What is the impact of product certification on small-scale farmers' livelihoods? To what extent does the participation of Ethiopian small-scale coffee farmers in certified local cooperative structures improve their socioeconomic situation? To answer these questions, this article employs household data of 249 coffee farmers from six different cooperatives collected in the Jimma zone of Southwestern Ethiopia in 2009. Findings show that the certification of coffee cooperatives has in total a low impact on small-scale coffee producers' livelihoods mainly due to (1) low productivity, (2) insignificant price premium, and (3) poor access to credit and information from the cooperative. Differences in production and organizational capacities between the local cooperatives are mirrored in the extent of the certification benefits for the smallholders. "Good" cooperatives have reaped the benefits of certification, whereas "bad" ones did not fare well. In this regard the "cooperative effect" overlies the "certification effect." JEL classification: Q13, Q18, R11, R12

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This study aimed to understand the major drivers of urban sprawl and its impacts on land use conversion in the peri-urban kebeles of the Dukem town, Central Ethiopia. GIS software was used to create status and location maps of industries out of the GPS data. The results from qualitative data obtained from interviews and focus group discussions showed that more land was used beyond the total size of land allocated initially planned for. Furthermore, urban sprawl has also caused an extensive agricultural land conversion (ALC) that has seriously affected agricultural production. Industrialization, residential expansion and infrastructure development were identified as the leading drivers of ALC that negatively affects the size of cultivated land and food crop production in the hinterlands. In contrast with government policies and community expectations, most converted lands had a very low development status and some of them were underdeveloped and demonstrated leapfrog sprawling.

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Lake Ziway in Ethiopia is a freshwater lake supporting multitude uses, including irrigation, fishing, water supply and recreation. However, the lake is being degraded primarily because of various land-and water-use activities in its watershed. Recognizing these human impacts on the lake's water quality and quantity, the perceptions of school students were surveyed under the belief that the future of the lake is largely dependent on this younger generation. The goal of this study was to better understand how students actually recognize the extent to which various human activities impact the water quantity and quality of Lake Ziway. As major stakeholders in their communities, the perceptions of school students from four high schools regarding the changes to the lake over time were investigated. Students were contacted by purposive sampling, based on criteria of student academic performances, and their proximity to the lake. Their perceptions were studied on the basis of an interview survey. The majority of students indicated that high levels of human activities, especially water abstractions and water pollution, were the main lake impacts. Students believe there is a lack of sustainable utilization and protection of the lake. They suggested coordinated activities among all lake stakeholders in the participation and decision-making process to properly manage the lake. Provision of awareness to both local administrations and local communities, concern for establishing an appropriate regulatory body and allocating a sufficient budget, and strict controls on flower farm practices in the lakeshore, also was considered to be of high priority as a means of conserving the sustainability of the lake. The result derived from this survey has important implications for facilitating improved school curricula, and for federal, regional and district level water resource management authorities, in setting priorities and developing policies for the sustainability of Lake Ziway.