Determinants of the Utilization of Desho Grass (\u3cem\u3ePennisetum pedicellatum\u3c/em\u3e) for Multiple-purposes in Ethiopia

In the densely populated, humid highland and midland regions of Ethiopia, the green canopy of desho grass (DG), local varieties of Pennisetum sp., spread across the escarpments. Planting of DG is an example of a locally tried and tested land management technique documented by the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as a successful technology to mitigate land degradation. This technology is in response to cropland encroachment onto communal grazing areas and overstocking of livestock that has led to overgrazing, causing further land degradation and serious pasture shortages. DG is used for multiple purposes in Ethiopia. It is mainly grown on small home plots and used for soil conservation practices, as livestock fodder and sold for income generation. Despite desho having alternative uses, there are no reported studies that have tried to understand the implications of these multiple uses in the predominant mixed crop livestock systems. The objective of this study was to characterize DG utilization by smallholder farmers in Ethiopia and explain the determinants of alternative and competing uses of the grass (as a feed, soil conservation or sold as fodder for income generation)