Towards Integrated Soil Erossion Management in Elfeta District, West Shoa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Soil degradation is one of the most serious environmental problems in Ethiopia. The prevalence of traditional agricultural land use and the absence of appropriate resource management often result in the degradation of natural soil fertility in the country. This has important implications for soil productivity, household food security, and poverty in major areas of the country. The main objective of this research is to assess farmers’ soil erosion management practices and forward integration of these practices. Primary data utilized were mainly collected from 144 sample respondent’s selected using systematic random sampling from two rural villages of Elfeta district, West Shoa zone of Oromia regional state. Semi structured interview schedule, Focus group discussion, personal observation and life history method were used to collect primary data. Moreover, secondary data were collected from review of various literatures, office reports, journals and manuals. Simple descriptive statistics like, mean, percentage and frequencies as well as comparative statistics like chi-square were used for analytical purpose. The result of the study indicate that 39%, 27% and 11% of sampled respondents implement contour plowing, cultural ditches and cut off drain respectively. These measures were more of traditional type of soil conservation and the effort to implement integrated soil erosion management practice were reported to be minimal. Government effort in addressing soil erosion problem since 2011in the area were little bit worrisome as the intervention shows no change in soil conservation among local farmers in the area. Forestation and reforestation, which have curative and protective value; farming system which conserve the natural resource base and at the same time raise productivity like intercropping and relay or sequential cropping; crop rotation; integration of livestock farming with arable cultivation; the cut and carry method of using degraded pasture, controlled grazing and tethering; widespread use of semi-permanent crops like enset (false banana) and volunteering crops, such as legumes and sweet potatoes were few of integrated soil erosion management practices should be given special attention in the area Keywords: Soil Erosion, Integrated, soil erosion management practices, Elfeta Distric

Determinants for Farmers’ Perception of Soil Erosion: The Case of Elfeta District, West Shoa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Soil erosion is one of the major causes of land degradation and often results in reduction of agricultural production and productivity in Ethiopia. Although it is a natural process, its rate has increased significantly due to anthropogenic activities. Thisresearch was conducted in Elfeta district, central Ethiopia with the purpose of assessing farmers` perception of soil erosion. A mixed research design (a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis) was employed and both primary and secondary data were collected. Data were collected through interview schedule assisted survey questionnaire, focus group discussion, personal observation, and life history methods. Descriptive, inferential, and econometric were employed for quantitative analysis while description, narration and content analysis were employed for qualitative analysis. The findings of the study reveal that the major causes of soil erosion identified by farmers were: deforestation, ceaseless cultivation and absence of fallowing and population growth. Farmers` perception of soil erosion wasfound to have statistically significant association with sex, education, land holding size, tenure security, farming experience, access to training, access to information, past awareness, on soil conservation and extension contact. The ordered logit analysis employed with statistically significant variables to analyze determinants for farmers’ perception in the study area showed that farmers land holding size, tenure security, years of schooling, and farmers experience were significant factors determining farmers` perception of soil erosion in the study area.Ensuring community involvement in planning, designing and implementation process of conservation activities deserves special attention in the study area to improve the understanding of farmers about the dynamics of soil erosion in their area which is of paramount importance for sustainable soil and water conservation in the study area. Keywords: Farmers perception, Soil Erosion, Elfeta Distric

Adoption Status and Factors Determining Coffee Technology Adoption in Jimma Zone, South West Ethiopia.

Jimma zone is one of the most potential coffee producing areas in Ethiopia. The livelihood of the farmers is mainly depend on coffee production. However,majority of them are smalholders characterized by traditional farm management system and limited use of coffee production technology. The aim of this study was to assess the adoption status of different coffee technologies in Jimma zone and to identify the determining factors of coffee technology adoption in the area. In the study, 393 respondents were involved and the adoption status of six selected coffee technologies, namely: the adoption of improved coffee variety, stumping, pruning, fertilizer, shade and mulching was investigated. Accordingly 67.4 % of the sample respondents did not use improved coffee variety. Similarly 45.8%, 31%, 53.4%, 4.1% and 25.7% of the farmers have not yet started to use stumping, pruning, fertilizer, shade tree and mulching, respectively. The factors influencing the adoption of each of these technologies were analyzed by using binomial regression model.  As a result, age was found to be significant and negatively correlated with adoption of improved coffee variety. Sex of the farmer was the second variable which was found to be significant and had a negative correlation with mulching practice. Educational status was the other important factor which was found to be significant and had a positive correlation with adoption of the improved coffee variety, stumping technology and using shade tree. Family size was also found to be significant and had a positive correlation with using of stumping technologies, pruning, fertilizer application, mulching and shade trees. Dependency ratio, which was significant and showed a negative correlation with stumping and fertilizer application, was found to have a positive correlation with pruning. Likewise coffee farm size was found to be significant and had a negative correlation with improved coffee variety, fertilizer and mulching but it had a positive significant correlation with stumping. The coffee growing experience of the farmers was also significant and had a negative correlation with stumping, pruning and fertilizer. Moreover development agent support had a significant positive correlation with adoption of improved coffee variety, stumping, pruning, fertilizer application and mulching.Market distance was a factor that had a negative correlation with adoption of improved coffee variety, stumping, shade and mulching. Cooperative membership also showed a significant and negative corelation with improved coffee variety and pruning. Credit on the other hand was found to have a positive correlation with fertilizer application and was negatively correlated with the adoption of pruning practice and mulching. The total income of the household was found to be significant and had a positive correlation with adoption of improved coffee variety, pruning, using fertilizer and using of shade tree and training was also found to have a positive relationship with adoption of improved coffee variety, stumping technology, pruning practice, using shade tree and mulching

Impacts of crossbreed dairy cow adoption on women dietary diversity in southwestern Ethiopia

Most of agricultural technology increases women's labor burdens without associated benefits. This paper envisages one of the dairy technology types “crossbreed dairy cow” adoption and its impacts on women's nutrition security in Southwestern Ethiopia. The quasi experimental research design was applied by using the quantitative and qualitative cross sectional data. To get specific study area and the study respondents (266 women) we applied a multi-stage sampling procedure. Data was collected through interview schedule; focused group discussion and key informant interview. Descriptive statistics, Binary logit and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) were used to analyze the data. The study results showed that crossbreed dairy cow adoption was found to be affected by age, education level, livestock size, training participation, mobile phone ownership, and cooperative membership significantly and positively. Meanwhile, dairy production experience and market distance affected negatively. About 58.6% of women reached minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W) and the mean of women's dietary diversity score (WDDS) is 6.1 ± 2. The result of PSM indicated that the adoption of crossbreed dairy cows has increased the dietary diversity of women by 15.6%. In general, crossbreed dairy cow adoption have a positive and significant influence on women's nutrition security. Therefore, scaling up of crossbreed cows should be strengthened in the study area. The paper can add empirical evidence to the adoption of dairy technology for the improvement of women's nutrition security