Field day visitors receiving a briefing from a farmer on the benefits of the Soil and Water Conservation intervention to improve soil fertility, crop productivity and feeds for livestock.
In the western part of Ethiopia, implementation of Humidtropics’ research agenda is well underway in the midland and highland areas of Jeldu District. The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), in partnership with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the International Potato Center (CIP), has been working to help farmers improve agricultural productivity, natural resource management and tackle challenges such as high level of degradation, serious erosion and loss of soil fertility, as well as unstable land use and market failure.
Since early 2014, IWMI has been testing three types of new farming technologies: fodder, wheat and barley in the framework of Soil Water Conservation to capture water, reduce erosion, increase fertility of the soil, and provide moisture for the crops. In this regard, participants of the second Innovation Platform meeting and field day held in Jeldu on October 14 and 15 observed that the interventions have visible positive impacts on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and natural resources.
A woman farmer (Bushu) from Jeldu District (Kollo Gulan) said, “I am comparing wheat raw planting and broadcast method both on land with soil bund. I am really impressed by the vegetative performance of the crop with the new method (raw planting) introduced by IWMI. In previous times I used to plant about 100kg/ha of seed, but this year I planted about 30kg and have never ever seen such performance of the crop. Thanks to GOD giving me long life to see the fruits of these innovations which can be scaled up and transferred to the next generation.â€
Wheat planted in raw method.
In order to ensure the continuity of crop, natural resources conservation and livestock feeds integrated approach, scientists have been working closely with farmers and other stakeholders through participatory research for development and strong partnerships. Farmers demonstrated their practices, and other local stakeholders from government, research and academic institutions reviewed the implementation status of the new farming technologies and saw the impact of water conservation practices and raw planting methods on the performance of food and fodder crops. Participants observed the crop performing under these two conditions, the contribution of interventions in improving agricultural productivity and natural resource management, identified the gaps and discussed on the way forward looking for alternatives for the next cropping season.
A total of 37 farmers are involved in wheat and barley growing activities in the midland and highland intervention sites at Jeldu. The technologies intercropped Desho grass with wheat on the bunds and grown on the fallow are also used to introduce soil and water conservation and to improve livestock feed availability. The initiatives, which positively impacted crops productivity, rehabilitation of soil fertility and improved livestock feeds, represent the best combination for intensification of agricultural systems.
“Before the intervention, this land was washed away and extremely degraded; I planted the Desho grass to protect it from erosion and also to overcome the shortages of livestock feeds. I am harvesting the grass (three times per year) both in rainy and dry seasons. Now, it is very promising because the bio-mass on the land increases, which leads to the increasing of land fertility and yields,†says Bekele Tufa, a local farmer.
“Today I have really observed some interesting work, especially on the integration point where we saw the wheat, the grass for animals and the technologies around soil conservation. You can tell from farmers’ stories that we are actually seeing a positive change and also from our perspectives this really is our objective to integrate all these different technologies at the farmers’ level,†added Siboniso Moyo, Program Leader, Animal Science for Sustainable Productivity Program (ASSP), ILRI.
According to Alan Duncan, Livestock Scientist, ILRI-Ethiopia, Humidtropics benefits from the existing research activities of the Nile Basin Development Challenge (NBDC), which aims to boost productivity through improved planting method, to improve soil and water conservation through the conservation structures built, and to include livestock forages as part of the integrated package that provides economic incentives for smallholder farmers. This is an excellent example of the positive impact research can have when it creates synergies between different system components – the integration of agronomy practices, soil and water conservation and livestock feed.
“We are working to improve natural resource management, increase agricultural productivity, and improve farm income and household nutrition. Our assessments include understanding the productivity and economic impacts of the technical interventions being implemented. We have gathered baseline data and populated analytic models for such impact assessment. All the preliminary results obtained are encouraging as they show significant and positive impact of the interventions, confirming what we have seen on the ground during the field day,†affirms Dr. Kindie Getnet, Research Economist, IWMI.
Dr. Teklu Erkossa, Researcher, Land Resources Management, IWMI, concurs, “Humidtropics’ activity in Ethiopia is a long term project to ensure sustainable intensification of agricultural systems in which natural resources, mainly water and land, regenerate while producing food and feed for the communities to ensure food security and sustainable development for the current and coming generations. Field observations and comments received from stakeholders, along with the preliminary economic & nutritional value assessments, all depict that the interventions are heading towards one key outcome: bringing significant impact on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and natural resources.â€
Blog by Desalegne Tadesse, Communications Officer, IWMI; Dr. Teklu Erkossa, Researcher, Land Resources Management, IWMI; Dr. Kindie Getnet Alamneh, Research Economist, IWMI; and Zelalem Lema, Research Officer, Innovation System in Agriculture, ILRI. Blog edited by Valérie Poiré, Communication Officer, Humidtropics. Photos by Desalegne Tadesse/IWMI.