Reducing maternal and child mortality has been a top global health priority for the past two decades. Through this thesis, I underline some of the strategies, barriers and determinants to optimal maternal and child health (MCH) in three specific districts of Jimma Zone in the southwest of Ethiopia. My first paper has a particular focus on the quality of MCH data collected within the health management information system (HMIS), while the second paper focuses on the utilization of antenatal care (ANC) services, assessments of malaria in pregnancy, and women’s access to malaria preventive measures using data from a cross-sectional survey conducted in the three study districts. The quality of MCH data collected within the HMIS from July 2014 to June 2015 for the 26 primary health care units (PHCUs) located within the three districts was evaluated using the World Health Organization’s Data Quality Report Card (DQRC). To complement the methods recommended in the DQRC, Pearson correlation coefficients, intraclass correlation coefficients, and Bland-Altman analysis were used to determine the agreement between MCH indicator coverage estimates derived from the HMIS and a population-based survey conducted with 3,784 women who had a birth outcome within the same time frame. The quality of MCH data collected within the HMIS was determined to be unsatisfactory, with many health facilities located in the three districts not reporting completely, consistently, or accurately MCH key indicators relating specifically to ANC, skilled birth attendance at delivery, and postnatal care. This finding is important since poor data quality can compromise effective decision-making and resource allocation processes aimed at contributing to better health outcomes in mothers and newborns. vi To address the objectives set in the second chapter, analysis of cross-sectional survey data from 3,784 women who had a birth outcome in the year preceding the survey was performed through logistic regression models adjusting for clustering of the participants by PHCU. While close to 85% of the women attended at least one ANC visit, less than 50% of the participants received four or more ANC visits. Lack of necessity, distance to health facility and unavailability of transportation were determined as key reasons for not attending ANC. Women who completed secondary or higher education, were from the richest households, were exposed to different media sources, and were able to make decisions about their healthcare by themselves or jointly with their husband were more likely to attend ANC services. Frequent visits by a health extension worker and pregnancy intendedness also influenced ANC attendance. Bed net ownership and utilization during last pregnancy were also relatively low (52% and 26%, respectively). The results also showed that the odds of owning and always using a mosquito net were higher in participants that attended ANC, with odds ratios of 1.98 (95% CI: 1.55-2.53) and 1.62 (95% CI: 1.23 – 2.13), respectively. The prevalence of malaria infection during pregnancy was low in our recruited sample, with 1.45% of the participants reporting suffering from malaria during their last pregnancy. We determined significant negative relationships between malaria infection and maternal age and education level. This work emphasizes the importance of improving the quality of MCH data within the HMIS in Ethiopia as well as addressing the inequities relating to ANC attendance in Jimma Zone. Given the adverse effects that malaria can have on the progress and outcomes of a pregnancy, the importance of promoting mosquito net ownership and use as part of ANC services is also highlighted.

Magister Legum - LLM

The ideal climatic conditions and diversity of floral resources allow Ethiopia to sustain millions of honeybee colonies. Beekeeping is widely practiced and plays a significant role in the livelihood of the farming community of the country. Despite this, information on the types of geographical races of honeybees, their behavioural characters and the related ecological factors are not established. In this work an attempt was made to characterise the honeybee populations of the northern parts of Ethiopia based on the analyses of morphological, behavioural and ecological characteristics. For morphological analysis, 155 honeybee colony samples from 31 localities were collected. 20 worker honeybees per colony sample totalled 3100 individual worker honeybees and thirteen morphological characters per bee, a total of 40 300 measurements were recorded following Ruttner's (1988) protocols. The behavioural characters such as reproductive swarming, migration, temperament and colony seasonal cycles were assessed based on survey work of a pre-structured questionnaire. Various univariate and multivariate statistical methods were employed to analyse the data. The principal components and step-wise linear discriminant analyses revealed the existence of four discrete morphoclusters or geographical races: A. m. jemenitica from eastern, northwestern and northern arid and semi-arid lowlands, A. m. scutellata from the western humid midlands, A. m. bandasii from sub-moist central highlands and A. m. monticola from the northern mountainous parts of the study areas. These different geographical races were found to be distinctively distributed in the different ecological parts of the study area. High intercolonial and intracolonial variances were observed in all localities, however particularly high values were obtained in areas of transitions between ecological zones indicating a region of gene flow or zones of hybridisation among the statistically defined populations. Such high variances were observed mostly in areas where A. m. jemenitica borders the other geographical races. Moreover. distinct behavioural variations were also noted among these geographical races. Generally. the highland and mountainous honeybees A. m. bandasii and A. m. monticola are relatively larger in body size. have less tendency to swarm. less inclination to migrate and are relatively gentle while the converse traits were noted for the lowlands and midlands honeybees A. m. jemenitica and A. m. scutellata. Both morphological and behavioural variations were highly correlated with environmental factors and the variations seem to be the result of long adaptation to the interrelated ecological factors in their respective areas. Variations in reproductive swarming periods were also noted among these honeybee populations as a result of variations in rainfall pattern. altitude and temperature in their respective ecological areas which are believed to alter the honeybee colonies' seasonal cycles and leads to partial temporal reproductive isolation among these different honeybee populations.

The thesis presented the results of an investigation into livelihood strategies of rural households in the Hararghe Highlands in the context of population pressure. The human welfare and resource outcomes of rural livelihood strategies were assessed, accounting for the “mediating” factors. The study enriches the current policy debate on how to create an enabling environment to strengthen sustainable rural livelihoods and mitigate adverse welfare and resource consequences of unsustainable rural livelihood strategies. The sustainable livelihood framework for analysing rural livelihoods in the context of population pressure was modified in the thesis to guide the analyses. Primary data was obtained from 197 randomly selected households from three representative sites in the Hararghe Highlands. Whilst verbal description, interpretation and appreciation of facts, and case studies were used for the qualitative data analysis, multivariate techniques and logistic regression were employed to analyse the quantitative data. The study showed that subdivision and fragmentation of agricultural land and re-emergence of landlessness have accompanied the unprecedented population growth in the Hararghe Highlands. The pace of demographic change of the area is so fast that it has caused failure of indigenous countervailing and adaptations. Sufficient effective demand for sustainable intensification of smallholder farms has, however, not been created due to uncertain right to the land and inadequate market incentives. Furthermore, the technology generation and dissemination systems have failed to build the capacity of smallholder farmers to respond to the demographic pressure in a sustainable way. This has generally resulted in negative welfare and resource outcomes. Nonetheless, rural households pursue heterogeneous livelihood strategies due to differential access to livelihood assets, and heterogeneous constraints and incentives. The nature and the extent of welfare and resource outcomes of rural livelihood strategies are different across sites and among different households. A livelihood strategy that integrates cash crop production with high external input-based staple crops production and trade was found to be more successful. Overall, the findings challenge the current untargeted and uniform intervention that implicitly assumes that only farming and the intensification of staple crop production for food self-sufficiency is important to all households. Furthermore, the findings challenge the over simplified generalisations regarding the human welfare and resource effects of rural population growth in Ethiopia as if the interactions between them were taking place in a political, an institutional and an agro-climatic vacuum and as if rural households in a district, a sub-district or a village were a “homogeneous” group. What is thus needed is decentralisation of rural development planning and building of the capacity of local institutions so that they may be able to understand rural livelihoods and design innovative and locally specific integrated interventions to support sustainable rural livelihoods. The specific recommendations include ensuring land tenure security, improving farmers’ access to the market and appropriate technologies, creating conducive environment for commercialisation and livelihood diversification, institutionalised safety net, resettlement and family planning. / Thesis (PhD (Rural Development Planning))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

Please read the abstract in the section 08chapter7 (pp228-229) / Thesis (DPhil (Agricultural Extension))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / DPhil / unrestricted

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MSc (Agricultural Extension))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

One fundamental conceptualization of the biomedical category of autism is that of the withdrawn child, isolated in an impenetrable world. This trope, and associated neurobiological, cognitive and linguistic markers, have become central to how autism is recognized in both academic research and in popular understanding. In this paper, I draw on fieldwork in Ethiopia, where the first education and care center for autism was founded in the capital of Addis Ababa in 2002. My research explores the relatively recent introduction of the diagnostic category, working principally with Ethiopian parents who have identified and sought care at the center, and educators on staff. I find that the adults understand these children not as withdrawn, but in terms of three key characteristics: a “tied mouth,” an inability to listen, and experiencing inner disturbance. Colloquially, any of these three may mean that a son or daughter is “ye otizm lij” [lit. autism’s child]. Drawing on ethnographic material, I show how, for these parents, these three markers shape how they understand and work to care for their children, and therefore, autism.

No description available.

Soybean is emerging as a very important food, market and oil crop in Ethiopia. However, its productivity in Western Ethiopia is constrained by several production constraints, of which soil acidity is one of the most important ones. On acidic soils the availability of several plant nutrients is limited; among which phosphorus is the least available. Thus, development of high yielding and low P tolerant soybean varieties need to be among the top priorities in areas with such problematic soils. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to: 1) conduct a Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) study to assess farmers’ perception on various soil fertility, soybean consumption and marketing issues, 2) evaluate soybean genotypes under low and high P regimes, and 3) conduct genetic analysis of soybean performance under low and high P conditions. The PRA was conducted to assess farmers’ perception on various soil fertility, soybean consumptions and market issues. A total of 186 soybean producing farmers across three locations of Western Ethiopia were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results from the study indicated that the use of soybean for crop rotation and soil fertility improvement was more important to the farmers than household consumption and marketing of the crop. The study also revealed poor demand for soybean compared to other crops on the local market. The majority of respondent farmers’ recognized that soil fertility has been declining over time and obtaining inorganic fertilizers on time was difficult; mainly due to high price of fertilizer. Though farmers’ cooperative was identified as the major supplier of fertilizer, farmers rated the quality of its service in supplying fertilizer as poor. With deteriorating soil fertility and limited capacity to use inorganic fertilizers, farmers are producing soybean under low soil fertility conditions. Thus, breeding programs need to develop varieties that perform well under low fertility soil. Screening soybean genotypes for response to different P regimes was performed in a field experiment using a split plot design, where the main plots were three levels of applied P (0, 100 and 200 kg ha-1 P), and the sub plots were 36 soybean genotypes (G) planted across three locations (L) with two replications. The extent of genetic variation of the 36 soybean genotypes was assessed under low (0 kg ha-1) and high P (100 kg ha-1) conditions. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among genotypes for all the traits, except pod number at low P; while all the traits, except root volume, pod number, and number of seeds per pod showed significant differences at high P. Plant fresh weight, root fresh weight and root volume exhibited high genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) under both P conditions. Both principal component and cluster analyses revealed variation in the population. The 100-seed weight, plant height, roots and plant fresh weight combined high heritability and genetic advance estimates indicating that the inheritance of such traits is controlled by additive gene action under both P conditions. In general, the study revealed high genetic variation in the population, which can be exploited to improve performance under both high and low P conditions. The analysis of variance revealed significant genotype X phosphorus (GXP) interaction for number of nodules and total nodule weight at Jimma, and Assossa, and for root weight and root volume at Mettu. Though the GXP and GXPXL interactions showed non-significant difference for across locations analysis, the genotypes displayed significant difference for root fresh weight, root volume, tap root length, and weight of effective nodule. Genotypes: Pr-142 (26), AGS-3-1, SCS-1, AGS 234, and H 3 were identified among the best for root and nodulation characteristics. Yield and yield related traits were also assessed separately in the screening program. The results revealed significant GXP interactions for grain yield only at one site; while the genotypes exhibited highly significant differences for most of the traits in all the sites. G and GXL interaction were significantly different for most the traits. Essex 1, IAC 11, and AGS-3-1 were the best performing genotypes at high P; while genotypes IAC 11, AA 7138, G 9945 and AGS-7-1 displayed tolerance to low P. Genotypes AA-7138, PR-142 (26) and H3 exhibited stable performance across the three P levels. These genotypes have paramount significance in breeding soybean for low P tolerance and stable performance in varying P conditions for resource poor subsistence farmers.The genetic control mechanism for the major quantitative traits for performance under high and low P condition was studied in a nine parent half diallel cross. The results revealed that the GCA effects were highly significant for grain yield, pod length, days to maturity and plant height under low-P conditions. GCA effects were highly significant for grain yield, 100-seed weight, days to maturity, plant height, pod number, and pod length under high P. GCA effects were also significant for number of seeds per pod under high P condition. In addition, the relative contribution of GCA was higher than SCA under both P conditions, except for 100-seed weight at low P. Variety Hardee-1 was the best general combiner for most of the quantitative traits under both P conditions, indicating that it can be used in breeding programs to improve soybean for better genetic response to low and high P. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is one of the most important cereal crops grown in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. The North Eastern regions of Ethiopia are known for its high sorghum production and genetic diversity, and proneness to moisture stress. Globally, moisture stress is one of the major sorghum production constraints limiting genetic gain through breeding. Although, the importance of Ethiopia’s sorghum germpalsm has been widely recognized both nationally and internationally, the genetic potential of the germplasm has not yet been fully assessed and exploited in breeding programmes. Therefore, the objectives of this study were: (1) to evaluate sorghum production systems and patterns, major production constraints and cropping mechanisms, varietal diversification, farmers’ criteria for choosing varieties over time and space, and adoption of improved varieties, (2) to assess the agro-morphological and molecular diversity and population structure of lowland sorghum landraces collected from different geographic origins using morphological and SSR markers, (3) to assess the performance of sorghum landraces under moisture stress conditions and identify promising lines, and (4) to determine heterosis and combining ability of lowland sorghum landraces for grain yield, yield components and drought tolerance and to identify suitable parents for future hybrid cultivar development for the North Eastern Ethiopia or similar environments. A survey was conducted in the North Eastern Ethiopia sampling three Administrative Zones, six Districts and 12 Peasant Associations. Data was gathered from a total of 171 farmers and analyzed using SPSS statistical package. The results suggest that the performance of sorghum was generally poor mainly due to moisture stress, pests, diseases, weeds, farmland fragmentation due to demographic pressure, poor soil fertility, and poor performance of the local varieties. The productivity of sorghum was also largely hindered by the use of inherently poor yielding local landraces as farmers were forced to abandon their high yielding, big-headed and late maturing sorghum varieties due to the prevalence of recurrent moisture stress. The survey found that the region is as a rich source of genetic diversity and more than 70 distinct sorghum landraces were identified. The majority of the farmers grew their local landraces, despite the accessibility and availability of many improved sorghum varieties and production packages. Farmers were willing to adopt the improved varieties if they had farmers preferred attributes such as as red seed colour, tall with high biomass yield. To benefit the most from the available improved technologies, farmers have to be part of the breeding process right from the very beginning. Lowland sorghum accessions which exhibited farmer-desired traits were selected from the entire landrace germplasm collection at the national gene bank of Ethiopia. Field evaluations of the selected 278 landraces together with checks were held at Sirinka and Kobo agricultural research stations for 12 qualitative and 10 quantitative traits under stress and non-stress conditions. Two hundrad landraces were selected on the basis of their morphological distinctiveness and drought tolerance, in terms of earliness and yield stability. Molecular level diversity assessment was conducted using 30 SSR markers. Considerable magnitude of variation was observed among landraces between and within geographic origin for most of the traits studied. The morphological variability was also complemented by high molecular markers diversity. Thirty two pure lines were selected for inclusion as parents in the sorghum breeding programme for yield and drought tolerance. The selected lines were then crossed to four cytoplasmic male-sterile lines that had different cytoplasm systems (A1 to A4) using a line x tester mating design scheme. The 32 parents, together with the 128 hybrids and 4 check varieties were evaluated for grain yield, yield components traits and drought tolerance under stress and non-stress environments. Data were analysed using GenStat statistical package following a fixed effects model. Non-additive gene action was predominant in controlling plant height, grain yield, above ground biomass, grain filling duration, 100-seed weight and panicle weight, whereas additive gene action was found more important in controlling days to 50% anthesis and panicle length. Novel landraces with high GCA effects were selected including 214838-A, 242039-B, 75454, 73056-B, and 242050-A which will serve as potential parents for cultivar development. Similarly, the study identified new experimental hybrids i.e. ICSA 749 x 242039-B, ICSA 756 x 242049-B, ICSA 756 x 75454, ICSA 756 x 73059 and ICSA 756 x 214855 with high SCA effects and heterosis for grain yield which will be forwarded for further stability analysis and farmers participatory selections at representative growing environments. In general, the study identified invaluable sorghum germplasm and candidate hybrids useful for further breeding and conservation strategies. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.