counter (APC) provide an opportunity to analyze operational performance quality of a PT with a minimum cost. The objective of the thesis was to analyze service reliability of a circumferential high-frequency bus line 550 in Helsinki Capital Region (HCR) using data from AVL and APC systems. Five different service reliability measures were used in this study. These were on-time performance, headway adherence, vehicle trip-time variability, passenger wait time and passenger travel time. The first three are agency oriented reliability measures and the last two are passenger oriented. This study has provided a quantitative overview over several service performance measures. The results of the agency-based analysis revealed that for trips along direction 1, 60% of all departures at five stops were on-time using 0.5-minutes-early and 1-minute -late time window. The corresponding average headway deviation was 84 seconds, with average vehicle run time of 1.4 minutes. The passenger-based analysis showed that for all trips along direction 1, the average additional waiting time per passenger was 42 seconds with average additional passenger travel time of 1.7 minutes. The APC data analysis along direction 1 revealed that average passenger load was 26.5 passengers per bus per direction. The average highest and lowest passenger loads were 38.3 passengers per bus and 2.7 passengers per bus respectively. Overall, Passenger activity over the first half of the route is characterized by high load which is about twice that of the second half of the route. The overall analysis revealed that performance deteriorated further along the line in both directions. The occurrence of bunching increased towards the end of the route. There is a room for improvement in both agency and passenger oriented measures. Keeping a regular headway on the route is very important, especially for short headway service periods. Passengers perceive reliability mainly in terms of additional waiting and travel time. Improving these aspects of service leads to higher passenger satisfaction which could translate into increased patronage for the PT agency

Soil erosion and conservation in Ethiopia : A review

This paper reviews Ethiopia’s experience and research progress in past soil and water conservation (SWC) efforts and suggests possible solutions for improvement. Although indigenous SWC techniques date back to 400 BC, institutionalized SWC activity in Ethiopia became significant only after the 1970s. At least six national SWC related programs have been initiated since the 1970s and their focus over time has shifted from food relief to land conservation and then to livelihoods. The overall current soil erosion rates are highly variable and large by international standards, and sheet, rill, and gully erosion are the dominant processes. The influence of human activities on the landscape has traditionally been deleterious, but this trend seems to have recently reversed in some parts of the country following the engagement of the communities in land management. The efficiency of SWC measures show mixed results that are influenced by the type of measures and the agro-ecology under which they were implemented; in general, the relative performance of the interventions is better in the drylands as compared to humid areas. Methodological limitations also occur when addressing the economic aspects related to benefits of ecosystem services and other externalities. Although farmers have shown an increased understanding of the soil erosion problem, SWC efforts face a host of barriers related to limited access to capital, limited benefits, land tenure insecurity, limited technology choices and technical support, and poor community participation. In general SWC research in Ethiopia is fragmented and not comprehensive, mainly because of a lack of participatory research, field observations, and adoptable methods to evaluate impacts. A potentially feasible approach to expand and sustain SWC programs is to attract benefits from global carbon markets. Moreover, a dedicated institution responsible for overseeing the research–extension linkage of SWC interventions of the country should be established

Effect of feeding improved grass hays and Eragrostis tef straw silage on milk yield, nitrogen utilization, and methane emission of lactating Fogera dairy cows in Ethiopia

Simple Summary In tropical regions, it is common practice to feed dairy cows poor-quality roughage, but this diet has been shown to decrease animal productivity and increase methane emissions. For these reasons, introducing alternative roughage feeds, such as nutritionally improved forages or bio-chemically treated straw, is essential for improving milk yield, dietary nitrogen utilization, and reducing enteric methane emission from dairy cows. Thus, we evaluated the effects of natural pasture hay, two improved grass hays (Napier andBrachiariahybrid grasses), and treated teff straw silage feeding as basal diets on nutrient digestibility, milk yield, nitrogen utilization efficiency, and enteric methane emissions using lactating Fogera dairy cows. Our results showed that improved grass hays and treated teff straw silage diet feeding increased milk yield, nutrient digestibility, and nitrogen utilization efficiency as compared to natural pasture hay. Moreover, the cows fed with improved grass hays and treated teff straw resulted in changing the nitrogen excretion pathway from urine to feces, as well as reduction of the methane production per daily milk yield. Hence, these results provide a novel feeding regimen through feeding nutritionally upgraded forages as a basal diet, which improves milk yield, nutrient utilization efficiency, and reduction of methane emission for sustainable dairy production in tropical regions. The nutritionally imbalanced poor-quality diet feeding is the major constraint of dairy production in tropical regions. Hence, alternative high-quality roughage-based diets are required to improve milk yield and reduce methane emission (CH4). Thus, we tested the effects of feeding natural pasture hay, improved forage grass hays (Napier andBrachiariaHybrid), and treated crop residues (Eragrostis tefstraw) on nutrient digestibility, milk yield, nitrogen balance, and methane emission. The eight lactating Fogera cows selected for the experiment were assigned randomly to a 4 x 4 Latin square design. Cows were housed in well-ventilated individual pens and fed a total mixed ration (TMR) comprising 70% roughage and 30% concentrate. The four roughage-based basal dietary treatments supplemented with formulated concentrate were: Control (natural pasture hay (NPH)); treated teff straw silage (TTS); Napier grass hay (NGH); andBrachiariahybrid grass hay (BhH). Compared with the control diet, the daily milk yield increased (p< 0.01) by 31.9%, 52.9%, and 71.6% with TTS, NGH, and BhH diets, respectively. Cows fed BhH had the highest dry matter intake (8.84 kg/d), followed by NGH (8.10 kg/d) and TTS (7.71 kg/d); all of these intakes were greater (p= 0.01) than that of NPH (6.21 kg/d). Nitrogen digestibility increased (p < 0.01) from the NPH diet to TTS (by 27.7%), NGH (21.7%), and BhH (39.5%). The concentration of ruminal ammonia nitrogen was higher for cows fed NGH than other diets (p= 0.01) and positively correlated with plasma urea nitrogen concentration (R-2 = 0.45). Feeding TTS, NGH, and BhH hay as a basal diet changed the nitrogen excretion pathway from urine to feces, which can help protect against environmental pollution. Estimated methane yields per dry matter intake and milk yield were decreased in dairy cows fed BhH, NGH, and TTS diets when compared to cows fed an NPH diet (p< 0.05). In conclusion, feeding of TTS, NGH, and BhH roughages as a basal diet to lactating dairy cows in tropical regions improved nutrient intake and digestibility, milk yield, nitrogen utilization efficiency, and reduced enteric methane emission

Routine health management information system data in Ethiopia: consistency, trends, and challenges.

Background: Ethiopia is investing in the routine Health Management Information System. Improved routine data are needed for decision-making in the health sector. Objective: To analyse the quality of the routine Health Management Information System data and triangulate with other sources, such as the Demographic and Health Surveys. Methods: We analysed national Health Management Information System data on 19 indicators of maternal health, neonatal survival, immunization, child nutrition, malaria, and tuberculosis over the 2012-2018 time period. The analyses were conducted by 38 analysts from the Ministry of Health, Ethiopia, and two government agencies who participated in the Operational Research and Coaching for Analysts (ORCA) project between June 2018 and June 2020. Using a World Health Organization Data Quality Review toolkit, we assessed indicator definitions, completeness, internal consistency over time and between related indicators, and external consistency compared with other data sources. Results: Several services reported coverage of above 100%. For many indicators, denominators were based on poor-quality population data estimates. Data on individual vaccinations had relatively good internal consistency. In contrast, there was low external consistency for data on fully vaccinated children, with the routine Health Management Information System showing 89% coverage but the Demographic and Health Survey estimate at 39%. Maternal health indicators displayed increasing coverage over time. Indicators on child nutrition, malaria, and tuberculosis were less consistent. Data on neonatal mortality were incomplete and operationalised as mortality on day 0-6. Our comparisons with survey and population projections indicated that one in eight early neonatal deaths were reported in the routine Health Management Information System. Data quality varied between regions. Conclusions: The quality of routine data gathered in the health system needs further attention. We suggest regular triangulation with data from other sources. We recommend addressing the denominator issues, reducing the complexity of indicators, and aligning indicators to international definitions

Bahir Dar SAWE Development Project (2009 – 2012) : A Terminal Evaluation of the Project Outcomes and Reflections on Lessons Learned

This thesis work is about the evaluation results of a development project that was implemented in Bahir Dar city of Ethiopia. The Bahir Dar SAWE project was carried out during Feb 2009 – Feb 2012 under the financial support of Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. KeTu ry was coordinating the project from Finland. KeTu ry, is a Finnish based NGO, whose aim is to promote economically, socially and ecologically sustainable development primarily in developing countries. Project implementation responsibility in Bahir Dar was shouldered by an Ethiopian based NGO, Lem Ethiopia – The Environment and Development Society. This evaluation of the Bahir Dar SAWE Project outcome was carried out in the period 02.02.2012 – 13.03.2012. The task was commissioned by KeTu ry. The general purpose of the project evaluation was to assess the extent to which the project has achieved its intended objectives, to draw conclusions on lessons learned from the project implementation process and forward recommendations. Primary and secondary sources of data were used. The secondary data came from desk review of project documents, project progress reports, annual reports, midterm evaluations and other relevant documents. The primary data (interviews, cases-study, and observation) was gathered from discussions and consultations with leading stakeholders with in the Bahir Dar city administration, Lem Ethiopia staff in Addis and Bahir Dar, Kebele leaders, members of SMECs and the target community. The views collected from the different stakeholders about project performance and lessons gained from the experience were analyzed contextually with additional inputs from document review assessments, field observations of the actual project outputs and case study on target individuals. It is hoped that the result of this evaluation would help all stakeholders involved in directing future programs to a better performance. The evaluation, from its findings concluded that the project has achieved its overall major objectives despite a number of implementation constraints that it had to deal with. These included the delay of land grant by the BDCA for the construction of sanitation technologies and the urban agriculture demonstration sites, underperformance of earlier project staff at Bahir Dar office of Lem Ethiopia and poor involvement of government stakeholders in the project implementation for about half of the project’s duration

Soil erosion and conservation in Ethiopia: A review

This paper reviews Ethiopia’s experience and research progress in past soil and water conservation (SWC) efforts and suggests possible solutions for improvement. Although indigenous SWC techniques date back to 400 BC, institutionalized SWC activity in Ethiopia became significant only after the 1970s. At least six national SWC-related programs have been initiated since the 1970s and their focus over time has shifted from food relief to land conservation and then to livelihoods. The overall current soil erosion rates are highly variable and large by international standards, and sheet, rill, and gully erosion are the dominant processes. The influence of human activities on the landscape has traditionally been deleterious, but this trend seems to have recently reversed in some parts of the country following the engagement of the communities in land management. The efficiency of SWC measures show mixed results that are influenced by the typeofmeasures and the agro-ecology under which they were implemented; in general, the relative performance of the interventions is better in the drylands as compared with humid areas. Methodological limitations also occur when addressing the economic aspects related to benefits of ecosystem services and other externalities. Although farmers have shown an increased understanding of the soil erosion problem, SWCefforts face a host of barriers related to limited access to capital, limited benefits, land tenure insecurity, limited technology choices and technical support, and poor community participation. In general SWC research in Ethiopia is fragmented and not comprehensive, mainly because of a lack of participatory research, field observations, and adoptable methods to evaluate impacts. A potentially feasible approach to expand and sustain SWC programs is to attract benefits from global carbon markets. Moreover, a dedicated institution responsible for overseeing the research–extension linkage of SWC interventions of the country should be established.status: publishe

Soil erosion and conservation in Ethiopia: a review

This paper reviews Ethiopia's experience and research progress in past soil and water conservation (SWC) efforts and suggests possible solutions for improvement. Although indigenous SWC techniques date back to 400 BC, institutionalized SWC activity in Ethiopia became significant only after the 1970s. At least six national SWC-related programs have been initiated since the 1970s and their focus over time has shifted from food relief to land conservation and then to livelihoods. The overall current soil erosion rates are highly variable and large by international standards, and sheet, rill, and gully erosion are the dominant processes. The influence of human activities on the landscape has traditionally been deleterious, but this trend seems to have recently reversed in some parts of the country following the engagement of the communities in land management. The efficiency of SWC measures show mixed results that are influenced by the type of measures and the agro-ecology under which they were implemented; in general, the relative performance of the interventions is better in the drylands as compared with humid areas. Methodological limitations also occur when addressing the economic aspects related to benefits of ecosystem services and other externalities. Although farmers have shown an increased understanding of the soil erosion problem, SWC efforts face a host of barriers related to limited access to capital, limited benefits, land tenure insecurity, limited technology choices and technical support, and poor community participation. In general SWC research in Ethiopia is fragmented and not comprehensive, mainly because of a lack of participatory research, field observations, and adoptable methods to evaluate impacts. A potentially feasible approach to expand and sustain SWC programs is to attract benefits from global carbon markets. Moreover, a dedicated institution responsible for overseeing the research-extension linkage of SWC interventions of the country should be established

Exploring data quality and use of the routine health information system in Ethiopia: a mixed-methods study.

OBJECTIVE: A routine health information system (RHIS) enables decision making in the healthcare system. We aimed to analyse data quality at the district and regional level and explore factors and perceptions affecting the quality and use of routine data. DESIGN: This was a mixed-methods study. We used the WHO toolkit for analysing data quality and interviewed staff at the point of data generation and along with the flow of data. Data were analysed using the Performance of Routine Information System Management framework. SETTING: This study was performed in eight districts in four regions of Ethiopia. The study was nested within a 2-year programme of the Operational Research and Coaching for government Analysts. PARTICIPANTS: We visited 45 health posts, 1 district hospital, 16 health centres and 8 district offices for analysis of routine RHIS data and interviewed 117 staff members for the qualitative assessment. OUTCOME MEASURES: We assessed availability of source documents, completeness, timeliness and accuracy of reporting of routine data, and explored data quality and use perceptions. RESULTS: There was variable quality of both indicator and data element. Data on maternal health and immunisation were of higher quality than data on child nutrition. Issues ranged from simple organisational factors, such as availability of register books, to intricate technical issues, like complexity of indicators and choice of denominators based on population estimates. Respondents showed knowledge of the reporting procedures, but also demonstrated limited skills, lack of supportive supervision and reporting to please the next level. We saw limited examples of the use of data by the staff who were responsible for data reporting. CONCLUSION: We identified important organisational, technical, behavioural and process factors that need further attention to improve the quality and use of RHIS data in Ethiopia