Browsing by Author "Alemayehu, Fikre"

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    An Analysis of Wolayta Proverbs: Function in Focus
    (Addis Ababa University, 2012-05) Alemayehu, Fikre; Mathews, Berhanu (PhD)
    The major goal of this study is to analyze the functions of Wolayta proverbs and their sociocultural use. To achieve this goal, an attempt has been made to collect proverbs from different villages of Wolayta zone. Four hundred proverbs were collected through tape recording, interviews and observation with native speakers of Wolayta Language. The data were subjected to analysis to determine their major functions. Descriptive technique of qualitative research methodology was used to explain the functions of the proverbs in the daily life of the Wolayta people. From the four hundred proverbs fifty five proverbs were selected for analysis and the rest three hundred forty proverbs were translated and categorized according to their functions and appended to the paper. The findings indicated that Wolayta proverbs have four major functions these are aesthetic, didactic, normative and reflective. Reflective functions of proverbs do have in this study implies that they are used to persuade one's communication, attract listener, get the attention of addressee, contend human cognitive economy refresh human thought, give a clue to one's speech and bring about a common understanding among the people who take a certain social event, particularly arbitration. The didactic function of the proverbs that the researcher identified in this study is that proverbs teach morals, diligence and purity, and critics' immoralities such as ridicules, snobbislmess, laziness and other forms of wicked human behavior. Normative function of proverbs entai ls the use of proverbs to regulating established norms of the society by punishing deviant behaviors so as to bring individuals dilemma to conform to the dominant cultural values. Reflective proverbs reflect the customary practices, the values of morality and the strictness of Wolayta social laws. Thus, the Wolayta proverbs play great roles in strengthening social conformity and creating public responses to social, cultural and economic obstacles. Furthermore, the study has attempted to show that proverbs can be used for building up a community, maintaining culture and producing responsible people.
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    Impacts of Rainfall Variability on Rural Livelihoods in Ethiopia: The Case Study of Arsi Robe Woreda of the Oromia National Regional State
    (Addis Ababa University, 2011-06) Alemayehu, Fikre; Bedri, Abdulamid (PhD)
    Rainfall variability becomes norm at present time and the pressure that induced by it increasing from time to time in different parts of the country. The impact is become more serious in areas of highly depending on rain fed agriculture Like Robe Woreda. So, understanding the impacts on rural livelihood and mounting different coping and adaptation strategies are the only solution to overcome the challenges. Hence, the overall objective of this paper is focused on assessing the impacts of rainfall variability on rural livelihood. To achieve these object ives and to expand ing understanding the impacts of rainfall variability on rural livel ihood the researcher utilizes both qualitative and quantitative methods .The primary data was collected from Focused group discussion, key informant interview, field observation, and questi·onnaire. The seco ndary data was collected from NMSA and WMSA. Moreover, understanding of the impacts of rainfa ll variability on rural livelihood; principally crop and livestock production was helps to employed and developing different coping and adaptation strategies. Agricultural production systems and especially the complexities associated with the variability and distribution of rainfall are essential elements in improving livestock and crop production and agricultural planning decision making. In the at hand paper, knowledge from the analysis of historical rainfall records and predictive information were based on the "response farming" for rainfall variability in the future. From the analysis of the rainfall records good relationships are found between rain onset dates, seasonal rain amounts and duration and crop and livestock production. Crop and animal production increase or decrease in relation to rain fall distribution, the better the distribution and intensity and low rainfall variabi lity the higher production and productivity. The finding of this research indicates serious impacts of rainfall variabi lity on crop and livestock production which led to food insecurity. Fanners' perception also varies in rainfall variability as well as the employed coping and adaptations strategies. Most farmers employed three major · coping and adaptation strategies; intensification, diversification, migration. However, all methods were not successful all the time due to poor and customary of the coping strategies.