Soil Acidity in Ethiopia: Its Causes, Effects on Crop Production and Management Experiences So Far- Review

Soil acidity is a serious chemical problem that limits agricultural productivity in most of the highlands of Ethiopia as well as in the western part of the country. These acidic soils, which cover an estimated 41% of the arable land in Ethiopia, are inherently infertile and exhibit aluminium (Al) or manganese (Mn) toxicity, which are generally considered to be the major limiting factor for plant growth in acidic soils. The major factors leading to acid soils in western Ethiopia include erosion of topsoil by heavy rains and high temperatures, which increase the greatest loss of organic matter and leaching of exchangeable basic cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ and K+). Organic matter can be easily degraded and lost through conventional land clearing practices such as burning and direct sun and rain exposure, which is exacerbated by improper agricultural practices. If these soils are not properly managed after clearing, they can quickly lose much of their original fertility and beneficial physical as well as biological properties. It has been suggested that maintaining production on these soils requires an effort far beyond the means of poor farmers. Because low pH affects the availability of nutrients, especially phosphorus and other macronutrients, correcting low pH through liming and/or the application of organic matter (such as compost and vermicompost) is critical to the sustainable management of these acidic soils. The recently introduced technology of organic soil amendment with vermicompost has proven to be a potential resource to significantly improve soil fertility and soil health in various soil types around the globe. Therefore, farmers should be encouraged to increase the productivity of acidic soils through organic amendments such as compost/vermicompost. Vermicomposting, which is still very young and rarely practiced by farmers, should be supported and strengthened by more research and extension than we currently have to produce high quality vermicompost to amend acidic soils of Ethiopia and restore soil life. Keywords: Acidic soils, lime, vermicompost, organic materials  DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/13-14-02 Publication date:July 31st 202

Effect of seed treatment using Mancozeb and Ridomil fungicides on Rhizobium strain performance, nodulation and yield of soybean (Glycine max L.)

The viability of commercial Rhizobium strains (SB-14 and SB-12) were inoculated and fungicides (Mancozeb and Ridomil) were used as seed dressed on soybean seed to investigate their effect on nodulation, plant growth and seed yield of soybean. Application of Rhizobial inoculants alone gave the highest nodulation and shoot dry weight performance as well as seed yield of soybean on both sites. SB-12 inoculant had significantly shown to be more effective than SB-14 inoculant in increasing nodulation and thus produced higher plant growth and seed yield. Rhizobial survival on the seeds was severely affected by both fungicides, resulting in decreased nodulation, plant growth and seed yield for both inoculants. However, Ridomil fungicide gave the lowest nodulation and seed yield when applied with either SB-12 or SB-14 Rhizobial strains. The strains differed in their sensitivity to Mancozeb fungicide that with strain SB-12 showed a slight effect or no effect on survival of rhizobium, nodulation and yield of soybean. Seed-dressing of mancozeb and ridomil resulted in reduction of seed yield by 882.8 kg ha-1 and 1154.7 kg ha-1, respectively with SB-12 strain. The present results indicate that inoculated Rhizobium inoculants differ in their capacity to develop resistance to the two dressed fungicides. Seed treatment with Mancozeb in combination with SB-12 strain slightly affected the survival of the inoculated strain. Consequently, mancozeb fungicide may be compatable with survival of the inoculated SB-12 Rhizobia. The results also indicate that the suppressive effects of seed-applied fungicides on Rhizobium strains survival and nodulation development depend on specific strain and fungicide. Soybean seeds inoculated with SB-12 may not need management with fungicides or lower concentration of Mancozeb that could be compatible with SB-12 to suppress soil-borne pathogens for both Assosa and Begi sites, western Ethiopia

The Role of Wild and Semi-wild Edible Plants to Household Food Sovereignty in Hamar and Konso Communities, South Ethiopia

Population based survey was conducted to investigate incidence of food shortage and coping mechanisms; knowledge, attitude and practice on consumption, conservation and management of wild and semi-wild edible plant species (WEPS) by Hamar and Konso communities of Ethiopia. The research used different ethnobotanical data collection methods and statistical tools. Irrespective of their social and economic strata, all study participants reported consumption of WEPS with increasing frequency, quantity and number of species consumed during food scarcity. More WEPS with lower sensory acceptability, poor cooking quality, and inflicting some kind of health problems were consumed during famine. Leptadenia hastata was the most preferred WEPS sought after during food deficiency by both communities. Ninety three WEPS are managed by both communities mainly in the vicinity of human settlements and farmlands. The Konso community demonstrated long established cultural practices of conserving, managing and using WEPS. Planning on promotion, sustainable use and conservation of WEPS must take note of the knowledge and practices of local communities on account of the key roles they would play in food security-sovereignty initiatives.

A Comparison of World and Domestic Price Volatilities of Oilseeds: Evidence from Ethiopia

This study investigates and compares oilseeds price volatilities in the world market and the Ethiopian market. It uses a monthly time series data on oilseeds from February 1999 to December 2012; and analyses price volatilities using unconditional method (standard deviation) and conditional method (GARCH). The results indicate that oilseeds prices are more volatile, but not persistent, in the domestic market than the world market. The magnitude of the influence of the news about past volatility (innovations) is higher in the domestic market for Rapeseed and in the World market for Linseed. However, in both markets there is a problem of volatility clustering. The study also identified that due to the financial crisis the world market price volatilities surpassed and/or paralleled the higher domestic oilseeds price volatilities. The higher domestic oilseeds price volatility may imply that the price risks are high in the domestic oilseeds market. As extreme price volatility influences farmers` production decision, they may opt to other less risky, low-value and less profitable crop varieties. The implications of such retreat is that it may keep the farmers in the traditional farming and impede their transformation to the high value crops, and results in lower income hindering the poverty reduction efforts of the government. This is more important to consider today than was before, because measures undertaken to reduce poverty must bring sustainable change in the lives of the rural poor. For this reason, agricultural policies that enable farmers cope with price risks and enhance their productivity are crucial

Ethnobotany of Wild and Semi-wild Edible Plants of Konso Ethnic Community, South Ethiopia

This paper presents the knowledge on wild/semi-wild edible plant species (WEPS) of Konso ethnic community of southern Ethiopia. Ethnobotanical information was collected through focus group discussions, observations, interviews, and preference ranking. A total of 154 edible parts were recorded from 127 plant species with fruit (71), leaves (35) and tubers/roots (18) accounted for the major edible parts. Fruit of Opuntia ficus-indica L., and leaves and young shoots of Leptadenia hastata Vatke were most sought after. Excessive harvesting and acquisition of land for crop cultivation is currently threatening Canthium pseudosetiflorum Bridson, Hyphaene thebaica (L.) Mart., Ficus sycomorus L. and O. ficus-indica, among others. Wise use of these plant species would ensure their sustainable availability and local food sovereignty

Multidimensional structural transformation index: a new measure of development

Achieving structural transformation is believed to be a priority agenda in development policy of developing countries. However, the discussion of structural transformation has been bound to an analysis of labor shifts and productivity convergence between economic sectors. This narrow definition of structural transformation neglects the vital aspect of structural transformation: social transformation. This study tries to fill this gap by proposing a multidimensional structural transformation index (STI). The proposed index measures structural transformation in two phases based on economic and socio-demographic indicators. This multidimensional indicator may contribute to the development literature as it can be used to measure the extent of structural transformation across economies and overtime. The investigation of the relationships of the STIs with the GDP per capita revealed that the STI based on economic and social dimensions appears to have greater effect on GDP per capita than STI focusing on economic indicators. The implication of this is that structural transformation containing social transformation as its priority is essential to achieve inclusive growth, sustain structural transformation, significantly reduce poverty, and hence enhance economic development. Each of the STI is a single number lying between 0 and 1, where 0 indicates lack of structural transformation and 1 complete transformation. The index is mathematically consistent, easy to compute, and comparable across countries overtime

Transmission of World Food Prices to Domestic Market: The Ethiopian Case

This paper investigates the integration of the Ethiopian grain market to the world market; and within country grain markets integration. To this end, two cereal crop markets: wheat and maize, have been investigated. For maize the integration into the world market is analyzed using the US and SAFEX exchange markets as a world market; for wheat Paris and Chicago exchange markets are considered a wheat world market. The analysis has been conducted using a cointegration method: Johansen (1988) procedure. The results show that the Ethiopian grain market is integrated into the world market, albeit to the once geographically proximate to it. And further, we found that the elasticity of the price pass through between the world and domestic markets has appeared to be more than unitary when evaluated at the mean prices of the two food crops. The analysis of domestic market integration is conducted using principal component analysis (PCA). The result shows that both wheat and maize markets are fairly integrated. However, the results demonstrate that in wheat market, of the traditionally known deficit markets Mekelle has shown an improvement in integration as its mean prices and price variability appear to be in line with the central market, but the maize market result has preserved the deficit market status. In the other deficit market, Dire Dawa, the mean prices of wheat and maize appear to be higher and more volatile than the central market. The other most striking result is that despite huge infrastructural improvement markets further from the central market exhibit higher level of price volatility than markets within a 300km distance from the central market, Addis Ababa. It has also been observed that the price differential between the central market and other local markets has shown a declining trend over time, and found to be stationary. This implies that the markets are more likely to converge in the long run, provided the market infrastructure continues to develop so as to reduce market information asymmetry that we believe has contributed to differences in price differentials and price volatility across market

An Analysis of the Impacts of Climate Change on Crop Yield and Yield Variability in Ethiopia

This study investigates the impacts of climate change on mean and variance of crop yields in Ethiopia over a period of 28 years. We used a stochastic production function and estimated the effects of belg and kiremt rainfall on crop yields and variances. We find that the effects of the seasonal rainfalls differ across crops and regions. Increases in kiremt rainfall increases average yields of all crop items and reduces their variability in the SNNP region, while higher belg rainfall maize yield and reduces its variability in Oromia region. A U shape relationship is observed between crop production technology and crop yields, except for maize. To analyze the effects of future climate on mean crop yields and variances, we employed the estimated results from crop models with climate data predicted from three climate models including CGCM2, PCM, and HadCM3. The simulation results show that negative impacts of future climate change entail serious damage on production of teff and wheat, but relatively maize yield will increase in 2050. Even if there exist losers and winners as a result of future climate change at regional levels, the future crop yield levels would largely depend on future technological development

Multidimensional structural transformation index: a new measure of development

Achieving structural transformation is believed to be a priority agenda in development policy of developing countries. However, the discussion of structural transformation has been bound to an analysis of labor shifts and productivity convergence between economic sectors. This narrow definition of structural transformation neglects the vital aspect of structural transformation: social transformation. This study tries to fill this gap by proposing a multidimensional structural transformation index (STI). The proposed index measures structural transformation in two phases based on economic and socio-demographic indicators. This multidimensional indicator may contribute to the development literature as it can be used to measure the extent of structural transformation across economies and overtime. The investigation of the relationships of the STIs with the GDP per capita revealed that the STI based on economic and social dimensions appears to have greater effect on GDP per capita than STI focusing on economic indicators. The implication of this is that structural transformation containing social transformation as its priority is essential to achieve inclusive growth, sustain structural transformation, significantly reduce poverty, and hence enhance economic development. Each of the STI is a single number lying between 0 and 1, where 0 indicates lack of structural transformation and 1 complete transformation. The index is mathematically consistent, easy to compute, and comparable across countries overtime

A Comparison of World and Domestic Price Volatilities of Oilseeds: Evidence from Ethiopia

This study investigates and compares oilseeds price volatilities in the world market and the Ethiopian market. It uses a monthly time series data on oilseeds from February 1999 to December 2012; and analyses price volatilities using unconditional method (standard deviation) and conditional method (GARCH). The results indicate that oilseeds prices are more volatile, but not persistent, in the domestic market than the world market. The magnitude of the influence of the news about past volatility (innovations) is higher in the domestic market for Rapeseed and in the World market for Linseed. However, in both markets there is a problem of volatility clustering. The study also identified that due to the financial crisis the world market price volatilities surpassed and/or paralleled the higher domestic oilseeds price volatilities. The higher domestic oilseeds price volatility may imply that the price risks are high in the domestic oilseeds market. As extreme price volatility influences farmers` production decision, they may opt to other less risky, low-value and less profitable crop varieties. The implications of such retreat is that it may keep the farmers in the traditional farming and impede their transformation to the high value crops, and results in lower income hindering the poverty reduction efforts of the government. This is more important to consider today than was before, because measures undertaken to reduce poverty must bring sustainable change in the lives of the rural poor. For this reason, agricultural policies that enable farmers cope with price risks and enhance their productivity are crucial