Amhara Region Of Ethiopia Research Articles

The magnitude and predictors of self-medication amongst street dwellers in Ethiopia: a multicentre study.

Low levels of living standards amongst street dwellers worldwide limit their access to conventional healthcare services, resulting in self-medication use for the treatment of an illness. Nevertheless, self-medication use has risks, including adverse drug reactions, increased polypharmacy, drug resistance, drug dependence, drug interactions and incorrect diagnosis. Ethiopia has a large street-dwelling community; however, there are no studies conducted in Ethiopia assessing self-medication use amongst street dwellers. This study provides insight into self-medication use and predictors amongst street dwellers in Ethiopia. A community-based, multicentre cross- sectional study was conducted amongst street dwellers from 1 September 2022 to 1 February 2023 at community drug-retail outlets in the three major cities in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. The data were obtained using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Frequencies and percentages of descriptive statistics were calculated. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to indicate predictors of self-medication use. To determine statistical significance, a 95% confidence interval with a p value below 0.05 was utilized. The prevalence of self-medication use was 67.4%. Time and financial savings were reported as the reasons for most self-medication use. The most commonly reported illnesses for which people sought self-medication were gastrointestinal diseases. Low monthly income (adjusted OR 3.72, 95% CI 2.34-5.91) and residing near sewage areas (adjusted OR 3.37, 95% CI 2.03-5.58) were significantly associated with self-medication use. Street dwellers had a high rate of self- medication use. Residing near sewage areas and having a low level of income were factors in self-medication use. Gastrointestinal diseases, respiratory ailments and dermatological conditions were the most frequently reported complaints, whereas antimicrobials and anthelmintics were the most commonly used medications. We recommend that healthcare services enhance outreach programmes to the most vulnerable people, such as street dwellers, especially those with lower monthly incomes and who live near sewage areas, to reduce self-medication rates.

Post-traumatic stress disorders among children and adolescents in conflict-affected zones of Amhara region, February 2022.

To date, conflict is causing extreme social crises worldwide, with children representing the most vulnerable group, often experiencing severe trauma and violence in conflict-ridden areas. Posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSDs) are the most widely reported psychological problem in the aftermath of conflict. However, less attention has been given to children living in conflict-prone areas of the world. The present study aimed to assess posttraumatic stress disorders among children and adolescents in conflict-affected zones of the Amhara region in Ethiopia from January to February 2022. A community-based cross-sectional study was employed from January to February 2022. A multistage random sampling technique was employed to recruit the study participants. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was designed to collect the desired data. Data were verified, coded, and entered into EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 24 statistical software. A total of 846 children with a response rate of 94.33% were screened for trauma. Subsequently, 557 (69.80%) children had experienced trauma. Of these 557 children who had experienced trauma, 203 (36.45%) developed posttraumatic stress disorders. Based on these results, this study recommends that mass screening of children and adolescents for posttraumatic stress disorders and rehabilitation services be undertaken, including resilience training and psychosocial support.

Climate Change, Variability and Its Adaptation Strategies in Gonder Zuria District, Amhara Region of Ethiopia.

Climate Change, Variability and Its Adaptation Strategies in Gonder Zuria District, Amhara Region of Ethiopia.

Review of Medicinal Plants Traditionally Used to Treat Diarrhea by the People in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia.

Diarrheal illness is the second-most common cause of death in under-five children. Worldwide, it results in about 1.7 billion illnesses and 525,000 deaths among under-five children annually. It is the leading cause of malnutrition among under-five children. Different people use medicinal plants to treat diarrhea. The present study aimed to review the medicinal plants used to treat diarrhea by the people in the Amhara region and to diagnose whether the antidiarrheal activities of the medicinal plants have been confirmed by studies using animal models. The author searched 21 articles from worldwide databases up to December 2022 using Boolean operators ("AND" and "OR") and the terms "ethnobotanical studies," "ethnobiology," "traditional medicine," "ethnobotanical knowledge," and "Amhara region." From the 21 studies reviewed, 50 plant species grouped into 28 families were reported to treat diarrhea by the people in the Amhara region. The top most used families were Lamiaceae (12%), Fabaceae (8%), Asteraceae, Cucurbitaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Poaceae (6% each). The modes of administration of the plant parts were orally 98.88% and topically 1.12%. The different extracts of 18 (or 36%) of the medicinal plants traditionally used to treat diarrhea by the people in the Amhara region have been proven experimentally in animal models. The people in the Amhara region use different medicinal plants to treat diarrhea. Most of them take the medicinal plants orally. The traditional claim that 60% of medicinal plants are antidiarrheal has been confirmed in in vitro studies.

Molecular characterization of genetic mutations with fitness loss in pulmonary tuberculosis patients associated with HIV co-infection in Northwest Amhara, Ethiopia.

Molecular approaches to identifying resistance-conferring mutations suggest a revolution in the field of tuberculosis. The aim of the study was to determine the association between resistance-conferring mutations with fitness loss in Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates and HIV co-infection in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. A laboratory-based cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2022 and June 2023. A line probe assay was performed on 146 culture-positive clinical isolates. Logistic regression analysis was used to measure the strength of the association between the drug-resistance-conferring mutations with fitness loss in M. tuberculosis isolates and tuberculosis/HIV co-infection. A p-value ⩽ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 11 distinct mutations at four genetic loci among 19 resistant isolates were detected. The frequency of rifampicin, isoniazid, and fluoroquinolones resistance-conferring mutations was identified in 12 (8.2%), 17 (11.6%), and 2 (1.4%) of the isolates, respectively. The most prominent specific mutations were S450L (5/9, 55.6%), S315T (11/11, 100%), C-15T (4/4, 100%), and D94G (1/1, 100%). Double mutations were observed in 10 (52.6%) multidrug-resistant tuberculosis isolates; the most common were detected in both the rpoB and katG genes (8/10, 80.0%). The HIV-co-infected tuberculosis patients carried a higher proportion of low fitness of non-rpoB S450L variants than those tuberculosis patients without HIV (80.0% vs 14.3%) and showed a significant association (cOR = 0.042, 95% CI: 0.002-0.877, p = 0.041), but not with the low fitness of non-katG S315T variants (cOR = 3.00, 95% CI: 0.348-25.870, p = 0.318). This study provides valuable information on the genetic variants with fitness loss associated with HIV co-infection, but requires further whole-genome-based mutation analysis.

Climate Change, Variability and Its Adaptation Strategies in Gonder Zuria District, Amhara Region of Ethiopia.

Climate Change, Variability and Its Adaptation Strategies in Gonder Zuria District, Amhara Region of Ethiopia.

Access and Control of Resources by Rural Women in North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Gender is one of the crosscutting and the prime importance of any development plan and intervention. Rural women play vital roles in agricultural activities to reduce poverty and food insecurity. This study focuses on gender equality in the access and control of agricultural and rural household resources by rural women. The study was conducted in Bassonawerana, Kewot, and Moretinajiru districts of Northern Shewa Zone Amhara region Ethiopia. Data were collected using individual interviews, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. A total of 252 respondents were selected using purposive sampling, categorical, and then simple random sample selection techniques. Descriptive statistics and Harvard analysis techniques were used to assess the access, control, and utilization of agricultural and household resources in rural areas. Most of the respondents were married. 95% of the study households depend on agricultural activities of crop and livestock farming. The average family size was 5 in which 3 of them were involved in agricultural activities. The average level of education for the households was 2.5 years. Women were involved in on-farm and off-farm income-generating activities but most women had limited access to extension services and agricultural-related training. The benefits of different resources were shared by all family members equally except institutional resources. Poultry was predominantly owned by women while other livestock resources and land resources were owned by both men’s and women’s family members. Provision of women-targeted training and agricultural extension services focused on how to access and control institutional and household resources are vital to enhance their access to institutional resources and improve the production and productivity of women in the rural household and the entire community for livelihood and food security improvements.

Determinants of hypertension among diabetes patients attending selected comprehensive specialized hospitals of the Amhara Region, Ethiopia: An unmatched case-control study.

The coexistence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension is a worldwide public health problem causing significant morbidity, mortality, and decreased quality of life. Despite the increasing burden of hypertension among patients with DM, data on determinants of hypertension among patients with DM in the Amhara region of Ethiopia is scarce. Hence, this study identified determinants of hypertension among people with diabetes attending chronic disease follow-up clinics in the Amhara region of comprehensive specialized hospitals in Ethiopia. An institutional-based unmatched case-control study was conducted among 470 individuals with diabetes in the Amhara region's comprehensive specialized hospitals (Debre Berhan, Felege Hiwot, and Dessie Comprehensive specialized hospital). A multistage sampling technique was used to select participants for this study. We collected the data using standard questionnaires (short form of international physical activity questionnaire, Morisky medication adherence scale, patient health questionnaire, perceived dietary adherence scale, Oslo social support questionnaire, and alcohol use disorder identification test), physical measurements, and data extraction checklists. A multivariable binary logistic regression was fitted to identify determinants of hypertension, and we presented the findings using an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). 235 cases and 235 controls participated in this study. The median (IQR) age for the cases was 60 (52-66 = 14), and the mean age (± SD) for the controls was 51.72 (± 12.51). The significant determinants of hypertension with AOR [95% CI] were a lower level of physical activity: 1.82 [1.00, 3.31], depression: 2.00 [1.24, 3.21], family history of hypertension: 2.13 [1.34, 3.37], not having diabetic health education: 1.87 [1.18, 2.96], a longer duration of diabetes: 1.99 [1.05, 3.79], and poor glycemic control: 1.57 [1.01, 2.45]. In this study, determinants that increase the risk of hypertension among people with diabetes mellitus were older age, physical inactivity, depression, family history of hypertension, not having diabetic health education, a longer duration of diabetes, and poor glycemic control.

Cognitive adverse effects of epilepsy and its predictors attending outpatient department of South Gondar zone hospitals, Amhara Region, Ethiopia 2020 /2021.

Epilepsy is the most common neurologic disorder which is further complicated by neurobehavioral co-morbidities, cognitive impairment, psychiatric disorders, and social problems. However, assessments of cognitive status of epileptic patients are far too low during clinical visits. This calls for early neuropsychological assessment soon after the diagnosis of epilepsy for a better treatment plan and outcome for epileptic patients. This study aimed to assess the cognitive adverse effects of epilepsy and its predictors attending outpatient departments of South Gondar Zone hospitals Amhara region Ethiopia 2020/2021. A multi-center institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 509 respondents were included with a response rate of 93.9%. Previously adapted pretested structured questionnaire was used containing, socio-demographic, clinical, and seizure related factors. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used to measure cognitive impairment. A systematic random sampling technique was applied. Data were entered into Epi data version 4.4.2 then exported to SPSS version 24 for analysis. Descriptive statistics, bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regressions with odds ratios and 95% confidence interval were employed. The level of significance of association was determined at a p-value < 0.05. Prevalence of cognitive impairment in this study was 69.2% (95%CI; 65.4, 73.1). Rural residents (AOR = 4.16,95%CI, 1.99,8.67), respondents who couldn't read and write (AOR = 2.62, 95%CI; 1.24, 5.5,) longer duration of seizure disorder (AOR = 4.59,95%CI; 2.01,10.52), taking combined Phenobarbital and Phenytoin (AOR = 4.69,95%CI; 1.88,11.69), having history of head injury (AOR = 3.29,95%CI;1.30,8.32), having depression (AOR = 4.76,95%CI;2.83,7.98), and anxiety (AOR = 3.11,95%CI; 1.58,6.12) were significantly associated with cognitive impairment. Prevalence of cognitive impairment in this study was high. Regular neuropsychiatric assessment of patients with epilepsy should be encouraged especially for those participants with longer durations of illness, who are rural residents, who take combined Phenobarbital and Phenytoin, participants who had a history of head injury, depression, and anxiety.

Pesticide Use Practices among Female Headed Households in the Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Drawing on social practice theory (SPT), we extend our understanding of the existing pesticide use practices among female-headed households (FHHs) in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. We used mixed research methods combining household surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews, and field observations complemented by photography. A binary logistic regression model was used to investigate the factors that influence the adoption of personal protective equipment (PPE) among FHHs. This finding suggests that pesticide use is an activity consisting of purchasing and using practices with several interacting elements such as materials, competences, and meanings. The main meaning or material element for pesticide purchasing are the perceptions of efficacy on pests, diseases, and weeds (65%), cost and availability in smaller quantities (60.7%), and a woman’s available time and mobility (58.9%). Pesticide hazards to human health or the environment seem not to be relevant for most FHHs. Pesticide use practices among FHHs are done in violation of safety recommendations, motivated by not only material elements (labor, income, time, and the provisioning system), but are notably shaped by competences (skills and knowledge), and meanings (norms, values, rules, and shared ideas). As the regression results show, age and retailers information (p &lt; 0.05) are the significant factors that influence PPE adoption among FHHs. We suggest a change of the practices and processes that sustain women’s lives, a foundational shift of the socioeconomic and cultural environment, and promoting new meanings and competences through advisory services or training.

Beyond land rights registration: understanding the mundane elements of land conflict in Ethiopia

ABSTRACT While land registration may increase the sense of security amongst landholders and provide a mechanism for resolving boundary disputes, its interaction with social, political-economic and ecological dynamics can actually generate conflicts by creating new opportunities by which some actors can assert claims or expand their landholdings, often at the expense of others. Conflicts over land cannot be understood without understanding the local dynamics with which they are intertwined. Drawing from case studies in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, this paper shows that, despite land registration and certification, there are widespread conflicts within and between households and state authorities regarding the usufruct of individual and communal lands. The paper argues that conflicts over land are complex and political and are linked to and embedded in the processes of commercialization, as well as in local social processes and power relations. These, in turn, influence and are shaped by the political economy of local governance and land administration processes, particularly in relation to the implementation of land registration. The paper highlights that land conflicts are attributed to a range of issues, including not only the challenges of governance in land registration but also population growth, commercialization, urbanization, inheritance and gender inequality, all of which intersect with corrupt land administration systems .

Deletion patterns, genetic variability and protein structure of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3: implications for malaria rapid diagnostic test in Amhara region, Ethiopia

BackgroundAlthough rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) play a key role in malaria-control strategies, their efficacy has been threatened by deletion and genetic variability of the genes pfhrp2/3. This study aims to characterize the deletion, genetic patterns and diversity of these genes and their implication for malaria RDT effectiveness, as well as their genetic evolution in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.MethodsThe study included 354 isolates from symptomatic patients from the Amhara region of Ethiopia who tested positive by microscopy. Exon 1–2 and exon 2 of genes pfhrp2 and -3 were amplified, and exon 2 was sequenced to analyse the genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationship and epitope availability.ResultsThe deletion frequency in exon 1–2 and exon 2 was 22 and 4.6% for pfhrp2, and 68 and 18% for pfhrp3, respectively. Double deletion frequency for pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 was 1.4%. High genetic diversity, lack of clustering by phylogenetic analysis and evidence of positive selection suggested a diversifying selection for both genes. The amino-acid sequences, classified into different haplotypes, varied widely in terms of frequency of repeats, with novel amino-acid changes. Aminoacidic repetition type 2 and type 7 were the most frequent in all the sequences. The most frequent epitopes among protein sequences were those recognized by MAbs 3A4 and C1-13.ConclusionDeletions and high amino acidic variation in pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 suggest their possible impact on RDT use in the Amhara region, and the high genetic diversity of these genes could be associated with a diversifying selection in Ethiopia. Surveillance of these genes is, therefore, essential to ensure the effectiveness of public health interventions in this region.Graphical

Is Potato Market Efficient in Ethiopia? Evidence from Farta District of Amhara Region

The study aimed to explore the structure and conduct of the potato market in the Farta District of Amhara Region in Ethiopia. Data was collected from 123 potato producers, 30 traders and 13 consumers selected through a two-step random sampling procedure. Four major value chain actors that held about 49.2 percent of the total quantity of potato purchased were identified. It was found that the Farta potato market was weakly oligopolistic. The study showed that competition, commercial licenses and limited capital are the main obstacles to enter the potato market. About 47.11 percent of the overall gross margin of marketing was added to potato prices in the value chain. Approximately 19.5% of total gross margins were absorbed by collectors, while retailers and wholesalers accounted for 15.6% and 11.9%, respectively. The actors in the value chain of potatoes generated positive profits, but the barriers to entry, the structure of oligopoly markets and the inability to determine price sets the potato market inefficient.

Farmers’ Intentions Toward Sustained Agroforestry Adoption: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior

ABSTRACT Adoption of agroforestry, which is a combination of growing perennial trees along with crops and/or livestock in spatial and temporal arrangements, is recommended for improving the livelihoods of smallholders. Alike several other technologies, the adoption status of agroforestry innovations in sub-Saharan Africa is considered poor. Studies have shown that plethora of biophysical and socioeconomic variables affect adoption of agroforestry innovations. In these studies, the contribution of psychological variables determining the voluntary decision-making on agroforestry adoption decisions is often neglected and marginally explored. This paper aims at exploring the role of psychological variables for the sustained agroforestry adoption intention. We employed the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to predict sustained agroforestry adoption intentions of 327 farmers in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Intention for sustained agroforestry woodlots adoption is assessed by employing the confirmatory factor analysis. Farmers’ intention to sustain adoption of agroforestry woodlot innovations is principally driven by their positive evaluation of the cash and livelihood benefits of the innovations (attitude) compared to traditional farming, their own capability to produce the innovations and accessibility of resources (perceived behavioral control), and the farmers’ perception of pressure and expectations from experts and important others (subjective norms). By employing TPB, this study brings a theoretical contribution to the TPB framework and measurement guidelines, unveils limitations of applying confirmatory factor analysis in a ‘new’ (woodlots) context and suggests data-based policy and development implications.

Domestic violence during COVID-19 pandemic among pregnant women registered for antenatal care and selected adverse pregnancy outcomes in Amhara region Ethiopia: Prospective cohort study design

Back groundDomestic violence during pregnancy is the most devastating but neglected problem in Amhara region. The newly introduced COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control strategies predispose for domestic violence during pregnancy and this in turn the risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. ObjectiveTo assess the magnitude of domestic violence during COVID-19 pandemic among pregnant women and adverse pregnancy outcomes in Amhara region Ethiopia. MethodsBoth institution and community based prospective cohort study design was employed among 774 pregnant. The data were collected from may1/2021 up to march1/2021by face to face interview using pretested and structured questionnaire. Binary logistic regression analysis was done. P value < 0.05 was used to declare statistical association. ResultsA total of 774 women were participated in the study. Domestic violence during COVID-19 pandemic among pregnant women was found to be 65.76% (61.1%–69%). The overall prevalence of adverse pregnancy out comes was 9.7% with. Antenatal care visit number 3&above (AOR) = 0.6; 95% CI 0.4–0.8), unintended pregnancy (AOR = 2.2; 95% CI 1–4.6), no ambulance services (AOR = 1.5; 95% CI 1–2.2), not the primary decision maker for family planning use (AOR = 3.3; 95% CI 1.6–6.5), no health care provider support (AOR = 12; 95% CI 6.3–23) were statistically significant with domestic violence during pregnancy. ConclusionsDomestic violence during COVID-19 pandemic was high in the study area. Giving emphasis for antenatal care visit 3& above, type of pregnancy, accessibility of ambulance services, decision maker for family planning service and health care provider support during antenatal care were area of interests that are important for tackling domestic violence during pregnancy.

Ivermectin mass drug administration for onchocerciasis elimination: can it reduce the prevalence of scabies in Ethiopia?

While ivermectin mass drug administration (MDA) has been implemented since long for onchocerciasis elimination, there is doubt whether this would also be effective for scabies control. If effective, this would allow integration of both programs. We compared scabies prevalence in districts implementing ivermectin MDA for the onchocerciasis elimination program and those not implementing the intervention in Amhara region, Ethiopia. We conducted a cross-sectional study comparing the scabies prevalence in 14 districts implementing ivermectin MDA for onchocerciasis elimination program between 2013-2018 and in 28 districts without this intervention in Amhara region Ethiopia. We used 2018 scabies survey data to determine scabies prevalence. All individuals screened for scabies during the survey were included. We collected data on risk factors from the districts database and annual reports. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to account for potential confounding factors. We included data on 4,319,064 subjects across 42 districts. Except the differences in temperature and population density, districts in both groups were comparable. A total of 371,780 scabies cases were detected in the 2018 survey. The median scabies prevalence was 6% (IQR 2.6-11.9) in the intervention districts and 5.2% (1.8-10.4) in the control districts (p-value 0.77). In adjusted analysis, the difference remained statistically non-significant (coefficient 0.37 (95% confidence interval (-0.93-1.67); p-value 0.554). The implementation of ivermectin MDA for onchocerciasis control was not associated with reduced scabies prevalence. Consequently, standard scabies MDA should be deployed for scabies control.

Morbidity and mortality patterns of preterm low birthweight neonates admitted to referral hospitals in the Amhara region of Ethiopia: retrospective follow-up study

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the morbidity and mortality patterns of preterm neonates with low birth weight admitted in the Amhara region referral hospitals in Ethiopia.DesignHospital-based retrospective follow-up study.SettingAmhara region...

Sex and height estimation using percutaneous ulna and tibia length in a Ghanaian population: New data and a test of published equations

Whether one population-specific model for sex and height estimation can be extrapolated to another population has been a source of controversy. This study sought to develop and compare models for sex and height estimation from the percutaneous lengths of the ulna and tibia in a Ghanaian population. The study was cross-sectional from January to June 2021 at the University for Development Studies, Tamale. There were 191 (male=89, female=102) participants between 18 and 30 years of age. The standing height, ulna length (UL) and tibial length (TL) were measured following recommended anthropometric techniques. The sample was randomly assigned to training (60%) and holdout (40%) samples. Discriminant models for sex and linear regression models for height estimations were formulated using the training sample. The new models and other population-specific models were tested on the holdout sample for reliability using the Bland-Altmann method, Cohen’s d for height and cross-validation for sex estimations. The observed and the estimated height of males and females using UL (bias, d: male=2.75, 0.46; female= 0.73, 0.13), TL (bias, d: male= 2.74, 0.42; female= 1.50, 0.28) or UL+TL (bias, d: male= 2.76, 0.42; female= 0.86, 0.14) were not statistically different. The average sex estimation accuracy from the holdout sample was better in the multivariable UL+TL (82.9%) than in the univariable UL (76.3%) or TL (55.3%). Models based on UL [bias: 0.50 (95%CI: −8.10 to 9.09), d: 0.07] from Kumasi-Ghana and TL [bias: − 0.01 (95%CI: −10.37 to 10.34), d: 0.00] from the Amhara Region-Ethiopia were most reliable for estimating male's height. For female height estimation, models based on UL [bias: − 0.62 (95%CI: −12.08 to 10.83), d: 01.2] from Tamale-Ghana and TL [bias: − 3.72 (95%CI: −16.81 to 9.37), d: 0.76] from the Amhara Region-Ethiopia were most reliable. However, the other models deviated in the range of − 17.09 cm [Khasi tribe-India (UL)] to 0.54 cm [Kumasi-Ghana (UL)] in male height estimation and − 9.86 cm [Barcelona-Spain (TL)] to 1.05 cm [Kumasi-Ghana (UL)] in estimating female height. Cohen’s d was more precise than the Bland-Altmann method in assessing the reliability of height estimation models. Height can be estimated using UL, TL or UL+TL, however, it is recommended to use UL+TL for sex estimation in a Ghanaian population. Although the use of population-specific models (UL and TL) for sex and height estimations is recommended, other models outside the target population may be applicable. Additionally, when measuring the reliability of height estimation models (UL and TL), Cohen’s d should be preferred to the Bland-Altmann method.

Determinants of solar technology adoption in rural households: The case of Belesa districts, Amhara region of Ethiopia

The adoption of modern energy such as solar energy has been recognized as, an important way to reduce carbon emissions and enrich the energy supply of rural households in Ethiopia. This study investigated the factors that determine the solar technology adoption in rural households in case of West Belesa and East Belesa districts of Ethiopia. Data were collected from 500 farm households which were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique procedure through a structured survey questionnaire with online KOBO application through the Computer-Assisted-Personal-Interview (CAPI) system. The data was collected through focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Binary logit models were utilize to analyze the data. The finding of the study revealed that seven independent variables were significant in explaining the factors affecting farmers’ adoption of solar technology. These variables were education status, family size, participation in natural resource management activity, extension services, knowledge about solar technology, credit utilization, and perception of climatic change were the positive determinants of adoption. Based on the finding, the study recommends that the government should raise farmers’ awareness through increase access of education and improved especially credit services to rural household’s to increase the adoption of solar energy technology.

Factors Affecting Small and Micro Enterprise Performance with the Mediating Effect of Government Support: Evidence from the Amhara Region Ethiopia

This paper aims to examine Factors Affecting Small and Micro Enterprise Performance with the Mediating Effect of Government Support; Evidence from Amhara Region Ethiopia. This study used both qualitative and quantitative research methodology. The proposed research model used a Structural equation model, growth path modeling analysis, and correlation matrix. The study also used both primary and secondary data sources. The study employed 384 determined entrepreneur leader and employee respondents through purposive sampling techniques and simple random sampling to estimate the required clusters. The findings of the study show that the mediating role of government support affects the independent variables by 0.971 *** enterprise performance. Moreover, the independent variables entrepreneur competence, 0.841 ***, microfinance, =0.714 **, infrastructure, 0.861 ** and entrepreneur training 0.831 ** have a positive and significant impact on enterprise performance. Microfinance and entrepreneur training are major factors that influence the enterprises’ performance next to the mediating role of government support. Therefore, the Small and micro enterprise besides government supporting role have gaps in enterprises’ performance due to lack of long-term loans, access to lease machines, unfair interest rates, production and selling the place, shortage of defining SMEs, and structural limitations. To solve currently existing limitations, the regional government should take policy measures to supply long-term loan financing, access to lease machines, fair interest rate, and working and selling places through a cluster management approach, re-define and restructure the existing SMEs strategy. This study suggests to executives, policymakers, SMEs, and microfinance to use the for enterprises’ performance based on the proposed recommendation. Further research should be conducted for knowledge gap of the field in the study area.