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Climate change and variability is affecting maize (Zea mays L.) production in eastern Ethiopia but how farmers perceive the challenge and respond to it is not well documented. A study was conducted to analyze smallholder maize farmers’ perception of climate change/variability and identify their adaptation approaches and barriers for adaptation in the eastern highlands of Ethiopia. Meteorological data were assessed to provide evidence of the perceived change. A survey was conducted in six major maize-producing kebeles with a total of 364 respondents. A multi-stage sampling method was employed for selecting the sample units for the study. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a multinomial logit model. The results indicated that 78% of the sampled smallholder maize farmers perceived increasing temperatures while 83% perceived decreasing amounts of rainfall. About 75% of the farmers indicated that they became aware of climate change and variability from their own experience and perceived deforestation as the main cause. The farmers perceived that drought, diseases and pests, dwindling soil fertility, and declining crop yields were the major impacts of climate change that affected maize production. The farmers’ major adaptation practices include adjusting planting dates, using improved maize varieties, intercropping, recommended mineral fertilizers, supplementary irrigation, and soil and water conservation measures. Econometric analysis revealed that low educational level, shortage of land, large family sizes, age, lack of access to irrigation water, lack of access to credit, and lack of access to extension services were the most important barriers to climate change adaptation in the area. It is concluded that farmers cultivating maize in the study area have perceived climate change and use certain adaptation strategies to counter its negative impacts on maize production. This implies that policies should be geared towards strengthening farmers’ efforts to adapt to climate change and alleviate the existing barriers in promoting adaptation strategies for enhancing the productivity of maize.
Helen Teshome; Kindie Tesfaye; Nigussie Dechassa; Tamado Tana; Matthew Huber. Smallholder Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change and Adaptation Practices for Maize Production in Eastern Ethiopia. Sustainability 2021, 13, 9622 .
AMA StyleHelen Teshome, Kindie Tesfaye, Nigussie Dechassa, Tamado Tana, Matthew Huber. Smallholder Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change and Adaptation Practices for Maize Production in Eastern Ethiopia. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (17):9622.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHelen Teshome; Kindie Tesfaye; Nigussie Dechassa; Tamado Tana; Matthew Huber. 2021. "Smallholder Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change and Adaptation Practices for Maize Production in Eastern Ethiopia." Sustainability 13, no. 17: 9622.
Low soil fertility and climate change-induced low soil moisture are major problems constraining potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production in the eastern highlands of Ethiopia. Climate events are projected to become more pervasive. Therefore, research was conducted with the objective of analyzing smallholder potato farmers’ adaptation strategies to cope with the issues of low soil fertility and low soil moisture that are exacerbated by climate change. The research involved surveying eight purposively selected peasant associations in four major potato-producing districts in east and west Hararghe zones. The survey employed a multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected from 357 households using a standard questionnaire, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, index ranking, and analysis of variance for survey data. The observed climate data for the period of 1988 to 2017 were analyzed. The Mann-Kendall trend test, standard anomaly index, precipitation concentration index, and coefficient of variation were used to analyze the observed climate data. The survey results revealed the farmers, on average, applied 159 kg urea, 165 kg NPS (63 kg P2O5, 31 kg N and 12 kg S), and 1.8 ton of farmyard manure per hectare for producing potatoes. Most smallholder farmers (68.91%) used supplemental irrigation for potato production during the main growing season. The method of irrigation the farmers used was overwhelmingly the furrow method (92.72%). Analyzing the climate data showed that the mean annual temperature increased whereas the mean annual rainfall decreased during the 30-year period. It was concluded that climate change is markedly affecting potato production; in response to this, most of the farmers used supplemental irrigation to cope with moisture stress, all of them applied mineral fertilizers, and some of them additionally applied organic fertilizer to alleviate the problems of soil degradation and nutrient depletion. This implies that soil moisture and nutrient stresses are the major problems constraining potato production against which the farmers need policy and institutional supports to consolidate their coping strategies and build resilience against climate change.
Ashenafi Woldeselassie; Nigussie Dechassa; Yibekal Alemayehu; Tamado Tana; Bobe Bedadi. Soil and Water Management Practices as a Strategy to Cope with Climate Change Effects in Smallholder Potato Production in the Eastern Highlands of Ethiopia. Sustainability 2021, 13, 6420 .
AMA StyleAshenafi Woldeselassie, Nigussie Dechassa, Yibekal Alemayehu, Tamado Tana, Bobe Bedadi. Soil and Water Management Practices as a Strategy to Cope with Climate Change Effects in Smallholder Potato Production in the Eastern Highlands of Ethiopia. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (11):6420.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAshenafi Woldeselassie; Nigussie Dechassa; Yibekal Alemayehu; Tamado Tana; Bobe Bedadi. 2021. "Soil and Water Management Practices as a Strategy to Cope with Climate Change Effects in Smallholder Potato Production in the Eastern Highlands of Ethiopia." Sustainability 13, no. 11: 6420.
Low soil fertility is one of the major factors limiting the yield of barley in Kaffa Zone, south-western Ethiopia. The problem is more severe in the Zone due to soil erosion and nutrient leaching caused by heavy and continuous rainfall. Thus, field experiment was conducted to assess the effect of combined organic and mineral nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) on selected soil physico-chemical properties and on grain yield of food barley in Ghimbo and Adiyo districts, south-western Ethiopia. Fourteen treatments comprising two organic fertilizer rates, i.e. 2.5 and 5 t ha−1 of Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and Vermicomost (VC) combined with three levels of mineral NP (25, 50 and 75% of recommended rates of NP), 100% recommended rate of inorganic NP (23 kg N ha-1 and 46 kg P2O5 ha-1) and no fertilizer application (control) in randomized complete block design on clay soil in Ghimbo and clay loam soil in Adiyo with three replications. Results indicated that the application of FYM in combination with different levels of recommended rates of inorganic N and P significantly improved most of the soil physico-chemical properties and significantly increased the grain yield of food barley over the application of 100% mineral NP alone and the control. The application of 5 t FYM ha−1 in combination with 75% recommended rates of inorganic N and P (17.25 kg N ha−1 and 34.5 kg P2O5 ha−1) was found to be superior and increased soil organic carbon content by 36 and 44.6%, available P by 70.5 and 78.2%, available K by 42.5 and 26.3%, and increased yield of barley by 76.8 and 83.5% in Adiyo and Ghimbo, respectively, over the application of 100% recommended rate of inorganic N and P only. Therefore, it can be concluded and recommended that the application of 5 t FYM ha−1 in combination with 75% of the recommended rates of inorganic N and P (17.25 kg N ha−1 and 34.5 kg P2O5 ha−1) can improve soil fertility and can increase yield of food barley in the study area.Keywords: Farmyard manure, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Vermicompost, Ethiopia.
Tamado Tana; Mitiku Woldesenbet. Effect of combined application of organic and mineral nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer on soil physico-chemical properties and grain yield of food barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in Kaffa Zone, South-western Ethiopia. Momona Ethiopian Journal of Science 2017, 9, 242 .
AMA StyleTamado Tana, Mitiku Woldesenbet. Effect of combined application of organic and mineral nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer on soil physico-chemical properties and grain yield of food barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in Kaffa Zone, South-western Ethiopia. Momona Ethiopian Journal of Science. 2017; 9 (2):242.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTamado Tana; Mitiku Woldesenbet. 2017. "Effect of combined application of organic and mineral nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer on soil physico-chemical properties and grain yield of food barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in Kaffa Zone, South-western Ethiopia." Momona Ethiopian Journal of Science 9, no. 2: 242.
The competitiveness of sprawling (30–50° leaf angle), intermediate (50–70° leaf angle) and erect (70–90° leaf angle) sugarcane cultivars (‘B41227’, ‘B52298’ and ‘NCo334’) was studied for two cropping seasons under 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 weed-free weeks after planting (WAP) of sugarcane and weed-free conditions at three sugarcane plantations in Ethiopia. The study showed highly significant (P < 0.01) effects of cropping season, cultivar, duration of competition as well as the interaction effects of cultivar by durations on weed dry weight, milleable cane yield and sugar yield. Among the cultivars, ‘B41227’ suppressed weed population the most and gave the highest tiller number, cane yield and sugar yield. The highest rates of cane and sugar yield increase were recorded for weed free periods of 3 WAP to 12 WAP, while weeds emerging before 3 WAP and beyond 12 WAP had less effect. The extent of cane and sugar yield loss varied with season, plantation and cultivar. Sugar yield loss of the unweeded treatment (0 WAP) compared with weed-free (WF) treatment ranged from 74.1% for cultivar ‘B41227’ at Metahara to 90.5% for cultivar ‘NCo334’ at Wonji-Shoa plantations. Thus, the sprawling sugarcane cultivar ‘B41227’ appeared to be most competitive and the critical period for weed control should be between 3 and 12 WAP to prevent substantial cane and sugar yield loss due to weed competition.
Firehun Yirefu; Tamado Tana; Abera Tafesse; Yohannes Zekarias. Competitive ability of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) cultivars to weed interference in sugarcane plantations of Ethiopia. Crop Protection 2012, 32, 138 -143.
AMA StyleFirehun Yirefu, Tamado Tana, Abera Tafesse, Yohannes Zekarias. Competitive ability of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) cultivars to weed interference in sugarcane plantations of Ethiopia. Crop Protection. 2012; 32 ():138-143.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFirehun Yirefu; Tamado Tana; Abera Tafesse; Yohannes Zekarias. 2012. "Competitive ability of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) cultivars to weed interference in sugarcane plantations of Ethiopia." Crop Protection 32, no. : 138-143.