1. Current extent and potential of Faidherbia
albida and Conservation Agriculture
(Evergreen A i lt ) i Ethiopia
(E Agriculture) in Ethi i
Kiros Meles Hadgu (PhD)
Mekelle University
Ethiopia
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

2. Ethiopia
Size
Ethiopia covers an area of 1.14 million square Kilometers
Population (2004 CSA)
Total: 80 million
Rular population: 84.87%
84 87%
Urban population: 15.13%
Density: 59.4/Km2
Average rainfall 850mm in two distinct seasons: the “small rains”
during February and March and the “big rains” from June to
September.
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

3. Highlands of Ethiopia hold extraordinary landscape
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

4. Challenges…
Declining agricultural productivity and food insecurity mainly
because of:
-Extreme weather events (shortage of rain water/changes in rainfall patterns)
Extreme patterns),
combined with a low capacity to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change
Average Annual Rainfall anomaly (1951-2005)
(1951 2005) Average Annual minimum temperature difference (1951-2005)
(1951 2005)
National average of standardized annual rainfall anomaly compated to 1971-2000 National average annual minimum temprature differnce compared to 1971-2000
normal normal
1.5
1.5
15
1 y = 0.0372x - 1.2835
1
0.5 0.5
0 0
-0.5
-0.5
-1
1
-1
-1.5
-1.5 -2
1951
1954
1957
1960
1963
1966
1969
1972
1975
1978
1981
1984
1987
1990
1993
1996
1999
2002
2005
1951
1954
1957
1960
1963
1966
1969
1972
1975
1978
1981
1984
1987
1990
1993
1996
1999
2002
2005
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

5. Challenges…
GDP is correlated with Rainfall variability in the country
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

6. Challenges…
Land degradation
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

7. Challenges…
Declining agricultural productivity and food insecurity mainly
because of: poor land management
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

8. Challenges…
Loss/decline of trees from farm and communal lands resulting in
expansion of agriculture to marginal lands and deforestation
resulting in rapid environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity
and desertification.
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

9. Challenges…
Use of dung, straw, biomass as source of energy:
-Nearly 90% of HH energy in Ethiopia
Nearly
is generated from biomass:
- Rural: 81% use fuelwood,
-9%d ddund,
- 8 % crop residue, and
- the rest other sources
Removal of biomass results in
- Deterioration of chemical and
physical soil properties
- High soil loss by run off
- Reduction in soil productivity
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

10. Challenge…
The human population in Ethiopia is expected to double by 2030, at a
g
growth rate of 2.7% annually.
y
Food demand is expected to grow even faster, at a rate of 3.6%
annually because of the increasing human population and global
agricultural markets.
Mineral f ili i used much b l the recommended level,
Mi l fertilizer is d h below h d dl l
The cost of mineral fertilizer is increasing from time to time and
farmers may not afford anymore,
y y ,
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

11. Challenge…
Challenge
These challenges coupled with climate change and variability
Th h ll l d ith li t h d i bilit
increases the cost of agricultural production and results in
reduced agricultural productivity, food insecurity and environmental
degradation.
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

12. So, how do smallholder farmers improve
, p
agricultural productivity, food security and
environmental resilience?
Sustainable Alternative:
Through restoring exhausted soils to improve crop
productivity,
productivity food security and environmental
resilience through Agroforestry (Faidherbia and other
spp) Based Conservation Agriculture (CAWT):
pp) g ( )
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

13. Objective
To assess the current extent of Faidherbia and Conservation
Agriculture practices at the smallholder farmers level in
Ethiopia.
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

14. Study Sites
Tigray
Gondar
Eastern Hararghe
East Shoa
Konso
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
Fig1. Location of the study areas in Ethiopia.
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

15. Data collection and analysis methods
Data collection involved desk studies, expert consultations and
discussion with key informants and household surveys.
y y
Sample sites were selected by employing a transect of East-
West d N th S th from diff
W t and North-South f different altitude zones in the
t ltit d i th
country.
A stratified random sampling was used, i.e. strata altitude
zones across transects (East-West, North-South).
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

16. Cont....
To get historical information on the extent of agricultural
land uses and agroforestry practices will be discussed with
farmers, extension workers, local administrators and
f i k l l d i i d
decision makers
Household survey
A sample of 115 households were used for individual interview
p
which included both male and female headed households.
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

17. Cont....
Ancillary data
Altitude and geographic coordinates of each sample farm were
also measured using a pressure altimeter and
g p
Garmin etrex Summit 2000 hand held GPS (GARMIN
International Inc., Kansas). Area of farmers’ fields were
measured using the GPS, and the number of Faidherbia albida
trees and crops growing under the tree were recorded.
Crop yield estimates (farmer’s estimate per ha), crop diversity
(number of crop type grown per farm) amount of mineral
farm),
fertilizer used per ha and livestock holding per farm were
collected.
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

18. Cont....
Visual assessment and quantification of the sample farms in
terms of conservation agriculture practices was made.
made
Farmers were asked why they decide to practice conservation
y y p
agriculture practices and Faidherbia albida based farming.
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

19. Cont....
Farmers’ soil fertility classes (e.g. high, medium and low
F ’ il f ili l ( hi h di dl
soil fertility) based on yield, soil water holding capacity,
colour,
colour texture and depth stoniness and steepness
depth, stoniness, steepness.
Visual assessment was made on the status of soil erosion of
the sample farms.
To help us easily distinguish the soil erosion status of the
farms, five classes of soil erosion were considered:
no, low, moderate,
no low moderate high and extremely high erosion,
erosion
corresponding with no noticeable erosion, sheet erosion,
rill erosion, sheet and rill erosion together, and gully erosion
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

20. Statistical Analysis
Descriptive statistics, frequency analysis,
Redundancy analysis (RDA) were employed in
SPSS and CANOCO statistical packages
to describe current extent of Faidherbia albida and
conservation agriculture practices.
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

21. RESULT
Attitude f
Attit d of respondent farmers on Faidherbia albida
d tf F idh bi lbid
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

22. Cont…
Benefits of Faidherbia albida according to the respondent
farmers
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

23. Cont…
Relationship between relative Faidherbia density, amount of
mineral fertilizer and grain yield (compared to the maximum
of these variables in the data set)
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

24. Cont…
Faidherbia density in relation to explanatory variables
y p y
1.0
Medium Faid
No. Livestock
PlotSize
Beehives
Fetilize Amt
Low Faid
High Fiad
Hi h Fi d
Altitude
Grain yield
No. crop types
-1.0
-1.0 1.0
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

25. Cont…
Conservation agriculture (a) and
Soil and Water Conservation practices (b)
(a) (b)
Conservation agriculture practices Soil and Water Conservation practices
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

26. CAWT practices in Ethiopia
-Minimum tillage: Hoe tillage and ox-drawn plough
(10 – 12 cm deep)
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

27. CAWT practices…
- Crop rotation and
mixing/intercropping
(diversification)
( )
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

28. CAWT practices…
- In situ soil and water conservation structures:
il d i
Deep trench
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

29. CAWT practices…
- In situ soil and water conservation structures
Tree planting in
Half moon: Deep trenched
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

30. CAWT practices…
- Soil and water conservation structures
Gully h bilit ti
G ll rehabilitation
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

31. CAWT practices…
- Soil and water conservation structures
Rehabilitated G ll
R h bilit t d Gully
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

32. CAWT practices…
- Soil and water conservation structures:
Communal land
-stone terrace,
-stone bund,
-earth bund
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

33. CA Research site
CAWT practices…
- Few examples of
Permanent soil cover
not enough to cover the
whole off-season
Farmers fields influenced by
the CA Research
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

34. Zero grazing in some villages
CAWT practices…
- Maintaining il
M i t i i soil cover through
th h
Zero grazing and
cut/carry systems
(practiced in few villages)
Cut and Carry livestock feeding
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

35. But still…
There are CA constraints. CA practices also vary from
farmer to f
f farmer, community to community and district to
i i d di i
district.
- Among others, the main constraint is removing soil cover
through harvesting of crop residue and free grazing by
g g p g g y
livestock (the highest number in the continent)
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

36. Sustainable Alternative?
Integrate Conservation Agriculture With Trees (Fertilizer and
fodder trees like Faidherbia albida)
)
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

37. Integrating CA With Trees (CAWT), with F.
albida as a keystone species to:
- E i h soil fertility through N fixation and nutrient cycling,
Enrich il f tilit th h fi ti d ti t li
- Improve soil structure and minimize soil erosion,
- Increase water infiltration and recharge ground water
water,
- Maintain vegetative soil cover mainly during the dry
season,,
- Provide feed for livestock, bee forage, fuel wood and
income from sale,
- Environmental rehabilitation and Carbon sequestration, and
- Enrich Biodiversity.
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

38. Benefits of CAWT…
Soil fertility enrichment
through N fixation
and nutrient cycling,
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

39. Benefits of CAWT…
- Improve soil structure and minimize soil erosion
il d i i i il i
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

40. Benefits of CAWT…
- Increase water infiltration and recharge ground water,
Faidherbia covered area in upper catchments called locally Water Bank (Northern Ethiopia)
Shallow water wells
at lower catchments
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

41. Benefits of CAWT…
- Maintain vegetative soil cover mainly during the dry
season,,
Faidherbia albida dominated farmlands (northern Ethiopia)
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

42. Benefits of CAWT…
- Provide feed and shade for livestock
id d d h d li k
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

43. Benefits of CAWT…
- Provide bee forage during the dry season when other
flowering plants are getting dry.
fl i l i d
Huge amount of flower per mature F. albida tree

44. Benefits of CAWT…
- Generate income from sale of products.

45. Benefits of CAWT…
- Generate income from sale of products.

46. Benefits of CAWT…
- Generate income from sale of products.

47. Benefits of CAWT…
- Environmental rehabilitation, Carbon sequestration, and
biodiversity enrichment
bi di it i h t
F. Albida on farmland F. Albida on communal land

48. Development Strategies/Programmes of
Ethiopia favors CAWT Principles/Objectives:
Ethi i f P i i l /Obj ti
- Agricultural Development Led Industrialization (ADLI)
- Plan for Accelerated and Sustained Development to End Poverty
(PASDEP)
- Agricultural and Rural development strategies
- New Coalition for Food Security
- Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP)
- Increasing forest cover
- Sustainable land management (SLM) program
- Agricultural growth program

49. CAWT and Development policies of Ethiopia
- have the potential to improve food crop productivity, food
security and income of households through improvements in soil quality,
moisture/water availability and feed/forage sources for livestock and
beehives.
b hi

50. Cont…
CAWT
can improve food crop productivity, food security and income of
households through improvements in soil quality, moisture/water
availability and f d/f
il bilit d feed/forage sources for livestock and beehives.
f li t k d b hi

51. Cont…
CAWT
can improve food crop productivity, food security and income of
households through improvements in soil quality, moisture/water
availability and f d/f
il bilit d feed/forage sources for livestock and beehives.
f li t k d b hi
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

52. Concluding Remark/Way forward
There are good practices of Conservation Agriculture With Trees in
Ethiopia although they vary from community to community in
different parts of Ethiopia.
Conservation Agriculture With Trees has the potential to restore
ecosystem while providing ecosystem service and mitigate climate
change.
h
Food security (increasing food production in a sustainable way) can be
ensured by increasing productivity of crops and soils through
Conservation Agriculture With Trees (e.g., appropriate use of local
agroforestry resources such as Faidherbia trees).
It is high time to scale-up Conservation Agriculture With Trees in the
country.
country
Presented at the World Agro forestry Centre , Nairobi
12 August 2010
Organized by ICRAF-East Africa

53. THANK YOU!
A O !