Metekel: A geopolitical flashpoint and catalyst for non-state armed group emergence in Ethiopia

BackgroundHerbal medicine has been used for the treatment of human and livestock ailments since ancient times. Numerous rural and urban communities in Ethiopia practice traditional medicine and transfer the knowledge verbally from generation to generation. Thus, this study was conducted to document the traditional medicinal plants and associated indigenous knowledge in Dibatie district, Metekel zone, Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, western Ethiopia.MethodsThree hundred seventy-four (374) informants from 11 kebeles (the smallest administrative units) were selected and participated in the data delivery. The ethnobotanical data collection was carried out using semi-structured interviews, preference ranking, direct matrix ranking, field observation, market surveys, and focus group discussions, including voucher specimen collections. The ethnobotanical data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage), ranking, comparison, and quantitative ethnobotanical techniques such as informant consensus factor, fidelity level index, Jaccard’s coefficient of similarity, and use value index.ResultsA total of 170 plant species were recorded to treat 79 human and 29 livestock ailments. Fabaceae (with 20 species) and Asteraceae (with 18 species) were the most dominant medicinal plant families in the area. Most remedial plants were herbs (61 species, 35.88%), followed by shrubs (39 species, 22.94%). The majority (135 species, 79.41%) of medicinal plants were harvested from wild sources and mainly possessed multiple remedy parts (41.17%) that are usually prescribed in fresh form (60.13%). The most commonly reported human ailment was snake venom, while blackleg was mostly reported among livestock diseases. The herbal medicines were mostly administered orally (52.20%), followed by dermal (17.62%) application. Embelia schimperi Vatke, Glinus lotoides L., Haplosciadium abyssinicum Hochst., Mucuna melanocarpa Hochst. ex A. Rich., and Phragmanthera macrosolen (Steud. ex A. Rich.) M.G.Gilbert had the highest fidelity level values (100%) against the corresponding ailments.ConclusionThe study area is rich in a diversity of potential medicinal plants and associated indigenous knowledge. Thus, appropriate conservation actions and careful utilization are essential to counteract the rise of anthropogenic threats and to ensure the continuity of plants with the related indigenous knowledge. Additionally, the medicinal plants should be validated through experimentation to integrate local knowledge with modern medications.

BackgroundPlants deliver livelihood and food for millions of people in the world. Indeed, wild edible plants support rural communities in developing countries to overcome seasonal unfavorable conditions. In rural areas of Ethiopia, wild edible plants play an indispensable role in fighting food insecurity as emergency or supplementary foods. Hence, this research was aimed at studying the ethnobotanical assessment of wild edible plants in Dibatie district, Metekel zone, western Ethiopia.MethodsEthnobotanical data was collected using a semi-structured interview, field observation, focus group discussions, a market survey, and the ranking of selected plants. Besides, voucher specimens were collected and stored at the National Herbarium of Ethiopia. Descriptive statistics, preference ranking, direct matrix ranking, and familiarity index were computed for data analysis.ResultsThis study has documented 54 wild edible plant species belonging to 33 plant families and 46 genera. Of these, most (38.90%) had tree growth habits. Wild edible plants bear mostly fruits (72.20%) as edible parts. Local people usually consume these plants freshly raw as complementary foods, though some wild edibles require processing. They were mostly harvested in the January (31.48%) and May (27.78%) months, with the least collected in September (7.41%). Most wild edible plants (78.57%) were available in uncontrolled habitats, while others (21.43%) live in farmlands, home gardens, and as live fences. Out of the recorded plants, about 98% had additional uses besides their nutritional values.ConclusionWild edible plants assist the livelihoods of the local people in food security, agriculture, energy sources, construction, medicines, ecological services, aesthetics, income generation, and household utensils. Nevertheless, wild edible plants are recently threatened due to various anthropogenic factors in the study area. Thus, they need wise use and in-situ and ex-situ conservation measures from all the concerned bodies for sustainable use in the future.

This study was aimed to compare estimation methods of crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling for major crops using different models and compare the significance of models for adoption at different situations in Metekel zone. Crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling of maize in selected districts of Metekel zone were estimated using CropWat model based on soil, crop and meteorological data and AquaCrop based on soil, crop and meteorological data including Co 2 , groundwater, field management, and fertility status. Model performance was evaluated using Normalized Root mean square errors (NRMSE), model by Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Prediction error (Pe), and Model efficiency (MF). It is observed that the maximum reference evapotranspiration in the study area was found to be 7.1 mm/day in Guba and minimum reference evapotranspiration was 2.9 mm/day in Bullen district. In all cases, the maximum ETo in all districts was fund to in March and the lowest in August. The maximum ETc of maize was found to be 702.4mm in Guba district and minimum ETc was found to be 572.6mm in Bullen district using CropWat but the effective rainfall (Pe) for maize were determined as 185mm respectively in Wembera district. However, using AquaCrop model the maximum ETc of 565 mm was recorded in Guba but 425 mm was recorded as minimum in Wembera district for irrigated maize in the study area. The study revealed that the irrigation scheduling with a fixed interval criterion for maize 10 days with 12 irrigation events has been determined. Moreover, furrow irrigation with 60 % irrigation application efficiency was adjusted during irrigation water applications for all districts. The performance of the irrigation schedule and crop response was evaluated by the analysis results in the simulation using different models. It has been observed that there was a strong relationship and a significant relation between the simulated and observed values for validation. Hence, Normalized Root mean square errors (NRMSE), model by Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Prediction error (Pe), and Model efficiency (MF) showed that AquaCrop model well simulated in all parameters considered. AquaCrop model is the most suitable soil-water-crop-environment management model, so future studies should suggest a focus on addressing deficit irrigation strategy with different field management conditions to improve agricultural water productivity under irrigated agriculture for the study area for major crops. Keywords: Depilation, Irrigation events, AquaCrop, Fixed interval and Deficit Irrigation. DOI: 10.7176/JEES/13-1-01 Publication date: January 31 st 2023

This study was aimed to compare estimation methods of crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling for major crops using different models and compare the significance of models for adoption in different situations of the Metekel zone. Crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling of maize in selected districts of Metekel zone were estimated using CropWat model based on soil, crop and meteorological data, and AquaCrop based on soil, crop and meteorological data including Co2, groundwater, field management, and fertility status. Model performance was evaluated using Normalized Root mean square errors (NRMSE), model by Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Prediction error (Pe), and Model efficiency (MF). It is observed that the maximum reference evapotranspiration in the study area was found to be 7.1 mm/day in Guba and the minimum reference evapotranspiration was 2.9 mm/day in Bullen district. In all cases, the maximum ETo in all districts was fund to in March and the lowest in August. The maximum ETc of maize was found to be 702.4mm in Guba district and the minimum ETc was found to be 572.6mm in Bullen district using CropWat but the effective rainfall (Pe) for maize was determined as 185mm respectively in Wembera district. However, using the AquaCrop model the maximum ETc of 565 mm was recorded in Guba but 425 mm was recorded as a minimum in the Wembera district for irrigated maize in the study area. The study revealed that the irrigation scheduling with a fixed interval criterion for maize 10 days with 12 irrigation events has been determined. Moreover, furrow irrigation with 60% irrigation application efficiency was adjusted during irrigation water applications for all districts. The performance of the irrigation schedule and crop response was evaluated by the analysis results in the simulation using different models. It has been observed that there were a strong relationship and a significant relation between the simulated and observed values for validation. Hence, Normalized Root mean square errors (NRMSE), model by Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Prediction error (Pe), and Model efficiency (MF) showed that the AquaCrop model well simulated in all parameters considered. AquaCrop model is the most suitable soil-water-crop-environment management model, so future studies should suggest a focus on addressing deficit irrigation strategy with different field management conditions to improve agricultural water productivity under irrigated agriculture for the study area for major crops.

This study was aimed to compare estimation methods of crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling for major crops using different models and compare the significance of models for adoption in different situations of the Metekel zone. Crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling of maize in selected districts of Metekel zone were estimated using CropWat model based on soil, crop and meteorological data, and AquaCrop based on soil, crop and meteorological data including Co₂, groundwater, field management, and fertility status. Model performance was evaluated using Normalized Root mean square errors (NRMSE), model by Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Prediction error (Pe), and Model efficiency (MF). It is observed that the maximum reference evapotranspiration in the study area was found to be 7.1 mm/day in Guba and the minimum reference evapotranspiration was 2.9 mm/day in Bullen district. In all cases, the maximum ETo in all districts was fund to in March and the lowest in August. The maximum ETc of maize was found to be 702.4mm in Guba district and the minimum ETc was found to be 572.6mm in Bullen district using CropWat but the effective rainfall (Pe) for maize was determined as 185mm respectively in Wembera district. However, using the AquaCrop model the maximum ETc of 565 mm was recorded in Guba but 425 mm was recorded as a minimum in the Wembera district for irrigated maize in the study area. The study revealed that the irrigation scheduling with a fixed interval criterion for maize 10 days with 12 irrigation events has been determined. Moreover, furrow irrigation with 60% irrigation application efficiency was adjusted during irrigation water applications for all districts. The performance of the irrigation schedule and crop response was evaluated by the analysis results in the simulation using different models. It has been observed that there were a strong relationship and a significant relation between the simulated and observed values for validation. Hence, Normalized Root mean square errors (NRMSE), model by Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Prediction error (Pe), and Model efficiency (MF) showed that the AquaCrop model well simulated in all parameters considered. AquaCrop model is the most suitable soil-water-crop-environment management model, so future studies should suggest a focus on addressing deficit irrigation strategy with different field management conditions to improve agricultural water productivity under irrigated agriculture for the study area for major crops.

In Ethiopia, numerous ethnic groups rely on traditional medicine for their primary health care needs. Nonetheless, indigenous ethnozoological medicinal practices are being overlooked and are progressively disappearing due to inadequate documentation, as they are transmitted from one generation to the next via oral tradition. Thus, this ethnozoological research sought to evaluate and record the therapeutic use of animals and animal‐derived products employed by traditional healers and the local population of the Dangur district in the Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. A cross‐sectional ethnozoological study was carried out employing a semistructured questionnaire among intentionally chosen five farmers’ associations in the Dangur district between October 2021 and January 2022. The ethnozoological information was examined using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. The fidelity level, use‐value, preference ranking, and informant consensus factor were established. A total of 39 medicinal animal species were recorded as being utilized for the treatment of 35 different conditions. Most of the animals, 22 (56.41%), were mammals, while 5 (12.82%) were arthropods, 5 (12.82%) were birds, and 5 (12.82%) were reptiles. In addition, a majority of these species, 32 (82.05%), were wild animals, whereas the other 7 (17.95%) were domesticated animals. Meat, at 415 (33.74%), was recognized as the most frequently utilized animal product, followed by liver at 124 (10.08%) and milk at 114 (9.27%). Consequently, the ICF values ranged from 0.937 to 1. Hepatitis and Kwashiorkor exhibited the highest ICF values of 1 and 0.981, respectively, while rheumatism and tuberculosis had the lowest ICF value at 0.938. This research showed the extensive use of medicinal animals and their components/products to address the primary healthcare requirements of the community in the examined area. Consequently, this ethnozoological medicinal wisdom must be combined with contemporary medicine to harness animals and their byproducts as a possible source of effective treatments for multiple conditions.

This study was initiated with the objective of assessing economic efficiency of soybean production. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select 203 soybean farm households randomly from Pawe Woreda, Metekel zone, Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. Parametric stochastic production frontier approach was used to estimate technical, allocative and economic efficiency levels, whereas Tobit model was used to identify factors affecting economic efficiency. The mean technical, allocative and economic efficiencies were 72.72%, 35.378% and 25.05%, respectively, indicating there was significant amount of economic inefficiency in production. The Tobit model result showed that important factors that affected technical, allocative and economic efficiency are age, level of education, extension service, access for credit, farming experience, off/non-farm income participation and training. Based on the findings the following recommendations are forwarded. Government should devote a great effort on a reduction in the interest rate, bureaucracies and collaterals of banks on loans which will facilitate credit accessibility to smallholder farmers, strengthening and establishing both formal and informal type of framers education and strengthen the existing agricultural extension system. Keywords: Pawe woreda, soybean, efficiency, Cobb-Douglas, Tobit DOI: 10.7176/JESD/12-15-01 Publication date: August 31 st 2021

Ethnicity and dementia.

Background. As a member of Poaceae and subfamily Bambusoideae, Ethiopian lowland bamboo (Oxytenanthera abyssinica) is one of the most important nontimber forest resources or a potential alternative to wood and wood products. Ethiopia contributes 86% of the total area of bamboo on the continent, Africa, and 7% of the world. O. abyssinica in Ethiopia accounts for 85% of the total national coverage of bamboo. Several studies have been performed on the genetic diversity and population structure analysis of various bamboo species throughout the world but almost nothing in Ethiopia and O. abyssinica. Methods. Young fresh leaves of O. abyssinica from thirteen natural lowland bamboo growing areas across the country were collected. DNA was isolated using a modified CTAB DNA isolation method. Three cpDNA gene sequences (matK, ndhF3, and rps16) were used for the study. PCR products were analyzed, purified, and pair-end sequenced to calculate AC/GC content, average number of nucleotide differences (k), nucleotide diversity (π) and population mutation rates per 100 sites ( θ w ), InDel (Insertion-Deletion), DNA divergence, gene flow, and genetic differentiation. Results. Metekel Zone was found to have extremely higher k, π, and θ w . Higher frequency of genetic differentiation was found between Metekel Zone vs. the distant populations. Higher frequency of gene flow was found between Assosa Zone vs. Oromia populations. Kurmuk haplotype from gaps or missing data considered and Bambasi haplotype from not considered has descendants around them. Conclusion. Using sequences of cpDNA genes, populations of O. abyssinica collected in Ethiopia show clear diversity based on their geographic location. Metekel Zone was found to have the most diverse population, Assosa Zone has been found to be the source of evolution of O. abyssinica, and Gambella population shows a difference from other O. abyssinica populations.

The article is aimed to scrutinize security crisis in Western part of Oromia, within the broader context of unearthed securization of politics in Ethiopia. The post-2018 political situation in Ethiopia is characterized by severe security crises in almost all parts of the country, and these security crises have regional and international dimensions. Politicians build security sectors to secure their political life when the normative political process has stalled. There are also ongoing security crises in the western part of Oromia Regional State, ranging from the displacement of Oromo from Benishangul Gumuz Regional State and border areas in Oromia to the ongoing massive massacres of Oromo in East and Horro Guduruu Wallagga by mercenaries from Amhara Regional State, to ongoing human rights violations such as arrests, extrajudicial killings, etc. Accordingly, this article intended to discuss the imperatives of securitized political issues in perpetuated security crisis in Western Oromia since 2018. The research was approached as qualitative research with a case study design to exhaustively discuss the security crisis in West Oromia as a particular case. Both primary and secondary data were used. Primary data was collected through interviews, personal observations, and semi-structured conversations with peers, while secondary data was obtained through a content analysis of the literature. The research found that the failure of the 2018 political transition perpetuated a security crisis across the country. Western Oromia is marked as a sensitive political ecology, and political issues are highly securitized. Geographically speaking, West Oromia is viewed as an outlying area, yet it holds a central position within the national political landscape. Hence, within the examined region, political inquiries are approached through security measures, resulting in a complex security crisis with severe consequences for the local population. Therefore, desecuritizing the political agenda and giving a chance to normative politics or finding a “political solution to the political problem” is recommended as the only way forward in the country.

Introduction: In the world more than 10 million children die annually each year, in which 41% of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. In Benishangul Gumuz Regional state the infant and under-five children mortality rate were the highest among all other regional state of Ethiopia with 101 and 169 respectively. Introduction of complementary food during infancy is an important area of pediatric health supervision due to its potential effects on life-long health. Objective: assessment timely introduction of complementary feeding practice and associated factors among mothers of children age less than two years. Methods: Both quantitative and qualitative community-based cross-sectional study were conducted in seven woreda of Benishangul Gumuz Regional state on 590 infant paired mothers less than two years using simple random sampling. Data was coded, edited, entered into EPi-Info version 3.5.1 and analyzed by using SPSS version 20.0. Both descriptive and multivariable logistic regressions were used for data analysis. Results: A total of 770 women were participated with a response rate of 97.7%. The prevalence of timely introduction of complementary feeding practice was 73.9% respectively. Being Male sex [AOR=1.48(1.00-2.18)], who fulfill minimum dietary diversity [AOR=2.87(1.34-6.13)], having adequate knowledge about timely introduction complementary feeding [AOR=2.61(1.20-5.61)], were independently associated with timely introduction of complementary feeding practice. Conclusion: Although the study revealed that majority of the mothers practice timely introduction of complementary feeding but some mothers started complementary feeding before 6 month. Optimized efforts for implementing the full IYCF especially on timely introduction of complementary feeding packages will be done through the front line workers. Factors associated with early initiation of complementary food should be taken into account while designing intervention strategies and in promotion of strong community based networks using Health Extension Workers key actors.

Introduction: In the world more than 10 million children die annually each year, in which 41% of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. In Benishangul Gumuz Regional state the infant and under-five children mortality rate were the highest among all other regional state of Ethiopia with 101 and 169 respectively. Introduction of complementary food during infancy is an important area of pediatric health supervision due to its potential effects on life-long health. Objective: assessment timely introduction of complementary feeding practice and associated factors among mothers of children age less than two years. Methods: Both quantitative and qualitative community-based cross-sectional study were conducted in seven woreda of Benishangul Gumuz Regional state on 590 infant paired mothers less than two years using simple random sampling. Data was coded, edited, entered into EPi-Info version 3.5.1 and analyzed by using SPSS version 20.0. Both descriptive and multivariable logistic regressions were used for data analysis. Results: A total of 770 women were participated with a response rate of 97.7%. The prevalence of timely introduction of complementary feeding practice was 73.9% respectively. Being Male sex [AOR=1.48(1.00-2.18)], who fulfill minimum dietary diversity [AOR=2.87(1.34-6.13)], having adequate knowledge about timely introduction complementary feeding [AOR=2.61(1.20-5.61)], were independently associated with timely introduction of complementary feeding practice. Conclusion: Although the study revealed that majority of the mothers practice timely introduction of complementary feeding but some mothers started complementary feeding before 6 month. Optimized efforts for implementing the full IYCF especially on timely introduction of complementary feeding packages will be done through the front line workers. Factors associated with early initiation of complementary food should be taken into account while designing intervention strategies and in promotion of strong community based networks using Health Extension Workers key actors.

Background: The tumor-associated microbiome is an important component of the tumor microenvironment implicated in colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis. However, it remains unclear which phyla or genera are associated with CRC-specific mortality, particularly in understudied racial and ethnic patient populations. Methods: We included 382 patients with CRC (90 African American, 95 Alaska Native, 71 Hispanic, and 126 non-Hispanic White) from the Translational Research Program in Colorectal Cancer Disparities (TRPCD). We conducted V4 16S rRNA gene sequencing of genomic DNA extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue. Sequences were processed bioinformatically in QIIME 2.0 to classify the relative abundance of different bacterial genera and phyla in tumor tissue. All batches include positive, no template and tumor sample block wax controls that are extracted and sequenced and from which contaminants are identified and removed via bioinformatics. Patients who died of CRC were matched to patients who did not die of CRC by age, sex, tumor site, tumor stage, year at diagnosis, and racial and ethnic group. We used unconditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between positivity (non-zero/zero) of phyla or genera with CRC-specific mortality, adjusted for all matching factors. As a sensitivity analysis, we also examined associations comparing those with high levels of a phyla or genera (among those non-zero, at or above the median) versus those with no such bacteria detected, or zero. Results: After 16S rRNA gene sequencing, 8 phyla and 48 genera were available for analysis. No phyla or genera were statistically significantly associated with CRC-specific mortality status after accounting for multiple testing. The strongest associations were for the genera Enterococcus, where positivity was inversely associated with CRC-specific mortality [OR positive versus zero (95% CI) = 0.52 (0.30, 0.87)], and the genera Cloacibacterium, where positivity was associated with greater odds of CRC-specific mortality [OR positive versus zero (95% CI) = 2.40 (1.14, 5.16)]. Comparing high levels to zero, the strongest association was for the genera Leptotrichia, where high levels were associated with greater odds of CRC-specific mortality [OR high versus zero (95% CI) = 2.60 (1.24, 5.54)]. Conclusions: While no phyla or genera were statistically significantly associated with CRC-specific mortality after accounting for multiple testing, there are several genera that have strong associations and warrant further investigation. This work may be useful identifying pathogens or protective agents that impact CRC-specific mortality in understudied populations. Citation Format: Claire E. Thomas, Nicole C. Loroña, Scott D. LaBrie, Keith R. Curtis, Hang Yin, Ningxin Ma, Timothy Randolph, Conghui Qu, Jeroen Huyghe, Sushma Thomas, Li Hsu, Amanda L. Koehne, Sosun Nayemi, Hamza Ammar, Orsalem Kahsai, Diana Redwood, Christopher I. Li, Li Li, Ulrike Peters, Jane C. Figueiredo, Timothy K. Thomas, Amanda I. Phipps, Meredith A. Hullar. Tumor-associated microbiome association with colorectal cancer-specific mortality in a racially and ethnic diverse patient population [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 1022.

BACKGROUND: The safe motherhood initiative strongly emphasized ensuring the accessibility and use of prenatal services. However, the utilization of this service is very low even for women who have access to the service in Ethiopia in general and in Benishangul Gumuz Region in particular. Although socioeconomic and some obstetric factors have been stated by few studies in other areas, the factors associated with low utilization of Antenatal care in Metekel Zone are not well assed before. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the status of Antenatal care service utilization and associated factors among women in the Zone. METHODS: A community based cross sectional study was conducted from January 25 to February 10, 2007 on randomly selected samples of 1,060 women, who had at least one delivery in the past five years before the survey. Structured questionnaires were used to collect the quantitative data. Focus Group Discussions and in-depth interviews were used to supplement the quantitative data. The data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows version 12.0.1.The data from the qualitative methods were analyzed by using the thematic framework analysis. Independent variables affecting Antenatal care service utilization were determined using multiple logistic regressions. RESULTS: Of 1060 sampled mothers, data were collected from 1,038 mothers giving a response rate of 97.9%. Five hundred seventeen (49.8%) of the respondents had at least one antenatal care visit during the pregnancy of their last delivery. For the 521 non-users, lack of awareness 268(51.4%) and absence of health problems during pregnancy 213(40.9%) were the main reasons mentioned for not attending antenatal care. Place of residence(OR=1.51, 95%CI: 1.22, 2.78), educational status(OR= 6.52, 95%CI: 1.55, 27.39), husband's educational status(OR=1.56, 95%CI: 1.11, 2.89), possessing radio(OR=2.08, 95%CI: 1.37, 3.13), monthly income(OR=1.53, 95%CI: 1.22, 3.52) and knowledge about antenatal care(OR=33.33, 95%CI: 20.00, 50.00) were found to have a statistically significant association with antenatal care service utilization. CONCLUSION: Though better than the national value, the antenatal care service utilization in Metekel Zone was low. Lack of awareness, low educational status and socio-economic characteristics are the common factors observed affecting antenatal care service utilization in the zone. There fore providing information, education and communication, promoting female education, improving socio-economic status of women and husband involvement are recommended.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women with over 96,000 new cases and 50,000 individuals expected to die from the disease in 2014. Cancer mortality rates, however, are higher among certain ethnic populations including Hispanics and American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN). Through education and screening, CRC can be successfully detected early and treated before it progresses to advanced stages. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a partnership-facilitated colorectal cancer education program across different ethnic populations in two U.S. regions. Pre/post design was used to measure changes in CRC knowledge as well as behavioral intentions to obtain screening and share CRC information obtained with others. Methods: The National Cancer Institute's National Outreach Network (NON) Community Health Educators (CHE) at New Mexico State University (NMSU) and at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), a Comprehensive Partnership to Advance Health Equity (CPACHE) program, collaborated to develop an assessment tool that would evaluate the Inflatable Colon (IC) as a CRC educational tool across diverse ethnic populations. Instrument: NON CHE developed a pre/post-test assessment questionnaire based on literature reviews; questions asked about CRC knowledge, intention to obtain screening, and intention to disseminate CRC information. Procedure: In New Mexico, individuals at an educational institution were recruited to participate in this study, whereas participants in Eastern Washington were recruited at community health events. All study participants received the pre-test prior to touring the IC and the post-test after completing the IC tour. Results: A total of 1,286 individuals from Southern New Mexico and Eastern Washington participated in this study, 60% were males. We conducted a repeated measures analysis of covariance, including study site, age, education, insurance, regular doctor, and history of CRC as covariates. Analyses found a significant interaction by race/ethnicity and time, F (2, 1181) = 3.29, p = .04. After adjusting for covariates, there were significant differences in CRC knowledge across race/ethnicity, F (2, 1188) = 2.94, p = .05. Hispanic participants had a significantly greater change in knowledge relative to non-Hispanic whites (NHW). There was also a non-significant trend concerning AI/AN participants and NHW. Hispanic and AI/AN participants had greater change in intentions to obtain a CRC screening in the future relative to NHW. Subsequent post-hoc comparisons revealed that, relative to NHWs, Hispanics reported being more likely to intend to discuss CRC with their parents, p = .02, and grandparents, p = 0.003. AI/AN participants were also less likely to report to intend to discuss CRC with their parents, p = .04. Conclusion: This study examined the generalizability of a partnership-facilitated CRC educational program and assessment tool across different US populations and its effectiveness in increasing CRC knowledge as well as behavioral intention to obtain CRC screening and disseminate CRC information. This study suggests that the IC is an effective educational tool for increasing cancer knowledge and behavioral intentions among diverse ethnic populations. Complementing the IC intervention with access to free CRC screening, such as the FOBT kits, has the potential to address the CRC mortality disparities through the promotion of screening among certain ethnic populations and among those at a higher risk for CRC. Citation Format: Janeth I. Sanchez, Katherine Briant, Yamile Molina, Noah Espinoza, Nathan Marchello, Rebecca Palacios, Beti Thompson, Mary O'Connell. Promoting colorectal cancer education: A partnership facilitated program evaluation examining generalizability across diverse populations. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Seventh AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 9-12, 2014; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2015;24(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A40.