Determinants of Sustainable Use of Farmlands in Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Ermias Ashagrie Abebe

doi:10.21601/ejosdr/11822

Abstract

This study analyses determinants of sustainable use of farmlands in Debre Mawi and Densa Bahta rural kebeles of Amhara region in northwestern Ethiopia. Within the framework of qualitative research methodology, the case study approach adopted in the study. The required primary data were gathered through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. A generic analytical framework that combines the sustainable livelihood framework (SLF) and the farming system model was used in this study to understand the synergy of multiple variables that mediate sustainable land management practice among study respondents selected from the case study kebeles. The study reveals the relative importance of productive asset endowments, self-efficacy and risk perception on the sustainable use of farmlands in the Amhara region. Interviewees that follow unsustainable farming practices were endowed with relatively lower pieces of farmland and disadvantaged in possession of other productive assets. They also demonstrated a low level of self-efficacy and a risk-averse attitude to adopting conservation technologies, as they possessed smaller sizes of farmland compared with the village and regional average. The productive asset holdings of land-poor farmers and opportunities for off-farm activities should thus be enhanced to halt the ongoing farmland degradation in Amhara region.

Highlights

Background of the StudyIn the discourse of sustainable development, developing countries are challenged by closely related and critical problems of low agricultural production, poverty and land degradation (Pender and Gebremedhin, 2007; Perrt and Stevens, 2006; Readdson and Vositi, 1995; Scherr, 2000; Shiferaw and Holden, 2000)
The analytical framework helped to understand the synergy of multiple variables that mediate sustainable land management practice among study respondents selected from the case study kebeles
A single- headed arrow that connects farming practice with sustainable use of farmlands, and a doubleheaded arrow that connects the middle circle with the outer circle in Figure 5 illustrates the dynamism of this postdecisional process for sustained use of conservation technologies

Summary

Introduction

Background of the StudyIn the discourse of sustainable development, developing countries are challenged by closely related and critical problems of low agricultural production, poverty and land degradation (Pender and Gebremedhin, 2007; Perrt and Stevens, 2006; Readdson and Vositi, 1995; Scherr, 2000; Shiferaw and Holden, 2000). The way in which land tenure is instituted and the consequent perception of tenure security among landholders may directly affect the way in which farmlands are managed (Besley, 1995; Platteau, 1996; Sjaastad and Bromley, 1997) This may have consequences on efficiency as well as sustainability (Deininger and Jin, 2006; Holden and Yohannes, 2002). The registration scheme was launched in Ethiopia to enhance the perception of security of tenure among smallholders in order to improve agricultural production and sustainable use of farmlands (Deininger et al, 2011). The traditional measures include drainage furrows and the modern methods includes graded soil bunds, stone faced terraces, check dams and cut-off drain structures

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion