Worancha ወራንቻ

Sami Grover, Science and Sustainable Agriculture. I recently mused on the fact that conservation is not enough. We need to also focus on restoration and rehabilitation of nature too. So I was delighted to read over at The Guardian about an incredible success story in restoring degraded and deforested land in the Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia. Abrha Weatsbha in the Tigray region is unrecognisable and an environmental catastrophe has been averted following the planting of many millions of tree and bush seedlings. Wells that were dry have been recharged, the soil is in better shape, fruit trees grow in the valleys and the hillsides are green again. The  “re-greening”  of the area, achieved in just a few years for little cost by farming communities working together to close off large areas to animals, save water and replant trees, is now to be replicated across one sixth of Ethiopia – an area the size of England and Wales. The most ambitious attempt yet to reduce soil erosio

Abstract Diabetes mellitus coexists at a greater frequency with hypertension, obesity, central obesity, dyslipedemia and proteinuria and that markedly increases the risk of atherosclerotic disease. A study was done for a period of four months in Sidama Zone, Southern Ethiopia to compare the prevalence of atherosclerotic risk factors between diabetic and non diabetic general population. One hundred ninety nine diabetic cases were selected from two hospitals diabetic clinics and 195 non diabetics subjects were selected from urban and rural areas. The general prevalence of hypertension in the entire study population was 18.8%, with 26.1% in diabetics and 10.2% in non diabetics. Multivariate logistic regression showed that hypertension, central obesity, overweight and obesity, and ethnicity had strong association with possibility of diabetes mellitus. The reason for possible racial difference to cardiovascular risk factors and population awareness to these factors should be studie

Abstract Background The effects of prenatal Zinc Deficiency (ZD) and Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) on birthweight are controversial and their interaction has not been investigated. Objective To assess the independent and interaction effects of prenatal zinc and vitamin A deficiencies on birthweight in rural Sidama, Southern Ethiopia. Methodology A community-based prospective cohort study design was employed. Six hundred fifty pregnant women in their second or third trimester were randomly selected and their serum zinc and retinol concentrations were determined. About 575 subjects were successfully followed until delivery and birthweight was measured within 72 hours after delivery. The association between the exposures and birthweight was examined using log-binomial and liner regression analyses. Potential interaction between ZD and VAD was examined using Synergy Index (SI). Results The mean birthweight (± standard deviation) was 2896 g (±423). About 16.5% (95% CI: 13.5

The Ethiopian Coffee Exporters Association (ECEA) said preparations have been finalized to host to host the third International Ethiopian Coffee Conference being held on Thursday and Friday (November 6-7) this week. The General Manager of the Asscoation, Alemseged Assefa, said that conference will help to promote and increase quality of Ethiopian coffee. The conference is intended to bring exporters and buyers together as well as evaluate the quality of Ethiopia's coffee, discuss ways of improving the crop, promote the traceability of Ethiopian coffee and widen the export coffee market. An estimated 300 participants will attend the conference from all those who involved in the coffee market as well as researchers, coffee buyers and others. A number of research papers will be presented by national and foreign experts, and coffee sector policies and strategies will be discussed. Ethiopia earned 720 million US dollars from coffee exports during the last fiscal year. Source

VIENNA, Nov 5 2014 (IPS)  - With annual economic growth rates of over 10 percent and attractive investment conditions due to low infrastructural and labour costs, Ethiopia is eagerly trying to rise from the status of low-income to middle-income country in the next 10 years. Ethiopia, with some 94 million inhabitants, is the second most populous country in Africa after Nigeria, but it remains a predominantly rural country. Only 17.5 percent of the population lives in urban areas, mainly Addis Ababa. It is also one of the continent’s fastest growing economies. Between 2015 and 2018 growth is expected to average 7.3 percent, according to a recent study by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). While economic growth since 2006/2007 doubled per capita income to 550 dollars in 2012/13, and the percentage of people living below the national poverty line dropped from 38.9 in 2004 to 29.6 in 2011, government sources admit that eradication of poverty remains a