Erroneous gender identification by the amelogenin sex test

Human gender identification, based on the amelogenin gene, has important applications in forensic casework, prenatal diagnosis, DNA databasing, and blood sample storage. However, we report on the first known case, in the Israeli population, of an amelogenin sex test failure on a phenotypically normal male. He was typed as a female by both the AmpFlSTR SGM plus and GenePrint kits. Subsequent, karyotyping of the soldier's blood sample showed no abnormalities. These results suggest that the determination of sex, based on the amelogenin test, should be interpreted cautiously.     

Community participation and inner-city slum renewal: relocated people's perspectives on slum clearance and resettlement in Addis Ababa

The article explores the process of residential relocation in inner-city slum renewal in Addis Ababa. Drawing on qualitative research methods involving interviews and focus group discussions with members of relocated households, it examines the nature of people's involvement in inner-city renewal and how it affects their lives. The article argues that the process of planning and implementation of relocation is not only top-down, but also does not involve the perspectives, needs, and livelihood strategies of those affected. The article concludes that the city administration needs to work closely with NGOs, the private sector, and community-based organisations in order to meet the housing needs of relocated households.     

Innovation in forage development: empirical evidence from Alaba Special District,southern Ethiopia

Forage development is one of the strategies to address feed scarcity and low livestock productivity in Ethiopia. In line with government strategy, multiple actors took part in a forage development programme for six years (2004–09) in Alaba Special District, in southern Ethiopia. This paper analyses the six-year forage development programme, comparing its two phases, from an innovation systems perspective to identify best practices. The study shows that key forage innovative practices are: targeting innovative forage farmers, developing local forages, establishing private forage sources, forage promotion and diversifying capacity building. These best practices can be scaled up and out to address feed scarcity and increase livestock productivity.

Innovation en matière de développement des forages : données empiriques du District spécial d'Alaba, sud de l'Éthiopie

Le développement de forages fait partie des stratégies mises en ?uvre pour lutter contre l'insuffisance de fourrage et la faible productivité du bétail en Éthiopie. Conformément à la stratégie gouvernementale, de multiples acteurs ont pris part à un programme de développement de forages pendant six ans (2004–09) dans le District spécial d'Alaba, dans le sud de l'Éthiopie. Ce document analyse le programme de développement de forages de six ans, en comparant les deux phases d'un point de vue de systèmes d'innovation afin d'identifier les meilleures pratiques. Cette étude montre que les pratiques clés innovantes en matière de forages sont : ciblage des agriculteurs innovants utilisant des forages, développement des forages locaux, établissement de sources privées pour les forages, promotion des forages et diversification du renforcement des capacités. L'échelle de ces meilleures pratiques peut être accrue en termes de portée et de nombre afin de lutter contre la pénurie de fourrage et d'augmenter la productivité du bétail.

Inovação no Desenvolvimento das Forrageiras: Evidência Empírica do Distrito de Alaba Special, no sul da Etiópia

O desenvolvimento das forrageiras é uma das estratégias para abordar a escassez de ração e baixa produtividade da produção de gado na Etiópia. Alinhados com a estratégia do governo, vários agentes participaram de um programa de desenvolvimento de forrageiras durante deis anos (2004–09) no Distrito de Alaba Special, no sul da Etiópia. Este artigo analisa o programa de desenvolvimento das forrageiras de seis anos de duração, comparando suas duas fases a partir de uma perspectiva de sistemas de inovaçóo para identificar as melhores práticas. O estudo mostra que as práticas cruciais e inovadoras relativas ás forrageiras são: ter como alvo produtores inovadores de forrageiras, desenvolver forrageiras locais, estabelecer fontes de forrageiras privadas, promover as forrageiras e diversificar a capacitação. Estas melhores práticas podem ser intensificadas e expandidas para abordar a escassez de ração e aumentar a produtividade do gado.

Innovación en el cultivo de forrajes: datos empíricos del Distrito Especial de Alaba en el sur de Etiopía

El cultivo de forrajes es una de las estrategias para responder a la escasez de alimentos y a la baja productividad ganadera en Etiopía. En línea con la estrategia gubernamental, varios productores del Distrito Especial de Alaba en el sur de Etiopía participaron en un programa de cultivo de forrajes durante seis años (2004-2009). Para identificar las mejores prácticas, este ensayo analiza el programa y compara sus dos fases desde una perspectiva de innovación de sistemas. El programa mostró que las prácticas más innovadoras para la producción de forraje son: orientar a los productores que utilizan nuevas prácticas en sus cultivos de forraje, desarrollar forrajes locales, crear fuentes privadas de forrajes, promover los forrajes y diversificar el fortalecimiento de capacidades. Estas buenas prácticas pueden darse a conocer y propagarse para responder a la escasez de alimentos e incrementar la productividad ganadera.     

The existentialities of Ethiopian and Nigerian migrants in South Africa

Many studies on international migrations have concentrated on South-North migrations, causes and consequences of such migrations, sending and receiving countries and characteristics of migrants’ interfaces. there is much less scholarly work on South-South migrations, and academic and policy works on wider Africans’ migrations into South Africa are particularly scarce. even among the very few existing studies on South-South migrations, very few account for migrants’ existentialities in South Africa – a nation experiencing the largest scale migrations in Africa and strategising to cope with associated issues, especially among the hard-to-reach migrant communities. This article therefore, examines the ramifications of experiences and existences or existentialities of ethiopian and Nigerian immigrants in South Africa as crucial case study for the growth of pan-Africanism. the approach adopted for this article is transnational systematic interactions and observations in Ethiopia, Nigeria and South Africa. Secondary sources from unclassified documents, scholarly journals, reports and reliable Internet sources were utilised. The findings suggest the need for more robust, inclusive and dynamic social/migration policies in South Africa, as well as other southern nations experiencing high immigration. the argument is that the receiving nations of migrants must pay more attention to objective and comprehensive understanding of migrants and migrant communities to sustainably appropriate migration’s gains and to ameliorate unintended migration consequences.     

Of Shaming and Bargaining: African States and the Universal Periodic Review of the United Nations Human Rights Council

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations HumanRights Council promises to be a useful tool for examining humanrights situations in states in an objective, non-selective,universal and transparent manner. It is an undertaking imbuedwith a shift from the former Commission's policies and practiceof shaming to a new consensual and cooperative model of humanrights evaluation. The experience of African countries, bothduring the negotiation over its normative and institutionalframework and in the two sessions of the Working Group on UPR,lays bare the challenges to the new human rights body and itsunique peer review mechanism. The article critically examinesthe participation of African countries in the UPR and highlightssome of the issues that deserve, at this early stage, the attentionof all those who mind to see the objectives of the UPR fullyrealised.     

The Making of the Middle-Class in Africa: Evidence from DHS Data

Abstract

This article examines the size and profile of the middle class in Africa using alternative definitions based on pooled unit record data from the Demographic and Health Survey for 37 African countries covering the period 1990–2011. Results suggest that size of the middle class has grown modestly in many countries in the 2000 decade as compared with the 1990s. The article approached the making of the middle class in Africa from institutional and policy perspectives. Quality of institutions, ethnic fractionalisation and education play a significant role in determining the rise of the middle class.     

Dominant discourses, debates and silences on child labour in Africa and Asia

Drawing on the relevant literature, this article explores key debates and controversies on child labour in the context of Africa and Asia. It first identifies and analyses three dominant discourses on child labour: 1) the work-free childhoods perspective; 2) the socio-cultural perspective; and 3) the political economy perspective. Against the backdrop of these discourses, the article goes on to critically examine aspects of child labour that are underrepresented in the literature and in international policy circles. It concludes by highlighting the importance of grounding children's gendered work within the complex material social practices of interconnected histories and geographies in which their livelihoods unfold.     

Agricultural service delivery: strengthening private crop protection service in southern Ethiopia

As one element of agricultural service delivery, in Ethiopia crop protection service has generally only involved the private sector on a small scale. This article outlines a case study where private crop protection service (PCPS) was strengthened from 2006 to 2010 in Halaba Special District, southern Ethiopia. The study used questionnaires, analysis, service comparison, ranking, and indicator-based assessments. The study shows that PCPS in 2007/08 crop seasons served 1,104 households on 1,707?ha of land in 19 Kebeles, contributing US$327,752 in total. Assessment indicators values were better for PCPS than the informal crop protection service. Piloting PCPS strengthening is recommended to improve crop protection service and reduce crop loss in Ethiopia.