Measuring integrated smallholder soil fertility management practices in Megech watershed, Tana sub-basin, Ethiopia

Abebe Birara Dessie; Taye Melese Mekie; Tadie Mirie Abate; Abdrie Setegn Belgu; Marye Aragew Zeleke; Daniel Geletaw Eshete; Haimanot B Atinkut; Melaku Tarekegn Takele

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16256

Measuring integrated smallholder soil fertility management practices in Megech watershed, Tana sub-basin, Ethiopia

Heliyon. 2023 May 18;9(5):e16256. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16256. eCollection 2023 May.

Authors

Abebe Birara Dessie¹, Taye Melese Mekie¹, Tadie Mirie Abate¹, Abdrie Setegn Belgu¹, Marye Aragew Zeleke¹, Daniel Geletaw Eshete², Haimanot B Atinkut³, Melaku Tarekegn Takele⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of Gondar, P.O. BOX 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
² Department of Hydraulic and Water Resource Engineering, Institute of Technology, University of Gondar, P.O. BOX 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
³ Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of Gondar, P.O. BOX 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
⁴ School of Economics, College of Business and Economics, University of Gondar, P.O. BOX 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Nowadays, a combination of natural and man-made factors has led to a decline in the physical and chemical quality of the soil. In Ethiopia, declining soil fertility and quality that lead to low agricultural production are made worse by soil erosion and nutrient depletion. Adoption and implementation of integrated soil fertility management strategies have emerged as inevitabilities in terms of development in Ethiopia generally and in the Tana sub-basin of northwest Ethiopia specifically. This study was created to evaluate the Megech watershed's integrated smallholder soil fertility management methods' adoption factors, status, and scope. A total of 380 individual farmers were surveyed using a semi-structured questionnaire to gather primary data. Descriptive statistics and econometric estimating methods were combined in the study. The findings supported the use of inorganic fertilizer, tree planting, organic fertilizer, stone bunds, and soil bunds by households as the primary methods for managing soil fertility. The outcomes of the econometric model also show that households' adoption decisions for integrated soil fertility management practices are highly interdependent. Additionally, there were similar underlying factors that affected the status and intensity of implementing integrated soil fertility management practices. The research concluded that effective soil management policies and programs should be designed, and implemented by smallholder farmers, agricultural experts, research centers, and governmental and non-governmental organizations to improve the quality of soil for sustainable food production. Moreover, raising the affordability of financial services and strengthening smallholder farmers' access to education help to increase their income, which in turn encourages the use of integrated soil fertility management practices.

Keywords: Adoption; Ethiopia; Multivariate probit; Seemingly unrelated regression; Soil fertility.