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Performance Evaluation and Adaptation Trial of Hybrids Maize for Highland Areas of Southeastern Ethiopia
Shimelis Tesfaye,
Abiy Balcha
Issue:
Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2022
Pages:
68-71
Received:
20 June 2022
Accepted:
15 July 2022
Published:
28 July 2022
DOI:
10.11648/j.ajere.20220703.11
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Abstract: A significant proportion of maize in Ethiopia is produced in the highland zones, which represents very favorable maize growing environments but highland maize improvement research in Ethiopia lagged behind that in the other ecologies. The objective of this study was to identify adapted and high yielding hybrids for each environment and to recommend a suitable one for the local maize growers of the area. Four maize hybrids and one local check were evaluated using randomized complete block design with three replications for grain yield and yield related traits within 2019/2020 cropping season at three woredas. Analyses of variances showed significant differences among the hybrids for grain yield, days to silking and number of ears per plant. In the combined analysis of Kofale and Kersa woredas, kolba variety gave, higher yield (7.86 t ha-1) followed by Jibat (6.77 tha-1). Although, Kolba and Jibat variety are the highest yielder at locations it is below its potential. Generally, the study indicated kolba and jibat varieties were promising varieties for Kofale and Kersa districts.
Abstract: A significant proportion of maize in Ethiopia is produced in the highland zones, which represents very favorable maize growing environments but highland maize improvement research in Ethiopia lagged behind that in the other ecologies. The objective of this study was to identify adapted and high yielding hybrids for each environment and to recommend...
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Estimation and Mapping of Spatial Distribution of Reference Evapotranspiration over West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia
Nigusie Abebe,
Mohammed Temam
Issue:
Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2022
Pages:
72-76
Received:
30 June 2022
Accepted:
3 August 2022
Published:
9 August 2022
DOI:
10.11648/j.ajere.20220703.12
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Abstract: Reference Evapotranspiration (ETo), is an important agro-meteorological parameter due to its critical role in determining the crop water requirement in irrigated agriculture. In this study, point ETo value was determined by using FAO Cropwat software. Spatial interpolation was done by using Inverse distance weighted (IDW) method and their distributions were mapped across the West Shewa Zone of Ethiopia. The results showed that both the mean daily and mean annual ETo values was varied between 3.54-3.92mm and 107.65-119.14mm, respectively. The mapped both mean daily and annual ETo distributions over west shewa zone follow similar trends, ETo values were relatively lower in eastern and southern highland of the zone, ETo is intermediate in the central, north, north east of the zone and ETo is higher in the west part of the zone. The relationship between the interpolated ETo distributions based on the IDW method with the help of the GIS tools and that on direct, calculated by using Cropwat, based on penman Monteith procedure using climatic data recorded from meteorological observation was compared. Linear regression analysis showed good fit with the value of R2 is 0.84 indicating that, the interpolation by using GIS model has a very high potential of estimating the spatial distribution of ETo with high level of accuracy. The maps produced are useful for irrigation planning, crop water management, basin water balance, climatic characterization and climate change studies in the West Shewa.
Abstract: Reference Evapotranspiration (ETo), is an important agro-meteorological parameter due to its critical role in determining the crop water requirement in irrigated agriculture. In this study, point ETo value was determined by using FAO Cropwat software. Spatial interpolation was done by using Inverse distance weighted (IDW) method and their distribut...
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Restoration Efforts of Degraded Land, Challenges and Prospects: The Case of Soro Wereda, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia
Issue:
Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2022
Pages:
77-86
Received:
14 July 2022
Accepted:
11 August 2022
Published:
24 August 2022
DOI:
10.11648/j.ajere.20220703.13
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Abstract: Land degradation is a global issue and it is more severe in developing countries like Ethiopia. In Ethiopia land degradation has become one of the most important environmental problems and still remains the major challenges that are adversely affecting the agricultural performance of the country: hence the call for improved land management practices. To address the problems of land degradation in Ethiopia, many efforts have been made since 1970s. From then onwards many attempts have been made and integrated watershed management in one among these. The study was undertaken in Soro Wereda, Hadiya Zone, and SNNPR with the objective of assessing restoration efforts and challenges and prospects of the restoration efforts being implemented. In order to achieve the stated objectives, both primary and secondary data were generated by employing qualitative and quantitative methods. Systematic sampling technique was used to select 97 representative households from three kebeles. The quantitative data was analyzed by using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. The qualitative data was analyzed through narration. The findings of the study showed that the major restoration efforts to avert degraded land in the study area are physical SWC measure and area closure. Lack of awareness and sense of ownership, lack of skilled experts regarding SWC engineering works, lack of capital and material support, limited support of NGOs that are confined to only selected kebeles, poverty, and lack of support of biological measures to physical SWC measures are the challenges that constrain the sustainability of restoration process. Adopting of the participatory approach, promoting the awareness of rural communities as well as other stakeholders, management of restored land, and combining of the restoration efforts with local knowledge are core issues to the sustainability of the restoration process. In order to run the restoration efforts in sustainable way strengthening of community participation, capacity building of stakeholders, providing of incentives for those achieve the restoration process and scale up of the best practices are needed.
Abstract: Land degradation is a global issue and it is more severe in developing countries like Ethiopia. In Ethiopia land degradation has become one of the most important environmental problems and still remains the major challenges that are adversely affecting the agricultural performance of the country: hence the call for improved land management practice...
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Effects of Internal and Cross-Border Resource-Based Conflicts on Livestock Market Performance in Pastoral Areas of Karamoja, Uganda and Turkana, Kenya
Ekiru Francis Anno,
Michael Etabo Ameripus
Issue:
Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2022
Pages:
87-96
Received:
25 July 2022
Accepted:
15 August 2022
Published:
24 August 2022
DOI:
10.11648/j.ajere.20220703.14
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Abstract: Conflicts over scarce resources continue to be a significant area of concern for research and development. To successfully investigate the problem of resource-based conflicts in pastoral areas, the following strategic objectives were formulated: identify the causes of resource-based conflicts; determine the impact of resource-based conflict causes on livestock market performance; and identify strategies for managing the resource-based conflicts and their effects. Four livestock markets, namely Nakiloro in Moroto district and Kalapata in Kaabong district in the Karamoja sub-region of Uganda; Lokiriama in Loima district and Oropoi in Turkana West district of Turkana County, Kenya, were sampled for the study due to the cross-border nature of the research. The study population consisted of livestock traders. The study sample was randomly selected from a sampling frame of 400 traders (50% from Uganda) using a statistical method taking into account a 95% confidence interval and a 5% confidence level (margin of error), resulting in a total of 360 traders as the study sample. Study results showed that 55% of livestock traders in both Kenya and Uganda are between the ages of 18 and 30 years old. The livestock trade is dominated by men, and illiteracy is high, although the trend is positive compared to 15 years ago, when the average literacy rate of pastoral communities in Turkana and Karamoja was 5%. The study also found that 71% and 70% of study participants in Kenya and Uganda, respectively, felt social, political, economic, and environmental resource-based conflict triggers as severe. In addition, 72% of Kenyans and 73% of Ugandans believed that resource-based conflicts inhibit livestock production and market performance in pastoral areas, with an average of 71% of study participants in both countries endorsing peaceful coexistence, access to livestock production resources, installation of security machinery and protocol in conflict-prone areas, and restoration of the functionality of livestock markets as strategies for managing resource-based conflicts and their effects on the pastoral economy. So, the study comes to the conclusion that resource-based conflicts slow down the development of pastoral areas. To help pastoral areas achieve the desired socioeconomic empowerment, recommendations for application and further research are needed.
Abstract: Conflicts over scarce resources continue to be a significant area of concern for research and development. To successfully investigate the problem of resource-based conflicts in pastoral areas, the following strategic objectives were formulated: identify the causes of resource-based conflicts; determine the impact of resource-based conflict causes ...
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The Theoretical Framework and Application of Cross-Border Timber Traceability Based on Blockchain Technology
Yuanhui Hu,
Xinjian Luo,
Qian Meng,
Yinfeng Li
Issue:
Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2022
Pages:
97-106
Received:
1 August 2022
Accepted:
19 August 2022
Published:
29 August 2022
DOI:
10.11648/j.ajere.20220703.15
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Abstract: It is widely understood that the legal and sustainable supply of timber contributes to promoting the sustainable management of forests, addressing climate change and serving the poor in communities. The legality of origins of timber has continuously been an international concern for the past two decades. At present, timber traceability verification methods mainly rely on offline investigation including on-site audits, document verification, expert review, and have obvious disadvantages such as fraud, false claim, and "mixed products". Blockchain technology with the advantages of openness, tamper-proof, anonymity, and automated execution etc. can be a good method to solve the above-mentioned problems, and eventually to improve the transparency of timber supply chain, reduce the costs of legality certification, and improve the reliability of timber tracing methods. In this study, the blockchain technology is applied in the cross-border timber traceability. Based on the blockchain method, a cross-border timber tracing system is designed, including the application context, main participants, the traceability system and operation flowchart. It’s found that a consortium chain formed by timber enterpirses, gorvenments and the third-party verification agencies is a feasible way to conduct the cross-border timber traceability when using the blockchain technology. The above-mentioned participants form a consortium chain and through the unified consensus and technical control, a cross-border timber traceability ecosystem with mutual trust, risk control, and credit-based circulation is established. Throughout the timber trade process, the forest owners, sawmills, exporters, importers, and processing plants input, in sequence, the data required for transactions and traceability. The forestry authorities, customs and other regulatory authorities in both the import and the export countries supervise cross-border timber trade, and strengthen the control of illegal timber. The third-party verification agencies view and verify the data reported by the timber enterprises. Meanwhile, four key issues in applying blockchain to cross-border timber traceability were identified, such as clarity of the implementing entities, need of the incentive mechanisms, balancing construction costs and small business burden, and forming the industry standards and regulatory practices. These methods and issues addressed provides theoretical and application basis for the development and operation of the traceability system. It is promising for the development of the blockchain-based traceability system to speed up its growth given the increasing demand for efficient and credible traceability for the wood industry.
Abstract: It is widely understood that the legal and sustainable supply of timber contributes to promoting the sustainable management of forests, addressing climate change and serving the poor in communities. The legality of origins of timber has continuously been an international concern for the past two decades. At present, timber traceability verification...
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