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Background: Since 2003, the government of Ethiopia has trained and deployed more than 42,000 Health Extension Workers across the country to provide primary healthcare services. However, no research has assessed the return on investments into human resources for health in this setting. This study aims to fill this gap by analyzing the return on investment within the context of the Ethiopian Health Extension Program. Methods: We collected data on associated costs and benefits attributed to the Health Extension Program from primary and secondary sources. Primary sources included patient exit interviews, surveys with Health Extension Workers and other health professionals, key informant interviews, and focus groups conducted in the following regions: Amhara, Oromia, Tigray, and the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples' Region. Secondary sources consisted of financial and administrative reports gathered from the Ministry of Health and its subsidiaries, as well as data accessed through the Lives Saved Tool. A long-run return on investment analysis was conducted considering program costs (personnel, recurrent, and capital investments) in comparison to benefits gained through improved productivity, equity, empowerment, and employment. Findings: Between 2008–2017, Health Extension Workers saved 50,700 maternal and child lives. Much of the benefits were accrued by low income, less educated, and rural women who had limited access to services at higher level health centers and hospitals. Regional return ranged from $1.27 to $6.64, with an overall return on investment in the range of $1.59 to $3.71. Conclusion: While evidence of return on investments are limited, results from the Health Extension Program in Ethiopia show promise for similar large, sustainable system redesigns. However, this evidence needs to be contextualized and adapted in different settings to inform policy and practice. The Ethiopian Health Extension Program can serve as a model for other nations of a large-scale human resources for health program containing strong economic benefits and long-term sustainability through successful government integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chocolate spot caused by Botrytis fabae is one of the major biotic constraints of faba bean production in the highlands of Ethiopia. Therefore, the current work was designed to evaluate the effect of varieties and fungicide spray frequencies on disease development and crop performance. Field experiments involving four faba bean varieties and four fungicide (Mancozeb 80% WP) spray frequencies (including control/unsprayed) were carried out at two locations. Disease severity was highest on the local variety and lowest on variety Walki regardless of the location. Besides, chocolate spot was the most severe on unsprayed plots both at Atsela and Ayba. On the other hand, three times mancozeb 80% WP at 2.5 kg ha−1 application resulted in the lowest AUDPC i.e., 1023%-days at Atsela and 1107%-days at Ayba. The disease resulted in grain yield loss of up to 34.9, 26.9 and 15.28% on unsprayed, once sprayed and twice sprayed plots, respectively. The highest cost benefit ratio (1:10.8) was obtained from three times fungicide application followed by two times (1:8.93) and once (1:7.08) application frequencies. The present findings ascertain the importance of chocolate spot in the region. Walki variety and three times Mancozeb 80% WP application appeared to be the best option for the management of chocolate spot in the region. However, current results need to be verified in multi-location and multi-season trials to come up with conclusive recommendation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The participatory evaluation was conducted to assess the forage yield of the natural pasture in degraded grazing land through the application of urea, manure and Vicia sativa over sown with farmers' practices at the Emba Alaje district. Using a single plot design, a total of 180 quadrats of size 1 × 1 m2 were employed to analyze data on herbaceous vegetation through ANOVA using R-software. Hence, the results of the study revealed that Vicia saliva over sown, manure and urea treated pastureland had significantly (P < 0.001) recorded a higher total dry matter yield (3.43, 3.87 and 4.27 ton/ha, respectively) as compared to the farmers' practice (2.93 ton/ha). The Shannon diversity index for herbaceous species was also found to be significantly (P < 0.001) higher for manure treated (1.99) and farmers' practice (1.73) pasturelands. Results from the partial budget analysis also indicated that urea, manure treated and Vicia sativa over sown on the degraded pastureland had the better economic benefit than the existing farmers' practice as the calculated net return was found to be positive. The results suggest that an improved pastureland interventions involving legume over sowing, urea application and manure application can increase biomass productivity of degraded grazing lands. Therefore, the study concluded that the application of improved pastureland interventions compared to the local practice is better options for pastureland enhancement, which has the potential to enhance herbaceous species rehabilitation and forge productivity where it generates better net returns at reasonable cost implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adequate phosphorus (P) and foliar zinc (Zn) in groundnut required for obtaining Zn-enriched grain and optimum yield. However, it was very low in the area. Due to that objective of the study was to investigate the response of groundnut genotypes to combined application of phosphorus and zinc on yield and nutritional contents. A field experiment was conducted at Sheka-Tekli in 2017/18 cropping season. Methods: The treatments were consisted of three groundnut genotypes (ICGV00308, ICGV91114 and Sedi) as main plot and four combined PZn fertilizer levels (00), 10 kg P/ha + 0.50 g Zn/L, 20 kg P/ha + 1 g Zn/L and 30 kg P/ha + 1.5 g Zn/L as sub plot were assigned in split plot design with tree replications. Result: The result indicated that yield and yield components respond significantly to the main and interaction effects. The highest significant seed yield (2529 kg/ha) and protein content (37.79%) were obtained in response to the application of P30Zn1.5 fertilizer on sedi variety in the loamy sand soil. The percentage of crude protein and fat content had significantly affected by interaction components. Most of the yield component traits showed strong positive correlation with seed yield. While the lowest seed yield was recorded from ICGV00308 without fertilizer. The highest fat content (43.95%) was gained from genotype ICGV00308 at P30Zn1.5 fertilizer. From the interaction of sedi with P30Zn1.5 fertilizer was recorded highest protein content. Based on economic analysis the highest MRR (380.58%) was obtained from ICGV00308 genotype at P10Zn0.5 fertilizer. Conclusion: From the result of the study, application of PZn fertilizer increases seed yield of groundnut. Therefore, based on the MRR result ICGV00308 genotype at P10Zn0.5 fertilizer was optimum for groundnut production in the study area and similar agro-ecologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]