Benefits and Challenges of Adopting Soil Conservation Techniques in Goromti Watershed, Central Ethiopia
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Date
2011-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Land degradation is one of the major challenges in agricultural production in many parts of
the world, especially in developing nations, such as Ethiopia. A number of soil and water
conservation methods were introduced to combat land degradation but adoption of these
practices remains below expectations. The main objective of the study is to assess the benefits
and challenges of adopting soil conservation techniques in Goromti watershed. For this
purpose household questionnaire, key informant interview and observation were used to
generate both qualitative and quantitative data. Field survey was conducted to collect the
necessary data from 107 sample households, which were selected via simple random sampling
Illamu Goromti, Ya’i Chebo and Boji Bilo associations. The household survey questionnaire
data have been tabulated and summarized by utilizing the statistical package for social
science (SPSS).
The study revealed that factors such as slope of the area, contact with extension workers,
tenure status, age, size of house hold and training influenced farmers to adopt soil and water
conservation methods. Soil bund, fanya juu, water way, cut off drain and grass strips are the
major soil conservation methods adopted in the area. Opportunities related to adopted
methods of soil conservation are effective in addressing on farm flooding and soil erosion.
They also increased productivity, vegetation cover and soil moisture content.
Despite the benefits the study also revealed that some farmers failed to maintain adopted methods of soil conservation. This was mainly due to the conservation methods took and reduced plot size, poor design; need more labor and lack of incentives. These short coming of the conservation structures are the major causes for lack of maintenance of structures, development and efficient control of erosion
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Geography and Environmental Studies