This article presents long-term analyzed climate data from nine weather stations in eastern and southeastern parts of Ethiopia. At the outset of this data process, unrefined meteorological data was obtained from National Meteorological Agency (NMA) of Ethiopia for the analysis. The analyzed data in this article shows patterns of rainfall variability, frequency of drought years, seasonal concentration of precipitation and temperature conditions. As issues related to climate conditions are very intricate, different techniques and indices were applied to analyze and refine the data. The analysis reveals that eastern and southeastern parts Ethiopia are severely affected by recurrent droughts, erratic rainfall, and high and increasing temperature conditions. The long-term (1981-2009) mean annual total rainfall had been fluctuating between about 850 mm and 1350 mm. Most stations receive maximum rainfall in summer (June, July and August) except Gode which gets over 50% of its rainfall in spring season (March, April and May). The inter-annual rainfall difference was found to be very high. The Precipitation Concentration Index (PCI) is greater than 11 for all the stations showing that rainfall is concentrated in a few months. PCI is extremely high (greater than 20) for very dry stations such as Gode. Food production and consumer price index were found to be fluctuating with rainfall patters.

This study deals with the spontaneous spreading of stone bunds in the central Ethiopian highlands, i.e., the adoption and implementation of stone bunds by farmers on their own initiative. The study tests the hypothesis that spontaneously implemented stone bunds, as compared to stone bunds implemented by mass mobilization campaigns, are more integrated with other land management practices and lead to higher yields. Data are collected in the Girar Jarso woreda through field observations and household surveys. Descriptive statistics are used to analyze and test the data at 1% and 5% probability levels. Results show that stone bunds are spontaneously implemented mainly on farmlands located nearby the homesteads where farmers perceive severe erosion, poor soil fertility and steep slope gradients. Compared to stone bunds implemented by mass mobilization, spontaneously implemented stone bunds are perceived as better maintained, more frequently modified to fit the farming system and better integrated with soil fertility management practices, such as applying fertilizer, compost and manure. Particularly, this better integration with other practices is very important, because it makes stone bunds more effective in reducing erosion, leading to beneficial effects on soil moisture and soil productivity, as perceived by farmers. The study, therefore, suggests that the mass mobilization campaign should use a more participatory and integrated approach, in which there is ample space for awareness raising and learning concerning the benefits of integrated farm management, and in which farmers themselves have a leading role in the decision on where to construct stone bunds. Such a strategy will lead to more sustainable impact on soil fertility and food security than the current top-down intervention approach.

This study determined factors of the adoption of improved varieties of certified maize, teff, and wheat seeds in central Ethiopia. The logit model was applied to estimate the likelihood of adoption decisions. The result showed that 29% of household respondents adopted improved seeds, while 71% relied on their local landraces. The findings also revealed that farmers' decisions to adopt wheat, teff, and maize varieties were significantly influenced by educational level, farm size, farming experience, income, credit access, extension contact, farm input, and distance to the market. Thus, the study recommends that the government should focus on strengthening extension services, improving access to improved seeds, expanding timely agricultural inputs supply, improving market opportunities, equipping knowledgeable farmers who increase the use of new varieties, and making the land more economical by sharing agronomic practices are areas that need policy attention enhancing the adoption of certified seeds of improved varieties.

Background: This study analyzed the factors affecting the use of improved cook stoves (ICS) in informal settlements of Addis Ababa based on the data generated from 450 households drawn fromWoreda(Woredais a local term used to describe the lowest administrative unit of Addis Ababa City Administration, Ethiopia.) 12 ofYeka subcity.It examined the interactive effect of households’ socio-economic backgrounds and energy sources on the adoption of ICS. The data were analyzed using descriptive methods and the multinomial logit model.Results: Demographic and economic factors such as sex of the household head,[Household head is the one who has an income and decision-making power in family affairs (a husband for married people)], family size and family income have no relationships with households’ ICS use while education level, number of years lived in the area, type of home owned, and stove-operating costs have a significant influence on the choice of an ICS. Households that live in a good home (made from wood and cement) used moreMirt(Mirtis an improved firewood stove mainly used to bakeInjeraand bread.) andLakech[Lakechalso calledTikikilis an improved charcoal stove used to cook different kinds of dishes (non-Injera)] stoves than the traditional three-stone stoves. On the other hand, household heads with higher levels of education and who have lived more than 7 years in the area in a better home owned more ICS than the traditional three-stone stoves.Conclusions: The availability, affordability, durability and simplicity to operate stoves, and subsidies affect the choice of an ICS. Energy sources that are commonly used by households in informal settlements also have a strong influence on the choice of energy-efficient stoves. Compared to ICS, heavy use of traditional three-stone stoves by households that already have access to electricity, directs government policies to focus on providing reliable electric service and subsidize those using ICS.