Socio-Economic Characterization, Identification and Prioritization of Major Constraints and Potentials in Gara Ebanu Community Watershed in Sululta District, Ethiopia

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Baseline characterization builds necessary foundation for the plan and obtains proper information for elective planning, implementation and monitoring of the research and development endeavors. The objective of the study was to document baseline information on socio-economic for planning and impact monitoring and to identify and document major socio-economic constraints and potential in the watershed. A total of 62 sample households were selected randomly from all farmers engaged in farming activities in the watershed. The average inorganic fertilizer (NPS and Urea) used in the watershed were 75 kg/ha and 75 kg/ha respectively. The response of the respondents showed that the average yield obtained in the watershed was about 10 qt/ha for barley, 12 qt/ha for wheat, 5 qt/ha for faba bean and field pea 6 qt/ha. The major livestock feed type in the watershed were crop residue (93.5%) followed by hay making (91.9%), grazing in the field (80.6%), local beverage by-products (72.6%), concentrates of different type (67.7%), green feed (50%), stubble grazing (41.9%) and improved forage (14.5%). The result of survey shows that the major income sources of the farmers living in the watershed were livestock production (77.4%) followed by crop production (45.2%) and off-farm activities (25.8%). About 71% of the households have encountered high cost and shortage of agricultural inputs followed by low crop productivity (19.4%), crop disease (8.1%) and existence storage pests (1.6%) were the common in the watershed. In the watershed, high cost of agricultural inputs, low crop productivity, crop disease, shortage of animal feed and fodder, inflation, lack of employment opportunity and other income source were addressed as the highest priority issues by the community that are contributing to the crop productivity reductions and low level of their livelihood in the watershed. By considering the addressed problem related to crop production, livestock production and socio-economic, the interventions on introduction and demonstration of improved and high yielding crop varieties that are resistant or tolerant to the already existing and emerging pests to increase production and productivity of crops should be done. In general, immediate short-term actions should be taken particularly participatory integrated watershed management were recommended.