Soil Conservation Activities Research Articles

The impact of drought on soil moisture trends across Brazilian biomes

Abstract. Over the past decade, Brazil has experienced severe droughts across its territory, with important implications for soil moisture dynamics. Soil moisture variability has a direct impact on agriculture, water security and ecosystem services. Nevertheless, there is currently little information on how soil moisture across different biomes responds to drought. In this study, we used satellite soil moisture data from the European Space Agency, from 2009 to 2015, to analyze differences in soil moisture responses to drought for each biome of Brazil: Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Cerrado, Pampa and Pantanal. We found an overall soil moisture decline of −0.5 % yr−1 (p<0.01) at the national level. At the biome level, Caatinga presented the most severe soil moisture decline (−4.4 % yr−1), whereas the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes showed no significant trend. The Amazon biome showed no trend but had a sharp reduction of soil moisture from 2013 to 2015. In contrast, the Pampa and Pantanal biomes presented a positive trend (1.6 % yr−1 and 4.3 % yr−1, respectively). These trends are consistent with vegetation productivity trends across each biome. This information provides insights into drought risk reduction and soil conservation activities to minimize the impact of drought in the most vulnerable biomes. Furthermore, improving our understanding of soil moisture trends during periods of drought is crucial to enhance the national drought early warning system and develop customized strategies for adaptation to climate change in each biome.

Improving soil and water conservation and ecosystem services by sustainable soil management practices: From a global to an Italian soil partnership

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) identify the need to restore degraded soils in order to improve productivity and the provision of ecosystem services. The aim is to support food production, store and supply clean water, conserve biodiversity, sequester carbon, and improve soil resilience in a context of climate change. Within this framework, in order to achieve the SDGs and to correct land management in the long-term, soil management is considered mandatory. The reduction of land degradation should be based on various sustainable soil management practices that improve and maintain soil organic matter levels, increase water infiltration, and improve soil water management. This technical review - a policy paper - summarizes the sustainable and territorial impact of soil degradation, including soil water erosion, from the global level to the European and National levels. Furthermore, with the aim of sharing ongoing soil and water management actions, instruments, and initiatives, we provide information on soil and water conservation activities and prospects in Italy. Highlights - Sustainable soil management practices should be implemented to address soil degradation. - Impact of erosion on crop production reduces global crop yields by 0.4% per year. - Improving the physical and chemical characteristics of soils can contribute to store and supply water to plants. - Soil protection is a very important topic in the European Commission’s proposal for the CAP 2021-2027.

Impact of Watershed Programmes in Bundelkhand Region of Madhya Pradesh, India: How Beneficiaries Perceive?

An ex- post study was conducted to assess the impact of watershed development programmes, and appraisal was made with perceptions of beneficiaries of respective watersheds. The water resources development activities were accorded the highest priority with the allocation of 42% of the total budget, followed by soil conservation activities with the allocation of 27% of the budget. The cumulative effect of land-based activities was observed in terms of an increase in cultivated area (34%), cropping intensity (44%), afforestation/plantation (34%), irrigation intensity (13%) as well as a decrease in current fallow (78%) and wasteland (35%). The value of crop diversification index and cultivated land utilization index were higher over pre-project situations, and higher value of crop yield index indicated the higher productivity levels for major crops in watershed villages. Positive and significant differences in various socio-economic attributes among watersheds and control areas like labour absorptions and income from crop enterprises also endorsed the positive effects of watershed-based interventions. However, yield enhancement, groundwater recharge, saving of resources and augmentation of income were the major benefits of various watershed-based interventions as perceived by the beneficiary households.

Effects of human activities on soil organic carbon redistribution at an agricultural watershed scale on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Human activity is thought to perturb the dynamic change of organic carbon (OC), but its impact on the transportation and redistribution of erosion-induced OC is still poorly understood. Here, we use multi-source field sampling data and long-term hydrological observation data to clarify the transportation and redistribution of OC in an agricultural watershed on the Loess Plateau. The endmember mixing model based on the radiocarbon isotopes (14C) and a budget equation were used to assess the composition and budget of erosion-induced OC in a 187 km2 watershed. The results showed that compared with the period of agricultural activities (1960−1969), soil conservation activities in 1970−1999 and 2000−2019 reduced soil erosion by 31.5 % and 75.4 %, respectively. Additionally, land use changes significantly reduced the mobilized OC, from 14,370 ± 1966 (1960−1969) to 3311 ± 431 Mg C yr−1 (2000−2019). Check dam construction led to the mobilized OC was effectively buried at a rate of 2125 ± 478 and 1420 ± 282 Mg C yr-1 in periods of 1970−1999 and 2000−2019, respectively. Further radiocarbon isotopes analysis shows that the land use changes and check dam construction effectively reduced the output of ancient petrogenic organic carbon (OCpetro) and young biospheric organic carbon (OCbio) from the watershed, which has a positive impact on the regulation of atmospheric CO2 level. Our results emphasize the positive effects of soil conservation activities on terrestrial carbon sequestration, which are of great significance to clarify the effects of soil erosion on the carbon cycle.

Sustainable Development through the Soil and Water Conservation Work: A Case Study of Village in Maharashtra

It’s not possible to have relied on the large irrigation programmes only to solve Maharashtra’s recurring and acute water scarcity. In recent years, the state has recognized soil and water conservation activities as a potential option for agricultural development in rainfed, semi-arid areas. Further government has clubbed all the schemes regarding soil and water conservation run by different departments of the state government under the umbrella of Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan. The results revealed that the Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan activities had a significant impact on groundwater recharge, access to groundwater and hence the expansion in irrigated area. It has been found to alter crop patterns, increase crop yields and crop diversification and thereby provided enhanced employment and farm income. Local villagers were at the forefront of the programme, not just in decision- making, but also in actual execution and monetary contributions. In a nutshell Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan has not resulted in physical output but it gave support to the ecological and socio-economic progress of the beneficiaries. Looking at all the above results, Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan seemed to be one of the basic strategy for doubling the farmer’s income in rainfed and semi-arid regions of Maharashtra

Soil degradation in Kerala state and a case study on socio-economic impact due to flood in its Idukki district

Land degradation is the reduction of the biological or economic productivity of cropland, pasture, forest, and woodlands of which soil degradation is the major contributor. The present study was undertaken to understand the type and degree of major type of soil degradation, viz soil erosion and acidity in Kerala and to study the socio-economic impact of the flood on individual households in Idukki district during 2018. Random sampling was undertaken with a total sample of 180 households from different occupational background for the case study. Various studies conducted in pre-flood period revealed that in Kerala, 94.7 % of the total geographical area were acidic and 71.28 % were eroded, whereas in Idukki 96.3 % of the total geographical area is acidic and 80 % were eroded. United Nations post-disaster need assessment report has estimated a total economic loss of Rs.31,000 crores in Kerala due to flood. Agricultural sector (Rs 3646 crores), fisheries (Rs 93.72 crores), forestry (Rs 9.55 crores), infrastructure, power, housing and tourism sector (Rs 2000 crores) also suffered economic losses post-flood in Kerala. The case study in Idukki district revealed that average damage cost of individuals due to flood with different occupational status was Rs.13.36 lakhs with relative damage cost of 364 %. As farmers are reluctant to undertake soil conservation activities due to high labour costs and capital-intensive plantation crops, public investment has to be strengthened conservation of natural resources of flood-affected areas of Kerala.

Review on Factors Affecting Technical Efficiency of Sorghum Production by Smallholder Farmers in Ethiopia

Sorghum is the most important cereal crop in the Ethiopia for home consumption and for marketing. Previous studies have indicated that farm production and productivity can possibly be raised by allocating more area for production, by developing and adopting of new technologies, and/or by utilizing the available resources more efficiently. Increasing productivity through enhanced sorghum production efficiency could be an important move towards food security. In Ethiopia sorghum production levels and rates have been increasing due to the development and dissemination of improved sorghum technologies. Despite these efforts by the government, smallholders’ sorghum productivity has remained below potential. However, empirical studies conducted to estimate level of efficiencies and to identify its determining factors in sorghum production which would guide policy makers in their efforts are sparse. The main objective of this review is assessing the determinants of technical efficiency in sorghum production in Ethiopia. In these review factors like farm plot, age, education, and distance to all weather roads, livestock holding, participation in soil and water conservation activities, Knowledge about land policy, off-farm and investment on fertilizers, frequency of extension contact, share cropping credit access, crop diversification, and. The sorghum farms were being operated below level of technical efficiency. This implies that a large number of sorghum farms in the Ethiopia faced inefficiency problems. Keywords : Sorghum, Technical efficiency, Determinants, Ethiopia DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-9-07 Publication date: May 31 st 2020

Soil Erosion and Protection Mechanism in Ethiopia: The Legal and Practical Assessment of Amhara National Regional State

In the highland areas of Ethiopia, rainfall is more intense and soils are highly erodible due to the relatively shallow depth and low structural stability . The Amhara region, being one part of the highland areas of a country, loss high amount of yield as a result of loss of topsoil each year is increasing substantially. This makes the government due attention to its development and environmental policy on the issue of soil conservation not only necessary, but also a vital concern if the country wants to achieve sustainable development of its agricultural sector and its economy at large. To curb this problem, efforts towards the soil protection were started a decade before. Accordingly, various theoretical and empirical models of soil conservation decisions have been developed be it at the regional, local and farm household level. Thus, in some recent years, the regional government becomes highly motivated to mobilize the public at large and some effective soil conservation activities have been achieved. However, the efforts put towards the promotion of the conservation technologies so far seem to have a little success in achieving sustained use and widespread adoption. This makes the main purpose of this study is, thus, how the law in the book and the law in practice associated with adoption of introduced soil conserving practices and draw conclusions that contribute in the future improvement of the design and implementation of protection programs. Keywords : - Soil Erosion; Soil Protection; Community Participation; Watershed Development; Amhara and Ethiopia DOI: 10.7176/CER/12-4-01 Publication date: April 30 th 2020

Experimental study on the effects of multiple factors on spring meltwater erosion on an alpine meadow slope

Meadow degradation provides a major indication of increased soil erosion in alpine regions. Serious soil erosion is observed during the spring in particular because soil thawing coincides with the period of snowmelt and the meadow coverage is very low at this time. Studies relating to soil erosion caused by spring meltwater are, however, limited and controversial. Therefore, a field experimental study was conducted in a typical meadow in the Binggou watershed on the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau to assess the impact of multiple factors on spring meltwater erosion on an alpine meadow slope. The multiple factors included three flow rates (1, 2, and 3 L/min), four slope gradients (10°, 15°, 20°, and 25°), and three underlying surface conditions (meadow, disturbed meadow, and alluvial soil). An equal volume of concentrated meltwater flow was used in all experiments. The results showed that rapid melting at a high flow rate could accelerate soil erosion; as the flow rate increased from 1 to 3 L/min, the total surface runoff increased by a factor of 0.7 and the total sediment yield increased by more than 6-fold. The influence of the slope gradient on the amount of runoff was positively linear and the influence was relatively low; when the slope increased from 10° to 25°, the total runoff only increased by 16%. However, the slope gradient had a strong impact on soil erosion. The total sediment yield doubled when the slope increased from 10° to 20° and then slightly decreased at 25°. The meadow could effectively reduce soil erosion, although when the meadow was disturbed, the total runoff increased by 60% and the sediment yield by a factor of 1.5. The total runoff from the alluvial soil doubled in comparison to the meadow, while the sediment yield increased nearly 7-fold. The findings of this study could be helpful to understand the characteristics and impact of multiple controlling factors of spring meltwater erosion. It also aims to provide a scientific basis for an improved management of alpine meadows as well as water and soil conservation activities in high-altitude cold regions.

Soil Protection in the Amhara National Regional State: The Legal and Practical Assessment

In the highland areas of Ethiopia, rainfall is more intense and soils are highly erodible due to the relatively shallow depth and low structural stability . The Amhara region, being one part of the highland areas of a country, loss high amount of yield as a result of loss of topsoil each year is increasing substantially. This makes the government due attention to its development and environmental policy on the issue of soil conservation not only necessary, but also a vital concern if the country wants to achieve sustainable development of its agricultural sector and its economy at large. To curb this problem, efforts towards the soil protection were started a decade before. Accordingly, various theoretical and empirical models of soil conservation decisions have been developed be it at the regional, local and farm household level. Thus, in some recent Years, the regional government becomes highly motivated to mobilize the public at large and some effective soil conservation activities have been achieved. However, the efforts put towards the promotion of the conservation technologies so far seem to have a little success in achieving sustained use and widespread adoption. This makes the main purpose of this study is, thus, how the law in the book and the law in practice associated with adoption of introduced soil conserving practices and draw conclusions that contribute in the future improvement of the design and implementation of protection programs. Keywords : - Soil Erosion; Soil Ptotection; Community Participation; Watershed Development and Amhara Region DOI: 10.7176/JEES/10-2-02 Publication date: February 29 th 2020

Using satellite imagery to assess impacts of soil and water conservation measures: Evidence from Ethiopia’s Tana-Beles watershed

This paper combines data on the timing and intensity of soil and water conservation interventions in select Ethiopian watersheds from 2009 to 2016 with a pixel-level panel of vegetative cover and soil moisture derived from satellite imagery to assess the biophysical impacts of such measures using a difference-in-differences specification. The results suggest significant effects overall that vary by season, and that tree planting and other soil and water conservation activities are more effective on degraded than cultivated land. The results are consistent with before-after regressions for daily sediment load and stream flows in a subset of micro-watersheds.

Dependence Level of Rural Landless Households on Allocated Communal Land: Evidences from Kilte Awlaelo and Atsbi Wenberta Districts, Tigrai Region Northern Ethiopia

The problem of landlessness has become one of the major challenges facing rural farmers in Tigrai region since the early 1990s. To address the problem, the regional government of Tigrai started to redistribute degraded communal land to landless farmers by ensuring their participation in soil and water conservation activities and willingness to engage in the programme. Thus, the specific objectives of this study are to examine the livelihood options and analyse their economic dependence level of the rural landless households on the apportioned degraded communal land. Data were collected from randomly selected landless households and analysed using descriptive and econometric techniques. Accordingly, the study identified plantation of timber trees, grass collection, engaging in animal fattening, fruit or vegetable production, beekeeping and poultry production were the major livelihood activities practised in the allocated degraded communal land. The study also indicated that the major factors influencing the dependence level of rural landless households on allocated communal land include gender of household head, marital status of household head, distance to farmers’ training centre, livestock holding, land ownership, experience in the programme, communal land ownership type, financial support and per capita expenditure of the households. Therefore, the study concluded that even if the regional government tried to solve the problem of landlessness through hillside distribution programme, it could not sufficiently support the livelihood of the landless rural households in the study districts.

Identifying erosion hotspots in Lake Tana Basin from a multisite Soil and Water Assessment Tool validation: Opportunity for land managers

AbstractExtensive catchment degradation throughout the Ethiopian Highlands induced by long‐term intensified land use, erosion‐prone topography, and climate causes substantial soil erosion that limits agricultural productivity and results in lake sedimentation. However, before taking soil conservation measures, management of the soil loss problem essentially needs catchment‐level modelling to estimate the geographic distribution of erosion hotspots. With the increasing availability of sediment and spatial data and development of physically based models, this study aims multisite calibration of Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to map erosion hotspot areas and to assess the effect of well‐known land management alternatives in sediment reduction in the Lake Tana Basin. The SWAT simulations indicated that the goodness of fit between predicted and observed data was satisfactory for all gauge stations except for one, and the model performance was within acceptable evaluation ratings. Simulated average sediment yield (SY) for the period 2001–2016 at subbasin level varies from negligible to about 169 Mg ha−1 yr−1 (basin average 32 Mg ha−1 yr−1). High potential SY (>50 Mg ha−1 yr−1) was simulated for 23% of the subbasins in Megech, upper Rib, upper Gumara, and Gilgel Abay catchments due to steep slope topography, aggressive rainfall, croplands dominance, and low rock fragment cover. The differences in level of erosion risk among subbasins help to prioritize and target specific areas of the basin that need urgent soil conservation activities. Scenario analysis also showed that implementing stone bunds, Acacia decurrens‐based crop rotation, reforestation, and grass contour strips reduces the existing SY by 51–61% at basin level. The potential sediment production could reach tolerable levels by implementing stone bunds, tree‐based crop rotation, reforestation in steep slope areas, and grass contour strips on gentle slopes. Overall, the multisite calibration of SWAT model using the measured run‐off and sediment data produces reasonable results that may support decision makers and planners to implement relevant land management measures and thereby reduce the alarming problems of soil loss in the basin and sedimentation of Lake Tana.

Impacts of adaptation strategies of climate change on rice production in Kwara State

The study was to determine the effectiveness of adaptation strategies of climate change on rice production, it specifically identified the adaptation strategies employed and described the determinants of the strategies. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data. Adaptation strategies employed by the respondents were planting of early maturing variety (89.2 %), planting of improved variety (85.0 %) and change in planting date (76.7 %). Determinants of adaptation strategies were educational attainment, farming experience, age, climate information, cooperative membership, extension contact and farm size. Planting of improved and early maturing variety with a mean score of x꞊3.75 and x꞊3.66 respectively were adjudged the most effective adaptive strategies that could help in the production of rice in the study area. Use of irrigation, mixed farming; soil conservation and off-farm activities were effective as adaptation strategies in mitigating the adverse effect of climate change on rice production. Therefore, it was recommended that government policies should ensure that farmers have access to timely, affordable and adequate credit to increase their ability and flexibility to change production strategies in response to climate change, Similarly, adequate and timely information should be made available to farmers in order to keep them alert about the constant changes in climate.Key Words: Climate change, Effectiveness, Adaption, Strategies

Geophysical evaluation of soils and soil loss estimation in a semiarid region of Maharashtra using revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) and GIS methods

The purpose of this study is to understand soil loss due to rain runoff and its relation to soil geoelectrical properties influencing vulnerability of soils. The relationship between soil geoelectric properties and rain runoff-based soil loss estimation is important to plan for soil and water conservation practices for a better agricultural development in the project area. The resistivity sounding method used to determine the soil thickness and textural variations. Based on geo-resistivity data, the depth of soil was found shallow (0.30–0.80) m in the upper regions and reaches up to 2.9 m in low-lying areas along the channels and structurally weaker/fractured zones. The sandy clay loam of the central part of the study area has corrosive to highly corrosive tendencies due to resistivity between 20 and 48 Ω m. Based on RUSLE model the mean estimated annual average soil loss value is 15.63 t/ha year, while in terms of soil cover thickness loss, it is 0.63 mm/ha year. The average soil cover loss is low (0.42 mm/ha year) in sandy clay loam, while high (2.1 mm/ha year) in sandy loam. It has been found that 7.1% study area has no soil loss risk. The 46.3% of the study area falling under the least soil loss limit, 27.8% under low risk of soil loss, 12.1% under medium risk of soil loss, 4.3% under high risk of soil loss, and 2.4% are at severe risk of soil loss. We concluded sites having the coarse texture and shallow soil depth owing a resistivity > 48 Ω m must prioritized for soil conservation activities at these sites.

Variabilidade espacial da erodibilidade no estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil

Erodibility (K) is the soil susceptibility for erosive processes. Knowing the K values of a region is extremely important for the planning of soil conservation activities, especially in regions where agricultural activity is predominant, as in Mato Grosso State. In this way, the objective of this work was estimate and map the spatial variability of K in Mato Grosso State, in order to define susceptible areas for erosion process and, orders and characteristics that determine these variations. K values were estimated for 427 soil profiles in Mato Grosso State, later these estimates were spatialized by geostatistics and kriging. The Mato Grosso State has in most of its territory (98%) soils of low and medium erodibility. The most critical areas, with high erodibility, occupied 1.95% of the total area. K values in the low and middle classes were predominant in the studied profiles, however, with the exception of the Gleysols, in all the orders of soil occurred at least one profile of high erodibility. Plinthosols and Nitosols presented the highest proportions of high erodibility profiles, with 20% and 33.3%, respectively, and Latosols the lowest, with 2.4%.

Morphometric analysis and sub-watersheds prioritization of Nagmati River watershed, Kutch District, Gujarat using GIS based approach

AbstractMorphometric analysis of any watershed and its prioritization is one of the important aspects of planning for implementation of management programmes. Present study evaluates the quantitative morphometric characteristics of Nagmati River watershed in Kutch District of Gujarat by utilizing Cartosat-1 data (CartoDEM). In all 19 aerial and 6 linear morphometric parameters of the watershed have been evaluated. Drainage map of the study area reveals a dendritic drainage pattern with sixth order stream network comprising 492 numbers of streams and confining an area of 129.41 km2. Mean bifurcation ratio (Rb) and stream length ratio (RL) of the watershed evaluated are 3.44 and 0.54 respectively which corroborates the fact that drainage pattern is not influenced by the geological evolutions and disturbances in the recent past. The drainage density of 2.68 kmꞏkm−2 indicates impermeable subsoil material with sparse vegetation and moderate to low relief. Elongation ratio of 0.956 infers the basin to be closer to a circular shape. The geologic stage of development and erosion proneness of the watershed is quantified by hypsometric integral (HI) bearing value as 0.5, indicating the landscape to be uniform and in early mature stage. The study prioritizes eight sub-watersheds as high, medium and low for taking up soil and water conservation activities. Hence, remote sensing applications proved to be highly useful in extracting the precise data for the evaluation and analysis of watershed characteristics.

Assessment of community based watershed management practices: emphasis on technical fitness of physical structures and its effect on soil properties in Lemo district, Southern Ethiopia

BackgroundSoil erosion is one of the major causes for food insecurity, and environmental degradation in Ethiopia. To reduce erosion effects, soil and water conservation practices have been promoted at farm level and watershed scale-executed via mass-community mobilization program. In Lemo district, little information is available on suitability of soil conservation practices implemented through this program. The aim of this study was to assess technical fitness of physical soil conservation structures implemented via mass-community mobilization, its effect on soil properties, and extent of farmers participation in soil conservation practices. Field observation and physical structure component measurments were used to assess the technical fitness. Whereas, composite soil samples were collected from steep, moderate and gentle slope classes to evaluate the effects of conservation practices on soil properties. Structured questionnaire was used to assess the farmers participation in soil conservation.ResultsAs compared to nationally established specification of graded soil bund for areas similar with Lemo district, technical errors were found in bund spacing and vertical interval. The studied soil properties were not significantly (P > .05) influenced with sample distance from soil bund. But, soil moisture content, bulk density, clay, reaction, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, total nitrogen and cation exchange capacity were significantly (P < .05) affected with slope gradient. These properties become better as the slope gradient decrease. Among the study household heads, only 59.69% were participated in soil conservation activities. Land holding size, cropland slope, contacts with extension agents and training opportunity were significantly (P < .05) contributes for farmers’ participation in soil conservation activities.ConclusionsTo ensure the sustainability of watershed management practices and minimize observed technical faults on conservation structures continued technical supports, trainings, and follow-ups are required in the study area.

Development and Validation of a Geographic Information System (GIS)- Assisted Soil Erosion Model in a Watershed Scale

The study was done to develop erosion model, test, and validate its capability in mapping soil erosion and runoff and predicting the amount of sediment and water discharges at the outlet of a watershed; identify areas with high erosion risk potential within the watershed; and formulate recommendation for management strategies that would reduce soil erosion in the watershed. Named Predicting Catchment Runoff and Erosion for Sustainability (PCARES) Model, it predicted accurately the runoff heights and sediment concentration in a watershed in each single rainfall event. The erosion “hot spots” were predicted to occur in areas with steeper slope and agricultural land with less ground surface cover and no conservation measures, roads, and footpaths. Net depositions were located in areas with thick crop cover, riparian buffer strips, and gentle slopes. The results demonstrate both the ability of the PCARES model in predicting the runoff and soil erosion in a watershed in a given erosive rainfall event, assess the impacts of land use change and soil conservation activities in a watershed on the rate of soil erosion and the significant influence of surface cover in reducing runoff and soil erosion in a watershed. The model can thus be used as a tool in assessing the impact of any development undertakings in a watershed prior to its implementation for sustainable watershed resource management. Absence of surface cover during land preparation stage contributed significantly to an increase amount of runoff water and soil loss. Thus, areas that are not used for agriculture purposes should be maintained as grassland or be planted with forest or fruit trees. Soil loss and runoff height decreased from land preparation to early crop establishment stage and further decreased at maturity. To mitigate the negative impact of thorough land preparation, minimum tillage if not zero tillage should be adapted where it is applicable. Adapting an extreme condition (bare surface) resulted to highest simulated runoff and soil loss. Very low if not almost absence of soil loss was predicted from the grassland and the forest land uses. Soil loss in the cropland is dependent on the soil and crop residue management, the type of crop grown, and the soil conservation strategies employed by the farmers. If farmers will continue to destroy the surface cover, soil loss will always be a continuous threat to soil degradation and crop production sustainability in the catchment.

Applying Ostrom’s institutional analysis and development framework to soil and water conservation activities in north-western Ethiopia

Sustainable land management is of utmost importance in Ethiopia and relies on Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) measures collectively implemented by smallholders through participatory processes. This paper contributes systematic evidence on how SWC strategies are implemented and how participation is operationalized. Drawing upon inductive, qualitative research, we explore the design, implementation and evaluation of SWC activities, as they relate to Ostrom’s Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework, in order to determine how the activities can be made more appropriate, effective and sustainable. Findings show that on all levels of Ostrom’s framework, there are shortcomings in the SWC institutions, which have to be addressed with more participatory approaches, a change from top-down to bottom-up measures, and economic incentives for farmers to invest in SWC measures instead of e.g. compulsory labor, and the integration of so far neglected groups like youth, women and the landless.