Background: HIV/AIDS remains one of the world's serious public health challenges. Patients with limited support from their family and community often experience social damage, poor adherence, compliance and are prone to additional psychosocial problems. This study aimed to assess the level of perceived social support and factors among adults living with HIV/AIDS. Methods: Facility-based mixed study (sequential explanatory) design was conducted among 423 adults living with HIV/AIDS attending chronic care follow-up at public hospitals in Gamo zone, southern Ethiopia. Respondents were selected by systematic sampling technique. The bivariable and multivariable ordinal logistic regression was used to determine associated factors. All assumptions applied to ordinal logistic regression including multicollinearity, proportional odds, model fitness and pseudo R 2 were checked. Level of significance was declared at p-values <0.05 and 95% CI. Results: Proportion of perceived social support of participants was 128 (30.7%), 197 (47.2%) and 92 (22.1%) with low, moderate and high levels of perceived social support, respectively. Females [(APOR = 2.42, 95% CI:(1.63-3.58), P < 0.001)], no formal education [(AOR = 0.49, 95% CI: (0.30-0.789), P = 0.004)], fair adherence [(APOR = 2.07, 95% CI: (1.17-3.49), P = 0.006)], no comprehensive knowledge about HIV [(APOR = 0.40, 95% CI: (0.26-0.62), P < 0.001)], and no disclosure status [(APOR = 0.64, 95% CI: (0.43-0.95), P = 0.028] were significantly associated with perceived social support. Qualitative findings revealed that disclosure and adherences involving income generation activities are beneficial to perceived social support. Conclusion:This study showed that one from three of the participants had low perceived social support. Low perceived social support was associated with adherence, disclosure status of individual, educational status and knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Family, friends, health care providers and significant others should provide necessary support and inform people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) about social support.

Water deficit and poor fertility of soil are among the main constraints to sustain production of sorghum in the semi-arid regions of northern Ethiopia. Thus, one experiment was conducted to determine the appropriate tied-ridging practice and planting method that maximizes sorghum productivity under rainfed conditions. It was carried out in 2015 and 2016 cropping seasons. Treatments comprised flatbed planting as control; open tied ridge, furrow planting; open tied ridge, planting on ridges; closed tied ridge, furrow planting; and closed tied ridge, planting on ridges were tested separately under fertilized and unfertilized conditions. These treatments were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. According to the current result, days to heading, plant height and panicle length were not significantly (P>0.05) influenced while grain and biomass yields were significantly influenced in both fertilized and unfertilized conditions. Accordingly, the maximum grain yield (3226.70 - 4621.00 kg ha-1) under fertilized and (2678.00 - 4318.80 kg ha-1) unfertilized conditions was obtained from closed tied ridge with planting in furrow. Moreover, the highest biomass yield (6844.40 - 11471.00 kg ha-1) was produced from closed tied ridge integrated with fertilizer in furrow planting. On the other hand, the minimum average yields were obtained from flat planting (farmers' practice) with and without fertilizer. It is concluded that closed tied ridge with planting in furrow can be recommended for sorghum growers in Raya Valley areas and other places with similar agro-ecologies to enhance sorghum yield.

Dekoko is a cool-season food legume cultivated in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. It is highly appreciated by the local people for its taste and high market value. Yields of Dekoko, however, are limited by improper planting spacing. Thus, an experiment was conducted in 2013 and 2014 cropping seasons to determine the appropriate planting spacing of Dekoko that maximizes its productivity under rain fed conditions. Treatments comprised combinations of three plant spacing (10, 15 and 20 cm) and three levels of row spacing (40, 50 and 60 cm) and broad casting were done in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Plant spacing influenced plant height, grain yield and biomass yield. The greatest plant height (50.63 cm) was obtained at a spacing of 60x20 cm while the maximum mean grain (544.58 kg ha-1) and biomass yields (1562.65 kg ha-1) were obtained at spacing of 40x15 cm in both cropping seasons. A planting spacing of 40 x 15 cm is recommended for the growers in the study area.

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