March 2017

Farmers’ perspectives on resistance in western corn rootworm to CRW-Bt corn in Midwest USA

Resistance in western corn rootworm to transgenic corn hybrids was first confirmed in 2011 in Midwestern USA, and threatens their continued use. Farmers are often the first line of resistance detection, so their understanding and attitudes toward this issue are critical for improving resistance management. We conducted telephone focus groups during 2013 with farmers who had experienced rootworm resistance. There were...

Author(s): David A. Andow, Robert J. Wright, Erin W. Hodgson, Thomas E. Hunt and Kenneth R. Ostlie

March 2017

Perceived shortcomings of Mirte stove in Ethiopia: The case of Agarfa District, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

The national energy balance indicates that traditional fuels (wood, charcoal, agricultural residues and animal waste) meet 94% of the total energy supplied and that the household sector accounts for 90% of the total energy consumed in the country. The vast majority of Ethiopian households depend on the open fire stoves with very poor fuel efficiency. Due to the shortage of firewood growing in Ethiopian communities,...

Author(s): Biruk Fikadu Gebreyess, Negussie Zeray, Belesti Wodaje, Debela Bonsa and Haymanot Asfaw