Journal of Science and Inclusive Development

Mapping the essential soil nutrients status of smallholder farmers fields in the Wolaita area, southern Ethiopia

2024-02-20T08:55:29+00:00

Soil properties can vary significantly within farmland or across landscapes due to a combination of physical, chemical, and biological processes. It is essential to understand this spatial variation to effectively manage soil nutrients and enhance crop yield sustainably. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the spatial variability of essential plant nutrients in agricultural lands in Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia. A total of 789 soil samples were collected and analysedfor macro-and micronutrients. Soil samples were analysedto determine the content of macronutrients [total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorous (P), sulphur (S), and calcium (Ca)] and micronutrients [boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn)]. The measured data were first subjected to descriptive statistics, and the digital soil map (DSM) that shows spatial variability was generated after geostatistical analysis. The result showed that there was low [S, Mn], moderate [TN], and high [P] variability in the nutrient concentrations among fields. The nutrient concentration varied between 0.02-0.47% (TN), 0.78-26.22 mg kg-1(P), 6.45-17.50 mg kg-1(S), 0.05-1.83 mg kg-1(B), and 0.05-2.64 mg kg-1(Cu). The contents of TN, P, S, B, and Cu were low. The DSM further exhibited the wide-ranging spatial variability structures in which, from the total area, 64.8% (TN), 100% (P), 100% (S), and 98% (both B and Cu) have indicated low status. In addition, Mg-induced K deficiency on 68% of studied area was suspected. Based on these findings, it is recommended that site-specific nutrient management practices be implemented on smallholder farms, and the nutrient requirements of major crops should be calibrated accordingly.

The effect of Genos emotional intelligence on project leader outcomes: A case of non-governmental organization project leadership in Wolaita Zone, South Ethiopia

2024-02-20T09:06:19+00:00

In this study, the impact of Genos Emotional Intelligence dimensions on leadership outcomes was investigated in non-governmental organizations, Wolaita zone. Structured MLQ questionnaires for project leader outcome and Genos Inventory Concise scales for emotional intelligence were used to gather data from 167 project leaders at all levels from a randomly chosen samples in order to evaluate the model. With a statistically significant correlation between the Non-Governmental Organization leadership practices, genos emotional intelligence, and leadership outcome, this study supports a direct and indirect impact of the Genos emotional intelligence scales on the financial performance of organizations (p < 0.05). The findings of the regression analysis for seven subscales revealed a significant link (p < 0.05) between the NGO leadership aspects of extra effort, effectiveness, staff satisfaction, and emotionally intelligent behavior. Genos emotional subscales explained 16.4% of the variance in overall leadership outcome: 6.1%, 17.7%, and 19.1% of the variance in extra effort, the effectiveness of leadership, and employee satisfaction, respectively. The research suggested that as Genos emotional intelligence practices at all levels of leadership improve in the direction of more effective and transformational leadership, as explained by the spectrum of emotionally intelligent scales, there is an opportunity for positive change in leadership outcomes.

Hand washing practices at critical times and their associated factors among mothers in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

2024-02-20T09:27:37+00:00

One of the most crucial preventive measures against the spread of infectious diseases is hand washing, a process of hand cleansing that dramatically lowers bacteria in the hands. There is no comprehensive study on hand-washing practices in Ethiopia. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at estimating the pooled prevalence of hand washing practice at a critical time and identifying associated factors among mothers in Ethiopia. Published articles from various electronic databases, such as Medline, Hinari, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and the Web of Science, were accessed. The search period was from November 1, 2022, to January 10,
2023. The protocol was registered at PROSPERO with registration number CRD42023427409. All observational studies conducted among mothers in the English language were included in the review. Two reviewers independently assessed the articles before inclusion in the final review using the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument for critical appraisal. The I-squared test was used to assess heterogeneity. Since the included studies exhibited high heterogeneity, a random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of hand washing practice at critical time movements. We found 3,546 studies in our search. Finally, 158 full-text studies were reviewed, and 18 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the final meta-analysis. A total of 6,956 study respondents from 18 studies were included in the study. The results of our study revealed that the pooled prevalence of handwashing practice among mothers was 47.83%, with a 95% confidence interval of 37.27- 58.38. From the pooled estimation, there was a significant association between hand washing practice and educational level, knowledge, availability of water, and attitude of mothers. The pooled prevalence of hand washing practice at critical times among Ethiopian mothers was relatively low, and improving maternal literacy, the availability of water sources in the backyard, and the positive attitude of mothers are needed to maintain and enhance the practice.

Teachers’ level of understanding geometry concepts vis-à-vis van Hiele’s geometric thinking model

2024-02-20T09:32:49+00:00

Understanding geometry has an impact on both the subsequent academic track and the real-life application of the learners. However, students’ performance and attitude in mathematics are declining. Thus, this study examined secondary school mathematics teachers’ levels of understanding of geometry based on van Hieles’ geometric thinking model. The van Hiele geometry test (VHGT) result was administered to 72 teachers who joined Wolaita Sodo University in Ethiopia for the PGDT program in the summer season. The test has used 25 multiple-choice items; five items for each level of the model were adopted. A content analysis of the Ethiopian mathematics syllabus was made to check the alignment of the material with the study context. It was proven that all the concepts covered by the test items are available in the syllabus. The study revealed that teachers lack the level of understanding that is relevant to teaching geometric concepts incorporated into the secondary school curriculum. In particular, participants’ mean score is 10.51 and STDEV 1.92. While the maximum score is 15, the minimum is 6, with a range of 9. While 2.8% of participant performance is below the levels, 97.2%, 59.7%, and 13.9% are able to attain the first, second, and third levels, respectively. No respondent was able to reach the fourth and fifth levels. Thus, intervention to enhance teachers’ level of understanding of geometry needs immediate attention. The problem needs special attention to break the vicious circle that today’s students are tomorrow’s teachers, who lack the skills to scaffold their students to benefit from the education system.