Measuring and modelling the impacts of soil and water conservation measures on soil erosion and sediment yield in North-Western Ethiopian highlands

Present research work was carried out on soil erosion and crop productivity loss in Palghar and Thane districts. The study also describes tolerable soil loss and relationship between top-soil loss and yield loss. The estimated average annual soil loss was 40.45 t ha-1yr-1 before adoption of the soil and water conservation measures (by USLE method) and estimated average tolerable soil loss was 9.36 t ha-1 yr-1, for Palghar district. Similarly, for Thane district the estimated average annual soil loss and tolerable soil loss were found to be 35.89 t ha-1 yr-1 and 9.61 t ha-1 yr-1, respectively for Thane district. The estimated average conservation practice factor (P) factors were obtained as 0.32 for Palghar district and 0.30 for Thane district to bring the soil loss below the tolerable limit. After adoption of soil and water conservation measures, the estimated soil loss were 9.02 t ha-1 yr-1 and 9.38 t ha-1 yr-1 for Palghar and Thane districts, respectively.

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The effects of farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation measures on agricultural output

International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management ◽

10.1108/ijccsm-02-2020-0014 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 599-615

Author(s):

Xiaohui Huang ◽

Qian Lu ◽

Fei Yang

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Soil And Water Conservation ◽

Agricultural Output ◽

Content Type ◽

Conservation Measures ◽

The Impact ◽

Soil And Water

Purpose This paper aims to build a theoretical model of the impact of farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation measures on the agricultural output to analyze the impact of farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation measures on agricultural output. Design/methodology/approach Based on the field survey data of 808 farmers households in three provinces (regions) of the Loess Plateau, this paper using the endogenous switching regression model to analyze the effect of farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation measures on agricultural output. Findings Soil erosion has a significant negative impact on agricultural output, and soil erosion has a significant positive impact on farmers’ adoption of soil and water conservation measures. Farmers adopt soil and water conservation measures such as engineering measures, biological measures and tillage measures to cope with soil erosion, which can increase agricultural output. Based on the counterfactual hypothesis, if farmers who adopt soil and water conservation measures do not adopt the corresponding soil and water conservation measures, their average output per ha output will decrease by 2.01%. Then, if farmers who do not adopt soil and water conservation measures adopt the corresponding soil and water conservation measures, their average output per ha output will increase by 12.12%. Government support and cultivated land area have a significant positive impact on farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation measures. Research limitations/implications The research limitation is the lack of panel data. Practical implications Soil erosion has a significant negative impact on agricultural output, and soil erosion has a significant positive impact on farmers’ adoption of soil and water conservation measures. Farmers adopt soil and water conservation measures such as engineering measures, biological measures and tillage measures to cope with soil erosion, which can increase agricultural output. Social implications The conclusion provides a reliable empirical basis for the government to formulate and implement relevant policies. Originality/value The contributions of this paper are as follows: the adoption behavior of soil and water conservation measures and agricultural output are included into the same analytical framework for empirical analysis, revealing the influencing factors of farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation measures and their output effects, enriching existing research. Using endogenous switching regression model and introducing instrumental variables to overcome the endogenous problem between the adoption behavior of soil and water conservation measures and agricultural output, and to analyze the influencing factors of farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation measures and its impact on agricultural output. Using the counter-factual idea to ensure that the two matched individuals have the same or similar attributes, to evaluate the average treatment effect of the behavior of soil and water conservation measures, to estimate the real impact of adaptation measures on agricultural output as accurately as possible and to avoid misleading policy recommendations.

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Review on Dynamics of Soil Erosion and Conservation Efforts in Ethiopia

Asian Journal of Advanced Research and Reports ◽

10.9734/ajarr/2020/v10i330243 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 27-32

Author(s):

Yibeltal Yihunie

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Temporal Dynamics ◽

Participatory Approach ◽

Soil And Water Conservation ◽

International Standards ◽

Research Activities ◽

Conservation Measures ◽

Soil Erosion And Conservation ◽

Soil And Water

This paper was aimed to review the spatial and temporal dynamics of soil erosion and conservation efforts being practiced in Ethiopia. In the country, there is highly fluctuating dynamics of soil erosion and its loss rate is large as per the stated international standards. Even if the efforts to conserve soil and water in the country are affected by different factors like agro ecology and the choice of conservation measures, it was practiced since 1970s. Apart from the government’s effort as well as the contribution of different non-governmental organizations in increasing the awareness and understanding towards the impacts of soil erosion, the land tenure system, the existence of poor technology, lack of finance, limited technical support and limited participation of the local community are some of the challenges in Ethiopia restricting the effectiveness of conservation efforts. In addition, the research activities done regarding soil and water conservation in the country are not following integrated and participatory approach. Thus, this makes the efforts regarding research and finding out the best approach for sustainable soil and water conservation practices inefficient. Therefore, promoting integrated and participatory approach as well as linking with income generating business like carbon trading through climate change mitigation is the best options for the expansion and sustainability of soil and water conservation measures in Ethiopia.

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The effect of natural infrastructure on water erosion mitigation in the Andes

10.5194/soil-2021-76 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Veerle Vanacker ◽

Armando Molina ◽

Miluska Rosas-Barturen ◽

Vivien Bonnesoeur ◽

Francisco Román-Dañobeytia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Southern Oscillation ◽

Soil And Water Conservation ◽

The Andes ◽

Conservation Measures ◽

Erosion Mitigation ◽

Soil And Water ◽

Loss Rates

Abstract. Soil erosion by water is affecting natural and anthropogenic environments through its impacts on water quality and availability, loss of soil nutrients, flood risk, sedimentation in rivers and streams, and damage to civil infrastructure. Sustainable management aims to avoid, reduce and reverse soil erosion and can provide multiple benefits for the environment, population, and livelihoods. We conducted a systematic review of 121 case studies from the Andes to answer the following questions: (1) Which erosion indicators allow us to assess the effectiveness of natural infrastructure? (2) What is the overall impact of working with natural infrastructure on on-site and off-site erosion mitigation? and (3) Which locations and types of studies are needed to fill critical gaps in knowledge and research? Three major categories of natural infrastructure were considered: protective vegetation, soil and water conservation measures, and adaptation measures that regulate the flow and transport of water. From the suite of physical, chemical and biological indicators commonly used in soil erosion research, two indicators were particularly relevant: soil organic carbon (SOC) of topsoil, and soil loss rates at the plot scale. In areas with protective vegetation and/or soil and water conservation measures, the SOC of topsoil is –on average– 1.3 to 2.8 times higher than in areas under traditional agriculture. Soil loss rates in areas with natural infrastructure were reported to be 38 % to 54 % lower than rates measured in untreated croplands. Further research is needed to evaluate whether the reported effectiveness holds during extreme events related to, for example, El Niño–Southern Oscillation.

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Mitigating soil erosion through farm-level adoption of soil and water conservation measures in Samanalawewa Watershed, Sri Lanka

Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica Section B - Soil & Plant Science ◽

10.1080/09064710.2011.608708 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 62 (3) ◽

pp. 273-285 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

E. P. N. Udayakumara ◽

R. P. Shrestha ◽

L. Samarakoon ◽

D. Schmidt-Vogt

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Soil And Water Conservation ◽

Farm Level ◽

Conservation Measures ◽

Soil And Water

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Natural infrastructure interventions and their effect on soil erosion mitigation in the Andes

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-11975 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Armando Molina ◽

Veerle Vanacker ◽

Miluska Rosas-Barturen ◽

Boris Ochoa-Tocachi ◽

Vivien Bonnesoeur ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Soil And Water Conservation ◽

The Andes ◽

Conservation Measures ◽

Erosion Mitigation ◽

Andes Region ◽

Soil And Water

The Andes region is prone to soil erosion because of its steep topographic relief, high spatio-temporal variability in precipitation and heterogeneity in lithological strength. Soil erosion by water is affecting natural and anthropogenic environments through its impacts on water quality and availability, loss of soil nutrients, flood risk, sedimentation in rivers and streams, and damage to civil infrastructure. Sustainable land and water management, referred here as natural infrastructure interventions, aims to avoid, reduce and reverse soil erosion and can provide multiple benefits for the environment, population and livelihoods. In this study, we present a systematic review of peer-reviewed and grey literature involving more than 120 local case-studies from the Andes. Three major categories of natural infrastructure interventions were considered: protective vegetation, soil and water conservation measures, and adaptation measures that regulate the flow and transport of water. The analysis was designed to answer the following research questions: (1) Which soil erosion indicators allow us to assess the effectiveness of natural infrastructure interventions across the Andean range? (2) What is the overall impact of implementing natural infrastructure interventions for on-site and off-site erosion mitigation?The systematic review shows that the effectiveness of protective vegetation on soil erosion mitigation is the most commonly studied characteristic, accounting for more than half of the empirical studies. From the suite of physical, chemical and biological indicators that were commonly used in soil erosion research, our review identified two indicators to be particularly suitable for the analyses of the effectiveness of natural infrastructure interventions: soil organic carbon (SOC) of the topsoil, and soil loss rates at plot scale. The implementation of soil and water conservation measures in areas under traditional agriculture had positive effects on SOC (1.28 to 1.29 times higher SOC than in agricultural land). Soil loss rates were 54% lower when implementing SWC than on cropland. When implementing SWC in rangeland, the data indicated an increase in soil loss rate by 1.54 times. Untreated degraded land is reported to have significantly higher soil loss and specific sediment yield compared to cropland.The results of this systematic review allows to assess the overall effectiveness of commonly used natural infrastructure interventions, which can guide policy and decision making in the Andes. Similarly, the review identified critical gaps in knowledge that must be attended by more comprehensive research to consider the high spatiotemporal variability of the Andes region.

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Investigating the Impacts of Soil and Water Conservation Measures on Hydrology and Soil Loss in Humid Ethiopian Highlands of Upper Blue Nile Basin

Recent Advances in Environmental Science from the Euro-Mediterranean and Surrounding Regions - Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation ◽

10.1007/978-3-319-70548-4_314 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 1089-1090

Author(s):

Addisu Dagnew ◽

Habtam Mekonnen ◽

Seifu Tilahun ◽

Nigussie Haregeweyn ◽

Enyew Adgo

Keyword(s):

Water Conservation ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Soil And Water Conservation ◽

Nile Basin ◽

Blue Nile ◽

Ethiopian Highlands ◽

Conservation Measures ◽

Blue Nile Basin ◽

Soil And Water ◽

Upper Blue Nile Basin

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Assessing the impacts of different land uses and soil and water conservation interventions on runoff and sediment yield at different scales in the central highlands of Ethiopia

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170520000010 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-15 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tesfaye Yaekob ◽

Lulseged Tamene ◽

Solomon G. Gebrehiwot ◽

Solomon S. Demissie ◽

Zenebe Adimassu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

Sediment Yield ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Moisture Stress ◽

Quantitative Information ◽

Soil And Water Conservation ◽

Land Uses ◽

Central Highlands ◽

The Government ◽

Soil And Water

Abstract To tackle the problem of soil erosion and moisture stress, the government of Ethiopia introduced a yearly mass campaign where communities get together and implement various soil and water conservation (SWC) and water harvesting (WH) practices. Although the interventions are believed to have reduced soil erosion/sediment yield and enhanced surface and ground water, quantitative information on the impacts of various options at different scales is scarce. The objective of this study was to assess the impacts different land uses, SWC and WH interventions on water and suspended sediment yield (SSY) at plot and watershed scales in the central highlands of Ethiopia. Standard erosion plot experiments and hydrological stations were used to monitor the daily water and SSY during 2014 to 2017. The results show differences between treatments both at plot and watershed scales. Runoff and soil loss were reduced by an average 27 and 37%, respectively due to SWC practices at the plot level. Overall, SWC practices implemented at the watershed level reduced sediment yield by about 74% (in the year 2014), although the magnitude of sediment reduction due to the SWC interventions reduced over time. At both scales it was observed that as the number of years since SWC measures have been in place increased, their effectiveness declined due to the lack of maintenance. This study also revealed that extrapolating of plot data to watershed scale causes over or under estimation of net erosion.

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