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Ethiopia
Kinds of Ethiopia Selected AbstractsETHIOPIA: Unexpected Bank SuccessAFRICA RESEARCH BULLETIN: ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SERIES, Issue 8 2010Article first published online: 30 SEP 2010 No abstract is available for this article. [source] ETHIOPIA: Carbon Neutral ProjectAFRICA RESEARCH BULLETIN: ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SERIES, Issue 2 2010Article first published online: 1 APR 2010 No abstract is available for this article. [source] ETHIOPIA: Food Aid DenialsAFRICA RESEARCH BULLETIN: ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SERIES, Issue 11 2010Article first published online: 18 DEC 200 No abstract is available for this article. [source] ETHIOPIA: Rains Fail PastoralistsAFRICA RESEARCH BULLETIN: ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SERIES, Issue 7 2009Article first published online: 27 AUG 200 No abstract is available for this article. [source] ETHIOPIA: Freeze on BorrowingAFRICA RESEARCH BULLETIN: ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SERIES, Issue 2 2009Article first published online: 7 APR 200 No abstract is available for this article. [source] Federal Restructuring in Ethiopia: Renegotiating Identity and Borders along the Oromo,Somali Ethnic FrontiersDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 4 2010Asnake Kefale ABSTRACT When the Ethiopian state was reorganized as an ethnic federation in the 1990s, both ethnicity and governance experienced the impact of the change. Most importantly, ethnicity became the key instrument regarding entitlement, representation and state organization. For the larger ethnic groups, fitting into the new ethno-federal structure has been relatively straightforward. In contrast, ethnic federalism has necessitated a renegotiation of identity and of statehood among several smaller communities that straddle larger ethnic groups. It has also led to the reconfiguration of centre,periphery relations. This contribution discusses how the federal restructuring of Ethiopia with the aim of matching ethnic and political boundaries led to renegotiation of identity, statehood and centre,periphery relations among several Somali and Oromo clans that share considerable ethno-linguistic affinities. [source] Examining the Potential of Indigenous Institutions for Development: A Perspective from Borana, EthiopiaDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 2 2003Elizabeth E. Watson This article examines an institutional approach to development in which indigenous institutions are viewed as a resource for achieving development. It concentrates on indigenous natural resource management (NRM) institutions which have been seen by some development agencies to be a means to address the needs of people and the environment in a way that is also participatory. Using material from Borana, Ethiopia, the article describes the indigenous NRM institutions and examines the outcome of one attempt to work with them. In the process, it shows that partnerships between development agencies and indigenous NRM institutions are often fragile, and tend to dissolve when they fail to meet the preconceptions of the developers. Through an examination of this approach to development, the article also examines the usefulness of recent broad approaches to institutions. [source] ,The Problem with the Locals': Partnership and Participation in EthiopiaDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 4 2002Elizabeth Harrison This article examines the proliferation of development discourses about participation and partnership, focusing on natural resources management policy in Ethiopia. It argues that relationships between the state and donors and between donors themselves are contested and negotiated. The generation of policy is a value,laden process. However, because these institutions are not monolithic, the agency and positioning of those individuals charged with implementing participatory policy influence both practice and interpretation. This may go some way towards explaining the frequent gaps between policy and practice. [source] Are Geographical Indications a Valid Property Right?DEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 5 2009Challenges, Global Trends This article explores what is at stake in the international conflict on geographical indications (GIs), particularly for developing countries. It first examines how the WTO panel has obliged the European Union to open its registration system to third countries and how the ongoing negotiations on GIs seem to be reaching stalemate. Initiatives showing how GIs are a key political and trade issue are identified in Turkey, India, China, Colombia and Ethiopia. Trade negotiation agendas have to handle this new balance of power, in which the reputation accompanying a good may become common. [source] Roads to Poverty Reduction?DEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 4 2008Exploring Rural Roads' Impact on Mobility in Africa Within current poverty reduction programmes, focus on the social-welfare millennium development goals is widening to embrace a concern with infrastructural investment, particularly for remote areas. The previously popular assumption that rural disadvantage can be remedied by road-building is resurfacing. Using survey data from Ethiopia, Zambia and Vietnam, this article explores how effective such investment is in addressing mobility and social-service accessibility in rural areas. The findings indicate that, in extremely remote areas, road improvements may catalyse the expansion of social-service provision, as evidenced in Ethiopia. However, given the poor's relative lack of motor vehicles and ability to pay for public transport, they are, by no means, a sufficient condition for enhancing the mobility of the rural poor. [source] Policies, Interventions and Institutional Change in Pastoral Resource Management in Borana, Southern EthiopiaDEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 4 2004Abdul B. Kamara The Borana rangelands of Southern Ethiopia are characterised by extensive livestock production under a communal land-use system that has evolved in response to variable rainfall and uncertain production conditions. However, the last two decades have witnessed an increasing privatisation of rangelands for crop production and private grazing. The results of a quantitative assessment are used to develop a framework for assessing the drivers of change and their long-term implications. It is concluded that certain national policies have resulted in conflicts of authority between traditional and formal systems, creating an avenue for spontaneous enclosures, associated conflicts and decreasing human welfare. [source] The underutilization of street markets as a source of food security indicators in Famine Early Warning Systems: a case study of EthiopiaDISASTERS, Issue 3 2008Michèle Companion Famine Early Warning Systems (EWS) are reliant on data aggregated from multiple sources. Consequently, they are often insensitive to localized changes in food security status, leading to delayed response or interventions. While price and infrastructural data are often gathered, this case study suggests that local street markets and vendor knowledge are underutilized. Few efforts have been made to monitor systematically the street markets as an indicator of local stressors. Findings from Ethiopia show that knowledge generated by expanding food security indicators in this sector can be used in combination with EWS to facilitate earlier intervention in, or to monitor more effectively, on-going humanitarian crises. Indicators developed from this study are accurate, cost effective, and sensitive to local climatic and food stressors. [source] Getting the Scale Right: A Comparison of Analytical Methods for Vulnerability Assessment and Household-level TargetingDISASTERS, Issue 2 2001Linda Stephen This paper introduces broad concepts of vulnerability, food security and famine. It argues that the concepts and theories driving development and implementation of vulnerability assessment tools are related to their utility. The review concludes that socio-geographic scale is a key issue, and challenge. It analyses three vulnerability assessment (VA) methods, using Ethiopia as a case study. Facing the challenges of vulnerability assessment and early warning requires providing accurate information at the required scale, useful for multiple decision-makers within realistic institutional capacities. [source] Dynamics of soil erosion rates and controlling factors in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands , towards a sediment budgetEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 5 2008Jan Nyssen Abstract This paper analyses the factors that control rates and extent of soil erosion processes in the 199 ha May Zegzeg catchment near Hagere Selam in the Tigray Highlands (Northern Ethiopia). This catchment, characterized by high elevations (2100,2650 m a.s.l.) and a subhorizontal structural relief, is typical for the Northern Ethiopian Highlands. Soil loss rates due to various erosion processes, as well as sediment yield rates and rates of sediment deposition within the catchment (essentially induced by recent soil conservation activities), were measured using a range of geomorphological methods. The area-weighted average rate of soil erosion by water in the catchment, measured over four years (1998,2001), is 14·8 t ha,1 y,1, which accounts for 98% of the change in potential energy of the landscape. Considering these soil loss rates by water, 28% is due to gully erosion. Other geomorphic processes, such as tillage erosion and rock fragment displacement by gravity and livestock trampling, are also important, either within certain land units, or for their impact on agricultural productivity. Estimated mean sediment deposition rate within the catchment equals 9·2 t ha,1 y,1. Calculated sediment yield (5·6 t ha,1 y,1) is similar to sediment yield measured in nearby catchments. Seventy-four percent of total soil loss by sheet and rill erosion is trapped in exclosures and behind stone bunds. The anthropogenic factor is dominant in controlling present-day erosion processes in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands. Human activities have led to an overall increase in erosion process intensities, but, through targeted interventions, rural society is now well on the way to control and reverse the degradation processes, as can be demonstrated through the sediment budget. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Reservoir siltation in the semi-arid highlands of northern Ethiopia: sediment yield,catchment area relationship and a semi-quantitative approach for predicting sediment yieldEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 11 2006L. Tamene Abstract Due to shortage of rainfall and its increasing variability, moisture stress is identified to be one of the most critical factors affecting agricultural productivity in the drylands of Ethiopia. To circumvent this problem, a strategy of supplemental irrigation through surface water harvesting was adopted by the government and several micro-dams have been built in the semi-arid parts of the country. However, the benefits from the water harvesting schemes are not sustainable because of rapid water storage loss due to siltation. There is, therefore, an urgent need for improved catchment-based erosion control and sediment management strategies. The design and implementation of such strategies require data on the rate and magnitude of sediment deposition. To this end, reservoir surveys were conducted to estimate sediment deposition rate for 11 reservoirs identified to be representative of catchments in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia. Two approaches were employed during the survey: one was based on measurement of sediment thickness in reservoirs while the other was based on comparing the original and existing topography of the reservoir-beds. The average annual sediment yield estimated for the study sites was about 19 t ha,1 y,1. An equation of the type SSY = 3á36A0á67 (with SSY = area specific sediment yield in t ha,1 y,1 and A = catchment area in km2) was also established for the study region, which is opposite to the ,universal' SSY,A relationship. In order to improve the sediment yield predictive capability of A, it was integrated with a factorial index that assesses the catchment's propensity to erosion and potential sediment yield. The effect of accelerated sediment deposition on water storage loss of reservoirs and possible controlling factors of the SSY,A relationship are outlined. The potential semi-quantitative scoring approach to characterize catchments in terms of erosion sensitivity and the significance of the A -index approach to predict SSY of similar catchments are also highlighted. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Growth of juvenile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L. from Lakes Zwai, Langeno and Chamo (Ethiopian rift valley) based on otolith microincrement analysisECOLOGY OF FRESHWATER FISH, Issue 3 2000D. Admassu Abstract , Age and growth of juvenile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, from Lakes Zwai, Langeno and Chamo (Ethiopia) were studied from microincrements in otoliths. Growth in length was best described by the Gompertz model. Average growth rate of the fish was most rapid in Lake Chamo (0.39 mm,·,day,1, 1.14%,·,day,1), intermediate in Lake Zwai (0.20 mm,·,day,1, 0.72%,·,day,1) and slowest in Lake Langeno (0.16 mm,·,day,1, 0.62%,·,day,1). Similarly, back-calculation from otolith increment widths gave growth rates of 0.28 to 0.43 mm,·,day,1, 0.15 to 0.32 mm,·,day,1 and 0.11 to 0.28 mm,·,day,1 for Chamo, Zwai and Langeno fish, respectively. In addition, Fulton's condition factor was largest for Chamo tilapia and smallest for Langeno tilapia; the difference between fish from Langeno and Zwai was small. Rapid growth of juvenile O. niloticus in Lake Chamo was attributed to warm temperature and better food quality., [source] Evolutionary transformation of the hominin shoulderEVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 5 2007Susan G. Larson Despite the fact that the shoulder is one of the most extensively studied regions in comparative primate and human anatomy, two recent fossil hominin discoveries have revealed quite unexpected morphology. The first is a humerus of the diminutive fossil hominin from the island of Flores, Homo floresiensis (LB1/50), which displays a very low degree of humeral torsion1, 2 (Fig. 1; see Box 1). Modern humans have a high degree of torsion and, since this is commonly viewed as a derived feature shared with hominoids,3,6 one would expect all fossil hominins to display high humeral torsion. The second is the recently discovered Australopithecus afarensis juvenile scapula DIK-1-1 from Dikika, Ethiopia, which seems to most closely resemble those of gorillas.7 This specimen is the first nearly complete scapula known for an early hominin and, given the close phylogenetic relationship between humans and chimpanzees suggested by molecular studies,8,13 one would have expected more similarity to chimpanzees among extant hominoids. [source] Mycosphaerella species associated with leaf disease of Eucalyptus globulus in EthiopiaFOREST PATHOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Alemu Gezahgne Summary Eucalyptus spp. are among the most widely planted exotic trees in Ethiopia. Several damaging leaf pathogens are known from Eucalyptus spp. worldwide. Of these, Mycosphaerella spp. are among the most important, causing the disease known as Mycosphaerella leaf disease (MLD). Characteristic symptoms of MLD include leaf spot, premature defoliation, shoot and twig dieback. Recent disease surveys conducted in Ethiopian Eucalyptus plantations have revealed disease symptoms similar to those caused by Mycosphaerella spp. These symptoms were restricted to E. globulus trees growing in several localities in south, south western and western Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to identify the fungi associated with this disease. This was achieved by examining ascospore germination patterns, anamorph associations and sequence data from the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region of the rRNA operon, for representative isolates. Several different ascospore germination patterns were observed, suggesting that more than one species of Mycosphaerella is responsible for MLD on E. globulus in Ethiopia. Analysis of sequence data showed that three Mycosphaerella spp., M. marksii, M. nubilosa and M. parva were present. This is the first report of these three species from Ethiopia and represents a valuable basis on which to build further studies in the region. Résumé Les Eucalyptus comptent parmi les essences d'arbres exotiques les plus plantées en Ethiopie. Plusieurs pathogènes foliaires sont connus dans le monde pour occasionner des dégâts sur Eucalyptus. Parmi ceux-ci, les espèces de Mycosphaerella sont parmi les plus importantes, causant la maladie connue comme Maladie Foliaire àMycosphaerella (MFM, MLD en anglais). Les symptômes caractéristiques de la MFM comprennent des taches foliaires, une défoliation précoce et des dépérissements de pousses et de rameaux. Des campagnes de surveillance menées récemment dans les plantations éthiopiennes d'Eucalyptus ont révélé la présence de tels symptômes. Ces symptômes sont uniquement observés sur E. globulus dans plusieurs localités du sud, sud-ouest et ouest de l'Ethiopie. L'objectif de cette étude était d'identifier les champignons associés à cette maladie. Pour cela, des isolats représentatifs ont étéétudiés pour les modalités de germination des ascospores, les anamorphes associés ainsi que les données de séquence de la région ITS de l'opéron ADNr. Différentes modalités de germination des ascospores ont été observées, suggérant que plusieurs espèces de Mycosphaerella seraient associées à la MFM sur E. globulus en Ethiopie. L'analyse des données de séquence a montré la présence de 3 espèces : M. marksii, M. nubilosa et M. parva. Ceci constitue la première mention de ces 3 espèces en Ethiopie et une première étape pour envisager d'autres études dans cette région. Zusammenfassung Eucalyptus -Arten sind die am häufigsten angepflanzten exotischen Bäume in Äthiopien. An Eucalyptus kommen verschiedene Blattkrankheiten vor, wobei die Mycosphaerella -Arten als Verursacher der Mycosphaerella -Blattkrankheit (MLD) am bedeutendsten sind. Charakteristische Symtpome der MLD sind Blattnekrosen und vorzeitiger Blattfall sowie Trieb- und Zweigsterben. Bei der Inventur von Krankheiten in äthiopischen Eucalyptusplantagen wurden Symptome entdeckt, die denen von Mycosphaerella spp. ähnlich waren. Diese traten nur an E. globulus lokal in S-, SW- und W-Äthiopien auf. Ziel dieser Untersuchung war es, die damit assoziierten Pilze zu identifizieren. Hierzu wurde an repräsentativen Isolaten das Keimverhalten der Ascosporen, das Vorkommen von Anamorphen und die ITS-Sequenz des rRNA-Operons untersucht. Es wurden verschiedene Keimungstypen der Ascosporen beobachtet, was darauf schliessen liess, dass mehr als eine Mycosphaerella -Art für die Krankheit an E. globulus in Äthiopien verantwortlich ist. Anhand der Sequenzen wurden M. marksii, M. nubilosa und M. parva identifiziert. Dies ist der Erstnachweis für diese drei Arten in Äthiopien und eine Grundlage für weitere Studien. [source] Pathogenicity of seed-associated fungi to Podocarpus falcatus in vitroFOREST PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2005A. Gure Summary Twenty-nine fungi that were isolated from seeds and female cones of Podocarpus falcatus from natural forests in Ethiopia, were assessed for their impact on seeds and seedlings of the same host. Based on the results from in vitro seed inoculation tests, we could group the fungi into five categories as: (i) isolates that were pathogenic only to seeds and had no obvious impacts on the germlings; (ii) isolates that were pathogenic only to the germlings; (iii) isolates that were pathogenic both to seeds and the emerging germlings; (iv) isolates that were more or less harmless; and (v) isolates that were germination promoters. Inoculation tests were also performed on 4,7-day-old aseptically grown seedlings. Fusarium oxysporum and Polyporus sp., were strongly pathogenic to both seeds and seedlings, while Nectria gliocladioides, Peniophora cinerea and Pestalotiopsis neglecta also demonstrated pathogenicity but to a lesser extent. Other isolates, e.g. Diaporthe spp. resulted in increased germination of P. falcatus seeds and no pathogenicity to seedlings. However, further investigations are required in order to find out how these fungi behave under nursery or field conditions. Résumé L'étude porte sur l'impact sur les graines et semis de Podocarpus falcatus de vingt-neuf champignons isolés de graines et fruits du même hôte en forêts naturelles en Ethiopie. D'après les résultats des inoculations de semences in vitro, les champignons peuvent être classés en 5 groupes: (i) les isolats pathogènes uniquement sur graines et sans effet apparent sur plantules; (ii) les isolats pathogènes uniquement sur plantules; (iii) les isolats pathogènes à la fois sur graines et sur plantules émergentes; (iv) les isolats non pathogènes; (v) les isolats favorisant la germination. Des inoculations ont également été pratiquées sur des semis de 4,7 jours produits en conditions axéniques. Fusarium oxysporum et Polyporus sp. montrent un fort pouvoir pathogène à la fois sure graines et semis, Nectria gliocladioides, Peniophora cinerea et Pestalotiopsis neglecta sont également pathogènes mais à un moindre degré. D'autres isolats, comme Diaporthe spp., induisent une augmentation de germination des graines de P. falcatus et ne sont pas pathogènes sur plantules. Des études complémentaires sont nécessaires pour déterminer le comportement de ces champignons en pépinières ou en conditions naturelles. Zusammenfassung Von Samen und weiblichen Zapfen von Podocarpus falcatus aus Naturwäldern in Äthiopien wurden 29 Pilze isoliert und auf ihre Pathogenität an Samen und Sämlinge der gleichen Art getestet. Anhand der Inokulationstests an Samen in vitro wurden die Pilze in 5 Klassen eingeteilt: (i) Pilze, die nur den Samen schädigen und keine Auswirkung auf den Keimling haben; (ii) Pilze, die nur den Keimling schädigen; (iii) Pilze, die sowohl den Samen als auch den Keimling schädigen; (iv) nicht pathogene Pilze; und (v) Pilze, welche die Keimung fördern. Zusätzlich wurden Inokulationstests an vier bis sieben Tage alten steril gekeimten Sämlingen durchgeführt. Fusarium oxysporum und Polyporus sp. waren sowohl an Samen als auch an Keimlingen stark pathogen, Nectria gliocladioides, Peniophora cinerea und Pestalotiopsis neglecta waren weniger stark pathogen. Andere Isolate, wie z.B. Diaporthe spp. waren apathogen und förderten die Keimung. Zur Abklärung des Verhaltens dieser Pilze unter Freilandbedingungen sind jedoch weitere Untersuchungen notwendig. [source] Impact of the fish Garra on the ecology of reservoirs and the occurrence of Microcystis blooms in semi-arid tropical highlands: an experimental assessment using enclosuresFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 8 2009TADESSE DEJENIE Summary 1.,Many man-made reservoirs in the semi-arid highlands of Northern Ethiopia (Tigray) are characterised by the occurrence of intensive blooms of cyanobacteria and a dominance of small riverine fishes belonging to the genus Garra. 2.,We carried out enclosure experiments to test for the effect of these small fish on abiotic characteristics, phytoplankton biomass and zooplankton community structure in the pelagic of two reservoirs (Gereb Awso and Tsinkanet). Two experiments were carried out in each of the reservoirs, one at the end of the rainy season (highest water level) and one at the end of the dry season (lowest water level). 3.,The presence of Garra in general increased the amount of suspended matter, nutrient concentrations (total nitrogen and total phosphorus), phytoplankton and Microcystis biomass (including the proportion of Microcystis in the phytoplankton community), and reduced water transparency. The positive effect of the presence of Garra on nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton productivity indicate that Garra has the potential to affect food web functioning indirectly through bottom-up effects, by enhancing nutrient concentrations through sediment resuspension and excretion of nutrients. Indeed, population densities of the cladoceran zooplankton taxa Ceriodaphnia and Diaphanosoma also showed an overall increase in enclosures with Garra. 4.,However, our data also provide some evidence for a potential of Garra to exert top-down control on large bodied daphnids (Daphnia carinata, D. barbata), although such effect varied among experiments. The limited capability of Garra to control zooplankton communities mainly reflects the low efficiency of these small, riverine and benthos-oriented fish in foraging on zooplankton and suggests the existence of an unoccupied niche for zooplanktivorous fish in the majority of the reservoirs. 5.,Although the main effects of Garra on the pelagic food web seemed to be mediated by bottom-up mechanisms, our results also indicate that one of the key variables, the relative abundance of Microcystis, was impacted by Daphnia -mediated trophic cascade effects. [source] TEM-fast small-loop soundings to map underground tunnels and galleries connecting the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, EthiopiaGEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 5 2005Gaetano Ranieri As one of the first attempts to utilize the technique for intrasite archaeological prospection, a series of coincident square-loop TEM-fast geophysical surveys were carried out over the compounds of the largest of the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela,Bete Maryam and Bete Amannuel,in North Ethiopia. Archaeologists have long believed that the different churches within each group were connected by underground tunnels. The aim of this survey was to identify, delineate, and map these underground channels and galleries. A total of 33 sounding surveys were conducted, the majority of which used a 3-m-side square loop. The survey traverses explored around the sides of the churches where underground connections to the other churches are possible. The results of the surveys, which are presented in terms of resistivity and depth pseudosections, clearly depict the presence of anomalies that could be associated with cavities, whose orientation suggests the presence of connecting galleries between the different churches. Whether these cavities were actually connecting galleries with religious implications or designed to be used as drainage paths remains a subject requiring further study involving additional geophysical investigations and physical excavation. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] The rock-hewn churches of Tigrai, Northern Ethiopia: A geological perspectiveGEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 7 2002Asfawossen Asrat Ethiopia is endowed with many rock-hewn churches, with the largest group in central and eastern Tigrai. These churches can be divided into four zones: the Atsbi, Hawzen-Ger'alta, Sinkata-Adigrat, and Tembien, with more than 100 rock-hewn churches of different ages, sizes, and histories. However, they have one thing in common: All are carved into sandstone. The Enticho, Adigrat, and Ambaradam sandstones (Permo-Carboniferous, Triassic,Middle Jurassic, and Early Cretaceous, respectively) are extensively exposed in these areas and are characterized by thick and massive beds of coarse- to fine-grained and well-sorted successions. These sandstones are easily carved, yet compact enough to withstand pressure. Although limestone, basalt, and crystalline rocks are exposed in the same area, few rock-hewn churches have been carved into them. The rock type is, therefore, the most important factor in the location of these rock-hewn churches. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Geostatistical Analysis of RainfallGEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS, Issue 2 2010David I. F. Grimes Rainfall can be modeled as a spatially correlated random field superimposed on a background mean value; therefore, geostatistical methods are appropriate for the analysis of rain gauge data. Nevertheless, there are certain typical features of these data that must be taken into account to produce useful results, including the generally non-Gaussian mixed distribution, the inhomogeneity and low density of observations, and the temporal and spatial variability of spatial correlation patterns. Many studies show that rigorous geostatistical analysis performs better than other available interpolation techniques for rain gauge data. Important elements are the use of climatological variograms and the appropriate treatment of rainy and nonrainy areas. Benefits of geostatistical analysis for rainfall include ease of estimating areal averages, estimation of uncertainties, and the possibility of using secondary information (e.g., topography). Geostatistical analysis also facilitates the generation of ensembles of rainfall fields that are consistent with a given set of observations, allowing for a more realistic exploration of errors and their propagation in downstream models, such as those used for agricultural or hydrological forecasting. This article provides a review of geostatistical methods used for kriging, exemplified where appropriate by daily rain gauge data from Ethiopia. La precipitación puede ser modelada como un campo aleatorio correlacionado espacialmente sobrepuesto a un valor de fondo (background) medio. Dadas estas propiedades, resulta apropiado utilizar métodos geoestadísticos para el análisis de datos registrados con pluviómetros distribuidos en estaciones meteorológicas. Existen sin embargo, ciertas características de este tipo de datos que deben ser tomados en cuenta para producir resultados útiles:a) la distribución de datos tiende a ser mixta y no ser normal; b) las observaciones son heterogéneas y de escasa densidad espacial; y c) los patrones de correlación espacial son varían considerablemente en el tiempo y espacio. Numerosos estudios han demostrado ya que un análisis geoestadístico riguroso ofrece mejores resultados que las otras técnicas de interpolación disponibles para este tipo de datos. Cabe resaltar que en la aplicación de estas técnicas, el uso de variogramas climatológicos y el tratamiento apropiado de áreas lluviosas versus áreas no lluviosas son consideraciones importantes. El análisis geoestadístico de lluvias tiene además la ventaja de estimar promedios areales con facilidad, proporcionar una estimación espacial de la incertidumbre, y la posibilidad de incorporar información secundaria (ej. topografía) en el modelo. Asimismo, los métodos geoestadísticos también facilitan la generación de campos de lluvia que son consistentes con las observaciones. Esto hace posible exploraciones más realistas del error y la estimación de su propagación en modelos aplicados subsecuentemente, como por ejemplo en los modelos utilizados en predicción agrícola e hidrológica. Los autores reseñan los métodos geoestadísticos utilizados para krijeage o krijeado (kriging) mediante ejemplos de su uso apropiado con datos pluviométricos en Etiopia. [source] The Unfolding Trends and Consequences of Expanding Higher Education in Ethiopia: Massive Universities, Massive ChallengesHIGHER EDUCATION QUARTERLY, Issue 1 2009Kedir Assefa Tessema Abstract There have been significant increases in the number of universities and student enrollments in the last fifteen years in Ethiopia. The numerical gains have brought about improved access to higher education for students. The expansion has also diversified fields of study and opened opportunities to pursue higher degrees to a significant number of students. Furthermore, the opportunity created for the university staff includes increased university job security, positions in the university leadership and scholarships for PhD degrees. On the other hand, the downside effects of the massification have worsened the conditions of university teaching staff. Among others, it has resulted in increasing work load and extended work schedules for academic staff. A managerialist culture has evolved that measures teaching against instrumental outcomes. There is a sense of deprofessionalisation and deskilling among staff manifested in practices that are disconnections from professional knowledge, skills and attitudes. As staff are increasingly over-engaged, by taking more weekly class hours and managerial responsibilities, less ,down time' is available to keeping with developments in their fields of specialisation and practice [source] El Niño Southern Oscillation link to the Blue Nile River Basin hydrologyHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 26 2009Wossenu Abtew Abstract The objective of this study is to evaluate the relationships of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indices and the Blue Nile River Basin hydrology using a new approach that tracks cumulative ENSO indices. The results of this study can be applied for water resources management decision making to mitigate drought or flood impacts with a lead time of at least few months. ENSO tracking and forecasting is relatively easier than predicting hydrology. ENSO teleconnections to the Blue Nile River Basin hydrology were evaluated using spatial average basin rainfall and Blue Nile flows at Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. The ENSO indices were sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in region Niño 3·4 and the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). The analysis indicates that the Upper Blue Nile Basin rainfall and flows are teleconnected to the ENSO indices. Based on event correspondence and correlation analysis, high rainfall and high flows are likely to occur during La Niña years and dry years are likely to occur during El Niño years at a confidence level of 90%. Extreme dry and wet years are very likely to correspond with ENSO events as given above. The great Ethiopian famine of 1888,1892 corresponds to one of the strongest El Niño years, 1888. The recent drought years in Ethiopia correspond to strong El Niño years and wet years correspond to La Niña years. In this paper, a new approach is proposed on how to classify the strength of ENSO events by tracking consecutive monthly events through a year. A cumulative SST index value of ,5 and cumulative SOI value of , ,7 indicate strong El Niño. A cumulative SST index value of ,,5 and cumulative SOI index of ,7 indicate strong La Niña. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Modelling lake stage and water balance of Lake Tana, EthiopiaHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 25 2009Yirgalem A. Chebud Abstract The level of Lake Tana, Ethiopia, fluctuates annually and seasonally following the patterns of changes in precipitation. In this study, a mass balance approach is used to estimate the hydrological balance of the lake. Water influx from four major rivers, subsurface inflow from the floodplains, precipitation, outflow from the lake constituting river discharge and evapotranspiration from the lake are analysed on monthly and annual bases. Spatial interpolation of precipitation using rain gauge data was conducted using kriging. Outflow from the lake was identified as the evaporation from the lake's surface as well as discharge at the outlet where the Blue Nile commences. Groundwater inflow is estimated using MODular three-dimensional finite-difference ground-water FLOW model software that showed an aligned flow pattern to the river channels. The groundwater outflow is considered negligible based on the secondary sources that confirmed the absence of lake water geochemical mixing outside of the basin. Evaporation is estimated using Penman's, Meyer's and Thornwaite's methods to compare the mass balance and energy balance approaches. Meteorological data, satellite images and temperature perturbation simulations from Global Historical Climate Network of National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration are employed for estimation of evaporation input parameters. The difference of the inflow and outflow was taken as storage in depth and compared with the measured water level fluctuations. The study has shown that the monthly and annually calculated lake level replicates the observed values with root mean square error value of 0·17 and 0·15 m, respectively. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Rainfall-discharge relationships for a monsoonal climate in the Ethiopian highlandsHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 7 2008Ben M. Liu Abstract This study presents a simple rainfall-discharge analysis for the Andit Tid, Anjeni, and Maybar watersheds of northern Ethiopia. The Soil Conservation Research Programme (SCRP) established monitoring stations in each of these sites during the 1980s, with climate and stream flow measurements being recorded up to the present. To show how these data could be used to provide insight into catchment-level runoff mechanisms, simple linear relationships between effective precipitation and runoff are developed for each watershed, with the conclusion that all three watersheds exhibit consistent hydrologic behaviour after approximately 500 mm of cumulative effective seasonal rainfall has fallen since the beginning of season. After the 500 mm rainfall threshold is reached, approximately 50% of any further precipitation on these watersheds will directly contribute to catchment runoff. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Magnitude of indoor NO2 from biomass fuels in rural settings of EthiopiaINDOOR AIR, Issue 1 2009A. Kumie First page of article [source] Variability of the recent climate of eastern AfricaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2004Carl J. Schreck III Abstract The primary objective of this study is to investigate the recent variability of the eastern African climate. The region of interest is also known as the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA), and comprises the countries of Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania. The analysis was based primarily on the construction of empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of gauge rainfall data and on CPC Merged Analysis of Precipitation (CMAP) data, derived from a combination of rain-gauge observations and satellite estimates. The investigation is based on the period 1961,2001 for the ,short rains' season of eastern Africa of October through to December. The EOF analysis was supplemented by projection of National Centers for Environmental Prediction wind data onto the rainfall eigenmodes to understand the rainfall,circulation relationships. Furthermore, correlation and composite analyses have been performed with the Climatic Research Unit globally averaged surface-temperature time series to explore the potential relationship between the climate of eastern Africa and global warming. The most dominant mode of variability (EOF1) based on CMAP data over eastern Africa corresponds to El Niño,southern oscillation (ENSO) climate variability. It is associated with above-normal rainfall amounts during the short rains throughout the entire region, except for Sudan. The corresponding anomalous low-level circulation is dominated by easterly inflow from the Indian Ocean, and to a lesser extent the Congo tropical rain forest, into the positive rainfall anomaly region that extends across most of eastern Africa. The easterly inflow into eastern Africa is part of diffluent outflow from the maritime continent during the warm ENSO events. The second eastern African EOF (trend mode) is associated with decadal variability. In distinct contrast from the ENSO mode pattern, the trend mode is characterized by positive rainfall anomalies over the northern sector of eastern Africa and opposite conditions over the southern sector. This rainfall trend mode eluded detection in previous studies that did not include recent decades of data, because the signal was still relatively weak. The wind projection onto this mode indicates that the primary flow that feeds the positive anomaly region over the northern part of eastern Africa emanates primarily from the rainfall-deficient southern region of eastern Africa and Sudan. Although we do not assign attribution of the trend mode to global warming (in part because of the relatively short period of analysis), the evidence, based on our results and previous studies, strongly suggests a potential connection. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society. [source] Awareness and determinants of family planning practice in Jimma, EthiopiaINTERNATIONAL NURSING REVIEW, Issue 4 2006A. T. Beekle rgn Background:, The continuing growth of the world population has become an urgent global problem. Ethiopia, like most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, is experiencing rapid population growth. Currently, the country's population is growing at a rate of 3%, one of the highest rates in the world and if it continues unabated, the population will have doubled in 23 years, preventing any gain in the national development effort. Aim:, To determine the level and determinants of family planning awareness and practice in one Ethiopian town. Methodology:, A quantitative study using a descriptive survey design was conducted in Jimma University Hospital. Discussion:, The findings revealed that the knowledge and practice of modern contraception methods was low. Most women's contraceptive knowledge and practice was influenced by socio-cultural norms such as male/husband dominance and opposition to contraception, and low social status of women. A lack of formal education for women was identified as a key factor in preventing change in the patterns of contraceptive knowledge and use by women in this part of Ethiopia. Conclusion:, The support and encouragement for women and men to enter and complete formal education is essential in bringing about a cultural and social change in attitude towards the economic and social value of family planning. This study and others suggest that education can address the imbalance in decision making about contraception and the role of women in society generally. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||