Temporal and Spatial Changes in Crop Patterns, Use of Inputs and Hydrological Alteration in the Case of Fogera Floodplain, Ethiopia

Mare Addis Desta,Wubneh Belete Abebe,William A Payne,Gete Zeleke

doi:10.3390/ecologies2040022

Abstract

More than half of the world’s population consumes rice. Recently, the area sown with modern rice varieties has expanded, and the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has increased in various countries. Wetland hydrology is also influenced by chemical and physical characteristics. Hence, this research focused on temporal and spatial changes in crop patterns, input usage, and hydrology in the Ethiopian Fogera floodplain, with the following objectives: (a) What are the spatial and temporal trends in crop production patterns? (b) What input changes have occurred to produce rice and other crops? (c) What hydrological changes have occurred in the area with intensification of production systems? Primary data were gathered through a questionnaire, focus group discussions, interviews, and field observations. Secondary data were obtained from Landsat imageries, the SWAT model, water flow measurements, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). NDVI results indicated that the area cultivated for rice is increasing while the area of other crops is decreasing. Agricultural inputs are used in rice systems but were not used before the introduction of rice. Recession farming activities have also diminished wetland areas. Water flow showed a decrease, whereas Nitrogen and Phosphorus showed an increase with Pearson’s correlation values −0.069 and −0.072, respectively. Flow of water was negatively correlated with N and P water concentration, whereas N and P contents were positively correlated. In conclusion, growth of intensive rice systems has had negative environmental consequences on wetland ecology. Therefore, policies to regulate and manage wetland uses are recommended.

Highlights

Rice feeds more than half of the world’s population, with 148 million hectares of land devoted to the crop yielding 519 million tons in 1991 [1] and 503.17 million tons in 2020/21, out of which Ethiopia predicted to produce 91,000 metric tons [2]
About 89% of the sampled household respondents reported that the types of cropping patteArnbporuatc8ti9c%edoafrethme osnaomcprloepdphinoguswehheorledasreasbpoountd1e1n%tsorfespaomrtpeldedthraetspthoendtyenptesssoafidcrtohpatpthineyg ppraatctetircnedprcarcotpicreodtaatrieonm(oTnabolecr4o)p. pTihnogsewwhehroeapsraacbtoicuetd1c1r%oporfostaatmiopnleedxprelasipnoenddtehnetys suasieddtrhoattattihoenybpecraacutsiceetdhecirrofparrmotlaantidonis(fTaarbalwe a4y). fTrohmosethwe hflooopdrpalcatiincewd hcircohpisrolotactaitoend eoxnpthlaeiunpedlatnhdesy. used rotation because their farmland is far away from the floodplain which is located on the uplands
The diversity of herbaceous vegetation in the three Kebeles of the Fogera floodplain was found to be lower than the overall average index

Summary

Introduction

Rice feeds more than half of the world’s population, with 148 million hectares of land devoted to the crop yielding 519 million tons in 1991 [1] and 503.17 million tons in 2020/21, out of which Ethiopia predicted to produce 91,000 metric tons [2]. Wetlands, especially floodplains with fertile soils and abundant water, have been used for rice production. More than half of the floodplains have been lost, with the agricultural conversion being one of the primary causes of the ongoing wetland losses [3]. Modern rice production has increased the use of fertilizer where rice receives around 10% of the total nitrogen fertilizer applied globally [4]. Chemical pesticides used to control rice pests (microbial diseases, weeds, nematodes, snails, insects, and rodents) resulted in significantly higher grain yields, but its accumulation brings environmental hazards [5]

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion