Research
An Empirical Analysis of Land Degradation Risk from Local Community Knowledge Perspective: The Case of Geze Gofa District, Southern Ethiopia.
Land degradation is increasing in severity and extent in many parts of the world. Success in arresting land degradation entails an improved understanding of its causes, process, indicators and effects. Various scientific methodologies have been employed to assess land degradation globally. However, the use of local community knowledge in elucidating the causes, process, indicators and effects of land degradation has seen little application by scientists and policy makers. Land degradation may be a physical process, but its underlying causes are firmly rooted in the socio-economic, political and cultural environment in which land users operate. Analyzing the root causes and effects of land degradation from local community knowledge, perception and adapting strategies perspective will provide information that is essential for designing and promoting sustainable land management practices. This study was conducted in Geze Gofa district; southern Ethiopia. The main objective of the study was to analyze land degradation risk from local knowledge perspective. The study followed a multistage sampling procedure to select the sample respondent households for study. The sample size of the study was 156 households. The study was conducted using semi-structured interview schedule, key informant interviews, focus group discussions and field observation as a primary data collection techniques. The data analysis for this study was conducted using both qualitative approaches (thematically) and quantitative approach- descriptive statistics, and logistic regression analyses.
Determinants of Adoption of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Practices among Smallholder Farmersa in Jeldu District, West Shewa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.
Land degradation in form of soil erosion and fertility loss are ruthless problems in developing countries including Ethiopian Highlands, which have serious implications for food security and livelihoods of local farmers in particular and the nation in general. Low land productivity due to land degradation in form of soil erosion is one of the leading challenges to improving the performance of the smallholder farming system sector in Ethiopia. In this context, the adoption of Sustainable Land Management practices/ technologies is quite crucial to increase agricultural productivity, ensure food security and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Farmers recommend various SLM practices/technologies for sustainable implementation, but adoption of such agricultural land management practices/ technologies is still very low. There is no clear understanding of the problems encountered by farmers in the adoption of recommended SLM practices/ technologies. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to assess the socio-economic, institutional, psychological and biophysical determinant factors that influence adoption of SLM practices/technologies among smallholder farmers in Jeldu district in West Shewa zone. Primary data were collected through household questionnaires surveys, focus group discussions, key informants interviews and personal observations while secondary data were collected from relevant local authority reports and records. A total of 224 households were interviewed. Both Descriptive statistics, binary logistic regression model were used to analyze the data. The computed independent T-test for the mean income difference was statistically highly significance between adopters and non-adopters, suggesting that adopters were in better-off position to improve their livelihood. From the 18 explanatory variables entered into the model, 14 variables were found to be statistically significant at less than 5 to 10% probability levels. These are education level
Determinants of the Adoption of Sustainable Land Management Practices among Smallholder Farmersa in Jeldu District, West Shewa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.
Land degradation is a major cause of Ethiopia's low and declining agricultural productivity, continuing food insecurity, and abject rural poverty. The productivity of agricultural economy, which is the backbone of the country's economy, is being seriously eroded by unsustainable land management practices both in areas of food crops and in grazing. Low land productivity due to land degradation in form of soil erosion is one of the leading challenges to improving the performance of the smallholder farming system sector in Ethiopia. In this context, the adoption of Sustainable Land Management practices/ technologies is quite crucial to increase agricultural productivity, ensure food security and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Farmers recommend various SLM practices/technologies for sustainable implementation, but adoption of such agricultural land management practices/ technologies is still very low. There is no clear understanding of the problems encountered by farmers in the adoption of recommended SLM practices/ technologies. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to assess the socio-economic, institutional, psychological and biophysical determinant factors that influence adoption of SLM practices/technologies among smallholder farmers in Jeldu district in West Shewa zone. Primary data were collected through household questionnaires surveys, focus group discussions, key informants interviews and personal observations while secondary data were collected from relevant local authority reports and records. A total of 224 households were interviewed. Both Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression model were used to analyze the data. The computed independent T-test for the mean income difference was statistically highly significance between adopters and non-adopters, suggesting that adopters were in better-off position to improve their livelihood. From the 18 explanatory variables entered into the model, 14 variables were found to be st
