Nutrient Balance of Farming Systems in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how soil fertility management and farm nutrient balances varied across socio-economic groups in northern Ethiopia. Field surveys were carried out in 32 farms in Tigray, northern Ethiopia using different socioeconomic groups, viz.: model/non model and female/male farmers. The nutrient input flows and output flows were monitored and analysed using Monitoring for Quality Improvement (MonQI) toolbox. Results of the study showed that average nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) balances in the highlands were − 30.8, 4.08 and − 42.75 kg ha −1 , respectively while in the lowland the average nutrient balance were − 19.5, 2.09 and − 15.35 kg ha −1 for N, P and K, respectively. All farms had negative N and K nutrient balances, with lower negative N and K balance recorded in highlands than the lowlands. The reported values account about 0.6% and 2.7% of the total soil N and K pools in the highland and 0.3% and 0.8% in the lowland, respectively. Nutrient depletion rates in the highlands were 0.6% year −1 and 2.7% year −1 for N and K, respectively while for the lowlands the rates were 1.5% year −1 and 3.4% year −1 for N and K, respectively. Depletion rates were higher in the lowlands than highlands due to monocropping, crop residue removal and absence of soil water conservation. Most farms belonging to model farmers of both categories and non-model male farmers show more negative nutrient balance. We conclude that socio-economic status and being model farmers had less role in soil fertility maintenance. However, the more positive balance in female-headed households points to the need for adequate attention and support for the female-headed households. This study underscores the need for sustainable nutrient management. More so, agricultural policy should target female-headed households to help reduce the productivity gap between male-headed households and female-headed households.

Impact of land use type and altitudinal gradient on topsoil organic carbon and nitrogen stocks in the semi-arid watershed of northern Ethiopia

“…Similarly, the lowest BD in the lower slope position in Yigossa Watershed, Northwestern Ethiopia, is reported by Gebreslassie et al (2014) due to the higher clay content and organic matter accumulation at the upstream positions. Corresponding to our result, significantly (p < 0.001) higher BD in the highland areas compared to the lowland areas have also been reported by Gebresamuel et al (2020) in northern Ethiopia. Besides, BD was found linearly correlated among land use across elevation except under grassland, which was inconsistent (Figure 4).…”

Dual benefits of polyacrylamide and other soil amendments: Mitigation of soil nutrient depletion and improvement of use‐efficiency in midland agro‐ecology, Ethiopia

“…Soil N balances in this study are lower, whereas P balances are higher (Table 3), than values reported in different parts of Ethiopia (Elias, 2002;Gebresamuel et al, 2020;Haileslassie et al, 2007;Stoorvogel & Smaling, 1990;Van Beek et al, 2016). Meaning that, soil nutrient balances reported in the literature are more negative than those in this study.…”

Yield, water productivity and nutrient balances under different water management technologies of irrigated wheat in Ethiopia

“…difference in magnitude was on account of the full nutrient balance in the other studies and the larger scale of study areas [32]. The positive balance of P could be due to the DAP fertilizer with the soil being naturally enriched with P while the negative balance of N and K could be related to the leaching due to high rainfall, use of crop residues for feed and fuel, and potassium fertilizer not being available, which indicates overexplotation [33].…”