33 research outputs found

    A systems model describing the impact of organic resource use on farming households in low to middle income countries

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    We are grateful for support from the DFID-NERC El Niño programme in project NE P004830, “Building Resilience in Ethiopia’s Awassa region to Drought (BREAD)”, the ESRC NEXUS programme in project IEAS/POO2501/1, “Improving organic resource use in rural Ethiopia (IPORE)”, and the NERC ESPA programme in project NEK0104251 “Alternative carbon investments in ecosystems for poverty alleviation (ALTER)”. We are also grateful to Dr. V.U.M. Rao (Former Project Coordinator, AICRP on Agrometeorology, CRIDA, Hyderabad) and Dr. S.K. Chaudhari (DDG, NRM Division, KAB-II, ICAR, New Delhi) for their assistance in collecting meteorological data of Parbhani, Maharashtra.Peer reviewedPostprin

    Treatment of organic resources before soil incorporation in semi-arid regions improves resilience to El Niño, and increases crop production and economic returns

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    We are grateful for support from the DFID-NERC El Niño programme in project NE P004830, “Building Resilience in Ethiopia’s Awassa region to Drought (BREAD)”, the ESRC NEXUS programme in project IEAS/POO2501/1, “Improving organic resource use in rural Ethiopia (IPORE)”, and the NERC ESPA programme in project NEK0104251 “Alternative carbon investments in ecosystems for poverty alleviation (ALTER)”. We are also grateful to Anke Fischer (James Hutton Insitute) for her comments on the paper.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

    Optimum rate of NPS fertilizer for economical production of irrigated onion (Allium cepa L) in Dembyia District of Amhara Region, Ethiopia

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    Onion is one of the most important vegetable crops grown under irrigation in Amhara Region. Application of fertilizer is an important input to increase yields of vegetables including onion where its rate mostly depends on the fertility status of the particular soil. The present study was initiated with the objective to identify the optimum rate of the newly introduced NPS fertilizer for maximum bulb yield of onion under irrigated smallholder farming system. The study was conducted in Dembyia District during the 2014/2015 irrigation season. Twelve NPS fertilizer rates were laid down on Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications to identify the optimum rates of NPS where maximum yield of Adama Red onion variety can be obtained. The results of the experiment revealed that most of the growth and yield parameters of onion were significantly affected by NPS fertilizer. The longest plant height (60.1 cm) was recorded when N:P2O5:S was applied at the rate of 73.5:92:16.95 kg ha-1, respectively. The longest (51.1cm) and widest (1.44 cm) onion leaves were recorded on plants where N:P2O5:S was applied with 136.5:119.6:22 kg ha-1. Onion plants supplied with 105:119.6:22 kg ha-1 N:P2O5:S fertilizer rate gave the highest mean bulb weight (198.8 g), marketable yield (20.8 ha-1) and total bulb yield (21.4 t ha-1). Similarly, onion plants supplied with 105:119.6:22 kg ha-1 N:P2O5:S fertilizer rate recorded the highest marginal rate of return followed by those onion plants supplied with 105: 92:16.95 kg ha-1. Onion plants which were not supplied with NPS fertilizer showed generally lower growth and yield parameters. Application of NPS fertilizer at the rate of 105:119.6:22: kg ha-1 N:P2O5:S can be recommended for economical production of onion in the study area

    Impact of Climate and Land Use/Cover Changes on Streamflow in Yadot Watershed, Genale Dawa Basin, Ethiopia

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    Climate and land use/cover (LULC) changes are essential factors that influence hydrological regimes by altering the groundwater recharge and river flow. This study investigated the separate and combined impact of climate and LULC changes on streamflow. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to simulate streamflow under near-term (2021–2050) and mid-term (2051–2080) period against 1985 to 2015 baseline period. The Cellular Automata (CA)-Markov chain model was used to predict the future LULC change. The three-ensemble average of regional climate models (CCLM4.8, RACMO22T, EC-EARTH) under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 emission scenarios were applied for future climate projection. The LULC predictions between 2035 and 2055 showed an increase in agricultural land, grassland, settlement areas and woodlands by 44.02%, 30.35%, 69.2%, and 55.05%, respectively, while forest and scrub/bush lands showed a decrease by decrease by 21.53% and 11.08%, respectively. The annual, wet, and dry seasons rainfall projections increased by 0.13%, 0.02%, and 0.85% respectively, during the near term period under RCP 4.5 scenarios. Overall, the annual, wet, and dry season rainfall projections showed slightly increasing tendency. The temperature projection consistently indicated a warmer future with the highest mean annual projected temperature being 2.0°C under high emission scenario during the midterm period. The projected streamflow under the combined impact of climate and LULC changes will increase by up to 8.72% in wet seasons and by up to 6.62% in dry seasons during the near-term period under RCP4.5 scenarios. Similarly, the projected mean annual streamflow will increase by up to 8.13%. The annual, wet and dry season’s streamflow projections showed a consistent increase during both near and midterm periods under both climate scenarios. Understanding the future response of streamflow under climate and LULC changes is crucial to plan adaptation options for water resources management under future warming condition

    Soil Bunds Effect on Soil Properties under Different Topographies of the Southwest Ethiopia

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    Soil erosion is a major environmental problem affecting development endeavor. Physical soil and water conservation (SWC) measures such as soil bunds are implemented to mitigate soil erosion. However, information on the effects of soil bunds on soil fertility is limited. This study was aimed to evaluate soil quality in fields with soil bunds and with no soil bunds in steep, middle and lower sloping cultivated lands as well as spatial variation of soil properties in between bunds in southwest Ethiopia. About 7-15 years old bunds and nearby cultivated fields lacking bunds were assessed. From 0 cm-20 cm soil depth, a 36 soil samples were collected. Soil texture, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (Ntot) and exchangeable potassium (Kexch) were analyzed. Soil bunds showed significantly (p<0.0.5) greater clay but less sand than adjacent no-bund fields. In steep, middle, and lower slopes, concentrations of SOC and Kexch were greater in fields with soil bunds than without. Lower slope fields showed greater clay, SOC and nutrients than steep slopes. In between soil bunds, soil was more fertile at above bunds than below the bunds. In Fanta watershed, soil bunds are vital conservation measure to retain soil fertility on cultivated mountainous area

    Searching for evidence of changes in extreme rainfall indices in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

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    Extreme rainfall events have serious implications for economic sectors with a close link to climate such as agriculture and food security. This holds true in the Central Rift Valley (CRV) of Ethiopia where communities rely on highly climate-sensitive rainfed subsistence farming for livelihoods. This study investigates changes in ten extreme rainfall indices over a period of 40 years (1970–2009) using 14 meteorological stations located in the CRV. The CRV consists of three landscape units: the valley floor, the escarpments, and the highlands all of which are considered in our data analysis. The Belg (March–May) and Kiremt (June–September) seasons are also considered in the analysis. The Mann-Kendall test was used to detect trends of the rainfall indices. The results indicated that at the annual time scale, more than half (57 %) of the stations showed significant trends in total wet-day precipitation (PRCPTOT) and heavy precipitation days (R10mm). Only 7–35 % of stations showed significant trends, for the other rainfall indices. Spatially, the valley floor received increasing annual rainfall while the escarpments and the highlands received decreasing annual rainfall over the last 40 years. During Belg, 50 % of the stations showed significant increases in the maximum number of consecutive dry days (CDD) in all parts of the CRV. However, most other rainfall indices during Belg showed no significant changes. During Kiremt, considering both significant and non-significant trends, almost all rainfall indices showed an increasing trend in the valley floor and a decreasing trend in the escarpment and highlands. During Belg and Kiremt, the CDD generally showed increasing tendency in the CRV.</p
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