IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v9y2019i3p45-d210837.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unlocking the Agricultural Potential of Manure in Agropastoral Systems: Traditional Beliefs Hindering Its Use in Southern Ethiopia

Author

Listed:
  • Yonas Jagisso

    (Department of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), 1432 Ås, Norway)

  • Jens Aune

    (Department of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), 1432 Ås, Norway)

  • Ayana Angassa

    (School of Animal and Range Sciences, Hawassa University, P.O. Box. 05, Hawassa, Ethiopia
    Department of Animal Science and Production, Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Private Bag 0027, Gaborone, Botswana)

Abstract

Manure is often considered a valuable resource for improving productivity in semi-arid tropics. This paper investigated agropastoralist knowledge of the use of manure and barriers that limit manure use in Borana, southern Ethiopia. The potential and actual amounts of manure available on-farm and its relative economic value were estimated. Yield response to manure application was also quantified. Data was gathered using on-farm surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, field observation and on-farm experiments. We found that an enormous amount of manure with substantial fertilizer value and economic benefit had accumulated over the years in studied households in Borana. Our analysis revealed that, on average, more than 74 tons of manure containing 667 kg nitrogen (N)–more than five times the current requirements–had accumulated per farm. This manure has an economic value, in terms of N supply, equivalent to ETB (Ethiopian Birr) 16452 (US$802). On-farm trials showed that a considerable scope exists for increasing the yields of these marginal lands by using manure. However, because of the traditional beliefs and associated practices, which have prevailed for centuries in the community, this valuable resource is left unused. Having identified the link between traditional beliefs and non-use of manure, the paper sets out possible areas for intervention.

Suggested Citation

  • Yonas Jagisso & Jens Aune & Ayana Angassa, 2019. "Unlocking the Agricultural Potential of Manure in Agropastoral Systems: Traditional Beliefs Hindering Its Use in Southern Ethiopia," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:9:y:2019:i:3:p:45-:d:210837
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/9/3/45/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/9/3/45/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Place, Frank & Barrett, Christopher B. & Freeman, H. Ade & Ramisch, Joshua J. & Vanlauwe, Bernard, 2003. "Prospects for integrated soil fertility management using organic and inorganic inputs: evidence from smallholder African agricultural systems," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 365-378, August.
    2. Nkamleu, Guy Blaise, 2007. "Religious faith and agricultural growth: exploring some correlations in Africa," MPRA Paper 11131, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2007.
    3. Gershman, Boris, 2016. "Witchcraft beliefs and the erosion of social capital: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 182-208.
    4. Bationo, Andre & Kihara, Job & Vanlauwe, Bernard & Waswa, Boaz & Kimetu, Joseph, 2007. "Soil organic carbon dynamics, functions and management in West African agro-ecosystems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 94(1), pages 13-25, April.
    5. Ketema, Mengistu & Bauer, Siegfried, 2011. "Determinants of Manure and Fertilizer Applications in Eastern Highlands of Ethiopia," Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture, Humboldt-Universitaat zu Berlin, vol. 50(3), pages 1-16.
    6. Mekonnen, Alemu & Köhlin, Gunnar, 2008. "Biomass Fuel Consumption and Dung Use as Manure: Evidence from Rural Households in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia," RFF Working Paper Series dp-08-17-efd, Resources for the Future.
    7. Edward Miguel, 2005. "Poverty and Witch Killing," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 72(4), pages 1153-1172.
    8. Eugene Mather & John Fraser Hart, 1956. "The Geography of Manure," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 32(1), pages 25-38.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Teklewold, Hailemariam, 2011. "Farming or burning? shadow prices and farmer’s impatience on the allocation of multi-purpose resource in the mixed farming system of Ethiopia," 2011 International Congress, August 30-September 2, 2011, Zurich, Switzerland 116080, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    2. Alidou, Sahawal & Verpoorten, Marijke, 2019. "Only women can whisper to gods: Voodoo, menopause and women’s autonomy," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 40-54.
    3. Peter T. Leeson & Jacob W. Russ, 2018. "Witch Trials," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(613), pages 2066-2105, August.
    4. Rimhanen, Karoliina & Kahiluoto, Helena, 2014. "Management of harvested C in smallholder mixed farming in Ethiopia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 13-22.
    5. Gershman, Boris, 2020. "Witchcraft beliefs as a cultural legacy of the Atlantic slave trade: Evidence from two continents," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    6. Kulkarni, Parashar & Pfaff, Steven, 2022. "Church politics, sectarianism, and judicial terror: The Scottish witch-hunt, 1563 - 1736," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    7. Levine, Kendra & Mason, Nicole M., 2014. "Do input subsidies crowd in or crowd out other soil fertility management practices? Evidence from Zambia," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 170689, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    8. Peter T. Leeson & Jacob W. Russ, 2018. "Witch Trials," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(613), pages 2066-2105, August.
    9. Giuseppe Maggio & Marina Mastrorillo & Nicholas J. Sitko, 2022. "Adapting to High Temperatures: Effect of Farm Practices and Their Adoption Duration on Total Value of Crop Production in Uganda," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 104(1), pages 385-403, January.
    10. Klege, Rebecca A. & Amuakwa-Mensah, Franklin & Visser, Martine, 2022. "Tenancy and energy choices in Rwanda. A replication and extension study," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 26(C).
    11. Silvia Helena Barcellos & Leandro S. Carvalho & Adriana Lleras-Muney, 2014. "Child Gender and Parental Investments in India: Are Boys and Girls Treated Differently?," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 6(1), pages 157-189, January.
    12. Dean Yang, 2008. "International Migration, Remittances and Household Investment: Evidence from Philippine Migrants' Exchange Rate Shocks," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 118(528), pages 591-630, April.
    13. Valencia Caicedo, Felipe & Dohmen, Thomas & Pondorfer, Andreas, 2023. "Religion and cooperation across the globe," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 479-489.
    14. Guta, Dawit Diriba, 2014. "Effect of fuelwood scarcity and socio-economic factors on household bio-based energy use and energy substitution in rural Ethiopia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 217-227.
    15. Xu, Si & He, Xiaoyi & Xiong, Feng & Chen, Peiyao, 2024. "CEOs’ early-life famine experience and corporate donations: Evidence from the great Chinese famine," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    16. Sivadasan, Jagadeesh & Xu, Wenjian, 2021. "Missing women in India: Gender-specific effects of early-life rainfall shocks," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    17. Angelucci Manuela, 2008. "Love on the Rocks: Domestic Violence and Alcohol Abuse in Rural Mexico," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 8(1), pages 1-43, October.
    18. Voigt, Stefan, 2022. "Determinant of Social Norms," ILE Working Paper Series 58, University of Hamburg, Institute of Law and Economics.
    19. Waithaka, M.M. & Thornton, P.K. & Herrero, M. & Shepherd, K.D., 2006. "Bio-economic evaluation of farmers' perceptions of viable farms in western Kenya," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 90(1-3), pages 243-271, October.
    20. Bartoš, Vojtěch, 2021. "Seasonal scarcity and sharing norms," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 303-316.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:9:y:2019:i:3:p:45-:d:210837. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.