Physicochemical Properties of Bamboo (Arundinaria Alpine) Based Agroforestry Practice in Dawuro Zone, South West Ethiopia

On-farm trees are known to contribute to biophysical and economical sustainability at farm and landscape levels. This study assessed the contribution of woodlot Bamboo Agroforestry practice on some selected soil fertility parameters, the influence of bamboo woodlot Agroforestry on crop production and soil fertiliity at Dawruo zone, Southern Ethiopia. Soil samples were collected from under the canopies of five culms at five radial distances (0.5-1, 1.5-2, 2.5- 3, 3.5-4 and 10m) away from the trunk and a depth (0 – 30cm) for each radial distance. The soil samples were analyzed for physical and chemical properties. The soil textural class of the soil was sandy loam at all radial distances. There was no significant difference in the textural classes between samples taken from open field and under the canopy. Chemical properties including, available P and soil pH had the same tendency with radial distances from the tree trunk. But organic carbon and Total N decreased with increased of distance from the tree base and there is significantly differ between Total N (p< 0.05).  On the hand, the farmers’ perception that bamboo culms depletes soil nutrient was not supported by soil analyzed. In conclusion, bamboo based Agroforestry practice   influence soil nutrients at Ultisols in research site do not influence fertility of soil under their canopy. Indeed, the tree can be regarded as agroforestry trees to integrate them with crop production to enhance the sustainability of soil fertility. Keywords: Bamboo, Agroforestry, Soil fertility, Crop lan

Income Contribution of Bamboo (Arundinaria alpine) Based Agroforestry Practice in Dawuro Zone, South West Ethiopia

Ethiopia has over one million hectares of highland and lowland bamboo resources. Although the role of bamboo has not been well documented as an integral part of the economy of Ethiopia, it plays a very important role socially, economically and ecologically in areas where it occurs naturally and as plantation. However, the use of this abundant resource is largely restricted to the household level and it is not well studied at the country level about its major socioeconomic, ecological roles and it influences on physicochemical properties of the soil. Therefore, this study was one such attempt; it determines the relative contribution of bam­boo income to house­hold annual cash in­come. Sampling was based on a multistage sampling approach. The first and the second stage involved purposeful selection woredas, and Kebeles respectively, which were based on availability of bamboo, based agroforestry practice such as bamboo woodlot and boundary plantation. Accordingly two sites (Kebeles) were selected and 15% sample households from each of the KA were selected. A total of 112households (HHs) was selected using stratified random sampling.  The Commonly used techniques for valuing the annual value of bamboo raw and products were the income approach or products and services approach. The result indicates that annual cash income from bamboo accounted about 19%. Linear regression model was used to see the effects of a number of socioeconomic and biophysical variables on bamboo income generated per households. Among the various characteristics considered Land size was positively and significantly related to household income gain from bamboo tree and products (P < 0.05). Keywords: Agroforestry, Bamboo, Incom