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Soil and Water Management Practices as a Strategy to Cope with Climate Change Effects in Smallholder Potato Production in the Eastern Highlands of Ethiopia

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  • Ashenafi Woldeselassie

    (Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo 138, Ethiopia
    Africa Centre of Excellence for Climate Smart Agriculture and Biodiversity Conservation, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa 138, Ethiopia)

  • Nigussie Dechassa

    (College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa 138, Ethiopia)

  • Yibekal Alemayehu

    (College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa 138, Ethiopia)

  • Tamado Tana

    (Department of Crop Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Eswatini, P.O.Luyengo, Kwaluseni M201, Eswatini)

  • Bobe Bedadi

    (College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa 138, Ethiopia)

Abstract

Low soil fertility and climate change-induced low soil moisture are major problems constraining potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) production in the eastern highlands of Ethiopia. Climate events are projected to become more pervasive. Therefore, research was conducted with the objective of analyzing smallholder potato farmers’ adaptation strategies to cope with the issues of low soil fertility and low soil moisture that are exacerbated by climate change. The research involved surveying eight purposively selected peasant associations in four major potato-producing districts in east and west Hararghe zones. The survey employed a multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected from 357 households using a standard questionnaire, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, index ranking, and analysis of variance for survey data. The observed climate data for the period of 1988 to 2017 were analyzed. The Mann-Kendall trend test, standard anomaly index, precipitation concentration index, and coefficient of variation were used to analyze the observed climate data. The survey results revealed the farmers, on average, applied 159 kg urea, 165 kg NPS (63 kg P 2 O 5 , 31 kg N and 12 kg S), and 1.8 ton of farmyard manure per hectare for producing potatoes. Most smallholder farmers (68.91%) used supplemental irrigation for potato production during the main growing season. The method of irrigation the farmers used was overwhelmingly the furrow method (92.72%). Analyzing the climate data showed that the mean annual temperature increased whereas the mean annual rainfall decreased during the 30-year period. It was concluded that climate change is markedly affecting potato production; in response to this, most of the farmers used supplemental irrigation to cope with moisture stress, all of them applied mineral fertilizers, and some of them additionally applied organic fertilizer to alleviate the problems of soil degradation and nutrient depletion. This implies that soil moisture and nutrient stresses are the major problems constraining potato production against which the farmers need policy and institutional supports to consolidate their coping strategies and build resilience against climate change.

Suggested Citation

  • Ashenafi Woldeselassie & Nigussie Dechassa & Yibekal Alemayehu & Tamado Tana & Bobe Bedadi, 2021. "Soil and Water Management Practices as a Strategy to Cope with Climate Change Effects in Smallholder Potato Production in the Eastern Highlands of Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-19, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:11:p:6420-:d:569117
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    References listed on IDEAS

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