AMU Journal System (Arba Minch University)
Not a member yet
254 research outputs found
Sort by
Modeling of Future Land Use Dynamics in Biodiversity Hotspot Area of Southern Rift Valley Basin, Ethiopia: Insights from CA- Markov and Intensity Analysis Models
No full textAbstract
Protected areas (PAs) are vital to biodiversity conservation and ecological services. However, in Ethiopia, human-induced land use change(LUC) and degradation significantly daunting PAs’ functionality including Nechsar National Park (NNP), part of Somalia‑Masai Center of Endemism and the richest in biodiversity. A detailed analysis of future LUC using advanced prediction and change analysis models is necessary to halt the existing problems and design practicable long‑term management plans. Thus, our study quantified the complete processes of future LUC in NNP from 2020 - 2040 and 2040 - 2060 by integrating CA‑Markov and three‑level intensity analysis models. For LUC prediction, Landsat imageries of 1986, 2002 and 2020, four explanatory variables and TerrSet_20 software were utilized. Kappa Index was applied to model validation and resulted in (Kstandard=0.893). Results revealed a continued reduction in forest, grass and woodland with 19%, 26% and 70% net loss, respectively and expansion with positive net changes in other land types from 2020 to 2060. Results of intensity analysis show the predicted overall change prevailed rapidly(1.26%) in 1st and slowly (1.11%) in 2nd time interval. The category and transition levels indicate the gain predicted for bush/shrub, the most active and intensively targeted woodland and grassland. Forest’s active loss is expected to be targeted by cultivated and woodland. Generally, this study provides adequate information for stakeholders to understand the intensity of future LUC and develop targeted management plans for NNP. It also shows that the CA‑Markov model is essential to predict LUC, but integrating with intensity analysis is necessary to examine the underlying characteristics of land changes and identify the reasons for the changes.
Keywords: Biodiversity hotspot, Land transition, Nechsar  
Investigation of Road Asset Management Practices in South Road Authority (The Case of Sodo District)
Get PDFRoad asset management (RAM) is a critical function for ensuring the sustainability, safety, and efficiency of transportation infrastructure. In developing countries like Ethiopia, RAM practices face significant challenges due to the lack of appropriate tools, limited technical capacity, inadequate data systems, and insufficient coordination among stakeholders. This study investigates the existing status of road asset management practices in the Sodo District under the South Road Authority (SRA) of Ethiopia. A descriptive survey design incorporating both qualitative and quantitative approaches was employed. Primary data were collected through questionnaires administered to 15 professionals, including team leaders, data collectors, and supervisors, as well as interviews and field observations. The study revealed multiple deficiencies, including a lack of digitalized systems, poor data organization, inadequate maintenance planning, limited awareness, and poor integration of management components. Statistical analysis showed weak correlations between performance monitoring and overall asset system issues, indicating gaps in implementation. Based on the findings, the study recommends adopting a modern, digital road asset management system; enhancing technical capacity through training; improving inter-agency coordination; and implementing evidence-based, proactive maintenance strategies to optimize resource use and extend asset lifespan.
Keywords: Data Integration, Ethiopia, Infrastructure Maintenance, Road Asset Management, Rural Roads, Sodo Distric
Impact of Shoring and Scaffolding on Construction Performance in Addis Ababa
Get PDFThe construction sector in Ethiopia contributes significantly to economic growth, but it continues to suffer from delays, cost overruns, and safety risks. This is partly due to inadequate shoring and scaffolding practices. This study investigated the impact of shoring and scaffolding systems on the performance of building construction projects in Addis Ababa. Data were collected from 167 professionals across 57 public projects using questionnaires, interviews, and case studies and were analyzed through descriptive statistics and factor analysis. Findings show that poor practices in shoring and scaffolding lead to collapses, cracks, deflections, and misalignments in concrete structures, while also contributing to up to 5% of project costs and 17.5–27.6% of project durations. Moreover, 51% of site accidents were associated with failures in these systems. Material type (metal vs. eucalyptus), quality of components, and working methodology were found to be the most influential factors. Case study comparisons confirmed that metal systems are safer, faster, and more cost-effective than timber, despite their higher initial cost. The study recommends integrating proper design, planning, and monitoring of shoring and scaffolding early in project development. For the industry, adopting standardized metal systems, enforcing safety training, and implementing quality control can substantially reduce risks, enhance productivity, and improve overall project performance.
Keywords:Cost, Project Performance, Quality, Safety, Scaffolding, Shoring, Construction in Addis Abab
Enhancing environmental sustainability and income diversification through agroforestry practices in the Dollo Watershed, Kamba Zuria District, Southern Ethiopia
Get PDFThis study evaluated the contributions of agroforestry to community welfare and environmental health in targeted regions. Data were collected from 231 farm households across five villages using close-ended and open-ended questionnaires, complemented by focus group discussions with community leaders male and female heads of households, and farmers with various experience levels. A relative scoring method was employed to rank preferred woody species, with results indicating that 90% of participating farmers integrated agroforestry with monocropping, while only 9% practiced non-agroforestry agricultural activities. Among the 32 most preferred tree species identified for agroforestry, 79% were native and 21% were exotic. The findings revealed that 91% of respondents viewed agroforestry as their primary source of income while the 9% relied on non-agroforestry agricultural activities. Furthermore, 51% of households believed that agroforestry enhances biodiversity compared to monoculture, and 66.67% recognized increased crop output as its main advantage. However, as data collection was confined to a specific timeframe, seasonal variations in agroforestry systems and income generation were not fully captured. This underscores the necessity for innovative extension services and proactive engagement from governmental and non- governmental organizations to enhance the role of agroforestry in improving rural livelihoods and the environment.
Keyword: Carbon sequestration; Community; Environmental sustainably; Income; Soil improvemen
Trypanosomal infection rates in Glossina pallidipes in Bilbo village, Kamba District, Southern Ethiopia
Get PDFThis study was a cross-sectional study conducted at Bilbo village in Kamba district, Southwestern Ethiopia, from November 2018 to April 2019 with the aim of determining the infection rate of trypanosomes in Glossina pallidipes. A total of 384 Glossina pallidipes were captured using acetone and animal urine-baited non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU), bi-conical and sticky traps. Their organs (proboscis, salivary gland, and midgut) were dissected and microscopically examined. About 53.39% of Glossina pallidipes were captured through NGU, and the remaining 29.17% and 17.45% were captured via bi-conical and sticky traps, respectively. Out of the dissected specimens, 131 (34.1%) Glossina pallidipes were found positive for trypanosomes. Of this, 109 (28.38%) and 22 (5.73%) were female and male tsetse flies, respectively. The highest proportion of the tsetse fly (19.27%) was infected by T. vivax, followed by T. congolense, and T. brucei. There was a statistically significant difference in trypanosome infection rate among the sex (P = 0.001) and age (P = 0.0024) categories of Glossina pallidipes. The presence of Glossina pallidipes positive for trypanosomes might have contributed to bovine trypanosomosis in the study area. Hence, further studies should be undertaken in order to categorically prioritize the control of tsetse flies in the study area.
Keywords: Glossina pallidipes; T. brucei; T. congolense; T. vivax; Traps; Trypanosome infection rat
Leadership Practices that Enable Agricultural Transformation: The case of Ethiopian irrigated wheat initiative: Leadership practices to enable agricultural transformation
No full textAgricultural innovations play a vital role in enhancing production and productivity. Under Ethiopian context, agricultural innovations are deployed in the form of integrated technological innovations. The elements of technological packages include varieties and associated management practices. The rate of adoption and the pace at which such innovations are disseminated is normally slow. Thus organizations involved in innovation development and dissemination activities need to be agile to cope with the fast changing production environment as well as the pressing need for increased production and productivity. Enabling leadership refers to leadership practices that enable the positioning of individual and organizational actors by creating adaptive spaces. An adaptive space is about the social arrangements of the innovation system actors in ways that enable the creation of adaptive processes which eventually lead to an adaptive organization. Thus, being acquainted with leadership practices that enable the creation of adaptive spaces and facilitation of the vitality of associated adaptive processes is crucial. Activities that stimulate adaptive processes eventually facilitate the creation of adaptive organizations. Knowledge of factors that enable the creation of adaptive spaces, and leadership practices that help expedite the creation of vibrant adaptive processes is vital to be able to deploy appropriate adaptive interventions. This further enables the design of a refined intervention for future implementation under varied contexts. At the policy level, knowledge of enabling leadership practices that affect the success of such adaptive interventions is important for policy-makers to rethink their innovative food production policies. Thus, it is important to document process-oriented and relational approaches that facilitate the creation of adaptive spaces in which agricultural innovations are generated, diffused and adopted in networks based on information gathered from field-level implementation experiences. The Ethiopian irrigated wheat production initiative was as the subject of study. Some of the project evaluation questions for the retrospective analysis from the perspective of an enabling leadership model were: who were the agents involved in the irrigated wheat project? What were their roles? What were the enabling leadership practices that facilitated the creation of the adaptive space vital for the sustainability of the project? To answer the above questions, a template analysis of existing irrigated wheat project documents was done. One of the key lessons from the current analysis is that is the fact that leadership is a co-creation. An additional lesson also is that we must understand that leadership and followership are a complex social phenomenon of interacting leaders and followers in ways that co-produce enabling leadership and its outcomes
Transition from Vocational Schooling to World of Work: Challenges of Graduates Working in Ethiopia’s Polytechnic Colleges
Get PDFThe study looks at the difficulties that TVET graduates have when they enter the workforce, with a particular emphasis on Arba Minch, Awassa, and Akaki TVET Polytechnic schools. Using a cross-sectional survey to address the dearth of research on this subject, the study discovered that low training quality, poor industry contacts, poor trainee performance, bad teaching techniques, and big class numbers all make it more difficult for graduates to enter the workforce. The sole professional obstacle that both male and female TVET graduates must overcome is the acquisition of actual hard skills. Even without parental support, they are prepared for the workforce and capable of being fairly independent. Thus, by showcasing exceptional performance and real-world skills like internships and entrepreneurial ability, TVET graduates may succeed in the workplace. Also, to ensure loan availability and encourage middle-level skilled resources to pursue self-employment options, financing organizations should embrace intangible assets
Comparative Evaluation of Model Sensitivity, Calibration, and Parameter Uncertainty in Streamflow Simulation Using SWAT and HBV Light in the Geba Watershed, Ethiopia
Get PDFEvaluating and simulating streamflow is extremely useful for managing water resources in almost all regions, particularly in arid ones. This study focuses on the performance of two hydrological models, HBV Light and SWAT, in streamflow simulation in northern Ethiopia. The models were evaluated using an ensemble modeling approach, which integrated Monte Carlo simulations for HBV Light and SWAT, while SWAT-CUP was used for calibration and validation. During the sensitivity analysis, key parameters controlling the model outputs were identified. For HBV Light, the parameters, K2, MAXBAS, and BETA, reflect subsurface processes, whereas SWAT, CN2, GWQMN, and SOL_AWC were used to control surface runoff. During calibration and validation, SWAT demonstrated statistically superior performance in modeling streamflow (R²=0.73, NSE=0.81) and (R2 =0.72, NSE=0.72) respectively. While HBV Light recorded a performance of (R²=0.71, NSE=0.70) during calibration and (R2= 0.71, NSE= 0.71) during validation,which was closer to the observed streamflow. This indicates during the validation phase, SWAT still performed better but HBV Light demonstrated narrower predictive uncertainties at 95% along with more identifiability of the parameters that reduced the problem of equifinality. The bottom line of this case was that SWAT was statistically better, while HBV Light was more transparent and reliable with uncertainties. All things considered, both models could simulate streamflow, but their differences suggested that context-based choice would be optimal. While predictive consistency and uncertainty portrayal were most important, HBV Light was advantageous, and SWAT was better suited for use in cases that rank calibration accuracy above all else. The hydrology of the catchment could be better understood if streamline decision-making for the effective and sustainable management of water resources in the Geba Catchment and similar semi-arid areas were combined, or if multi-model ensembles were utilized.
Keywords: Streamflow simulation, Hydrological modeling, HBV Light model, SWAT model, Uncertainty analysis, Parameter sensitivit
Exploring Youth Social Media Habits Among University Students in Ethiopia: A Study on Selected Public Universities
Get PDFThis study explores the social media habits of university students, focusing on how youths engage with various platforms. It applies Social Network Theory and the Use and Acceptance of Technology Theory to examine the participants' uses and gratifications of social media. Data was collected from students at three public universities through surveys and in-depth interviews. The analysis employed descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The findings reveal that Ethiopian youths are actively engaging with various social media platforms, including Telegram, Facebook, YouTube, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Viber. These platforms are primarily used for viewing others' posts, chatting with friends, discussing political issues freely, developing talents, and staying updated on current events. The study indicates that social media use among Ethiopian youths has reached a point of no return. A striking 98% of participants reported using more than one social media platform, with nearly 72% of them managing accounts on more than three platforms. Social media also offers numerous opportunities for youth, such as fostering friendships, connecting across national borders, developing personal talents, and generating stable incomes. However, challenges such as misbehaviors and misuse of platforms also persist. Based on these findings, the study suggests several recommendations: Users should better manage their time and social media interactions, group and page administrators should be more responsible for content management, and the government should intervene to curb misuse and abusive behaviors. Given that a lack of media literacy and analytical skills was identified as a challenge, the Ministry of Education should integrate media literacy into the education curriculum at various levels. In the meantime, Ethiopian universities should offer media literacy training to students.
Keywords: Ethiopia, Social Media, University Students, Youths, Youths’ Engagemen
Foreign Policy and Communication Barriers: Rethinking Language and Media Strategies in Ethiopian Public Diplomacy
Get PDFInternational language and media are crucial for strategic communications that aim at influencing foreign audiences' attitude. Despite a recent resurgence of political, public, academic, and media interest in foreign policy issues, there has been no study investigating the impact of communication barriers on Ethiopia's public diplomacy objectives. This study sought to answer several questions: What changes and continuities in language use have occurred in modern Ethiopian diplomacy? How have the language practices of mainstream mass media affected public diplomacy? And how have language and media shortcomings hindered public diplomacy efforts amid recent foreign policy challenges? To explore these questions, the study employed the concepts of "soft power" and constructivist public diplomacy, utilizing qualitative research methods and an exploratory design due to the lack of prior research on this topic. Data were collected through literature reviews, document analysis, and media assessments, and analyzed both chronologically and thematically. The findings revealed that diplomatic practice in Ethiopia was multilingual during the imperial period but shifted to a unilingual approach during the Derg and EPRDF regimes. Additionally, the dominance of local languages in Ethiopian mass media, coupled with the absence of international media outlets, hampered strategic communications. This resulted in the localization of public diplomacy messages that were intended for an international audience. The study also highlighted the limitations of public diplomacy in addressing recent foreign policy challenges, which were exacerbated by the digital media divide, a fragmented domestic political and media landscape, lack of a unified national narrative on key national interests, and a reactive, crisis management-focused approach at the national level, which lacked a proactively articulated public diplomacy strategy