Factors constraining the adoption of soil organic carbon enhancing technologies among small-scale farmers in Ethiopia

Wilson M Nguru; Charles Kk Gachene; Cecilia M Onyango; Stanley K Ng'ang'a; Evan H Girvetz

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08497

Factors constraining the adoption of soil organic carbon enhancing technologies among small-scale farmers in Ethiopia

Heliyon. 2021 Nov 27;7(12):e08497. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08497. eCollection 2021 Dec.

Authors

Wilson M Nguru¹, Charles Kk Gachene¹, Cecilia M Onyango², Stanley K Ng'ang'a³, Evan H Girvetz⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 29053-00625 Kangemi, Nairobi, Kenya.
² Plant Science and Crop Protection Department, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 29053-00625, Kangemi, Nairobi, Kenya.
³ International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Kampala 6247, Uganda.
⁴ International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), P.O Box 823-00621 Nairobi, Kenya.

Abstract

Declining soil fertility is one of the major causes of food insecurity and high levels of poverty, both of which tend to hamper economic development in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). To improve soil fertility, the implementation of soil organic carbon (SOC) enhancement technologies has become crucial to slowing land degradation, through increasing SOC, which is the basis of soil fertility. Using data from 381 households from Azuga-Suba and Yesir watersheds in Ethiopia, this study explores the extent of the adoption of technologies that enhance SOC. Soil organic carbon enhancing technologies include the use of manure, fertilizer, and crop residue management. The Probit model was used to assess what constrains the adoption of these technologies. The results indicate that fertilizer is the most adopted technology having over 90% adoption in both watersheds. Manure at 28% and 56% adoption while crop residue management at 37% and 26% adoption in Azuga-Suba and Yesir respectively. Technology adoption is highly constrained by lack of education, access to extension services, and access to credit services. Institutions and local farmer groups influence these constraints through training, provision of information, offering incentives, and credit services. Large plots hinder the use of manure and fertilizer due to the bulky nature of manure and the high costs of fertilizers. Insecurity in land tenure limits the adoption of manure and residue management. Perception of soil erosion and soil fertility tends to constrain the adoption of SOC technologies, as farmers are afraid that all improvements through soil amendment will be diminished through soil erosion. At the same time, farmers do not perceive the importance of SOC enhancing technologies in plots that were fertile. These results imply that strengthening institutions that enhance farmers' knowledge and provide credit as well as strengthening social protection schemes and farmer groups is crucial in promoting the adoption of these technologies.

Keywords: Adoption; Ethiopia; Small-scale farmers; Soil organic carbon; Sustainable land management; Technologies.

Publication types

Review

Associated data

figshare/10.6084/m9.figshare.11830887