Journal ArticleDOI
Degradation and conservation of the resources in the ethiopian highlands
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In this paper, the extent and distribution of soil degradation in the Ethiopian highlands as a whole is outlined and shows significantly greater damage in the northern and eastern regions which were settled first.Abstract:
Soil degradation in the Ethiopian highlands and mountains was initiated with the introduction of agriculture several thousand years ago. Favourable conditions attracted early human settlers to this largest mountain complex in Africa and gradually all agriculturally suitable areas were occupied, including marginal land on slopes highly susceptible to soil erosion and degradation. The extent and distribution of soil degradation in the highlands as a whole is outlined and shows significantly greater damage in the northern and eastern regions which were settled first. There, the poor soil quality today results in reduced crop productivity and greater vulnerability to famine. Actual rates of soil loss are estimated according to the Universal Soil Loss Equation; the highest soil erosion rates occur in the western areas which clearly indicates that soils here are degrading more rapidly than soils in the north. The natural process of soil regeneration in the west is slow, with rates ten times lower than actual soil loss rates. However, measures introduced by the government in the last ten years are being applied by the Ethiopian associations of peasants. A more secure future requires that increases in production will exceed population increases and further, that soil depletion can be drastically reduced in order to sustain production in the long term.read more
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Journal ArticleDOI
Human impact on the environment in the Ethiopian and Eritrean highlands—a state of the art
TL;DR: In this paper, an analysis of the environmental evolution of the Ethiopian highlands in the late Quaternary is presented, showing that the most important present-day geomorphic processes are sheet and rill erosion throughout the country, gullying in the highlands, and wind erosion in the Rift Valley and the peripheral lowlands.
Journal ArticleDOI
Soil and water conservation decision behavior of subsistence farmers in the Eastern Highlands of Ethiopia: a case study of the Hunde-Lafto area
Wagayehu Bekele,Lars Drake +1 more
TL;DR: In this paper, a plot-level analysis of factors influencing the adoption of soil and water conservation structures in the Hunde-Lafto area of the Eastern Ethiopian Highlands is presented.
Posted Content
Investment In Soil Conservation In Northern Ethiopia: The Role Of Land Tenure Security And Public Programs
TL;DR: In this article, a double hurdle statistical analysis from 250 farms in the Tigray region reveals different causal factors for soil conservation adoption versus intensity of use, including institutional, social capital and public program effects.
Journal ArticleDOI
Investment in soil conservation in northern Ethiopia: the role of land tenure security and public programs
TL;DR: In this article, a double-hurdle statistical analysis of 250 farms in the Tigray region of Ethiopia reveals different causal factors for soil conservation adoption versus the intensity of use.
Journal ArticleDOI
Determinants of adoption and continued use of stone terraces for soil and water conservation in an Ethiopian highland watershed
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the determinants of farmers' adoption and continued use of introduced stone terraces in an Ethiopian highland watershed and found that adoption is influenced by farmers' age, farm size, perceptions on technology profitability, slope, livestock size and soil fertility.
References
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Predicting rainfall erosion losses : a guide to conservation planning
W. H. Wischmeier,Dwight D. Smith +1 more
TL;DR: The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) as discussed by the authors is a model designed to predict the average rate of soil erosion for each feasible alternative combination of crop system and management practices in association with a specified soil type, rainfall pattern and topography.
Journal ArticleDOI
Rise and Fall of Axum, Ethiopia: a Geo-Archaeological Interpretation
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a geo-archaeological analysis of Axum, a city that began A.D. 100 as a ceremonial center, growing to over 10,000 people, as a prosperous emporium for international trade.
Journal ArticleDOI
Soil and erosion features of the central plateau region of Tigrai, Ethiopia
K.J. Virgo,R.N. Munro +1 more
TL;DR: In this paper, the results of reconnaissance soil surveys covering 6,000 km2 are used to describe the Central Plateau region, which lies at elevations of 2,000 to 2,800 m in northern Ethiopia.
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