The Research Directorate of Arba Minch University has congratulated Academic Vice President, Dr Agena Anjulo, Scientific Director of Institute of Technology, Dr Negash Wagesho and others for getting their research findings published in different international journals.
Dr Agena got his two research papers published in African Journal of Range & Forage Science and Indian Journal of Ecology by Punjab Agriculture University.
The first paper titled - ‘Integration of papaya in the farmland: Production and contribution to household income in Ethiopia,’ has been jointly authored by Dr Agena and Ms Fikirte Asrat Gelaw from Amhara Region Agricultural Research Institute, Ethiopia.
On the aforesaid research, both have conducted the trial in Mota district of East Gojam zone, Amhara region during the cropping season of 2010-2011, where the contribution of papaya managed under agro-forestry for four years on diversification of products, improvement of household income and soil property changes were duly evaluated.
The study consisted of seven treatments in four replications laid down in randomized complete block design. The intercropping of vegetables with papaya resulted and acquisition ratio (LER) of more than one indicating the superiority of growing them in intercropping than in mono-cropping.
The treatments yielded positive net revenues with the benefit cost ratio of more than one. Moreover, returns from the agri-horticulture system were found to be stimulated by 12.21 to 32.96 percent over their respective mono-crops.
In the second research, ‘Nutritional evaluation of Ficus thonningii Blume leaves as ruminant livestock feed in the Ahferom district of Tigray,’, both researchers while evaluating the fodder quality of Ficus thonningii Blume in the Ahferom district, carried out the determination of foliar macronutrients and proximate chemical compositions were also undertaken.
The result showed that Ficus thonningii leaves are a good source of nutrients i.e. protein, fats, carbohydrates and minerals and fiber and they are within the recommended range of ruminant livestock growth and development.
Dr Negash’s case study authored with two Indian researchers – ‘Effect of climate change on runoff generation: Application to Rift Valley Lakes basin of Ethiopia,’ got published in a prestigious American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE), Journal of Hydrologic Engineering. The above study is an attempt to investigate the potential impact of climate change on runoff generation at two agricultural watersheds in the Rift Valley Lakes Basin in Ethiopia. Climate change and key future signals of its variability were assessed using General Circulation Models (GCMs). Given that GCMs are operating at coarser resolution, the statistical downscaling model was applied to reduce large-scale atmospheric variables into localized weather variables from the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research-Bergen Climate Model 2.0 and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) Mark (MK) 3.0 GCM outputs.
As precipitation variables are composed of biases, both linear and power transformation bias correction methods were applied to obtain bias-corrected daily precipitation. Bias-corrected daily precipitation and temperature variables were used to simulate runoff for current and future climatic scenario using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model.
The Research Directorate also appreciated few of its researchers for getting their findings published in different research journals; they are as follow:
Nebiyu Yemane and Messele Taye’s findings titled - ‘Honeybee production in the three agro-ecological districts of Gamo Gofa zone of southern Ethiopia,’ have been published in Agriculture and Biology Journal of North America.
The study was conducted in Gamo Gofa Zone of Southern Ethiopia to assess the honey bee production systems, constraints and opportunities. Cross-sectional types of studies were used to collect the data and using purposive sampling techniques they found that beekeepers lack necessary equipments.
Constraints, shortage of bee colony, high cost of modern hive, pests, predators, lack of training, shortage of bee forage and water bogging them. However, the researchers have deduced that the study area has huge opportunities and potentials to boost honey and wax production.
Mulugeta Melkie, Abel Girma and Tsegaye Tsalla's research paper - ‘Quality audit on Venous Blood Sample (VBS) processing in laboratories of government hospitals in Gamo Gofa zone, Southern Ethiopia' was published in Science Journal of Clinical Medicine.
The researchers have conducted institution-based cross-sectional survey supplemented with non-participatory type observational study from Feb 2012 to Sept 2012 in laboratories of three governmental hospitals of Gamo Gofa zone.
Having found glaring problem of undesirable practices was due to the absence of laboratory documents regarding VBS processing activities. Hence, suggested that strict adherence to the documentation of VBS processing by every lab personnel would set the things right.
Asnake Menbere, Bayisa Feye and Zelalem Getahun’s findings - ‘Local conflicts and Ethnic relations among Konso and Derashe of Southern Ethiopia: Case study’ has been published in International Journal of Open Science Repository Anthropology.
Investigating the causes behind the local conflict between the Konso and Derashe people in Southern Ethiopia, they employed the method of qualitative approach using both primary and secondary sources.
The causes that are very much economic, political, social and cultural in nature have been identified. Hence, they suggested that peace-building measures with justified redressal of their conflicts by formulating regional-centric policies will solve the issue.
By Philips Joseph