“The Impact of Homegarden Agroforestry on Urban Microclimate: Variations Across Urban Settings in Dila Town, Ethiopia”
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Date
2025-06-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Homegarden agroforestry is a traditional, multi-layered way of using land that combines trees, bushes, and crops around dwellings. It is very important for improving biodiversity, food security, and microclimate control, especially in cities and suburbs. Home gardens have always been an important aspect of sustainable land management in Ethiopia, where the practice is deeply ingrained in agricultural culture. This study investigated the ecological and socioeconomic impacts of home garden agroforestry on urban climate resilience in Dila Town by compared two distinct environments: the residential Sessa Kebele and the commercial Haroressa Kebele. The study employed a purposive sample strategy and a mixed-methods approach, incorporating field observations, household questionnaires, and microclimatic data collection. It concluded that home gardens substantially mitigate temperature extremes, enhance air quality, and promote urban biodiversity. In Sessa, bigger residential lots made it possible to create intricate layers of plants that look like forest ecosystems. In Haroressa, where space is limited, vertical and container gardening became popular as ways to adapt. Despite these benefits, barriers such as insecure land tenure, weak institutional support, limited technical knowledge, and restricted access to agroforestry inputs hinder widespread adoption. Community members in both kebeles expressed strong interest in expanding homegarden practices, provided they receive adequate training, resources, and formal recognition. The study recommends integrating agroforestry into urban land-use planning, creating decentralized input supply centers, and tailoring interventions to reflect the specific socio-economic and spatial realities of each area. Additional strategies include providing incentives like green infrastructure credits and fostering collaboration among local governments, NGOs, and communities. Future research should investigate the long-term ecological and socio-economic effects of home garden agroforestry, particularly in varied urban settings, while also calibrating onsite climate data with meteorological records. Ultimately, home garden agroforestry offers a promising, locally grounded solution for advancing urban sustainability and building climate resilience in Ethiopian cities.
Key Terms: Climate Resilience; Home Garden Agroforestry; Urban Climate; Urban Greening, Urban Sustainability; Dila Town