IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/endesu/v23y2021i2d10.1007_s10668-020-00622-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Synergy between farmers’ knowledge of soil quality change and scientifically measured soil quality indicators in Wanka watershed, northwestern highlands of Ethiopia

Author

Listed:
  • Wondwosen Abera

    (Debre Birhan University
    Addis Ababa University)

  • Mohammed Assen

    (Addis Ababa University)

  • Poshendra Satyal

    (University of East Anglia)

Abstract

This study was aimed at assessing farmers’ perception and knowledge of soil quality (SQ) change, in light of scientifically measured SQ indicators in the Wanka watershed, northwestern highlands of Ethiopia. Household survey, participatory SQ status assessment, key informant interview and laboratory analysis of selected SQ indicators were used as data collection tools. Independent samples t test (two-tailed) was used to compare the mean difference of SQ indicators between perceived good and poor SQ status. Farmers recognized that there has been SQ decline in their farm lands over the years. Based on perceived SQ status, farmers categorized their farm plots into good, average and poor classes locally called wofram meret, boda and sis/chincha meret, respectively. The identified principal SQ status indicators used by farmers were yield, plow depth, appearance of undesired weedy plant species, fertilizer requirement of soil, topsoil color and soil workability. These farmers’ assessment of SQ has well-coincided with major scientific quantitative indicators. Accordingly, plots identified by farmers as good SQ status exhibited better soil nutrients than the perceived poor SQ. Available phosphorus (p

Suggested Citation

  • Wondwosen Abera & Mohammed Assen & Poshendra Satyal, 2021. "Synergy between farmers’ knowledge of soil quality change and scientifically measured soil quality indicators in Wanka watershed, northwestern highlands of Ethiopia," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 1316-1334, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:23:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s10668-020-00622-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-020-00622-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10668-020-00622-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10668-020-00622-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Richard Ansong Omari & Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura & Elsie Sarkodee Addo & Yosei Oikawa & Yoshiharu Fujii, 2018. "Exploring Farmers’ Indigenous Knowledge of Soil Quality and Fertility Management Practices in Selected Farming Communities of the Guinea Savannah Agro-Ecological Zone of Ghana," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-16, March.
    2. Aklilu Amsalu & Jan Graaff, 2006. "Farmers’ Views of Soil Erosion Problems and their Conservation Knowledge at Beressa Watershed, Central Highlands of Ethiopia," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 23(1), pages 99-108, March.
    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. Nigussie, Zerihun & Tsunekawa, Atsushi & Haregeweyn, Nigussie & Adgo, Enyew & Cochrane, Logan & Floquet, Anne & Abele, Steffen, 2018. "Applying Ostrom’s institutional analysis and development framework to soil and water conservation activities in north-western Ethiopia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 1-10.
    2. Hongbin Liu & Jie Lyu, 2021. "Drive Mechanisms of Soil Quality Changes in Peri-Urban Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-21, February.
    3. Kafula Chisanga & Ernest Mbega & Patrick Alois Ndakidemi, 2019. "Socio-Economic Factors for Anthill Soil Utilization by Smallholder Farmers in Zambia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-17, September.
    4. Meskerem Abi & Aad Kessler & Peter Oosterveer & Degefa Tolossa, 2018. "Understanding the Spontaneous Spreading of Stone Bunds in Ethiopia: Implications for Sustainable Land Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-14, July.
    5. Rampa, Alexis & Lovo, Stefania, 2023. "Revisiting the effects of the Ethiopian land tenure reform using satellite data. A focus on agricultural productivity, climate change mitigation and adaptation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    6. Meskerem Abi & Aad Kessler & Peter Oosterveer & Degefa Tolossa, 2020. "How farmers’ characteristics influence spontaneous spreading of stone bunds in the highlands of Ethiopia: a case study in the Girar Jarso woreda," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 317-335, January.
    7. Mintesinot Taye & Belay Simane & Benjamin F. Zaitchik & Yihenew G. Selassie & Shimelis Setegn, 2019. "Land Use Evaluation over the Jema Watershed, in the Upper Blue Nile River Basin, Northwestern Highlands of Ethiopia," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-16, March.
    8. Luján Soto, Raquel & Cuéllar Padilla, Mamen & de Vente, Joris, 2020. "Participatory selection of soil quality indicators for monitoring the impacts of regenerative agriculture on ecosystem services," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    9. Patience Afi Seglah & Yajing Wang & Hongyan Wang & Yuyun Bi, 2019. "Estimation and Efficient Utilization of Straw Resources in Ghana," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-25, August.
    10. Ayimut Kiros-Meles & Mathew Abang, 2008. "Farmers’ knowledge of crop diseases and control strategies in the Regional State of Tigrai, northern Ethiopia: implications for farmer–researcher collaboration in disease management," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 25(3), pages 433-452, September.
    11. Samuel Assefa & Aad Kessler & Luuk Fleskens, 2018. "Assessing Farmers’ Willingness to Participate in Campaign-Based Watershed Management: Experiences from Boset District, Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-15, November.
    12. AHMED, Musa H. & MELESSE, Kumilachew A. & TEREFE, Aemro T., 2015. "Valuing Soil Conservation Practices Using Contingent Valuation Technique: Evidence From The Central Rift Valley Of Ethiopia," Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics (RAAE), Faculty of Economics and Management, Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra, vol. 18(2), pages 1-11, October.
    13. Clement Nyamekye & Michael Thiel & Sarah Schönbrodt-Stitt & Benewinde J.-B. Zoungrana & Leonard K. Amekudzi, 2018. "Soil and Water Conservation in Burkina Faso, West Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-24, September.
    14. Gebremedn Tesfaye & Tena Alamirew & Asfaw Kebede & Gete Zeleke, 2018. "Institutional Functionality in Participatory Integrated Watershed Development of Tana Sub-Basin, Ethiopia," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-17, November.
    15. Muriu-Ng’ang’a, F.W. & Mucheru-Muna, M. & Waswa, F. & Mairura, F.S, 2017. "Socio-economic factors influencing utilisation of rain water harvesting and saving technologies in Tharaka South, Eastern Kenya," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 150-159.

    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:spr:endesu:v:23:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s10668-020-00622-3. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.