The Relevance of Customized Agricultural Extension Services for Social Inclusion and Food Security: A Showcase from Ethiopia

For the last six decades, Ethiopia has been implementing different agricultural extension approaches. These approaches range from area focused comprehensive package programme which selectively targeted high potential areas to modified Training and Visit extension and the recent nationwide participatory extension System. One thing in common in all these approaches is standardized advisory system characterised by ‘one size fits for all’ approaches which pushes selected package of technologies and extension messages to all classes of smallholder farmers. The study followed a comparative analysis of baseline and post interventions assessment using ‘one-timad extension package’ customised advisory service. One -timad extension package is exclusively designed for land constrained poor farmers on a quarter of a hectare land size with farmers preferred crop varieties, recommended fertilizer rate, practical training and Integrated Pest management. The pilots were implemented in four regional states of Ethiopia to get an insight for further engagement. The finding shows the need for advisory service to be inclusive; technology supply and services tailored to the multiple capacities and demands of different classes of small farmers. Hence, further piloting to new clients and areas is recommended for institutionalization of the approach.

Health extension service utilization and associated factors in East Gojjam zone, Northwest Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study

Introduction Health Extension Program is a preventive, promotive, and basic curative service targeting households to improve the health status of families with the effective implementation of 16 health extension packages. We, therefore, did this study to assess health extension package utilization and associated factors in the East Gojjam zone, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods A community-based mixed cross-sectional study was conducted on households of East Gojjam Zone, from January 1 to April 30, 2020. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 806 study participants in this study. We used EPI info version 7 for data entry and SPSS version 24 software for cleaning and analysis. Variables having a P-value of less than 0.25 in the bivariate logistic regression analysis were fitted into the multivariable logistic regression model. The 95% confidence interval of odds ratio was computed and a variable having P-value less than 0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression analysis was considered as statistically significant. Results The study showed that 119 (14.8%) respondents have utilized health extension packages. Knowledge health extension package (AOR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.22, 2.79), residence (AOR = 3.55, 95% CI: 1.99,6.33),visited health post(AOR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.054,2.50), home visited by health extension worker (AOR = 1,68, 95% CI: 1.025,2.74) and involving in model family training(AOR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.38,3.215) were significant factors for health extension service utilization. Conclusion The magnitude of health extension service utilization was low since the Ethiopian government recommends 100% health extension service utilization coverage. Knowledge of health extension package, residence, health post-visit, home visit, and model family training were significant factors for health extension service utilization. So expanding the model family training and strict home-to-home visit especially in rural areas may increase the health extension package utilization.

Constraints of Adoption of Agricultural Extension Package Technologies on Sorghum Crop Production at Smallholder Farm Household Level: Evidence from West Hararghe Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

An effective and efficient agricultural extension system can enhance the agricultural productivity and production of smallholders through the development of innovative, systematic, and farmer-owned agricultural extensions. This study identified major constraints of adoption of agricultural extension package technologies such as adoption of inorganic and organic fertilizers, improved seeds, row planting, and crop protection chemicals at smallholder household level on sorghum crop production. The study used cross-sectional survey data collected from 201 sample respondent household farmers. To analyze data, descriptive statistics, ranking indexes, graphs, and tables were used. The study identified the major constraints of agricultural extension package technologies. High price, problem of on-time provision, shortage and uneven distribution of rainfall, and problem of accessibility were the major constraints that hinder the use of inorganic fertilizer. Using sources of organic fertilizer for other purposes, insufficient availability, undeveloped infrastructure, and facilities and requirement of more labor were the major constraints to the use of organic fertilizer.

COMPARISON OF CAD AND BIM TECHNOLOGY EFFICIENCY WITH THE USE OF A MATHEMATICAL MODEL

the article reveals definitions and the entity of computer-aided design and building information modeling. The content and effect of using information modeling at various phase of the life cycle of a real estate object are described in the article. The level of BIM applying in Russia is analyzed, data is obtained that the majority of AEC organizations do not use information modeling. A comparative evaluation of the applying of various CAE systems using mathematical modeling in the MATLAB environment using the Fuzzy Logic Toolbox extension package is carried out. Based on the obtained results, we can make a conclusion about the effectiveness of using building information modeling. The information in this article is relevant for designers, real estate investors, and leaders of AEC organizations. The obtained evaluation of project technology is able to induce stakeholders to analyze alternative technology of project and estimate the expediency of Russian enterprise's transition to the use of BIM technology.

bmd: an R package for benchmark dose estimation

The benchmark dose (BMD) methodology is used to derive a hazard characterization measure for risk assessment in toxicology or ecotoxicology. The present paper’s objective is to introduce the R extension package bmd, which facilitates the estimation of BMD and the benchmark dose lower limit for a wide range of dose-response models via the popular package drc. It allows using the most current statistical methods for BMD estimation, including model averaging. The package bmd can be used for BMD estimation for binomial, continuous, and count data in a simple set up or from complex hierarchical designs and is introduced using four examples. While there are other stand-alone software solutions available to estimate BMDs, the package bmd facilitates easy estimation within the established and flexible statistical environment R. It allows the rapid implementation of available, novel, and future statistical methods and the integration of other statistical analyses.