Browsing by Author "Hassen, Ali (PhD)"

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    Assessment of Local Community Understanding of and Response to Climate Change the case of Four Kebeles of Dire Dawa City
    (Addis Ababa University, 2009-06) Kitila, Adane; Hassen, Ali (PhD)
    Climate change is causing the greatest environmental, social and economic threats to all of mankind and across borders in many nalio17s. Perception aboul the causes, impacts and the necesswy reJpol1se mechanisms 10 cope with climate calamilies is important.!or any popula/ion in a g iven community. In view of this fact therejore, this study considers local coml1lunity understanding of and response to climate change, foc using mainly on insight of Ihe local community 011 weather change, climate change, causes and the impacts of climate change, underslClnding of local community lowards flood risk. local cOlJl/llunily concern and personal imporlance o.lrhe climate change issue and perception of the local community on controlling or adapling 10 Climate Change. The sludy was canducled in four kebeles' of Dire Dawa Adminislralive Council as one ~llhe flood prone area in the country. Allhough Ihis study explores a variety of palenlially salient influences on percepliol1s Clnd re~ponses fo C/imale change, one faC ial' Ihal is given par/icular allel1lion is experience and understanding afflooding. The silidy relied on bOlh qualilalive and quautilalive melhods oldala colleclion and analysis. 7i,e primw)' claw were collecled by using qualilalive daw galhering fOols sllch as FGDs ami key in/ormanl inlerviews. Accordingly. /11'0 FGDs, were held wilh local people purposivelv ,I'e!ecled .f;~om Iwo kebeles. Int erviews were done with eight purposively selec(ed individuals. With (he view of supplemenling (he qualilalive data, Ihe sludy employed a ljueSlionnaire survey wilh 107 sampled heads ofhou.l·eholds selecledji'om four keheles of Dire Dawa. 1i,e/indings ollhe s"fdy showed Ihallemperailires had increased, rain/all levels had decreased and Ihe liming of rain/ all had undergone changes and Ihe region is gelling drier and drier in Dire Dmva. 717e findings also confirmed lital weather is changing solely due to al1lhropogenic (humall aCliviry; callses. The finding also showed I/-WI. Ihe locet! comllnmily awareness (aud underslanding) of C/imale change does not seem 10 have advanced in recel1l years and hence, Ihere is li/fle awareness oflhe issue ofclimale change. The Jinding soughllhat wifh regard 10 Ihe connection belweenjlooding and c/imale change, Ihe respondents do nol al all see (he connec/;on belween dimale change and flooding. Masl people Ihink Ihal climale change hm begun ({nd a grelt/ many acknowledge Ihal il is a serious problem. lIawever, compared 10 olher problems, Ihe cOIJIJ/1unily has not ranked clilJ1clle change among lIS lOp cOl1cerns.. A10st respondenls blame government and businesses maslfor not doing more to combat clima!e change. They (hink these institutions - e5pecially governmenl - should do more. MOSf people recognize !hal Ihey, as individuals, and their local c0ll11l11ll1ity also make some c011ll'ibllliol1 to climate change and many jeellmea.\y aboUllheir own role. Fil1a/~y, {he study slIggesls, creating awareness among the population and po/icyl11akers abou( climate change. its callses and ils co}}sequences is needed. Information needs (0 he provided {o the CUl1IlIIlfIlily in order for {hem 10 lake appropriale adaplive measlIre.'}· and cOI'I\'ince INople of the greal seriousness (~r the prohlem (l clilllate change by making clear Ihe mogl/illldf! (l the possible lusses ;ulloll'ed.
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    An Assessment of the Contributions and Challenges of Rural Non-Farm (RNF) Activities in Doba wereda, W/Hararghe Zone
    (Addis Ababa University, 2009-06) Seyoum, Mesfin; Hassen, Ali (PhD)
    A blend of qualitative and quantitative methods was employed to gather data from sample households. The result of these findings points out that the younger household members engage in non-fann income-earning opportunities and found out age is a factor to move into the non-fann sector more broadly. While there is no one that cannot read and write in the participants, the number of illiterate in non-participants is high and it increase, as agroecology is getting unfavorable. It is also observed that family size and structure affect the ability of a household to supply labor to the non-fann sector. Larger families supply more labor to the RNF sector, as sufficient family members remain in the home or on-the fann activities to meet labor needs on agriculture. Regarding gender distribution, majority of business operators in the study wereda are male households that shows the dominance of male over female in rural non-fann activities. The study also revealed the non-availability of government supportive structures such as credit and training programs to start and expand RNF activities. Lack of capital and market, business awareness and poor infrastructure were also among the constraining factors. RNF diversification, while generally limited, was dominated by chat and fattening ox and selling with equib and own saving as initial source of capital. The study also showed business partlclpants in the study kebeles exceed the nonparticipants by their annual income, food security, type of food stuff consumed, housing condition and source of light, hence the study conclude RNF activities are important. Generally, the main conclusion to be drawn is the importance of helping the poor to overcome the constraints and thus enable them to participate in RNF activities. This entails diagnosing the kinds of asset constraining the poor with respect to entrance into the more dynamic and remunerative RNF activities. The policy implications forwarded are, promoting different RNF income generating activities, improving the asset bases of the poor and Social capital are important in addition to education, health and financial services that facilitate access to RNF income sources.
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    A Comparative Analysis of Vulnerability to Climate Change Between Pastoral and Agropastoral Households: A Case Study in Yabello Woreda of Oromia Regional State.
    (Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Kebede, Abinet; Hassen, Ali (PhD)
    There is naw scientific consensus that the global climate is changing. Though, impacts of climate change are not limited spatially and temporally, the vulnerability of regions, countries, social groups and households to effects of climatic variability and shocks are not uniformly distributed. To reduce or /idly tackle vulnerability to climate change in a certain community, a locally contextualized understanding and identification of the system's adaptive capacity, exposure and sensitivity playa crucial role.With this aspect, the study was aimed at measuring and comparing the relative degree of vulnerability by taking the case of agropastoral and pastoral households of Yabello worda in Borena zone of Oramia Regional state. To measure vulnerability, the study adopts the integrated vulnerability approach and used vulnerability indicator methods to determine the level of vulnerability of households and social groups. The indicators include socioeconomic and biophysical variables that show adaptive capacity, exposure and sensitivity of the system.To indicate the relative vulnerability of households and social groups, vulnerability index was constructed using systematic combinations of the indicator variables. A statistical method, principal component analysis (peA), was used to determine the relative weight of the indicator variables in constructing the index. Then household vulnerability index (VIHH) and social group vulnerability index (VIs,,) were calculated for the pastoral and agropastoral households of the study subjects using prim{llY data generated through househald survey. Information gathered Fom in-depth case studies, KII and second{llY sources were used to triangulate the quantitative results.The VIH/; result showed half of sample households have a VIH/; value less than 0, which implies the net effect of households' adaptive capacity to be less than their sensitivity and exposure. These groups of households were classified as 'highly vulnerable' to impacts of climate change. Analysis of VIHH by households' economic activity indicates, Fom households that are classed as 'highly vulnerable' the agropastoralists take the upper hand and constitute 60.53% of the class. This implies the relatively higher vulnerability of agropastoralist households in the study area. The comparison of VIsg score of agropastoralists ' (0.003) with that of pastoralists' (0.035) indicate the relatively lesser vulnerability of the pastoral social group. Holding exposure and sensitivity constant, this implies a relatively higher resilience of the pastoral livelihood system to climatic shocks and variability's in the study area.The reasons for higher vulnerability of agropastoralists in the study area include; lower economic status of members of the group, less experience of farming practice, and low application of modern inputs and new techniques of production. In addition to these higher exposure (erratic rainfall conditions) of the area makes rain[ed agriculture highly risky venture and hence, aggravated the relative vulnerability of the group.
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    The Contribution of Irrigation Development on Household Poverty Reduction in Ethiopia: A Case Study of Adiha Irrigation Scheme, Kola- Tembien Woreda, Central Zone Of Tigray, Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2010-07) Belay, Gehrehiwot; Hassen, Ali (PhD)
    To tackle the problem of dependency on nature dictated agriculture and improve the food security situation of the population, the government of Ethiopia gave due emphasis to irrigation development. Accordingly, a number of irrigation schemes were constructed. This study was conducted with the general purpose of assessing the contribution of irrigation development on household food security in Kola Tembien Woreda, Adiha Tabia. Primary data was collected through household survey, key informants interviews, focus group discussion and personal observation. Relevant secondary data was also reviewed. Both quantitative (descriptive statistics) and qualitative data analysis methods were employed. While comparing the irrigation users and rain f ed households, the majority of the irrigation users were found to have been able to f eed themselves (38% 12 months, 24.3% more than 10 months) from their own production while the non-irrigators only feed themselves from six to nine months. The trend of owning assets is in a better position for irrigators (21 out of 37 irrigators) than for non-irrigators (16 out of 69). In terms of modem input utilization, the irrigators have utilized a relatively higher amount than the non irrigators. When comparing the labour utilization, 63% of the irrigation users and 23% of the non-irrigation users employed hired labour in their field. This signifies irrigation demands more labour and as a result it creates job opportunities for the surrounding population. The major challenges that inhibit the optimal utilization of the irrigation scheme are lack of market, poor infrastructure, failure or cultural resistance to adopt modem technologies, inefficient water utilization, inadequate government support and very high fertilizer price.
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    Livelihood Diversification as A Strategy to Overcome Food Insecurity in Ethiopia: A Case Study of Smallholder Farmers in Bako-Tibe Woreda.
    (Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Beyene, Dereje; Hassen, Ali (PhD)
    This study aimed at assessing li velihood diversification as a strategy to overcome food insecurity in Bako-Tibe Woreda. The research employed qualitative and quantitative research methods. Sampling technique used in this research was purposive sampling method by which West Shewa Zone was selected from the 18 zones of the Oromia regional state and Bako-Tibe Woreda was selected from the 18 Woredas of West Shewa Zone. In addition purposive sampling was also used to se lect sample kebele administrations and sample target villages for data collection. From the three kebeles a total of 120 sample households were purposively selected for the survey. Data collection instruments used to collect primary data was: structured household questionnaire for household survey, check lists for key-informant interview and focus group di scussion and non-participant observation. Secondary data for this research was collected from reports of the woreda, reports of the CSA and research reports on the woreda. Data analysis was made by descriptive stati stics and narrations. The main livelihood activities of the study area were found to be: farm activities (crops and li vestock production), non-farm activities (vari et ies of activities which are not farm related) and off-farm activities (agricultural wage labor and other activities related to agriculture) and Transfer activities (the flow of cash and other resources from relatives and others). Regarding the participants in diverse livelihoods in the study area the study revealed that: female diversify than males, the youth diversify than the children and the old age groups, the poor di versify than the rich and food insecure households diversify than the food secure. Determinant factors to livelihood diversification in the study area were found to be vulnerability of the households to shocks, seasonality, and trends (population pressure, resource degradation), availabi lity and lack of livelihood resources, households' aspiration and opportunities, institutional and governance factors and pull and push factors. Income earned fr0111 livelihood diversificat ion in the study area is very significant. The income earned at household level are using in diverse household expenses. This is avoi ding the probabi lity of the households to sell food crops for covering the extra household expenditures and even helping them to buy food. This is contributing for these households to be food secure.
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    Livelihood of Rural Households in Resettlement Areas: the Case Study from Quara Woreda of North Gondar Zone, Amhara Region
    (Addis Ababa University, 2011-05) Agitew, Genanew; Hassen, Ali (PhD)
    Resettlement is an increas ingly becoming attractive as a way of out of press ing problems caused by food shortage, land fragmentation, population pressure, rampant unemployment, marginality of land and dec line in land productivity. With the aim to investi gate the live lihoods of ru ra l househo ld and their strategies in resett lement area, the study was conducted using both quanti tati ve and quali tative approaches. Based on data generated fro m household survey, focus group discuss ion, key informant interview and observations, the study revealed that the area studi ed have experi enced higher population trends due to continuous and ongo ing resettlement program. The program has two edges, one with pos itive and enabling for better livelihood options and the other with negati ve and destructive side. As a result, the li ve lihood assets are ga ined, lost and shaped. From criti cal li ve lihood assets, social asset, whi ch is the most important li ve lihood asset of households is found to be the source of oth er livelihood assets and strengthened more by di ffe rent soc ial bonding mechani sms within and between host and settler community members. The ph ys ical asset of households in the area is very limited, while the natural assets are gett ing less and less and exacerbated due the resettlement program. The dominant on- fa rm livelihood activities of households in the study area are crop cultivation and animal production being major and minor, respecti ve ly. Households have experienced the change in the li velihood activities to use better opportunities for better li ve lihood options and to minimize the ri sks invol ved from constraining factors of resettlement program . The change in the livelihood acti vities of households is manifested in three ways: the change within the same livelihood activ ities, from subsistence to commercial; seasonal shi ft between diffe rent acti vities, on-farm du ring rai ny season and off-farm during dry season; and the complete shift h om one type of activity to the other, which is from on-farm to off-fa rm income generating. The result of assessment of food security situation indicated that settlers have shi fted from aid see king to household food se lf-sufficiency. In general, majority of households in the area have ensured household food sufficiency th roughout the year. However, considerable num be rs of households are still not atta ined household food sufficiency. Even though, most of households have ensured suffi ciency of household food throughout the year, transitory food insec urity, particu larly during the leafy stage of the crops is reported to occ ur in few households and it extends to better-off households during natural hazard s. Finally, thi s study recommended that resettlement programs should not be seen as panacea for all soc io-economic problems of households other than so lving short-term problems at the expense of natural resources and if it is to be durable and long-lasting development intervention, it has to ensure sustainabil ity of livelihood of household s. Key words: Resettlement, households, livelihood, assets, and f ood security
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    Problems and Constraints of Urban Agriculture in Addis Ababa: A case study of Cooperatives in Nifas Silk Lafto Sub-City
    (Addis Ababa University, 2009-07) Nigatu, Samuel; Hassen, Ali (PhD)
    'the paper (ll!cmpls 10 find out [hose factors thaI threaten {he pror/IiClivily ant! S/fccess (~f" IIr/ulII agriculture carried out by the cooperatives ill Addis Ababa frol1l the perspective (~l 1)J'Ul'is!(/1/ I~l agricull:!ra/ inputs; peljormance of illS/iluliollS that (lrc selllp 10 assiSf urhllll Jan/le.:,.S: v rgai!lzaliolla/ and administrative arrangements of the cooperatives themselves: lIIorkt'liJll; ,.c1(/h'(~ issues of agricultural products,' as }vell as environmelltal COl/cerll.\' linked (0 /clrlllilig (luil 'ilie\' undertaken by the cooperatives. For this purpose cooperatil'es I/W( are located ill N~((ls silk- /.l~ll() sub-city are selected. III the study area there are 45 cooperatives ellgaged ill diflerelll killds of' urban agriculture i.e., vegetable productioll, fatten ing, dailY cow, as I-veil as pOlIlll:V productioll. 011'-: vegetatioll, 12 dairy cow, seven jallelling, two pOllltl )" alld aile pOllltl)' (lilt! riairl' ('Ii\!' producing cooperatives are selected as samples. From each cooperative 20 % o/mclllbL'ls. (/ /u la! of 80 individuals are selected using simple ralldolll samplillg technique. Frolll (he disCIISsi(}II.\ dnd Gliaiysis with members oj the cooperatives it has been Jound 0111 Iha/ rhe lJIajor prohh.:'IIIS {h(/( ii//eC! the cuoperatives are; physical cOils/rain Is manifested thruugh lack of access I() lalld IIDII'}", as '.-\:e!/ as shortage of llIodern agricultural inputs such as forage, jerrih=er, veferillm:\" H'/Tin': iusii/lafollal problems illciz:ding less at/elltioll to urban agriclIlllIre evidellced througli allonlliJlg /OIV budget to tlte sector ill terms of finance, human and lIIoterial resources. ahsf..'I/C/' urbol/ agriculture policy, failure to give (rainillg (0 farmers alld illadequatefollolV IfP e{c. The p/"l)hl('lJ/s or lite urban agriculture cooperatives stem also from organizational Iveaknesses of tile cou/)erl/l in '.\ themselves_ Tltese ill elude; weak cllltllre o.(workillg togetlter, absellce oIle{/dersliip 'flllliin-, luel. or Jkill. 2xtra job, drop out etc. The cooperatives are also sufferillg .li·om luck (~r J/wrke!illg 1}/lICl' {() delflOf:stratc (!!/r! sell their agricultural products. This ill 1111"11 made [hell! sl/scl.!plihfLo In llli' ::.rp/uifdtioJ; of 1.1 II ddl2 111 £ 11 thai distort the price. The other big problem ill {his regurd is SL'lIs(J J/, t/ jlil!~/l.lali:'JJl i ll dei/Wild of agricultural products. This is highly related Wifh Ihe religion alld clllt lll"al .rJrG'c!ice of residellts of tfte city. The IJIqjority of dwellers oIlhe CifY {Ire fo//oHlers {!/ r',/iiUjl/(/1/ Orthodo ...... Church 'who abstain Jrom eating livestock prodllcts during fasting tillle. /J ecal/se of (h i . the demand for livestock products is extremely 10lV whereas the demalldofvegelahlc ! ... (HIIII .l .• • s high iil lillie of/astillg period III teres tingly, tlte opposite I/Oids true dllrillg IlUlida)'s IIlId IUil/ jil.\lill.~ ]J2r i uris. COIl'ieqll<.!I! !IYJ 11I0st of the cooperatives are lVorking belolV thei,. Irlft! pOft!nti(/1 (llId .\()/II i.' are ill deluge,· o!terlll;natillg tht? business. This ill tllrnluwers the provisioll oIagriculflfral prodll ("( \' il , the .-.:f(v uud result in higher price and to some extent cOlltributes 10 IlllelllploYIII C!1I1 {~( {h OSl 'l1gaged hI the seCior .
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    The Role of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Dairy Production In Alamata Wereda in South Tigray.
    (Addis Ababa University, 2009-06) Nigusie, Molla; Hassen, Ali (PhD)
    This ethnographic study was conducted to explore the role of Indigenous knowledge systems in dairy production in Gw'gale and Selenwuha kebeles of Alamata wereda, To Ihis em/. 40 dair)! producers were purposejit/()I selected ,And they were studied Ihrough direct observation, key informants,focus group discussion and in-depth interviews for "llII ost three consecutive months. In both villages, it was identified that traditional mixed livestock-crop production was practiced. This study reveals that dailY producers employ such local knowledge as color of the skin, breast, tail and stature, breed type, health, feed intake, productivity of milk, age, price, and agI'o ecology to select desirable breeds. Natural mating is predominantly practiced along with insignificant artificial illSeminatioll. Based on such diagnostic skills as knowledge on symptoms of diseases, couses of diseases, seasons of diseases and species affected, daily producers employ elh llo veteril/(II), praelices tofight against diseases that attack their animals. Dail)' producers provide their dail)! ca ttle with conventional and non-conventional feeds. The major sources of water include: rivers, pipe water, dams and wells Rangeland and Natural Resources are administered by a body known as Abohagay or Shimagle Adi. lvIilking in Ihe study area is predominantly handled by men. Milk, dung, hide, and horn (fre locall)! processed in to economically important products. Butter, Ergo, and Whole lIIilk as the lIIajor primC/l)1 delil)1 products for income generatiol/ are sold in. the informal lIIarket direclly 10 COl/sumers. Price and demand have been dictated by such factors as s('ason, access to the markel, fasting, festivals etc. Costs and Returns are nol recorded (filii anal)!zed. The traditional dairy production process is being constrained by slich challenges as anilllal feed shortages, land fragmentation, discouraging marketing Sl 'slems, inadequate veterinCllY services, lack of training, poor extension services, etc. As resuli. Ihe svstCII1 is characlerized hv low produclivity. For the productivity of the production system, therefore, Indigenous Knowledge Systems shouldfurther be studied alld integrated with lIIodern dailr production system in general