Root Crop Production and Biodiversity Management in Backyards DCG
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Women in Backyards: Root Crop Production and Biodiversity Management in Backyards A Case Study in Five Selected Woredas of Tigray Regional State, Northern Ethiopia By Gebremedhin Teklehaimanot and Mulubrhan Haile July 2007 DCG Report No. 50 Women in Backyards: Root Crop Production and Biodiversity Management in Backyards A Case Study in Five Selected Woredas of Tigray Regional State, Northern Ethiopia Gebremedhin Teklehaimanot and Mulubrehan Haile DCG Report No. 50 July 2007 The Drylands Coordination Group (DCG) is an NGO-driven forum for exchange of practical experiences and knowledge on food security and natural resource management in the drylands of Africa.. DCG facilitates this exchange of experiences between NGOs and research and policy-making institutions. The DCG activities, which are carried out by DCG members in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mali and Sudan, aim to contribute to improved food security of vulnerable households and sustainable natural resource management in the drylands of Africa. The founding DCG members consist of ADRA Norway, CARE Norway, Norwegian Church Aid, Norwegian People's Aid, The Strømme Foundation and The Development Fund. The secretariat of DCG is located at the Environmental House (Miljøhuset G9) in Oslo and acts as a facilitating and implementing body for the DCG. The DCG’s activities are funded by NORAD (the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation). This study was organized by the Women’s Association of Tigray (WAT) on behalf of the Drylands Coordination Group. Extracts from this publication may only be reproduced after prior consultation with the DCG secretariat. The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed in this publication are entirely those of the author(s) and cannot be attributed directly to the Drylands Coordination Group. © Teklehaimanot, G. and Haile, M., Drylands Coordination Group Report No. 50 (07, 2007) Drylands Coordination Group c/o Miljøhuset G9 Grensen 9b N-0159 Oslo Norway Tel.: +47 23 10 94 90 Fax: +47 23 10 94 94 Internet: http://www.drylands-group.org ISSN: 1503-0601 Photo credits: cover: T.A. Benjaminsen and Gry Synnevåg. Title page: Gari, J.A. 2003: Agrobiodiversity Strategies to Combat Food Insecurity and HIV/AIDS Impact in Rural Africa; Advancing Grassroots' Responses for Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Livelihood. Cover design: Spekter Reklamebyrå as, Ås. Printed at: Mail Boxes ETC. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT VI LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS VII EXECUTIVE SUMMARY VIII 1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION 1 2. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 3 2.1 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY 3 2.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 3 3. METHODOLOGY 4 3.1 APPROACHES AND METHODOLOGIES 4 4. EXISTING AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES, HORTICULTURAL/HOME GARDENING POTENTIALS AND CONSTRAINTS IN THE REGION 5 4.1 AGRO-ECOLOGICAL CHOICE 5 4.2 EXISTING POTENTIAL, BIODIVERSITY AND EXPERIENCES OF FARMERS OF THE SELECTED WOREDAS IN BACKYARD/HOME GARDENING OF HORTICULTURAL CROPS, SPICES AND HERBS 5 4.2.1 Types of home gardens in Tigray 5 4.2.2 Home garden structure and patterns of crop arrangement 5 4.2.3 Plant composition in home gardens in Tigray 7 4.2.4 Crop diversity in home gardens in Tigray 7 4.2.5 Vegetable, spice and herbs in home gardens in Tigray 8 4.2.6 Medicinal and aromatic plants in home gardens in Tigray 10 4.2.7 Plants maintained as home garden live fence and shade trees 12 4.2.8 Useful wild/semi-wild plants in the vicinity of home gardens 13 4.2.9 Indigenous management of home gardens in Tigray 13 5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 15 5.1 AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD SIZE OF THE SURVEYED FARMERS 15 5.2 EDUCATION 15 5.3 LAND OWNERSHIP AND CERTIFICATION 16 5.4 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF HOME GARDENS IN THE SURVEYED WOREDAS 16 5.4.1 Soil types of home gardens in the survey areas 16 5.4.2 Average size of home gardens in the surveyed Woredas 17 5.4.3 Trends in the size of home gardens for root crops 18 5.4.4 Root crop production in home gardens 19 5.4.5 Spice production in home gardens 22 5.4.6 Decision making in home garden production 25 5.4.7 Production and preservation of medicinal herbs in home gardens 26 iii 5.5 MAJOR PROBLEMS OF ROOT CROP (SWEET POTATO AND CASSAVA) PRODUCTION IN TIGRAY 28 6. RECOMMENDATIONS 30 6.1 INTRODUCTION AND PROMOTION OF HIGH YIELDING HORTICULTURAL CROPS AND OTHER MULTIPURPOSE TREES AS HOME GARDENING 30 6.2 STRENGTHENING OR INTRODUCTION OF DIFFERENT SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PRINCIPLES 30 6.2.1 Land preparation 30 6.2.2 Intercropping 31 6.2.3 Agro-forestry 31 6.2.4 Mulching 31 6.2.5 Contour strip cropping 31 6.2.6 Improving soil fertility 32 6.2.7 Construction of different physical structures 32 6.2.8 Pond construction 32 6.3 PRACTICING MIXED GARDENING SYSTEM/MULTIPLE CROPPING 33 6.3.1 Planting cassava below (on the other side) of the trenches (in the low and middle lands of the selected woredas) 34 6.3.2 Planting cassava as farm boundary and intercropped with other fruit trees 34 6.3.3 Planting sweet potato inside trenches 34 6.3.4 Planting sweet potato in maize and sorghum fields as relay intercropping 35 6.3.5 Planting pumpkin and watermelon as backyard crops 35 6.3.6 Conserve the existing indigenous home garden plants 36 6.3.7 Establishing sweet potato multiplication nurseries 36 6.3.8 Growing spices and herbs in free spaces and intercropped with other plants 36 6.3.9 Planting tomato and pepper on soil filled sacks 37 6.3.10 Planting fruit trees in pre-composted holes 37 6.3.11 Planting Moringa olifeira on free spaces in the backyard 38 6.3.12 Alley-cropping 39 6.4 UNDERTAKE NUTRITION EDUCATION AT HOUSEHOLD LEVEL 39 6.4.1 Increasing the nutrition knowledge and awareness of the public 39 6.4.2 Promotion of desirable food behavior and nutritional practices 40 6.4.3 Increasing the diversity and quantity of family food supplies 40 6.5 CAPACITY BUILDING 40 6.5.1 Training 40 6.5.2 Provision of Inputs 41 6.6 INTER INSTITUTIONAL COLLABORATION (INSTITUTIONAL SET UP OF THE PROGRAM) 41 6.7 PROMOTE MARKETING OF HOME GARDEN PRODUCE 41 6.8 BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROJECT 42 6.9 EXPECTED OUTPUT 42 6.10 EXPECTED OUTCOME 42 7. OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS 44 7.1 OPPORTUNITIES 44 7.2 THREATS 44 8. MONITORING AND EVALUATION 45 8.1 MONITORING 45 8.2 EVALUATION 45 REFERENCES 46 iv LISTS OF TABLES Table 1: Names of the study sites ........................................................................................................4 Table 2: Type of vegetable crops growing in the selected woredas ....................................................8 Table 3: Type of root crops grown by very limited farmers in the selected woredas..........................8 Table 4: Different spices growing in the selected and surveyed woredas ...........................................9 Table 5: Types of perennial fruits growing in the surveyed woredas..................................................9 Table 6: Stimulants, animal fodder and fiber crops growing in the surveyed woredas.......................9 Table 7: Major food crops growing in the surveyed woredas............................................................10 Table 8: Types of medicinal and aromatic plants grown as home garden at different altitudes of the surveyed areas ....................................................................................................................................10 Table 9: Average family size of respondents.....................................................................................15 Table 10: Educational level of respondents .......................................................................................16 Table 11: Land ownership other than homestead ..............................................................................16 Table 12: Soil types in the home gardens of the surveyed areas .......................................................17 Table 13: Size of homestead in square meter ....................................................................................18 Table 14: Trends in home garden size ...............................................................................................18 Table 15: Knowledge on the role of root crops in nutrition...............................................................19 Table 16: Contribution of root crops for household livelihoods........................................................19 Table 17: Reasons for growing root crops.........................................................................................20 Table 18: Support from government and non-governmental organizations on root crops production ............................................................................................................................................................20 Table 19: Types of organization that Support root crop production..................................................21 Table 20: Type of support rendered to the beneficiaries ...................................................................21 Table 21: Types of planting materials obtained from the nearest nurseries ......................................22 Table 22: Vegetable production training ...........................................................................................22 Table 23: Do farmers grow spices in the home garden?....................................................................23 Table 24: Source of seed for growing spices in the backyard ...........................................................23 Table 25: Reasons for growing spices in the home garden................................................................24 Table