Professional Documents
Culture Documents
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of the study
Ethiopia faces a wide set of soil fertility issues that require approaches that go beyond the
application of chemical fertilizers the only practice applied at scale to date. Core
constraints include topsoil erosion (some sources list Ethiopia among the most severely
erosion-affected countries in the world, along with Lesotho and Haiti ; erosion rates are
estimated at 10-13mm p.a. on average); acidity-affected soils covering over 40 percent of
the country, significantly depleted organic matter due to widespread use of biomass as fuel,
depleted macro and micro-nutrients, depletion of soil physical properties, and soil salinity
(International Food Policy Research Institute, 2010).
Soil fertility decline is considered as an important cause for low productivity of many soils.
It has not received the same amount of research attention as soil less spectacular and more
difficult to assess. Assessing soil fertility status is difficult because most soil chemical
properties either change very slowly or have large seasonal fluctuations; in both cases, it
requires long-term] research commitment (Lal, 1989).
Growing agricultural crops implies that nutrients are removed from the soil through the
agricultural produce (food, fiber, wood) and crop residues. Nutrient removal results in a
decline soil fertility when replenishment with inorganic or organic nutrient inputs is
inadequate ( Asgelil, 2000).
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Tigray
Thus, the intention of this study is mainly to assess factors affecting integrated soil fertility
management in Azeba Tabia.
And soil fertility management is one of the core problems that deteriorate Ethiopian agriculture
and leads poverty and starvation. The causes to these rooted problems are the land degradation
exhibited in form of soil fertility loss, as initiated by different factors as deforestation,
overgrazing and with a result of soil erosion, sedimentation, pollution.
While practicing integrated soil fertility management into farming systems, the main factors
affecting are need of fertilizer, organic inputs, and improved germplasm combined with the
knowledge on how to adapt these practices to local conditions, agronomic use efficiency of the
applied nutrients and improving of crop productivity (Vanlauwe, 2010).
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The main objective of this study was to assess the major factors affecting integrated soil
fertility management activities in Azeba tabia.
2. To identify the mechanism used by local communities to improve the soil fertility status
of their agricultural land
1.5. Hypothesis
Farmers have a gap on soil fertility management activities on the study area
CHAPTER TWO
Soil Fertility Management Practices Tillage Practices: Farmers used oxen to pull the local
plough 'Maresha'. Most of the farmers in the highland areas cultivate their land 4-5 times before
planting cereals. They argue that increasing the frequency of tillage is the way of improving soil
productivity. On the other hand, pulses are planted on marginal lands or with minimum
tillage (often ploughed once). They claimed that increasing frequency of tillage for these crops
could result in lodging and ultimately lower yield. Though, there are two cropping seasons, only
few farmers cultivate the same piece of land for both seasons. Instead, they divided their land
into 'Bona' cropping and 'Ganna' cropping land. The main reasons raised by farmers for not using
the land for both seasons were shortage of time for land preparation after crop harvest and fear of
soil fertility depletion as a result of double cropping.
of the advantage of returning crop residues to soil fertility. The practice of decomposing crop
residues in situ is locally termed 'Shemsu' (meaning decomposition). Farmers also understood
that if crop residues are not well decomposed before planting, it could compete for nutrient and
burn (to mean stunt the growth) the crop. But, only few farmers around 12% retain most crop
residues in their field. This is because crop residues are
feed.
contribution to monocropping of cereals. Lack of crop rotation resulted in the development and
build up of rusts,
which is the major bottleneck for crop production. The
barley and wheat on the same piece of land. However, few farmers in some part of the highland
rotated cereals with lentil, field pea, faba bean and linseed. This accounts around 74%. Instead,
farmers in this region apply low rate of fertilizer as precursors are legumes.
waterlogged.
Fallowing: The study clearly depicted due to the ever increasing population pressure, long term
fallowing iscurrently abandoned in the study area. But, farmers know the benefit of fallowing to
restore soil fertility. Currently, the common practice in the area is seasonal fallowing i.e.
leaving the land fallow for one or two seasons. This is however, short period for restoration of
soil fertility.
Allan [27] believes that the fallow period should not be less than eight years on the best soils.
Mansfield [28] on the other hand, claims that the required fallow period
The study was carried in one of sub districts of the Eastern Zone of Tigray in Woreda Ganta
Afeshum in Azeb Tabia, which his situated at about 120km North of Mekelle. Azeba Tabia is
surrounded by Adigrat to the North, Hawzen to the South, Saesi Tsaida Imba to the East and
Adiahferm to the West. The site is interesting in terms of observable factor affecting the soil
fertility management activities.
The topography generally varies and the locality is closer to the mountain ranges. The overall
site of Tabia Azeb is 1522ha. From this 850ha is area farmland, 769ha is area closer and 53ha
grazing land. The types of soils are rock and shallow low infertility and highly degraded.
The Eastern zone is worst than other zone and the most deprived part of the region and almost
devoid of any vegetation cover. Climate and population pressure are considered the major
factors influencing the natural vegetation cover. The only ruminant forests are found around in
the surrounding of the church. One example is acacia, saligan, olea europea, eucalyptus
globules and different bushes.
3.1.4. Population
The total population of the Tabia is 7,232. Out of this 3,150 are males and 4,082 are females.
The total household of the Tabia is 1,450. Out of this 763 are males and 687 are females
(Tabia administration and health post)
The main rain season is occurs simmer in the months of June, July and August. But this is
immoderate rain fall. Most of time started late and its stops early. This is not sufficient to crop
production. The total annual rainfall ranges from 400-600mm.
3.2.2. Temperature
The higher attitude has cooler than the lower altitude and generally its average annual
temperature varies from 22-250C.
A. Primary data were collected directly from the households through questionnaires.
B. Secondary sources of data were collected from agricultural and rural development office
in Gantafeshum Woreda as well as from reference books concerning soil fertility
management activities.
Hence the researcher will take 30 households (2%) as sample size for the study out of
total 1450 households in the study area.
Considering the time and resources allocated for the study, simple random sampling will
be applied in which each farmer will be chosen randomly and entirely by chance.
Fertilization 23 10 32.86
Total 70 30 100.00
Compost 12 5 17.14
Both 36 15 51.43
Total 70 30 100.00
REFERENCES
1. Asgelil Dibabe, 2000. Effect of fertilizer on the yield and nodulation pattern of Faba bean
on a Nitosol of Adet North Western Ethiopia. Ethiopian J. Natural Resources, 2: 237-244.
2. Donovan, G., and Casey, F. 1998. Soil fertility management in Sub-Saharan Africa. World
Bank Technical Paper No. 408. World Bank. Washington, D.C.
3. International Food Policy Research Institute (2010). Fertilizer and soil fertility potential
in Ethiopia: constraints and opportunities for enhancing the system, Washington:
International Food Policy Research Institute
4. Lal, R., 1989. Land Degradation and Its Impact on Food and Other Resources; Food and
Natural Resources, pp: 85-140.
5. Mwangi, W.M. 1997. Low use of fertilizers and low productivity in sub-Saharan Africa.
Nutrient Cycling Agro-forestry Systems 47: 135-147.
6. Shepherd, K.D. and M.J. Soule, 1998. Soil fertility management in West Kenya: Dynamic
simulation of productivity, profitability and sustainability at different resources
endowment levels. Agric. Ecosystems, Environment, 71: 133-147.
7. Vanlauwe, B. (2010). Integrated soil fertility management: operational definition and
consequences for implementation and dissemination