Land Degradation and Strategies for Sustainable Development in the Ethiopian Highlands: Amhara Region ILRI
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Working Paper No. 32 Land degradation and strategies for sustainable development in the Ethiopian highlands: Amhara Region ... Amhara National Regional State Bureau of 1110' Agriculture ILRI International Livestock Research Institute INTERNATIONAL LIVESTOCK RESEARCH INSTITUTE Land degradation and strategies ..... for sustainable development in the Ethiopian highlands: Amhara Region Socia-economics and Policy Research Working Paper 32 Lakew Desta, Menale Kassie, S. Benin and J. Pender ILRI International livestock Research Institute INTERNATIONAL P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi, Kenya liVESTOCK ~[SWCH INSTITUTE • Working Papers Editorial Committee Mohammad A. Jabbar (Editor) Simeon K. Ehui Steven J. Staal LPAP working papers contain results of research done by ILRI scientists, consultants and collaborators. The author(s) alone is (are) responsible for the contents. Authors' affiliations Lakew Desta, Amhara National Region Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANRBANR), P.O. Box 437, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia Menale Kassie, ANRBANR, P.O. Box 437, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia Samuel Benin, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia John Pender, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 2033 K St., NW, Washington, DC, 20006, USA © 2000 ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute) All rights reserved. Parts of this document may be reproduced without express permission for non-commercial use but with acknowledgement to ILRI. ISBN 92-9146-090-7 Correct citation: Lakew Desta, Menale Kassie, Benin S. and Pender J. 2000. Land degradation and strategies for sustainable development in the Ethiopian highlands: Amhara Region. Socia-economics and Policy Research Working Paper 32. ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), Nairobi, Kenya. 122 pp. Table of Contents List of Tables .......................................................... v List of Figures ......................................................... vi Acknowledgements .................................................... vii Executive summary ..................................................... 1 1 Background ..... ·.................................................... 4 2 Introduction ........................................................ 5 3 Conceptual framework ................................................ 7 4 Setting ............................................................. 9 4.1 Natural features .................................................. 9 4.2 Socio-economic features ........................................... 11 5 Land degradation and its impact in Amhara Region ........................ 14 5.1 Soil erosion ..................................................... 14 5.2 Nutrient depletion ............................................... 16 5.3 Deforestation ................................................... 17 5.4 Impact ofland degradation ........... , ............................ 18 6 Causes of and responses to land degradation .............................. 20 6.1 Natural factors ........................................." ......... 21 6.2 Socio-economic and institutional factors ............................•. 22 6.2.1 Population pressure ......................................... 23 6.2.2 Poverty ................................................... 24 6.2.3 Land tenure and land policy .................................. 25 6.2.4 Local institutions and organisations . , .......................... 29 6.2.5 Farmers' perceptions and attitudes ............................. 30 6.3 Government policies, sttategies and programmes ....................... 32 6.3.1 Agricultural development policies and strategies ................... 32 6.3.2 Agricultural research policies and strategies ....................... 33 6.3.3 Resource conservation ....................................... 35 6.3.4 Agricultural extension ....................................... 40 6.3.5 Local market development: Purchased inputs, rural credit and output ........................................... 41 6.3.6 Irrigation ................................................. 47 6.3.7 Livestock development ....................................... 49 6.3.8 Infrastructure and urban development .......................... 51 6.3.9 Development of local participation and farmer organisations ......... 52 6.3.10 Non-governmental programmes ............................... 53 7 Development pathways: Opportunities for sustainable development ............ 54 7.1 High agricultural potential with high market access ..................... 58 7.2 High agricultural potential with low market access ...................... 59 7.3 Low agricultural potential with high market access ...................... 60 iii 7.4 Low agricultural potential with low market access ....................... 61 8 Strategies for sustainable development ............ , ...................... 63 8.1 High external input intensification of cereals .......................... 63 8.2 Low external input intensification of cereals ........................... 66 8.3 Commercial production of perishable cash crops ....................... 71 8.4 High-value non-perishable perennial crops ............................ 73 8.5 Intensification of livestock production ............................... 75 8.6 Bee keeping .................................................... 77 8.7 Fishing ................................................ , ....... 77 8.8 Rural non-farm development ....................................... 78 8.9 Migration ...................................................... 79 9 Summary and conclusions ............................................ 8 I References ........................................................... 86 Annex 1. Financial services operators in Amhara Region, Ethiopia ............ 93 Annex II. Indigenous soil and water conservation measures in Amhara Region, Ethiopia .................................................. 96 Annex IlIA. Non-governmental organisation (NGO) agricultural development projects/programmes in Amhara Region, Ethiopia ................. 99 Annex mB. Non-governmental organisation (NGO) agricultural development projects/programmes in Amhara Region, Ethiopia ................ 103 Annex me. Non-governmental organisation (NGO) agricultural development projects/programmes in Amhara Region, Ethiopia •............... 106 Annex IV. Description of secondary data collected and used in writing this report. 112 Annex V. Abbreviations and acronyms ................................. 113 iv List of Tables Table 1. Major agro-ecological zones (AEZs) of Amhara Region ................. 10 Table 2. Food shortage in weeks, South Wello .............................. 12 Table 3. Reasons for not being food self-sufficient in Adet wereda ............... 13 Table 4. Estimated erosion hazard classes in Amhara Region ................... 15 Table 5. Soil loss estimates for Soil Conservation Research Project (SCRP) sites in Amhara Region, 1987 and 1988 ............................ 16 Table 6. Soil loss estimates for Soil Conservation Research Project (SCRP) experiments in Amhara Region, 1987 and 1988 ...................... 17 Table 7. Soil erosion and productivity loss in Ethiopia ........................ 18 Table 8. Principal energy sources in Amhara Region .......................... 23 Table 9. Farmers' perception of soil erosion in South Wello ................... 31 Table 10. Farmers' perception on the causes of soil erosion on cultivated land in Amhara Region ......................................... 31 Table 11. Integrated Food Security Programme weredas and beneficiaries ........... 34 Table 12. Soil and water conservation activities through mass mobilisation inAmhara, 1992-93 to 1997-98 .................................. 36 Table 13. Consumption of fertiliser in Amhara ............................... 43 Table 14. Fertiliser application rate (kg/ha) for cultivated land in Amhara ......... 44 Table 15. Improved seed utilisation in Amhara ............................... 44 Table 16. Credit (in the form of fertiliser, improved seeds and chemicals) utilised by farmers in Amhara .................................... 46 Table 17. Estimated large-scale irrigation potential in the region ................. 48 Table 18. Population of livestock in Amhara, 1995/96 ......................... 50 Table 19. Animal vaccination and treatment coverage in Amhara Region .......... 51 Table 20. Infrastructure development in Amhara Region ....................... 52 Table 21. Opportunities for sustainable land management in the highlands of Amhara Region ............................................. 58 Table 22. Migration in Amhara Region by zone, 1992-95 ...................... 80 v List of Figures Figure 1. Conceptual framework to identify land degradation and land management processes ... ; ....................................... 7 Figure 2. Causes of soil erosion ........................................... 20 Figure 3. Causes of '!utrient depletion ..................................... 21 Figure 4. Classification of the highlands of Amhara Region ..................... 57 vi Acknowledgements The authors gratefully ackuowledge the financial support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for this research. We are also grateful to officials of the various agencies of the Amhara National Region Government, especially the Amhara National Region Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANRBANR), the Bureau of Planning and Economic Development (BoPED), the Food Security, Disaster Prevention and Prepared ness Commission