Economic Integration as a Contribution to Sustainable Development in the Horn of Africa

The Horn of Africa is one of the most geopolitically important regions of the world, with great human and natural resource potential. Unfortunately, the region is notorious for its crises and instability. This is due to internal and external destabilising factors related to ethnicity, tribalism, resource sharing, poverty, superpower rivalry, porous borders and hegemonic desires. Although it differs slightly between countries, the average per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of the region is less than $200. Gender disparity in education and economic activity is prevalent in the region at all levels. Over 75% of the labour force is engaged in subsistence agricultural and nomadic activities and the rest are involved in other economic sectors, including informal activities. These statistics are just of the indicators that abject poverty is pervasive in this region. What should be done to improve this situation and promote peace, stability, and sustainable socio-economic development? One of the most viable strategies is to promote economic integration among the countries in the Horn of Africa. This approach can potentially bring economic prosperity and stability to the region. If the states themselves facilitate and meticulously nurture an interstate and intrastate economic integration process by combining their natural and human resources, they will have a better opportunity to eradicate chronic poverty and promote sustainable socioeconomic development. This undoubtedly will help them to make substantial headway in attaining at least some of the UN\u27s declared Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Towards achieving this goal, it would be essential for both local and international initiatives to complement each other. This paper seeks to briefly highlight the background and genesis of the precarious situation in the region, identify and assess the push and pull factors for establishing the foundations of economic integration, and recommend feasible strategic alternatives intended to promote regional economic integration as a cornerstone for peace, stability and sustainable development. The paper also deals with theoretical foundations and indicative diagnostic studies. In addition, assessing the possibilities and problems of promoting regional economic integration in the Horn of Africa is a precondition for the long-lasting resolution of conflicts and the promotion of good governance and accelerated economic growth. Thus, this paper will serve as a trigger for other researchers to dedicate themselves to empirical and theoretical research focused on more articulated issues pertaining to the region

Effect of urea-ammoniation of dietary roughage and concentrate ratio on ruminal microbial activity in Jersey cows.

Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.The effect of untreated roughages on digestibility and rumen fill of the gut was reviewed as physical mechanism influencing the regulation of roughage intake. The review of literature also focused on identifying factors that affect the way in which urea-ammoniation alters the roughage intake, digestibility and performance of ruminant animals. Trials were carried out with fistulated cows to address to what extent concentrate proportion and urea-ammoniation affected microbial colonization and degradation of roughage diets in the rumen. One interest of this study was to develop a model that would help to predict the benefit associated with urea-treatment of roughages. The first trial (Chapter 3) investigated the effect of urea-ammoniation of roughage and concentrate proportion of the diet on degradation of roughages, and the benefit associated with the treatment of roughages. Four rumen-fistulated Jersey cows were fed on a basal diet composed of either urea treated (3 kg of urea per 100 kg of straw) or untreated Eragrostis curvula hay. These basal diets were supplemented with concentrate composed of maize meal (78%) and cotton seed cake (22%). The concentrate contributed 0, 25, 50 and 75% of the total ration and hay the rest. The experiment consisted of 6 periods. Each period lasted 19 days, comprising 12 days of adaptation to the experimental diet followed by 6 days degradability measurements and 1-day rumen fluid collection. During each period the 4 Jersey cows were randomly allocated to 4 of the 8 dietary treatments, ensuring that each diet was fed to 3 animals during the entire experimental period. The experimental roughages used in this trial were wheat (Triticum sativum) straw, barley (Hordeum Vulgare) straw, coastcross (k11) (Cynodon hybrid) hay, veld hay (natural grass), oat (Avena sativa) straw, oat (Avena sativa) hay, maize (Zea mays) stover, kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) grass, weeping love grass (Eragrostsis curvula) and Italian rye (Lolium multiflorum) grass. Each roughage (sample) was subdivided into two equal portions, one of which was then treated with urea. The urea solution was prepared by dissolving 30 g of urea in 0.4 liter of water. The solution was fully distributed over I kg of roughage. Treated roughages were sealed tightly and stored at room temperature for 5 weeks in plastic bags. Immediately after opening, the different roughages, including the untreated ones, were sun dried, chopped fine by hand and ground through a 2-mm screen in a laboratory mill. About 3 g of each sample was weighed into labeled nylon bags. The bags were tied to a stainless steel disc with 10 evenly spaced small holes drilled through the periphery of the disc serving as anchor points. The bags were incubated (in duplicate per time interval) in the rumen for 120, 96, 72, 48, 24, 12, 6 and 3 h, sequentially. The treated samples were incubated in animals fed treated hay, while untreated samples were incubated in animals given untreated hay. Immediately after removal from the rumen, the bags, including the 0 hour ones, which had not been incubated but soaked in warm water for I hour, were washed in 6 cycles (each lasting 4 minutes) in a semi-automatic washing machine. The washed bags were then dried in a forced draught oven at 60 degrees C for 48 hours, cooled in a desicator and weighed. The pH of the rumen fluid ranged between 6.5 and 6.8 for all diets. Rumen ammonia concentration was higher (P<0.002) when the basal diet consisted of urea treated hay. Increasing the concentrate proportion in the diet had the desired effect of increasing rumen ammonia concentration without severely affecting pH. Urea-ammoniation increased (P<O.OOO1) the slowly degradable fraction (B), potential degradability (PD), effective degradability (ED) of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber (NDF), decreased (P>0.05) lag time (LT) but had no effect on the rate of degradation (c) of dry matter. Concentrate proportions affected (P<0.05) the slowly degradable fraction, potential degradability, lag time and effective degradability but had no effect (P>0.05) on the rate of degradation of dry matter (DM). Maximum and minimum values of the slowly degradable fraction, potential degradability and effective degradability of DM and NDF were obtained at the 25 and 75% concentrate levels, respectively. Within urea-ammoniation, roughage type affected (P<O.OO1) the B-fraction, PO and EO of OM and NDF degradation. Rate of degradation of DM of untreated roughages varied from 0.022 h(-1) in wheat straw to 0.087 h(-1) in rye grass, while for urea treated roughages it varied from 0.022 h(-1) in oat straw to 0.082 h(-1) in rye grass. Rye grass degraded almost three to four times faster than urea treated oat or untreated wheat straw. Urea-ammoniation was less effective in increasing DM and cell wall degradation rates (c) of rye grass compared to wheat straw. The results showed that low quality roughages such as wheat straw benefited relatively the most from urea-ammoniation. The effect of urea-ammoniation and dietary manipulation on microbial colonization (Chapter 4) of fiber particles in the rumen of animals was also investigated in two experiments. In Experiment 1, the cows were fed on rations comprising either urea-ammoniated or untreated Eragrostis curvula hay supplemented with concentrate at hay to concentrate ratio of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, resulting in eight different rumen environments. The experiment consisted of two periods. Each period lasted 12 days of adaptation to the experimental diet followed by one-day incubation of urea-ammoniated and untreated barley straw. Experiment 2 consisted of two urea-ammoniated (7.5 kg of urea per 100 kg of hay) hay levels (20 and 40% of the total ration) and concentrate levels (60 and 80%). Fistulated Jersey cows were adapted for 12 days after assigning to the dietary treatment. Feed was given at the rate of 9.0 kg day(-1) per animal portioned into equal meals of 4.50 kg each and offered at 08:00 and 16:00 every day. About 3 g of urea-ammoniated or untreated barley (Hordeum vulgare) straw, ground through a 2-mm screen, was weighed into a labelled nylon bag and incubated for 3, 6 or 12 h in the rumen of the fistulated cows. Microbes adhering to incubated fiber particles were examined under the Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) and analysed on the image analyser. Depending on morphology , the microbes were divided into three groups: bacilli (rod), cocci (round) and others (spiral, fimbrea and cluster ; not specifically defined or undefined microbes). Urea-ammoniation of dietary roughage decreased (P<O.OO1) bacilli counts and total bacteria count but had no effect on count of the undefined group of microbes on fiber particles in the rumen of cows (Experiment 1). Concentrate proportions had no effect (P>0.05) on bacilli, cocci and total bacterial count on fiber particles. However, the results from electron micrograph observations revealed that the total bacterial count tended to decrease as the concentrate level increased in the diet of cows. Bacilli, cocci, undefined group of microbes and total count of microbes increased (P<0.05) as length of incubation increased. In Experiment 2, incubated feed, concentrate proportion and time of incubation had no effect (P>O.05) on bacilli , others (undefined group of microbes) and total count of fiber-adhering microbes in the rumen of cows. However, increasing concentrate in the diet of cows tended to decrease (P<O.07) the count of fiber-adhering cocci. The total count of microbes on fiber particles was higher in animals fed 80% concentrate as compared to 60% concentrate. The benefit derived from urea treatment in terms of B-fraction, effective degradability and potential degradability of DM and fiber of roughages increased with increasing the NDF content. Therefore, the important conclusions drawn from the results of the present study is that urea-ammoniation of roughages should be done strategically and that high quality roughages may give little return per unit of cost of ammoniation. This means that the benefit associated with urea-ammoniation would be justified for poor quality roughages only

Population Structure of East African Relapsing Fever Borrelia spp.

B. recurrentis may have evolved directly from B. duttonii

A study on the use of history in middle school mathematics : the case of connected mathematics curriculum

textThis dissertation explores the use of history of mathematics in middle school mathematics. A rationale for the importance of the incorporation of historical dimensions (HD) of mathematics is provided through a review of the literature. The literature covers pedagogical, philosophical, psychological, and social issues and provides arguments for the use of history. The central argument is that history can help reveal significant aspects regarding the origins and evolutions of ideas that provide contexts for understanding the mathematical ideas. History can be used as a means to reflect on significant aspects—errors, contractions, challenges, breakthroughs, and changes—of mathematical developments. Noting recent NCTM (2000) calls for school math to include so-called process standards, I contend that incorporating the history of mathematics can be considered as part of this standard. This study examines how HD is addressed in a contemporary mathematics curriculum. Specifically, the study examines the Connected Mathematics Project (CMP) as a case. This curriculum has some historical references which triggered further exploration on how seriously the historical aspects are incorporated. The analysis and discussion focus on four CMP units and interviews with three curriculum experts, eight teachers, and 11 middle school students. The analysis of textbooks and interviews with the experts explore the nature and purpose of historical references in the curriculum. The interviews with teachers and students focus on their perspectives on the importance of HD in learning mathematics. This study examines specifically historical incorporations of the concepts of fractions, negative numbers, the Pythagorean Theorem, and irrational numbers. The analysis reveals that CMP exhibits some level of historical awareness, but the incorporation of HD was not systematically or seriously considered in the development of the curriculum. The interviews suggest that the teachers did not seriously use the limited historical aspects available in the textbooks. The experts’ and teachers’ interviews suggest skepticism about the relevance of HD for middle school mathematics. The teachers’ accounts indicate that students are most interested in topics that are related to their experience and to future applications. The students’ accounts do not fully support the teachers’ assessment of students’ interest in history. I contend that incorporating HD can complement instruction in ways that relate to students’ experiences and to applications besides adding an inquiry dimension to instruction.Curriculum and Instructio

Examination of the Validity of the Denver II Child Development Measurement Tool among Children 24-36 Months against the Gold Standard of Bayley Scale III Edition in Butajira, Ethiopia

Background: Globally there were 249 million children under the age of five years who were at risk of poor development in 2010. Ethiopia is one of the top ten countries with children at high risk of developmental problems. To assess and monitor the developmental status of children, there is a need for reliable and valid measures. The Bayley Scales of Infant and toddler Development III (BSID III) tool is a rigorous measure of child development that has been widely used across different cultural settings. However, the BSID III is resource intensive necessitating the need for simpler tool for large-scale use. Objective: To evaluate the concurrent validity of Denver II in assessing the development of children aged 24 to 36 months who lived in the Butajira Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), using the BSID III as a gold standard. Methods: The study design was a community-based, cross-sectional concurrent validation design. The study was conducted in the Butajira HDSS, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples’ Regional state on children aged 24-36months who were selected randomly from a sampling frame obtained from the HDSS. Data were collected from March- April 2017. The Denver II and BSID III were administered by independent groups of trained and reliable data collectors who were masked to the status on the other measure. Order of administration was randomized. STATA version 14 was used for analysis. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the Denver II against the BSID III were calculated. Result: A total of 121 children age 24-36 months with their caregivers participated in this study. The response rate was 91.6%. Sixty (49.6%) of the children were male. One hundred seventeen (96.7%) children lived with their biological parents, 3 (2.5%) lived with relatives and 1 (0.8%) lived with unrelated care takers. Using BSID III as the gold standard, the sensitivity of Denver II was 99% for fine motor, 80% for gross motor and 79% for language subscales. The specificity was 12% for fine motor, 11% for gross motor and 39% for language subscales. Total scores on the Denver II had a correlation coefficient of 0.26 for gross motor, 0.42 for fine motors and 0.57 for language subscales with the corresponding BSID III subscales. Conclusion and recommendation: It is important to be able to detect developmental delays in a timely manner so that early intervention can support the child to fulfill their developmental potential. In this rural Ethiopian setting, the Denver II showed potential as a brief screen for developmental delay, with high sensitivity; however, the low specificity means that there will be many false positives. This may limit application of the tool in routine settings. Further studies of adaptation and of short child development measurements are needed

Competitive strategy formulation case study of Dahlak Share Company in Eritrea

Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004.A company without proper strategy is like a person without sight. The research deals with identifying the lost market that the company could not yet replace due to border conflict with Ethiopia, and with recommending future actions. The main goal of this research is to assess and analyze the external and internal situations of Dahlak Share Company. In order to formulate the best strategy, the company resources must correlate with the macro and microenvironment situation. Dahlak Share Company operates in Asmara, capital of Eritrea and it sells its products in local market and foreign countries, mainly in the Great Lakes region of Africa. Therefore, assessing and analyzing Eritrean and relevant other countries' situation, information regarding the footwear industry, stakeholder's interest and the company's capacity lends significance to the quality of the formulated strategy. The discussion on the research objective is based on the strategy formulation process. This research is a case study and is qualitative in nature. Therefore, financial reports, and other relevant company documents are used to collect the secondary data. Interviews have also been conducted with the company's management body to collect the primary data. According to the study findings the company has the opportunity to increase the demand of the Great Lakes region of African market and consciousness of Eritrean customers insistence on best quality products. The company is well branded in the region and it is known for its long time experience in shoe production. Moreover, the company has a strong management staff. Though there is tough competition in local and international market, Dahlak Share Company is able to succeed by minimizing unnecessary cost and improving the quality of its products