Factors influencing the adoption of physical soil and water conservation practices in the Ethiopian highlands

Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) structures have been constructed on cultivated land for nearly 40 years to reduce soil loss and improve crop yields and people's livelihoods in the Ethiopian highlands. However, the success of this huge effort has been mixed, and the main constraints have not been investigated in detail. This study was undertaken to identify the factors determining the adoption of SWC structures in the Ethiopian Highlands. Case study areas were selected from high-potential and low-potential areas. Data were collected from 269 farmers using face-to-face interviews, and through focus group discussions, key informant interviews and field observations. Binary logistic regression model and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. The result showed that the majority (87%) of the farmers interviewed were using SWC structures. Regionally, nearly all farmers in the low-potential areas and 56% of farmers in the high-potential areas constructed and were maintaining the structures properly. This disparity is due to the fact that in the low-potential areas there have been strong governmental involvement and technical and financial support, and hence the farmers there have a better understanding of the multiple uses of physical SWC structures than do farmers in the high-potential areas. In addition, off-farm activities and free grazing plays a substantial role. We can conclude that clear understanding of the benefits of SWC structures by farmers, active involvement and technical support from the government, and genuine participation of farmers in SWC practices were found to be main factors in the adoption of SWC measures.

Assessing the soil erosion control efficiency of land management practices implemented through free community labor mobilization in Ethiopia

This study aimed to assess the influence of conservation practices (P) and cover management (C) on soil loss reduction by determining it at the scale of landscape units in 16 systematically selected watersheds. Focusing on major land management practices implemented through free community labor mobilization, the assessment combined remote sensing techniques, field observation, and expert as well as local knowledge. The results show an average net decrement of 39% ( ± 19%) in the P factor value and 8.9%( ± 21%) in the C factor value after implementation of land management practices. P factor value re-duction is linked to a high area coverage of level structures, while increases in the P factor value are associated with poor quality of structures, inappropriate practices, and wide spacing between structures on steep slopes. C factor value reduction is observed in non-arable shrub- and bushland with enriched area closure, whereas increased C factor values are associated with open access grasslands and untreated croplands. The overall change in P and C factor values resulted in a 42% ( ± 28%) relative soil loss re-duction. The demonstrated approach makes it possible to assess spatial and temporal dynamics in the P and C erosion factors and to estimate spatially disaggregated changes in the P and C factor values. This can help to improve parameterization of inputs for erosion modelling and to assess their relative soil loss effect. The approach provides valuable feedback on watershed planning processes and supports informed decisions regarding the appropriate selection of land management practices.

Valuing the water supply: ecosystem-based potable water supply management for the Legedadie-Dire catchments, Central Ethiopia

Background:There is a substantial interest in the values that consumers place on drinking water quality and supply.Financial resources are crucial to improving the urban potable water supply in developing countries that are characterized by low-cost recovery rates and a high and rapidly growing demand for more reliable services.This study examined households’willingness to pay(WTP)for the improvement of water services by identifying their water choice decisions and the mode of water supply that they prefer the water supply authority to use among several alternative water supply options.Stated-preference data were collected from 322 randomly selected households in Addis Ababa,who were presented with three sets of choices(three alternative bundle choices,including the reference scenario).The data were analyzed using the mixed logit WTP space model.Three approaches to modeling the distribution of WTP(fixed,uncorrelated,and correlated)using mixed logit WTP space models were compared.Results:Three-quarters of the households agreed to contribute money toward ecosystem-based water supply management(EBWSM)intervention programs on a monthly basis.The average contribution that the respondents were willing to pay was 150.5 Ethiopian Birr(ETB)as a one-off lump sum to kick off the EBWSM activities.Most of the respondents chose a bundle of water supply options that provides risk-free and high-quality water with no months of shortages than moderate water quality that is safe to drink and palatable with 1 month shortages annually.This implies that households would need to be supplied with risk-free,high-quality water without interruption at an appropriate flow pressure.The model with correlations fitted the data well with the highest simulated log-likelihoods at convergence and gave the best estimate of the households’WTP for water improvement.Nearly 46%of the sampled households were willing to pay more than 33 ETB per month,and 49%of the households were willing to pay between 21 ETB and 33 ETB per month for the monthly water bill.Overall,approximately 95%of the sampled households were willing to pay more than 21 ETB.Conclusion:Customers are willing to pay to avoid most types of water supply restrictions.Moreover,WTP is sensitive to the scope of service improvement,income,affixed price,and elicitation method.In summary,mixed logit WTP-space models can help accurately predict household-level WTP,which can be used to select improvements in drinking water access and services in the Legedadie-Dire catchments.

Deposition of eroded soil on terraced croplands in Minchet catchment,Ethiopian Highlands

In the Ethiopian Highlands,soil and water conservation practices are of utmost importance to conserve eroded soil and combat soil loss.This study provides detailed results on on-site sediment deposition and net soil loss in terraced croplands in a catchment in the sub-humid Ethiopian Highlands.Sediment deposition was measured on horse bean and maize fields during the crop growing seasons of 2014 and 2015.Measurements took place on observation plots on terraced cropland with varying spacing between terraces and varying slope gradients.Net soil loss,in this case the amount leaving the terraced cropland,was calculated by modelling the Universal Soil Loss Equation(USLE)for the whole observation field and subtracting the measured sediment deposition.The study result showed about 8–11 t ha^(−1) sediment was deposited in the deposition zone of the terraced cropland,with greater sediment deposition on terraces with narrow spacing and steeper slope gradients.Sediment deposition was highest in July and August,and relatively low in September.Annual soil loss ranged from 32 to 37 t ha^(−1) in the terraced cropland of the study area.From the total soil loss in the crop growing season,about 54–74%sediment was deposited on the deposition zone of terraced crop fields.Implementation of soil and water conservation with narrow spacing,especially on the steep slopes of the sub-humid Ethiopian Highlands or other similar area,are thus highly recommended as they enable conservation of the eroded soil in the cropland.

An automated method for mapping physical soil and water conservation structures on cultivated land using GIS and remote sensing techniques

An efficient and reliable automated model that can map physical Soil and Water Conservation（SWC） structures on cultivated land was developed using very high spatial resolution imagery obtained from Google Earth and Arc GIS？ERDAS IMAGINE？and SDC Morphology Toolbox for MATLAB and statistical techniques. The model was developed using the following procedures：（1） a high-pass spatial filter algorithm was applied to detect linear features,（2） morphological processing was used to remove unwanted linear features,（3） the raster format was vectorized,（4） the vectorized linear features were split per hectare（ha） and each line was then classified according to its compass directionand（5） the sum of all vector lengths per class of direction per ha was calculated. Finallythe direction class with the greatest length was selected from each ha to predict the physical SWC structures. The model was calibrated and validated on the Ethiopian Highlands. The model correctly mapped 80% of the existing structures. The developed model was then tested at different sites with different topography. The results show that the developed model is feasible for automated mapping of physical SWC structures. Thereforethe model is useful for predicting and mapping physical SWC structures areas across diverse areas.

The impacts of rice cultivation on an indigenous Fogera cattle population at the eastern shore of Lake Tana, Ethiopia

Background:Even though increasing population pressure and associated increased demand for food and economic development have led to overexploitation and degradation of wetlands throughout the world,the drivers are most severe in developing countries.For generations,Fogera wetlands in Ethiopia which are parts of Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve have been widely used for grazing of indigenous cattle.Fogera cattle are one of several recognized indigenous breeds of Abyssinian zebu bovine cattle(Bos primigenius indicus)found in Fogera district,Ethiopia.This study was conducted to quantify impacts of rice expansion on cattle population in Fogera wetlands.Data were collected through questionnaire,focus group discussions,interviews,and land use/land cover analysis.Respondents were selected using systematic random sampling.Variance and LEVENES test were used to analyze the livestock unit and to check homogeneity.Results:The study revealed that during the 20-year period preceding 2015,the number of cattle owned decreased from 3509 to 1510 heads.In the same period,rice cultivation increased from 182 to 9499 ha and production from 6701 to 714,013 qt.Grazing lands were reduced from 8550 to 3501 ha,wetlands from 3114 to 1060 ha,and forests from 1542 to 907 ha.Land use/land cover changes showed a negative balance of 40%dry matter requiring cattle feed to be increasingly supplemented through purchases,or reduction in herd number.The study also indicated that the land-use changes brought at the expense of traditional cattle production systems.Conclusion:Hence,proper management is required to maintain these valuable resources and keep their role in socioeconomic development of the area.