Assessment of Existing Agroforestry Practices in East Hararghe Zone Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

An agroforestry practice produces different benefits, which enhance household incomes and diversification of products. This study was aimed to identifying existing agroforestry practices and to identify perception behind of agroforestry practice and to identify the opportunities and major constraints related to agroforestry practices in Fedis, Kersa and Jarso Districts of the lowland, midland and highlands agro ecologies, of East Hararghe Zone, oromia, Ethiopia. The study was based on a household survey conducted on 154 farm household heads; focus group discussions, key informant interviews and direct field observations were applied. The data were analyzed using analytical (SPSS 20.0) software packages to calculate descriptive statistics. Chi-squared tests were used to compare the agroforestry practices and agro ecologies. The result indicates that six AFPs exist in the study area namely; scattered trees on croplands (58%), hedge row intercropping (33%), home garden (22%), multipurpose trees on farmland (19%), live fence /boundary planting (18%), and wind breaks (4%) were dominant. Significant respondent number (51.96%) of practices is involved in agri-silvicultural system, most of the farmer's (45.12%) have positive attitude towards Agroforestry practices in the study area. Most of the respondents agreed on agro-forestry practices increased the construction input, soil fertility, food, and fodder. On the other hand, sacristy of land, moisture stress, diseases and pests, inadequate seedlings availability, and inadequate extension services are the major constraints. Results of the socio-economic characteristics respondents showed that gender, age, family size, and land holding positively and significantly influence the decision of the determined practice of household's and were significantly affected the choice of agroforestry practice by the households. Based on the survey, it is concluded that scattered trees on farmland, hedge row intercropping, and home garden AFP dominant practices across agro ecologies and were the most appropriate agro-forestry practices. This agro-forestry practices increased the construction input, soil fertility, food, and fodder in the area of land sacristy, moisture stress, diseases and pests. Therefore, further the tree integration efforts of farmers should be guided by scientific principles, the interaction tree species with annual crops and economic analysis of the individual agroforestry practices, domestication of nitrogen fixing trees, fruit tree species, and promoting sustainable agroforestry should be carried out.

Unlocking the Prospective of Neglected and Underutilized Wild Plants for Human Food, Nutrition and Ethno-Medicine

“…Wild res and droughts posed comparatively less of a threat to WEPs. Women and the youth are the main WEP collectors, which is in agreement with ndings from previous study in Ethiopia that women and children are the main gatherers of WEPs (Abdella et al, 2023 andGuzo et al, 2023). Therefore, it is important to recognize the roles that women and children play in helping to gather WEPs and in managing the WEP issue in Ethiopia (Cherenkow, 2014).…”

“…Particularly, recording and documenting the WEPs, ecosystem services, threats and status of biodiversity in Ethiopia have become imperative through studying unexplored areas of the country. Few studies on ethno-botanical of WEPs have been conducted in different regions of Ethiopia (Kidane & Kejela, 2021, Duguma, 2020, Addis et al, 2023, Abdella et al, 2023, Guzo et al, 2023; however, no ethno-botanical studies on the same have been conducted in the present study areas. Therefore, this study examined the genetic biodiversity, ecosystem services, threats and management of WEPs in South -Central Ethiopia.…”

Assessment of agroforestry practices in Buno Bedele and Ilu Abba Bora zone of Oromia region, Ethiopia

“…From exist agroforestry practice at study area Alley cropping is the least percentage (16.7%) at both zone. In contrast in East Hararghe parkland agroforestry (58%), followed by alley cropping as hedge row intercropping (33%), homegardens (22%), multipurpose trees on farmland (19%), live fence/boundary tree planting (18%), and wind breaks (4%) were identi ed (Musa et al, 2022). In this report alley cropping the second dominant agroforestry practice.…”

Determinants of Farmers’ Perceptions towards Socioecological Benefits of Agroforestry Practices in Northwestern Ethiopia

“…Tis study showed that most farmers strongly agreed that agroforestry practices are essential for the farming community to boost farm income. Tese results were confrmed by Abdella et al [63], Diriba et al [64], and Saha et al [65], who stated that agroforestry practices helped to increase farmers' incomes in Ethiopia and Bangladesh. Similarly, most farmers had a positive perception (strongly agreed and agreed) towards the benefts of agroforestry practices in terms of creating fuelwood for household consumption and sales.…”

“…Tis is supported by the study by Saha et al [65], who found that farmers in Bangladesh had favorable opinions of agroforestry practices as a way to satisfy their fundamental needs for fuel wood. A study by Abdella et al [63] also indicated that 74% of households in Ethiopia had a positive perception of how agroforestry practices helped to produce fuelwood. Te study also revealed that most of the respondents strongly agreed (had a positive perception) that employing agroforestry practices is crucial for the agricultural community to reduce soil erosion and increase soil formation.…”