Agriculture is the most important economic activity and employment opportunity in Ethiopia. Globally, the country is the largest producer of Khat. The producers and consumers of Khat are increasing combined with earning for the national exports. Despite several controversies have continued on Khat practice, the legal stance of the Ethiopian government and studies on environmental impact are minimal. The review results reveal that agro-climates in different parts of Ethiopia are suitable for Khat production. The plant cultivation has come to common and expanded from southeastern to northwestern part of the country since the 1990s. Various anthropogenic and edaphic factors have contributed for the expansion of Khat production. Khat has substantial economic advantages though it has adverse implications on livestock production, cereal crops and water resource. Khat has undesirable effects on health, social, and environment followed by less empowering the economic capacity of women. Nervous problems, extra marital affairs, sexual abuse, HIV/AIDS, corruption, suicide, addiction, and car accidents are among the detrimental effects of Khat practice on health and social relations. Thus, researchers, policy makers, scholars, and higher learning institutions need to come together to minimize the controversies, alleviate heated debates and disclose public discourses on Khat practice in Ethiopia. Key words: Agriculture, Ethiopia, Khat, origin, prevalence, public discourse.

Training helps to enhance human capabilities in improving the level of thinking and ways of life. However, in rural Ethiopia, access to modular training is not well deliberated. This paper is attempted to understand effectiveness of modular training at farmers' training centre in Fogera district. The aim of the research was identifying the knowledge gap of the farmers, linkages of institutions and positive deviances of training centres. The study was conducted in 2010 from 120 households selected in systematic random sampling. Interview schedule was applied for data collection supplemented with field observation and focused group discussion. Teacher made test, practice test, Likert scale and linkage matrix were employed to examine the effectiveness of modular training. The result revealed that knowledge, skill, attitude and institutional linkage are essential variables which influence effectiveness of modular training significantly. This study has also shown that trained farmers are likely to be positive deviants in beekeeping than untrained farmers. Even though the duration and seasons of training were adequate and convenient, low participation of women and theoretical nature of trainings made the program ineffective. This implies that practical training and integration of actors enable to diversify production potentials. Emphasis should be given for proper functioning of training centres that could be achieved through stability of the program, institutional linkage and knowledge management schemes.