Morphometric Analysis of Didessa River Catchment in Blue Nile Basin, Western Ethiopia

In the present paper an attempt has been made to study the morphometric characteristics of Didessa catchment which is part of Blue Nile River basin located in South Western part of Ethiopia. The study focused on evaluating the effect of morphometric parameters on the hydrology and morphology of the basin. The primary data for this study was an elevation data in raster format (Digital Elevation Model or DEM) also known as ASTER DEM of 30m spatial resolution. Stream networks and watersheds were delineated in ArcGIS 10.1 software environment by utilizing ArcHydro and Spatial Analyst Tools. Based on the results of the software analysis, linear, areal, and relief aspects of the basin were computed. The result indicates that Geo-spatial techniques and DEMs data are efficient for extracting stream networks and characterizing the morphology of watersheds as well as computing the various indices of drainage basin morphometry. Hence, the results of this study provide useful inputs for watershed level planning and management.Keywords: ASTER DEM, ArcHydro, Hydrology, Watershe

Development of coordinated research efforts

The experience of ICRISAT with the use of Vertisols in semi-arid India indicates that the key to drastically improved productivity of Vertisols is the effective control of surface soil water which then enables rational use of the land for food and feed production. ILCA, therefore, developed and tested on-station and on-farm research in various highland Vertisol areas an animal-drawn implement for broadbed and furrow construction which was to combine technical efficiency of surface drainage construction with economic viability. Substantial increments in grain and biomass outputs due to enhanced surface drainage were recorded along with convincing economic returns to the farm in the application of this technology. In this chapter, history, objectives, rational, strategies, target areas and structure and organisation of the Vertisol project are presented; and the tasks of the advisory and technical committees, division the tasks of the advisory and technical committees, division of responsibilities between participating institutions, terms of reference for the technical committee, project phases and funding, and assistance by ICRISAt and IBSRAM are discussed

Nutrient management

Vertisols and soils with vertic properties are an important soil group in the Ethiopian highlands. Poor drainage, soil, water and nutrient erosion are the most serious problems on highland Vertisols. Due to their high moisture- storage capacity, they have high production potential and this potential remains underutilised because of the difficulty of managing these soils. This paper summarises available information on chemical properties, N, P and mineralogy. Literature on the P status of soils, P nutrition of forage legumes and crops, mycorrhizae and P nutrition, species and varietal variation in response to P, P sorption isotherms and P fertilisation based on forage-based cropping systems is reviewed. The review also highlights the response of various crops to N in the presence of appropriate rhizobium, microbial studies and biological nitrogen fixation and its cycling in Vertisol cropping

Improved management of vertisols for sustainable crop-livestock production in the Ethiopian highlands: Synthesis report 1986-92

Some of the papers in this report deals with nutrient management; land, soil and water management; grain, fodder and residue management; and technology validation and transfer. The other papers looks into development of coordinated research efforts; distribution and importance of Ethiopian vertisols and locations of study sites; a survey of the farming systems of Vertisol areas of the Ethiopian highlands, and modifying the management of vertisols. The report ends with a discussion on retrospect and prospects of the Joint Project on Vertisols management

Patterns of Land Use/Cover Dynamics in the Mountain Landscape of Tara Gedam and Adjacent Agro-Ecosystem, Northwest Ethiopia

This study analyzed land use/cover dynamics in the mountain landscape of Tara Gedam and adjacent agro-ecosystem of northwest Ethiopia over a period of 46 years (1957–2003). The changes were measured through interpretation of aerial photographs taken in 1957 and 1980, and Land-sat satellite image of 2003 using Arc gis 9.2 software, supported by focal group discussions and field visits. Three separate maps (for years 1957, 1980 and 2003) of the study area were produced and six major land use/cover classes were identified: dense forest, woodland, shrub land, grassland, riverine vegetation and cultivated and settlement land. The results indicated that the main land trajectory was from natural vegetation cover to settlement and cultivated land. The cultivated and settlement land coverage increased by 90.60% between 1957 and 2003. However, woodland, dense forest, riverine vegetation, shrub and grasslands coverage declined by 97.87, 71.04, 37.00, 9.02 and 3.03%, respectively. These could be mainly attributed to anthropogenic factors. Increasing demands of more land for cultivation and settlement, overgrazing, deforestation for fuel wood and construction have resulted in a dramatic shrinkage of the area under natural vegetation. The 1975 national land reform proclamation of the country had also contributed to the expansion of cultivated and settlement land. The implications of these changes are increased land degradation and loss of biodiversity affecting the livelihood of the community. It is suggested that the study area needs an immediate intervention for developing sustainable land use practices and to manage the remaining natural vegetation and to rehabilitate the degraded lands

Land, soil and water management

This chapter reviews relevant Vertisol properties, experimental results and the overall experience of the project on this subject. There are several types of drainage problems in Vertisols whose magnitude may vary from site to site. Drainage improvement is discussed in relation with camber beds, broadbeds and furrows, field depressions, perched watertable, open ditches, height of beds, soil erosion and supplemental irrigation. The need for water shed development projects is also examined

Grain, fodder and residue management

Although this document is intended to report research on Vertisols, livestock do not respect this boundary as they graze communal land. Hence a general situation of the available feed resources in the highlands is also highlighted which is followed by specific efforts of collaborative partners of the Joint Vertisol Project. In this paper the improvement of native pasture; crop residues as main animal feed and possibilities for increased production; fodder improvement in the Ethiopian highland Vertisols, traditional management and cropping patterns and calendar of highland Vertisols are discussed. This paper examines the possibility of early planting of improved wheat varieties on drained Vertisols as Opposed to the traditional late planting, towards the end of the rainy season, and evaluates wheat varieties in terms of grain and straw yields and quality across highland drained Vertisols sites

Brazil, Ethiopia, and New Zealand lead the way on climate-smart agriculture.

As countries around the world face urgent agricultural challenges, the concept of ?climate-smart? agriculture (CSA) has been put forward to achieve climate change adaptation, mitigation, and food security synergistically. A new report explores how three countries are using integrated policy approaches to CSA and offers insights for how other countries can build CSA into their policy mix. Brazil has invested in research to support sustainable intensification while creating legal and enforcement mechanisms to protect forest areas as a response to unrestrained agricultural expansion driven by market demand. Ethiopia initiated innovative participatory watershed development programs, in partnership with numerous international institutions, which helped smallholder farmers to rehabilitate marginal land and break out of a poverty cycle. New Zealand has removed agricultural subsidies while partnering on research and development with the private sector as a way to ensure efficiency and resilience in an agricultural sector influenced by climate change and international trade dynamics. To assemble an integrated set of national policies that fosters CSA, governments will need context-specific assessments, strong multi-stakeholder institutions, coordination frameworks, and multi-scale information systems. Governments can select from an array of policy instruments ranging from regulatory mechanisms and economic incentives to public investments and educational campaigns. Many existing national policy goals and public programs designed to increase agricultural production, improve livelihoods, and reduce environmental risks can become important pillars of a national CSA strategy. Countries have obvious interests in fostering an agriculture sector that is climate-resilient, provides national needs for food, fiber, and fuel, and supports farm livelihoods. However, the incentives for national-level action toward reducing global greenhouse gas (GHG) levels are less clear in the absence of serious and shared international commitment. Integrated national CSA policies will be encouraged by clear, consistent signals from multilateral agencies, global donors, and international conventions and trade agreements that promote agriculture as a pathway for poverty reduction and food security

Biomass production of Eucalyptus boundary plantations and their effect on crop productivity on Ethiopian highland Vertisols

In recent years, Eucalyptus globulus planted along field boundaries has come to dominate the central highland landscape of Ethiopia. Although evidence is scanty, there is a perception that this practice adversely affects crop productivity. An on-farm trial was conducted on Pellic Vertisol at Ginchi to determine the production potential of eucalypt boundaries and their effect on the productivity of adjacent crops of tef (Eragrostis tef) and wheat (Triticum sp.). The experiment comprised three stand ages, four field aspects and six distances from the tree-crop interface, using a split-split plot design with three replicates. Wood production rates ranged between 168 kg ha-1 y-1 (four years old) and 2901 kg ha-1 y-1 (twelve years). Thus eucalypt boundaries planted on a hectare of land would satisfy 50 to 75% of the annual biomass energy requirement of a rural household of five persons. Significant depression of tef and wheat yields occurred over the first 12m from the tree line: the reduction was 20 to 73% for tef and 20 to 51% for wheat, equivalent to yield losses of 4.4 to 26% and 4.5 to 10% per hectare respectively. Nevertheless, in financial terms, the tree component adequately compensated for crop yield reduction and even generated additional income. Therefore, eucalypt boundaries have great potential to satisfy the rising demand for wood, without requiring a major change in land use on the highland Vertisols. The greater availability of wood will reduce the demand for dung and crop residues for fuel, and thus may contribute to improved soil management on croplands while relieving the increasing pressure on indigenous forest and woodlands

Genetic merit for fertility traits in Holstein cows: VI. Oocyte developmental competence and embryo development

peer-reviewedThe hypothesis of this study was that cows with good genetic merit for fertility traits (Fert+) would produce oocytes and embryos of greater quality than cows with poor genetic merit for fertility traits (Fert−) and that mRNA expression of candidate genes would reflect the observed differences in quality. The aim of the study, therefore, was to determine the effect of genetic merit for fertility traits on morphological classification and mRNA abundance of key genes in immature oocytes and cumulus cells following ovum pick-up and in embryos following superovulation, artificial insemination (AI), and uterine flushing. In experiment 1, 17 Fert+ and 11 Fert− cows, ranging from 54 to 84 d in milk, were submitted to ovum pick-up on 4 occasions during a 2-wk period. Recovered cumulus–oocyte complexes (COC) were morphologically graded. Oocytes and cumulus cells were separated, and mRNA abundance of genes associated with oocyte developmental competence was measured. There was no effect of genotype on the distribution of COC grades or on the mRNA abundance of the candidate genes in grade 1 COC. In experiment 2, 20 Fert+ and 19 Fert− cows, ranging from 71 to 189 d in milk, were submitted to superovulation and AI. The uteri of cows that responded to the superovulation protocol (17 Fert+ and 16 Fert− cows) were nonsurgically flushed 7 d postovulation. Recovered embryos were morphologically graded, and mRNA abundance of genes associated with embryo development was measured in grade 1 blastocysts. The response to the superovulation protocol was assessed by counting the number of codominant follicles on the day of AI, which was similar for both genotypes (22.0 ± 9.7 and 19.8 ± 8.2 for Fert+ and Fert− cows, respectively). There was no effect of genotype on the proportion of transferable embryos recovered or on the mRNA abundance of the candidate genes tested in the grade 1 blastocysts. Of the total embryos classified as blastocysts, however, the Fert+ cows tended to have a greater proportion of grade 1 blastocysts compared with Fert− cows (90% vs. 64%, respectively). In conclusion, genetic merit for fertility traits had a no effect on mRNA abundance of the candidate genes that were examined in immature oocytes and cumulus cells and in embryos recovered after superovulation. The observed differences in morphological blastocyst quality following superovulation would suggest that the superior reproductive performance of Fert+ cows could arise during the later stages of embryo development from d 7 until maternal recognition of pregnancy