Journal of Science and Sustainable Development

Analysis of Vegetable Seed Supply Chain of Smallholder Farmers: The Case of Ada’a District, East Shewa Zone, Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia

2024-09-02T07:35:47+00:00

The vegetable sub-sector is one of the important sub-sectors of the Ethiopian economy. Consequently, the return from vegetables per unit area is several times higher than from major cereals. Hence, this research attempted to analyze factors affecting the vegetable seed supply chain system in Adea district, East Shoa zone, Oromia Region of Ethiopia, focusing on onion crop. A household survey with a pre-tested structured questionnaire and a key informant interview with checklists were used to collect primary data. The data was collected from 150 farmers and analyzed using STATA software. To address these objectives, multiple linear regression models were adopted. Ordinary Least Square (OLS) estimation shows that education level, sex of the household head, age of the household head, farm experience of the household, oxen ownership of the household head, area of vegetable and income of the vegetable significantly affect the vegetable seed supply chain system. The regression result indicated that the price of onion seed was negatively related to the quantity of onion seed used. Similar to the case of onions, the area allocated to tomatoes also had a positive impact on the quantity of tomato seed used by the sample households. However, unlike their significant impact on onions, both age and education had an insignificant impact on the quantity of tomato seeds used by the sample households. There is a special need to develop vegetable sector-specific guidelines for the development of the seed supply chain in Ethiopia. This calls for the transformation of the seed supply system from an informal to a more formal one through system establishment and capacity development.

Determinants of Onion and Cabbage Market Outlets Choices of Smallholder Farmers: The Case of Holeta town, Oromia Regional State

2024-09-02T07:54:18+00:00

Market participation and outlet choices in smallholder farmers hold considerable potential revealing suitable opportunity preparations necessary for providing better incomes and worthwhile livelihoods for the study area. Hence this study was intended to analyze determinants of market outlet choice in Holeta district, Oromia National Regional State. To achieve the objectives, 147 vegetable producers were selected following simple random sampling techniques. The collected data were analyzed using a multivariate probit model. The model results show that the probability of choosing wholesalers, middlemen, retailers, and consumers’ market outlets was significantly affected by education level, farm experience, land size, family size, distance to near market, input utilization and credit access. Therefore, it is recommended that the government and community should improve rural infrastructure, and smallholder farm productivity through improved inputs (such as vegetable seed, chemicals and fertilizers), encouraging education, promoting farmers’ cooperatives, strengthening market information delivery systems, upgrading roads in both rural and peri-urban areas, encourage market integration initiatives, and establish accessible market outlets with improved facilities in the remote rural villages to promote production and market outlets choice in smallholder vegetable farmers.

Evaluation of Ethiopian Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) Genotypes against Powdery Mildew (Erysiphe polygoni) at Ambo District, West Shewa, Ethiopia

2024-09-02T08:39:00+00:00

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L) is one of the most important spice crops in Ethiopia. Ethiopia has suitable environmental conditions for fenugreek production and the crop has extraordinary economic importance in the country. However, Powdery mildew caused by Erysiphe polygoni is an economically important disease, especially during the flowering and pod formation stage of the crop and causes significant loss in grain quality as well as quantity. In order to identify resistance materials against the disease, one hundred Ethiopian fenugreek accessions were evaluated. The study was conducted in Ambo district, Bayo Qurbi Farmer’s Association Farmers Training Center, during the 2020 main cropping season with alpha lattice design. The study was made under natural epidemic conditions with objectives to identify the source of resistance in Ethiopian Fenugreek materials for further resistance breeding programs and to identify a high-yielding genotype for sustainable production. The study identified two fenugreek genotypes namely 31088 and 237983 showing resistant reactions and 43 genotypes as moderately resistant type. The remaining genotypes showed susceptible reactions. The study also identifies three higher-yielding accessions namely 20428, 35190 and 31087. The results of the study conclude having a crossing program between resistant accessions (31088, 237983) and higher yielding accessions 20428, 35190 and 31087 can result in improved resistance and better yield. The study would be helpful for the development of the breeding program and further improvement of fenugreek crop. Accordingly based on this study genotypes 31088 and 237983 can be used as resistant material for further resistant breeding.

Assessment of the Challenges and Opportunities of Horticultural Crops Production in South-West Shewa Zone of Oromia, Ethiopia

2024-09-02T08:54:46+00:00

Assessment of the challenges and opportunities of horticultural crop production is essential to identify the constraints and opportunities at a preliminary step in the course of crop productivity improvement goals. In this regard, horticultural crops are highly productive relative to the field crops, and also these crops are better rich in nutrition which is vital in balancing diet for health. Based on the inquiry raised from the society as a core, this study was initiated to identify the challenges and opportunities, which helps to prioritize to locate a noticeable baseline for future intervention. Both primary, as well as secondary quantitative and qualitative data sources, were collected from potential horticulture crop-producing districts of the South-West Shewa zone. These data were analyzed by adopting SPSS software. Descriptive statistics viz., means, standard deviations, frequencies and SWOT analysis were conducted. According to this survey, if the constraining challenges (lack of money; diseases, drought, frost and insects, weather conditions; lack of market; transportation and storage house problems; and limited know-how and skill) were solved, these districts would be potential for producing horticultural crops. Besides the conducive agro-ecology and other endowments, the presence of ample labor, market options, the high interest of the farmers, etc. were great opportunities for the horticultural crop diversification and intensification in the study area. To exploit these potentials, there is a need for farmers and experts to build capacity via training, financial support, provision and adoption of recent technologies (for example improved seeds), credit facilities, and market options, crop management practices.

Determinants of private investment in the manufacturing sector of Ethiopia: Evidence from Ambo town, Oromia regional state

2024-09-03T06:30:30+00:00

Ethiopia has recently implemented policies aimed at rebalancing the roles of the public and private sectors in the economy, with a particular focus on developing the private sector. Private manufacturing investment is crucial for both local and national economic growth. However, private investment in Ethiopia faces several significant challenges. This paper examines the determinants of private investment in the manufacturing sector specifically in Ambo town. Using cross-sectional data collected from 266 randomly selected private investors and workers in private firms, this study employs descriptive and econometric analyses, utilizing the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression model in STATA software version 12. Descriptive analysis is used to characterize the socioeconomic and demographic profiles of respondents, while the OLS regression identifies significant determinants of private manufacturing investment. The results indicate that education level, and land size, have significant effects on manufacturing private investment at 5% significance levels. The findings reveal that both education level and land size significantly influence private investment decisions in the manufacturing sector of Ethiopia. Higher levels of education among investors are associated with increased private investment in manufacturing. Education equips investors with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate the complexities of the manufacturing sector, thereby enhancing their confidence and willingness to invest. Furthermore, access to land plays a critical role in attracting private investment in manufacturing. Investors with larger land holdings are more likely to allocate resources towards establishing or expanding manufacturing facilities, benefiting from economies of scale and operational efficiencies. The study concludes that these determinants of private manufacturing investment have varying impacts on the local economy and provide a foundation for further research in this area.

Key Factors Affecting Beef Cattle Marketing and Its Profitability: The case of Ethiopia's Oromia Regional State's West Showa Zone

2024-09-03T06:43:19+00:00

This research was carried out in the West Showa administrative zone in Oromia regional states, Ethiopia. Analysis of beef cattle marketing profitability and its important determinants among smallholder farmers who raise and market beef cattle was one of the main goals of the research. By adopting the scheduled interview data collection approach, 12 well-trained data collectors who were pooled from Development Agents collected socioeconomic data from 400 beef cattle producers and performers who were selected at random. The collected data was analyzed using a multiple regression econometric model and descriptive statistics techniques. The results of the multiple linear regression showed that family size, the frequency of extension visits annually, the distance from and to the nearest market, the experience of the smallholder farmers in the production, raising, and keeping of beef cattle, and the ownership of beef cattle all had a significant impact on their participation in the market and their profitability. Evidence from a marketing gross margin analysis indicated that beef cattle producers earn the largest profit gross margin (49.63%), followed in their earnings by butcheries (40.35%) and hotels (36%). Compared to beef cattle actors, beef cattle merchants have the lowest gross profit margins (27%). The data analysis result suggested that the concerned body should provide adequate and continuous extension services for the beef cattle producers, the policymakers have to construct sufficient infrastructures such as roads and others in the study area and increase the number of beef cattle owned by the smallholder farmers, provision of adequate veterinary service and provision of improve beef cattle breeds are highly recommended in the future interventions.

Job Market for Data Science and Big Data in East Africa

2024-09-03T06:51:27+00:00

Nowadays big data have been impacting the working culture and working environment of business organizations worldwide. Big data has become an important asset of the business. The main reason is that the insights have been obtained from these data to enable organizations to be better competent in the market. Thus, those organizations using big data for informed decision-making are better benefited than the organizations that are not using it. However, the job role of data science and big data as well as the skills required for the position is not well-identified and distinguished. These issues are the main current challenges in the job market for big data and data science to get the right skilled manpower for the required position. This raises the need for appropriate categories of job positions and skills required to use the data effectively and efficiently for smart decisions and strategic planning in business organizations. The purpose of this study is two-fold. The first is to identify the job market/job position for data science and big data professions. The second is to list out skills required for these job positions in the job market. Data that relate to big data and data science from job advertising posts are collected from online job-related websites and categorized into clusters of job positions. The clustering task is based on the analysis of some commonalities as well as differences observed in the professions. Besides skills required have been identified and listed. The findings show that data scientists, data analysts, and data engineers are identified as popular career paths for the required job market with the required skills in East Africa. As a concluding remark, this research underscores the importance of establishing appropriate job categories and skill sets to effectively leverage big data for informed decision-making and strategic planning within business organizations.

Literacy Practices within Self-help Groups: A Case Study of Jeldu FAL Groups, Oromia: Ethiopia

2024-09-03T07:00:36+00:00

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of literacy practices of self-help groups in Jeldu District. The self-help groups were formed by Meserete Kristos Church Rehabilitation and Development Association in the district. The study employed a mixed research method. Questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions, and observation were used as instruments of data collection. Questionnaires were used to collect information from ten facilitators, whereas interviews were used to get insider information from the program coordinator, a facilitator. The district ANFE coordinator and five beneficiaries were considered for focus group discussion. The findings revealed that the intervention helped beneficiaries to build high self-esteem and develop an extrovert personality. Acquiring reading, writing, and doing basic arithmetic skills were considered the means to an end. Indeed, the intervention contributed to reducing the withdrawal of adult learners from the literacy program, developing the positive self-concept of beneficiaries, and motivating them to work hard to enhance their livelihood.