Documentation of Indigenous and Introduced Soil and Water Conservation Practices in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

In Ethiopia soil erosion by water significantly contributes to food insecurity among rural households and poses a real threat to the sustainability of existing subsistence agriculture. In many parts of Ethiopia particularly southern Region many introduced and indigenous soil and water conservation practices were implemented using different approach. However, indigenous soil and water conservation practices adopted at farmers field, types, their names, technical dimension and their socio economic importance in the village is not well documented for further studies. Therefore, the present study was conducted in Gamo Gofa, Segen area peoples and Basketo special distict of the Sothern Ethiopia. As a methodology, discussion was organized at zonal and woreda level agricultural offices and sample of woredas and kebeles having similar farming system were selected with systematic sampling approach.