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Biophysical Resource Characterization, Identification and Prioritization of Major Constraints and Potentials of Gara Ebanu Community Watershed in Sululta District, Ethiopia

Received: 18 March 2024     Accepted: 16 April 2024     Published: 15 July 2024
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Abstract

Baseline characterization helps to understand the initial livelihood condition of the people in the watershed before and after the intervention of the project to measure the amount of change attained by the project. The objective of the study was to characterize baseline information on the existing biophysical resource used as benchmark for planning and impact monitoring and to identify and major constraints and potential in the watershed. The watershed was selected depending on agro-ecological representation, prevalence of resource management and land degradation problems and accessibility for intensive follow-up. Based on the preliminary outlet identified during the watershed selection process, the watershed boundary was delineated using GPS data and the map of watershed was geo-referenced and digitized for its contour, roads, rivers, and other features. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study and primary data was collected through field observation, household survey, focus group discussion and interview of the key informants. From the total 103 household heads living in the watershed, 62 household heads were selected as a respondent for the study. The collected data was managed and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft excel 2010. The results of the study showed that about 29.4% of the watershed slope was characterized by flat lands, 45.7% moderate slope and 24.9% steep lands. As well as soil fertility status of cultivated land in the watershed were 33.9% low, 55.9% moderate and 10.2% high. The results of the study showed that the major constraints identified by sampled household heads were decline of soil fertility, soil erosion, climate change, land shortage, and deforestation were significantly contributed to the low crop yield in the watershed. About 27.4% of the sampled households had encountered decline of soil fertility problems, 25.8% of sample farmers encountered soil erosion problem, and 22.6% of sample farmers encountered climate change problem in the watershed. From the identified major constraints, the highest priorities were given for decline of soil fertility, soil erosion problem, shortage of feed and fodder, and decline of crop productivity respectively. In the watershed, immediate short-term actions should be taken particularly participatory integrated watershed management were recommended.

Published in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Volume 13, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.aff.20241304.11
Page(s) 94-105
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Watershed, Characterization, Identification, Prioritization

References
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Cite This Article
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    Bedada, E., Mengistu, B., Muluna, M., Tolosa, M., Jifara, M., et al. (2024). Biophysical Resource Characterization, Identification and Prioritization of Major Constraints and Potentials of Gara Ebanu Community Watershed in Sululta District, Ethiopia. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 13(4), 94-105. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aff.20241304.11

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    ACS Style

    Bedada, E.; Mengistu, B.; Muluna, M.; Tolosa, M.; Jifara, M., et al. Biophysical Resource Characterization, Identification and Prioritization of Major Constraints and Potentials of Gara Ebanu Community Watershed in Sululta District, Ethiopia. Agric. For. Fish. 2024, 13(4), 94-105. doi: 10.11648/j.aff.20241304.11

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    AMA Style

    Bedada E, Mengistu B, Muluna M, Tolosa M, Jifara M, et al. Biophysical Resource Characterization, Identification and Prioritization of Major Constraints and Potentials of Gara Ebanu Community Watershed in Sululta District, Ethiopia. Agric For Fish. 2024;13(4):94-105. doi: 10.11648/j.aff.20241304.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.aff.20241304.11,
      author = {Endale Bedada and Bikila Mengistu and Meseret Muluna and Meron Tolosa and Mengistu Jifara and Alemayehu Biri and Firaol Legesse and Ajema Lemma and Bedo Hora and Lemma Teklu and Woubalem Abera},
      title = {Biophysical Resource Characterization, Identification and Prioritization of Major Constraints and Potentials of Gara Ebanu Community Watershed in Sululta District, Ethiopia
    },
      journal = {Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries},
      volume = {13},
      number = {4},
      pages = {94-105},
      doi = {10.11648/j.aff.20241304.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aff.20241304.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.aff.20241304.11},
      abstract = {Baseline characterization helps to understand the initial livelihood condition of the people in the watershed before and after the intervention of the project to measure the amount of change attained by the project. The objective of the study was to characterize baseline information on the existing biophysical resource used as benchmark for planning and impact monitoring and to identify and major constraints and potential in the watershed. The watershed was selected depending on agro-ecological representation, prevalence of resource management and land degradation problems and accessibility for intensive follow-up. Based on the preliminary outlet identified during the watershed selection process, the watershed boundary was delineated using GPS data and the map of watershed was geo-referenced and digitized for its contour, roads, rivers, and other features. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study and primary data was collected through field observation, household survey, focus group discussion and interview of the key informants. From the total 103 household heads living in the watershed, 62 household heads were selected as a respondent for the study. The collected data was managed and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft excel 2010. The results of the study showed that about 29.4% of the watershed slope was characterized by flat lands, 45.7% moderate slope and 24.9% steep lands. As well as soil fertility status of cultivated land in the watershed were 33.9% low, 55.9% moderate and 10.2% high. The results of the study showed that the major constraints identified by sampled household heads were decline of soil fertility, soil erosion, climate change, land shortage, and deforestation were significantly contributed to the low crop yield in the watershed. About 27.4% of the sampled households had encountered decline of soil fertility problems, 25.8% of sample farmers encountered soil erosion problem, and 22.6% of sample farmers encountered climate change problem in the watershed. From the identified major constraints, the highest priorities were given for decline of soil fertility, soil erosion problem, shortage of feed and fodder, and decline of crop productivity respectively. In the watershed, immediate short-term actions should be taken particularly participatory integrated watershed management were recommended.
    },
     year = {2024}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Biophysical Resource Characterization, Identification and Prioritization of Major Constraints and Potentials of Gara Ebanu Community Watershed in Sululta District, Ethiopia
    
    AU  - Endale Bedada
    AU  - Bikila Mengistu
    AU  - Meseret Muluna
    AU  - Meron Tolosa
    AU  - Mengistu Jifara
    AU  - Alemayehu Biri
    AU  - Firaol Legesse
    AU  - Ajema Lemma
    AU  - Bedo Hora
    AU  - Lemma Teklu
    AU  - Woubalem Abera
    Y1  - 2024/07/15
    PY  - 2024
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aff.20241304.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.aff.20241304.11
    T2  - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
    JF  - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
    JO  - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
    SP  - 94
    EP  - 105
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-5648
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aff.20241304.11
    AB  - Baseline characterization helps to understand the initial livelihood condition of the people in the watershed before and after the intervention of the project to measure the amount of change attained by the project. The objective of the study was to characterize baseline information on the existing biophysical resource used as benchmark for planning and impact monitoring and to identify and major constraints and potential in the watershed. The watershed was selected depending on agro-ecological representation, prevalence of resource management and land degradation problems and accessibility for intensive follow-up. Based on the preliminary outlet identified during the watershed selection process, the watershed boundary was delineated using GPS data and the map of watershed was geo-referenced and digitized for its contour, roads, rivers, and other features. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study and primary data was collected through field observation, household survey, focus group discussion and interview of the key informants. From the total 103 household heads living in the watershed, 62 household heads were selected as a respondent for the study. The collected data was managed and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft excel 2010. The results of the study showed that about 29.4% of the watershed slope was characterized by flat lands, 45.7% moderate slope and 24.9% steep lands. As well as soil fertility status of cultivated land in the watershed were 33.9% low, 55.9% moderate and 10.2% high. The results of the study showed that the major constraints identified by sampled household heads were decline of soil fertility, soil erosion, climate change, land shortage, and deforestation were significantly contributed to the low crop yield in the watershed. About 27.4% of the sampled households had encountered decline of soil fertility problems, 25.8% of sample farmers encountered soil erosion problem, and 22.6% of sample farmers encountered climate change problem in the watershed. From the identified major constraints, the highest priorities were given for decline of soil fertility, soil erosion problem, shortage of feed and fodder, and decline of crop productivity respectively. In the watershed, immediate short-term actions should be taken particularly participatory integrated watershed management were recommended.
    
    VL  - 13
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Fitche Agricultural Research Center, Fitche, Ethiopia

  • Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Fitche Agricultural Research Center, Fitche, Ethiopia

  • Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Fitche Agricultural Research Center, Fitche, Ethiopia

  • Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Fitche Agricultural Research Center, Fitche, Ethiopia

  • Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Fitche Agricultural Research Center, Fitche, Ethiopia

  • Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Fitche Agricultural Research Center, Fitche, Ethiopia

  • Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Fitche Agricultural Research Center, Fitche, Ethiopia

  • Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Fitche Agricultural Research Center, Fitche, Ethiopia

  • Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Fitche Agricultural Research Center, Fitche, Ethiopia

  • Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Fitche Agricultural Research Center, Fitche, Ethiopia

  • Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Fitche Agricultural Research Center, Fitche, Ethiopia

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