Participatory Demonstration of Grass Strips as Biological Soil and Water Conservation Measures in Kamba Woreda, South Ethiopia

Year : 2024 | Volume : 01 | Issue : 01 | Page : 1 10
    By

    Yenealem Gemi,

  • Amare Gojjam,

  • Tademe Minase,

  • Dagnaw Ademe,

  • Birhanu Wolde,

  1. Assistant Professor, South Ethiopia Agricultural Research Institute, Arba Minch Agricultural Research Center, Arba Minch, Gamo Gofa, Ethiopia
  2. Assistant Professor, South Ethiopia Agricultural Research Institute, Arba Minch Agricultural Research Center, Arba Minch, Gamo Gofa, Ethiopia
  3. Assistant Professor, South Ethiopia Agricultural Research Institute, Arba Minch Agricultural Research Center, Arba Minch, Gamo Gofa, Ethiopia
  4. Assistant Professor, South Ethiopia Agricultural Research Institute, Arba Minch Agricultural Research Center, Arba Minch, , Ethiopia
  5. Assistant Professor, South Ethiopia Agricultural Research Institute, Arba Minch Agricultural Research Center, Arba Minch, , Ethiopia

Abstract

Land degradation due to soil erosion and soil fertility depletion is a significant threat to the agricultural system, limiting food security and sustainable agricultural production. This study demonstrated Desho grass strips as biological soil and water conservation measures in Kamba woreda Gamo zone south Ethiopia. Six (6) nearby trial farmers who took part in the demonstration directly were chosen for the study using the purposive sample technique. Sole maize and integrated Desho grass strip with maize have been demonstrated on the trial farmers land having plot size of 4×12. Focus group discussions with farmers’ research extension group members have been carried out to determined farmers’ perception on the effect of Desho grass strip. The gathered information was examined using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study’s findings indicate that all metrics showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the treatments. When compared to sole maize, integrated grass strip with maize produced higher grain yields. The study revealed integrated grass strip with maize has 33.14% of yield advantage over sole maize. Additionally, the biomass result from harvested desho grass indicates an improvement with each harvesting cycle. Moreover, the result from focus group discussions shows, Desho grass strip has an effect on improving soil moisture, crop productivity, reducing soil erosion, and trials farmers have benefited economically having access to more feed for their animals by cut and carry system. Hence, the farmer’s first preference was implementing desho grass strip on their farm land by evaluating it with different criteria’s. The study concluded that, integrated Desho grass strips with maize has plays vital role for biological soil and water conservation measures and yield increment. Therefore, planting maize incorporating with biological soil amendments and water-saving techniques to improve maize yields and needs to popularize the investigation in large scale to reach the wider community.

Keywords: Biological, Grass strips, Soil moisture, Perception, maize yields

[This article belongs to International Journal of Land ]

How to cite this article:
Yenealem Gemi, Amare Gojjam, Tademe Minase, Dagnaw Ademe, Birhanu Wolde. Participatory Demonstration of Grass Strips as Biological Soil and Water Conservation Measures in Kamba Woreda, South Ethiopia. International Journal of Land. 2024; 01(01):1-10.
How to cite this URL:
Yenealem Gemi, Amare Gojjam, Tademe Minase, Dagnaw Ademe, Birhanu Wolde. Participatory Demonstration of Grass Strips as Biological Soil and Water Conservation Measures in Kamba Woreda, South Ethiopia. International Journal of Land. 2024; 01(01):1-10. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/ijl/article=2024/view=202562


References

  1. Abiy, T., 2008. Area closure as a strategy for land management: A Case study at Kelala Dalacha enclosure in the Central rift valley of Ethiopia (M.Sc.Thesis). Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Addis Ababa University
  2. Adugna, T., Siraj, M., Eve B., 2021. “Effects of Soil and Water Conservation Structures on Selected Soil Physicochemical Properties: The Case of Ejersa Lafo District, Central Highlands of Ethiopia.” Applied and Environmental Soil Science, vol. 2021, no. 9910237, 22 June 2021, pp. 1–11, https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/9910237.
  3. Asmare, B., 2017. “Effects of Altitude and Harvesting Dates on Morphological Characteristics, Yield and Nutritive Value of Desho Grass (Pennisetum Pedicellatum Trin.) In Ethiopia.” Agriculture and Natural Resources, vol. 51, no. 3, pp. 148–153, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anres.2016.11.001.
  4. Bekele, A., Aticho, A. and Kissi, E., 2018. Assessment of community-based watershed management practices: emphasis on technical fitness of physical structures and its effect on soil properties in Lemo district, Southern Ethiopia. Journal of Environmental System Research, 7: 20.
  5. Bichaye, T., 2019. Sustainable land management in Ethiopia. Response to rural households’ tenure insecurity, land degradation and food insecurity, Ph. D. Dissertation, University of Twente, 2019
  6. Census, 2007. Tables: Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region Archived 2012-11-13 at the Wayback Machine, Tables 2.1, and 3.4.
  7. Central Statistical Authority (CSA), 2008. Statistical Abstract of Ethiopia. Central Statistical Authority, Addis Ababa
  8. Danano, D., 2007. Improved grazing land Management-Ethiopia. In: Liniger, H. and Critchley, W. (eds), Where the land is greener. Bern, Switzerland: WOCAT. pp. 313–316.
  9. Daniel, D., 2002. Soil and water conservation techniques and strategies for food security and poverty alleviation. In 12th ISCO Conference Beijing. pp. 358-365.
  10. Ecocrop, 2010. Ecocrop database. FAO, Rome Italy
  11. Fentabil, A., 2016. Factors affecting decision to use land management practices as perceived by the farmer. The case of habru wereda north wollo zone Amhara regional state, Ethiopia. Haramaya University, 2016
  12. Genene,T., & Abby, G.,2014. Review on over all status of soil and water conservation system and its constraints in different agro-ecology of southern Ethiopia. Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 4(7).
  13. Gerba L., Alan J., Asebe A., 2013. “Desho Grass (Pennisetum Pedicellatum) for Livestock Feed, Grazing Land and Soil and Water Management on Small-Scale Farms.” NBDC Brief 11, vol. NBDC Brief 11, no. International Livestock Research Institute. Nairobi, Kenya, 1 June 2013. Accessed 10 June 2024.
  14. Hurni, H., Karl H., Brigitte P., Hanspeter L., 2008. Soil erosion and conservation in global agriculture, land use and soil resources, 41 71
  15. Ramirez, K., Christian L., Rob., Mark, A., Bradford, N., 2010. Consistent of nitrogen fertilization on soil bacterial communities in contrasting systems. Journal of Ecology, 91:12, 3463– 3470.
  16. Molla, Tegegne, and Biniam S., 2017. “Estimating Soil Erosion Risk and Evaluating Erosion Control Measures for Soil Conservation Planning at Koga Watershed in the Highlands of Ethiopia.” Solid Earth, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 13–25, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-13-2017.
  17. Umer, S., Aticho, A., Kissi, E., 2019. Effects of Integrated Use of Grass Strip and Soil Bund on Soil Properties, Southern Ethiopia.” Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management, vol. 06, no. 02, 2 Jan. 2019, pp. 1569–1578, https://doi.org/10.15243/jdmlm.2019.062.1569.
  18. Sinore, T., Kissi, E. and Aticho, A., 2018. The Effect of Biological Soil Conservation Practices and community perception toward these Practices in the Lemo District of Southern Ethiopia. International soil and water conservation research, 6 :2, 123 –130.
  19. Smith, G., 2010. Ethiopia: local solutions to a global problem. http://www.new-ag.info/en/focus/focus php?a=1784.
  20. Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region, Ethiopia Livelihood Profiles: January 2006″ Archived 2011-07-23 at the Wayback Machine, USAID/FEWSNET, p. 27 (accessed 11 May 2024)
  21. Wolka, K., 2014. “Effect of Soil and Water Conservation Measures and Challenges for Its Adoption: Ethiopia in Focus.” Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 185–199, https://doi.org/10.3923/jest.2014.185.199.
  22. Wudnesh, N. and Birhanu W., 2023. “Participatory Demonstration of Pennisetum Pedicelluatum and Elephant Grass (Pennisetum Purpureum) Strip as Biological Soil and Water Conservation Measures for Erosion Control.” OMO International Journal of Sciences, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 1–14, https://doi.org/10.59122/14439nk. Accessed 10 June 2024.
  23. Yakob, G., Gebremichael, A., Aklilu, A., Melaku, E., 2015. “Participatory Evaluation of Different Multipurpose Grass Species for Graded Soil Bund Stabilization in Gimbo District, South West Ethiopia.” Open access library journal, vol. 2:6, 1–10, https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1101627.
Regular Issue Subscription Review Article
Volume 01
Issue 01
Received 01/10/2024
Accepted 15/10/2024
Published 20/10/2024
Publication Time 19 Days
177

Login


My IP

PlumX Metrics