Farmers' Indigenous Cropland Management Practices in North Gondar Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

In Ethiopia, agricultural production and productivity are becoming low because of physical and biological soil degradation. To reverse this situation rural households use their indigenous cropland management strategies. Thus, the main objectives of this study were to identify the existing indigenous cropland management practices and to examine the integration of indigenous and modern cropland management practices in North Gondar Zone. Both qualitative and quantitative types of data were generated from primary and secondary sources using household surveys from randomly taken households. The findings of this study showed that crop rotation, multiple/intercropping, agroforestry practices and crop residues were found to be the most widely used indigenous cropland fertility improvement practices. Chemical fertilizers, tree planting, pesticides/insecticides, compost and area closure were, on the other hand, the most widely used modern soil fertility management practices. Contour plowing, construction of waterway, check dams, diversion ditches, stone bunds and terrace were the dominant indigenous physical cropland management practices. In the study area, there was no local development policies and strategies that support the conservation of indigenous cropland management strategies. Therefore, it is recommended that local supporting policies and strategies have to be enshrined and implemented to conserve, use and promote indigenous practices at greater scale and integrate it with modern practices.