Integrated Soil and Water Management Approach and its Socio-Ecological Implications in Goncha-Siso-Enese Woreda, North-Western Highlands of Ethiopia
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Date
2016-10
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Integrated Soil and Water Management Approach and its Socio-Ecological Implications in Goncha-Siso-Enese Woreda, North-Western Highlands of Ethiopia number of livestock positively and significantly (at P<0.01) associated with perceived increase of households’ income. Total sizes of farmlands, and pasture and trees planted field (in ha) also positively and significantly (at P<0.05) related with perceived improvement of individual households income. Therefore, in proportion to the major findings of the study, the following suggestions provided. It suggests that balanced information and knowledge flows recommend being honourable when farmers interact with external actors. Recognition of local farmers’ interest, knowledge and skills about particular croplands spatial characteristics should emphasize during designing and implementing of introduced conservation technologies. It can recommend that local social, economic and site specific ecological decision criteria should incorporate in decision making process of SWM alternatives to increase utility. To promote the dissemination of ISWM practices in the broad context, policy should recognize farmers’ crop preference, ownership status of farmlands, farmers’ perceptions on plot distance from home and fertility status, technical fitness of structural measures and holding suitable plot for legume crops production and their mutual interdependence influence on farmers’ decision to use activities overtime. The existing management schemes of CPRs should reformulate to relevant holistic scheme that takes into account multiple functions, and diverse interest and preference of the local communities. There should be adequate criteria and skills by promoting hybrid knowledge and skills with effective communication between farmers and extension staffs for designing site specific erosion control activities in addressing the problem. Efforts should make to boost crop productivity while sustainable conserving soil fertility through scale up of ISWM strategy that accounts the interaction effect of vegetative stabilized structure measures along with combined use of organic and inorganic fertilizers under farming systems of legume-cereals crop rotation. In the lens of integrated approach, agricultural extension packages should intensively engage to empower smallholder farmers to enhance forage, livestock, trees and apiculture productions by planting of multipurpose exotic and indigenous plants on their outcropped and in cropped plots. Key words: Integrated; Soil and Water Management; Common-Pool Resources; Rill Erosion; Crop Yield; Household Income; Ethiopia highlands
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Integrated, Soil and Water Management, Common-Pool Resources, Rill Erosion, Crop Yield, Household Income, Ethiopia Highlands