Pre-extension demonstration of field pea varieties in selected districts of Bale highlands, Oromiya national regional state, Ethiopia

Pre extension demonstration of improved field pea varieties was conducted in Goba, Sinana and Agarfa districts of Bale zone. The main objective of the study was to demonstrate and evaluate recently released (Weyib) variety along with standard check. The demonstration was under taken on single plot of 10mx10m area for each variety with the spacing of 30cm between rows and recommended seed rate of 75kg/ha and fertilizer rate of 100kg/ha NPS. Mini-field day involving different stakeholders was organized at each respective site. Yield data per plot was recorded and analysed using descriptive statistics, while farmers’ preference to the demonstrated varieties was identified using focused group discussion and summarized using pair wise ranking methods. The demonstration result revealed that Weyib variety performed better than the standard check (Tulu shanan variety) with an average yield of 34.47qt/ha, while that of the standard check was27.26qt/ha. Weyib variety had 17.27% yield advantage over the standard check. Thus, Weyib variety was recommended for further scaling up. Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.8(3): 267-271, December 2021

Assessment of Veterinary Extension Service and Public Perception on Major Infectious and Zoonotic Disease at Robe Veterinary Clinic of Bale Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

Background A survey-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to August 2021 to assess veterinary extension service and public perception on major infectious and zoonotic diseases at Robe veterinary clinic. 384 animal owners who brought their animals for treatment were interviewed. Results The result indicated that 70.8% of respondents had no veterinary extension service. The majority (88%) had no access to the veterinary consultant. Although 51.6% of them used AI, only 7.8% of them know how to detect estrous. The most frequently known zoonotic diseases were Rabies (96.6%) followed by Anthrax (33.07%), and Tuberculosis (4.2%). Out of the 96.6% of respondents that replied to know about Rabies, 51.8% of them mentioned the disease can be transmitted only through dog biting while 14.8% of them say through biting and contact with saliva. Likewise, only 43.3% of respondents perceive that Anthrax is transmitted through ingestion, whereas 85% of them mentioned Tuberculosis can be transmitted from animal to humans only through inhalation. Although most animal owners prefer early treatment of animals in the veterinary clinic, there are also practices of traditional animal treatment. Remarkable only 16.4% and 24.7% of respondents know the importance of vaccination and slaughterhouse respectively. 93.8% and 94.8% of them still consume raw milk and meat respectively. Conclussion : The finding indicates that veterinary extension services are a neglected venture; the knowledge, attitude, and practice on prevention and control of major infectious and zoonotic diseases are still insufficient. Therefore there should be multidisciplinary one-health approach in educating the community about infectious and zoonotic diseases.

Pertussis outbreak investigation in Likimsa-Bokore kebele, Meda Walebu district, Bale zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia, 2019

Background Pertussis is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. Globally, an estimated 45 million cases and 400,000 deaths occur every year. Meda-Walebu district health office reported the outbreak of pertussis in one of the remote villages/kebele. This study aims to describe an outbreak of pertussis in Likimsa-Bokore village of Meda-Walebu district, Bale Zone, Southeast Ethiopia. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2019. We identified the pertussis cases recorded on the line-list from the District Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) database. A suspected case of pertussis was defined as any person with cough illness and with at least one of the following symptoms: paroxysms of coughing, inspiratory whooping, post-tussive vomiting, or apnea. The data were cleaned and then analyzed by Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 23 software. Data were reported stratified by age groups, sex, and geographical locations and described in terms of time, place, and person. Results From September 2018 to December 2018, a total of 439 suspected cases of pertussis were reported from Likimsa-Bokore village of Meda-Walebu district. The age of the cases ranged from 2 months to 30 years. The overall attack rate was 55/1000 population with a case fatality rate of 0.7% (3 deaths/439). Children below five years of age and females were the most affected group with an attack rate of 198/1000 and 57/1000 population respectively. Delay to seek medical care by patients or caretakers ranged from 2-9 days with a mean delay of 3 days. Immunization service is not provided regularly, available refrigerators in the health posts were not functional and the cold chain management system was poor. Conclusion The suspected pertussis outbreak has occurred in the remote villages of Meda-Walebu district. The absence of regular immunization service, unfunctional cold chain management system and weak surveillance system in early detection and notification might have contributed to the outbreak. Provision of regular immunization service, strengthening cold chain management, and intensified surveillance system is required for early detection, investigation, and response to the outbreak

Measle Outbreak investigation, Bale Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Purpose Measles is still an important cause of childhood morbidity and mortality even in developed countries. It is a leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths among young children. The Bale zone reported a measle outbreak on 1/15/2019. This study was conducted to describe the magnitude of the measle outbreak in the Bale Zone. Methods We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study from September 20 to November 15, 2019, by reviewing the line lists of the cases. We checked the data for completeness and analyzed using epi-info version 7 and Microsoft Office Excel 2016. Results A total of 2753 measle cases with attack rate (AR) 201per 100,000 population and 7 death (0.25% case fatality rate) were reported during this confirmed outbreak (all five samples positive for measle IgM test). Males (0.21%) and females (0.19%) were almost equally affected. The AR was 736 per 100,000 population among 9months-4years age groups followed by an age group less than 9months (682 per 100,000 population). Most of the cases were unvaccinated (74.9%). Conclusion The majority of the cases were unvaccinated and 9months to 4years followed by less than 9months of age groups. We recommend strengthening the routine immunization and surveillance to prevent the occurrence of the measle outbreak.

Valuing local bread wheat farmer’s varieties (Triticum aestivum L.) for conservation and sustainable utilization in goro and agarfa CSBs, bale zone OF Oromiya regional state

The perception of farmer’s verities, scientists and government officials regarding the conservation of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) farmer in Bale zone CSBs is examined during 2019. Agricultural development and the reasons why the Bale zone is marginal in terms of wheat production are discussed. The de facto conservation of the local wheat farmer’s varieties analyzed in light of stakeholders’ opinions on agro biodiversity bread wheat conservation within the two community seed banks of Goro and Agarfa. CSBs retain local wheat farmer’s varieties because of their own interpretations of the value of these varieties. While formal opportunities for supporting farmers’ perceptions of local diversity with effective policy initiatives are available, they will require ongoing support from both international and national organizations Therefore, the objectives of this were to estimate households’ willingness to pay (WTP) value for conservation bread wheat and analyze the determining factors that affects willingness of households to participate the conservation bread wheat in the study area. To attain the stated objective contingent valuation survey questionnaires were distributed to elicit farmers WTP for improved conservation bread wheat. A total of 160 households were randomly selected from two CSBs of two Woredas of the study Zone. The result indicated that 153 (92.29%) were willing to pay the given bid amount for bread wheat conservation. Logistic regression model result was shows that the statistically significant determinants of participation of WTP in bread wheat conservation were availability of labor for farm activities, distance from market, households’ livestock holding, initial bid1 offered and productivity of the land of at 5% significance level, and total farm agricultural income and perception about the importance of bread wheat conservation at 1% level. The mean willingness to pay for the sampled respondents was 9.23 ($9. 034.67) labour day per year. Hence, the aggregate economic value of bread wheat conservation 3,098,644.46 (12,394,577.84) person days per annum for five years. Therefore, policy should give emphases at levels for production, conservation and sustainable utilization of bread wheat, farmer’s verities hence, the communities shows willingness to pay for the bread wheat conservation works.

Indigenous Knowledge and Consumer’s Perspectives of Stinging Nettle (Urtica Simensis) in the Central and Southeastern Highlands of Oromia Regional States of Ethiopia

Background: Wild plants are essential for increased dietary diversity; for food and nutritional security and as herbal remedies. Stinging nettle, Urtica species, is one of the 20 widely consumed wild plants with cultural importance index ranging from 0.5-1.26 CI in different countries. As in previously conducted wild plants ethnobotanical studies in Ethiopia, the present study reported for the first time the indigenous knowledge and consumer’s perspectives of stinging nettle (Urtica simensis) in the central and southeastern highlands of Oromia regional states of Ethiopia.Methods: Data was collected through informed consent semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, key informant discussions, focus group discussions and tour-guided field observation in 13 districts of three zones (Arsi, Bale and North Shewa) of Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. Results: The local people gather, where women carries 69.2% of the responsibilities for collecting and cooking, stinging nettle in winter and spring season almost from everywhere with higher preference for road sides followed by homestead boundaries, waste land, field boundaries and agroforestry in order of importance. The factors limiting harvesting, consumption and marketing of stinging nettles could be ranked as cultural barriers (63.1%) > lack of knowledge (26.9%) > stinginess (10%). According to key informants, the local people who gather and cook stinging nettle are commonly referred as the poor and they call stinging nettle crop as a poor man crop. Interestingly, covering hands with cloths and wearing plastic bags were traditional manipulations practiced by the local community to protect themselves from stinging hairs thereby avoiding stinging sensation and collect the young and tender shoots from the plant. The highest use-value indices of stinging nettle plant was in North Shewa zone (UVc = 0.93), followed by Arsi zone (UVc = 0.9), and Bale zone (UVc = 0.63). Its central role in North Shewa (FL = 51.7%) and Arsi zone (FL = 50 %) is as a source of both food and fodder, where as in Bale zone (FL = 33.3%) is as a source of food only. In the study areas stinging nettle sauce is prepared by boiling young nettle leaves and roasted barley powder and then cooled sauce is served with injera. Conclusions: There exists biological security to livelihood of the people in the study areas by consuming stinging nettle to cope up times of food shortage. This result shed light on further research and a needs to popularize, awareness creation, the potential for domestication, value addition and processing for food and nutritional security and wellbeing of consumers.