Background: Small scale Poultry production are used by farmers in order to generate cash income and as a source of food for domestic consumption however, the production sector is constrained by disease, predators, poor housing, poor management, lack of feed, low market prices and lack of markets. This study aimed to identify challenge and opportunities available for small scale poultry production in Jigjiga zone of Somali regional state.

Rehabilitation of degraded lands through plantations is at the frontline of natural resource management in Ethiopia. However, plantations have been faced with various challenges mainly attributed to poor survival rate of tree seedlings. Hence, this research was conducted in Tanqua 'Abergelle and Weri Leke Wereda's with the objective of screening tree seedlings for their survival rates under field conditions. Tree seedlings that were mostly produced in nurseries of the Woredas were first identified and analyzed. One watershed from Tanqua Abergelle and two watersheds from Weri Leke were selected to undertake further plantation trials. Pits were prepared one month ahead of plantation. The collected data was analyzed using simple descriptive statistics. Accordingly, almost all seedlings reduced their number at each sequence of inventory periods. The growth of Moringa stenopetala and Eucalyptus camaldulensis were better than the others in Weri-Leke. Eucalyptus camaldulensis recorded the highest growth performance (60.4 cm) followed by Acacia lehay (46.3 cm) in Weri Leke. The seedlings of Moringa stenopetala, Leucaena leucocephala and Faidherbia albida revealed relatively lower survival rates in Abergelle. However, Ziziphus spina Christ (L.) Desf., Acacia tortilis and Parkinsonia aculeata showed higher survival rates (>80%). Moringa stenopetala and Casuarina equisitifolia showed the lowest survival rates (<40%) in Weri-Leke. On the other hand, A. lehay, Gravillea robusta and Eucalyptus camaldulensis revealed better survival rates (c. 60%). Even if further research is still required, tree species that survive > 50% should be considered for plantations in the study areas, and improved post-planting attention and management.

No abstract

There are many traditional medicine practitioners in every corner of the world, which can be grouped into spiritual healers and herbalists. Both groups do not tell to others about medicinal plants sometimes even to their descendants. This may have many different reasons, some say the medicine becomes functional if it is used in secret and some do not tell others fearing for competition of market as well as the medicinal plants because their abundance is mostly limited due to over exploitation. This study was conducted in the central zone of Tigray in specific sites called Tanqua-Abergelle, KolaTembien and Weri-Leke with the objective of identifying of medicinal plants based on indigenous knowledge. Purposive sampling was used for respondent selection and semi-structured interviews were employed. Then, the collected data were subjected to descriptive statistical method such as percentage and frequency which was employed to analyze and summarize the data on medicinal plants. From the identified medicinal plants, 92 plant species were used to cure human disease and 29 species for animal diseases and another 8 species were used to treat both human and livestock diseases. Even though medicinal plants are very crucial particularly for the people who dwell in remote and rural areas, some medicinal plants are being endangered due to low awareness on management of these plants. Hence, policy makers and other concerned bodies should give emphasis on conservation of medicinal plants.