Policies

1. Ownership and Management

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The Blue Nile Journal of Agricultural Research (BNJAR) is a scholarly, peer-reviewed academic journal owned and administered by the Amhara Agricultural Research Institute (ARARI), Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. The Publisher is responsible for providing the organizational, technical, and administrative infrastructure necessary to ensure the high scientific and ethical quality of the journal.

2. Aims and Scope

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The Blue Nile Journal of Agricultural Research (BNJAR) publishes original research articles, high-quality review articles, and short communications that contribute novel scientific knowledge across all areas of Agricultural Sciences. Submissions must demonstrate originality, scientific rigor, and relevance to agricultural research, with particular emphasis on challenges and opportunities in Ethiopia, the broader African region, and globally.

The journal welcomes manuscripts covering crop sciences, plant breeding and genetics, agronomy, plant physiology, phytopathology, crop protection, horticulture, biotechnology, animal sciences, animal breeding and genetics, veterinary science, animal nutrition, apiculture, aquaculture, soil science, soil and water conservation, irrigation, agroforestry, agricultural engineering, post-harvest technology, food science, agricultural economics, agricultural extension, climate change, environmental science, GIS, and related disciplines.

Detailed instructions regarding manuscript preparation, formatting, and submission procedures are available under the “For Authors” section.

BNJAR does not consider for evaluation:

• Preliminary, confirmatory, or inconclusive studies;
• Case reports without broader scientific contribution;
• Local-scale investigations with limited scientific impact;
• Manuscripts focused solely on new records or taxonomic identification without broader scientific contribution.

3. Open Access, Copyright and Licensing

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The Blue Nile Journal of Agricultural Research (BNJAR) provides immediate and unrestricted open access to all published content under a Diamond Open Access model: articles are free to read and authors are not charged any publication fees. Free availability of research supports the global exchange of knowledge and advances scientific progress.

BNJAR fully supports the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI).

All articles published in BNJAR are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license permits users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, adapt, and share published material for any purpose, including commercial use, provided that proper credit is given to the authors and the journal.

Authors retain full copyright ownership of their work. By submitting a manuscript to BNJAR, authors agree to publish their article as open access under the CC BY 4.0 license and grant BNJAR a non-exclusive license to publish the work and identify itself as the original publisher.

All articles are freely and permanently accessible through the journal’s official platforms.

BNJAR Open Access articles comply with the open access requirements of major funding agencies and academic institutions. The journal is indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and other abstracting and indexing databases, ensuring high visibility and discoverability.

Online Access

All content published in BNJAR is available online with open access, allowing readers worldwide to freely and permanently access the journal through its official website and partner platforms (including AJOL).

4. Publication Frequency

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BNJAR is published on a biannual basis (two issues per volume annually).

5. Peer Review Process

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All manuscripts submitted to BNJAR undergo a rigorous and transparent peer-review process.

Initial Editorial Assessment

Upon submission, the Editor-in-Chief (or designated editor) conducts an initial assessment to determine whether the manuscript falls within the journal’s aims and scope and meets the minimum scientific, ethical, and editorial standards. All manuscripts are also screened using plagiarism detection software before entering peer review.

Manuscripts that do not meet these requirements may be rejected or returned to the authors promptly, allowing authors to revise their work or submit it to a more appropriate journal without unnecessary delay.

Manuscripts that successfully pass the initial assessment are assigned to an Associate Editor or handled by the Editorial Office for further evaluation. Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent expert reviewers with relevant expertise in the subject area. In cases of conflicting recommendations, a third independent reviewer may be invited, or the matter may be referred to the Editor-in-Chief for a final decision.

Double-Blind Peer Review

BNJAR operates a double-blind peer review system, in which the identities of both authors and reviewers remain confidential throughout the review process.

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on:

• Scientific originality;
• Methodological rigor;
• Validity and reliability of the results and conclusions;
• Ethical compliance;
• Contribution to the fields of Agricultural Sciences.

Reviewers are normally requested to submit their evaluation reports within a reasonable timeframe to facilitate timely publication of accepted manuscripts.

Editorial Decision

Based on the reviewers’ reports and the recommendation of the handling editor, the Editor-in-Chief makes the final editorial decision. Possible decisions include:

• Accept Submission
• Revisions Required
• Resubmit for Review
• Resubmit Elsewhere
• Decline Submission

Authors are given adequate time to submit revised manuscripts. Revised manuscripts are generally returned to the original reviewers for further evaluation whenever appropriate.

Editorial Timeline and Transparency

The duration of the peer review process may vary depending on reviewer availability, the complexity of the manuscript, the extent of revisions required, and the responsiveness of the authors. Consequently, the period between submission and acceptance may differ among manuscripts.

Regardless of the processing time, no manuscript is accepted without completing the journal’s standard editorial assessment and independent double-blind peer review process. A short submission-to-acceptance period should not be interpreted as evidence that peer review has been omitted or abbreviated.

All submissions are managed through the journal’s online manuscript management system. The journal maintains complete editorial records for every manuscript.

Upon request from recognized indexing services, accreditation bodies, or research integrity investigations (including DOAJ, Web of Science, Scopus, and similar organizations), BNJAR may provide documentation demonstrating that the editorial and peer review processes have been properly conducted, in accordance with applicable confidentiality and privacy requirements.

Special and Supplementary Issue Policy

BNJAR may publish Special Issues and Supplementary Issues on topics that fall within the journal’s aims and scope. Such issues are published only when scientifically justified and in accordance with the journal’s editorial policies and international best practices.

The publication of a Special or Supplementary Issue must be approved by the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board. Guest Editors (where appointed) assist in coordination but do not have final authority over acceptance or rejection decisions. The Editor-in-Chief retains full editorial authority.

All manuscripts submitted to Special or Supplementary Issues undergo the same double-blind peer review process and quality standards as regular issues. Submission to a special issue does not provide preferential consideration.

Manuscripts submitted by Guest Editors are handled by an independent editor appointed by the Editor-in-Chief.

6. Editorial Independence

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Editorial decisions are made independently of Guest Editors, conference organizers, sponsors, scientific committees, funding organizations, or any external institution. Scientific quality, ethical standards, and the outcome of the peer review process are the sole criteria for publication.

7. Publication Ethics

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The Blue Nile Journal of Agricultural Research (BNJAR) adheres to internationally recognized standards of publication ethics and malpractice prevention. The journal follows the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing jointly established by COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, and WAME.

BNJAR’s ethical policies are informed by:

• COPE Core Practices and Guidelines
• World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) Publication Ethics Policies
• World Medical Association (WMA) Declaration of Helsinki (where applicable to human subjects research)

Any manuscript found to violate ethical principles may be rejected or withdrawn at any stage of the publication process, including after publication. Maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record is central to all editorial and publishing activities.

8. Plagiarism and Similarity Screening

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BNJAR is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and originality. All submissions are screened using recognized similarity detection software prior to peer review.

Manuscripts with an overall Similarity Index exceeding acceptable thresholds (typically 19–20%, excluding references, methods descriptions, and properly quoted material) may be returned to the authors for revision or rejected. Authors are responsible for ensuring originality and proper citation of all sources.

Similarity screening aims to identify plagiarism, self-plagiarism, redundant publication, and inappropriate text reuse.

If plagiarism or unethical text reuse is detected after publication, BNJAR will take appropriate corrective actions in accordance with COPE recommendations. These may include correction, expression of concern, retraction, notification of the authors’ institutions, and temporary or permanent submission bans.

9. Research Integrity, Authorship, Conflicts of Interest and Ethics Approval

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Ethical Approval and Compliance

Research involving human participants, animals, or biological materials must comply with internationally accepted ethical guidelines and applicable national regulations. Such studies must receive prior approval from an appropriate institutional or national ethics committee. The Ethics Statement (including committee name, approval number, and date) must be included in the manuscript.

For human studies, authors must confirm compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki, informed consent, and protection of participant privacy. For animal studies, authors must confirm compliance with animal welfare regulations and efforts to minimize suffering.

Where ethical approval is not required, authors must explicitly declare the reason.

Authorship

Authorship is limited to individuals who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All listed authors must approve the final version of the manuscript. Ghost, guest, or gift authorship is not permitted.

Conflicts of Interest

All authors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence the interpretation of their results. If no conflicts exist, authors should state: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”

Data Integrity and Availability

Authors are responsible for the accuracy, transparency, and reliability of all results. They must be prepared to provide access to raw data upon reasonable request for editorial or ethical review.

10. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

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The use of artificial intelligence–based tools in manuscript preparation must be transparent and responsible. AI technologies may be used to support language editing, formatting, and technical improvements; however, they must not be listed as authors and must not replace essential scholarly tasks such as data interpretation, critical analysis, experimental design, or scientific judgment.

Authors must clearly disclose any use of AI-assisted tools, specifying the name of the tool, its purpose, and the extent of its use. A typical statement is:

“During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used [name of AI tool] for [specific purpose, e.g., language editing]. The authors take full responsibility for the content of the manuscript.”

AI tools must not be used to fabricate, falsify, or manipulate data, images, or results. Any misuse of AI that compromises scientific integrity will be treated as research misconduct.

11. Research Misconduct, Corrections and Appeals

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Handling of Ethical Misconduct

Suspected cases of misconduct (plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication/falsification, unethical research practices, etc.) are investigated according to BNJAR procedures informed by COPE recommendations and flowcharts. Confirmed misconduct may result in manuscript rejection, retraction of published articles, notification of authors’ institutions, and temporary or permanent submission bans.

Corrections (Errata / Corrigenda)

BNJAR is committed to maintaining the accuracy of the scholarly record. When errors are identified, the journal will assess their impact and publish a correction notice linked to the original article when appropriate. Serious errors that undermine the validity of the findings may lead to an Expression of Concern or Retraction, following COPE guidance.

Appeals and Complaints

Authors who believe a manuscript has been rejected based on a misunderstanding or procedural error may submit a written appeal to the Editorial Office within 30 days of the decision, providing clear reasons and supporting evidence. The Editor-in-Chief will review the appeal; the decision after review is final.

Complaints concerning editorial procedures, peer review, publication ethics, or conflicts of interest should be submitted in writing to the Editorial Office. All complaints are handled confidentially and impartially in accordance with COPE recommendations.

12. Privacy, Archiving and Digital Preservation

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Privacy Statement

BNJAR is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all users, authors, reviewers, and editors. Personal information (names, affiliations, email addresses, etc.) is collected only as necessary for manuscript submission, evaluation, and publication and is used exclusively for legitimate journal-related purposes. Names and email addresses entered on the journal site will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party without consent, except where required by law.

Appropriate technical and organizational measures are implemented to protect personal data.

For questions related to privacy or data protection, please contact the Editorial Office: arari@arari.gov.et.

Archiving and Digital Preservation

BNJAR participates in long-term digital preservation programs to ensure permanent accessibility of its published content. The journal’s content is preserved through platforms such as AJOL and other recognized archiving services that enable participating libraries and systems to collect, preserve, and restore the journal’s content for long-term access.