ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES ASSESSMENT OF THE PRACTICES AND ASPECTS OF FARMLAND MANAGEMENT IN GOZAMEN DISTRICT, EAST GOJJAM ZONE, ETHIOPIA BY TADESSE DEJENIE YIZENGAW JUNE, 2011 ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITY A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES OF ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ART IN GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES BY TADESSE DEJENIE ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES ASSESSMENT OF THE PRACTICES AND ASPECTS OF FARMLAND MANAGEMENT IN GOZAMEN WOREDA, EAST GOJJAM ZONE, ETHIOPIA By Tadesse Dejenie Approved by Board of Examiners: Dessalegn Wana (PhD) _________________ 1. Department Chair person Signature Assefa Abegaz (PhD) _________________ 2. Advisor Signature Mohammed Assen (PhD) _________________ 3. Internal Examiner Signature ___________________________ _________________ 4. External Examiner Signature Acknowledgement My heart felt gratitude goes to Dr. Assefa Abegaz, my advisor, for his invaluable guidance and constructive criticisms provided starting from the beginning of the proposal up to the write up of this thesis. I extend my thanks to my beloved mother and brother, W/o Yetemegn Hailu and P/Enawgaw Dejenie, who are my inspirations to work hard throughout my studies. My great dept also goes to Bureau of Government Communication Affairs, Environmental Protection and Land Administration and Use, and Agricultural and Rural Development offices of Gozamen woreda for providing relevant information for each I had required. i Table of contents Contents pages List of Tables ....................................................................................................................................v List of Figures .................................................................................................................................. vi Acronyms ....................................................................................................................................... vii Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... viii Chapter one Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1. Background of the Study ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Statement of the Problem ........................................................................................................................ 3 1.3. Objectives ............................................................................................................................................... 4 1.4. Research Questions ................................................................................................................................. 5 1.5. Methods and Procedures of the Study .................................................................................................... 5 1.5.1. Sampling Techniques ........................................................................................................................... 5 1.5.2. Data Collection Instruments and Data Sources .................................................................................... 7 1.5.3. Data Analysis and Interpretation .......................................................................................................... 8 1.6. Description of Variables Used in the Statistical Analysis of Determinants of Adoption and Implementation of Improved Farmland Management Practice .................................................9 1.7. Significance of the Study .........................................................................................................10 1.8. Scope and Limitations of the Study ...................................................................................................... 10 1.9. Thesis organization ................................................................................................................................ 11 CHAPTER TWO Review of Related Literatures .....................................................................................................12 2.1. Sustainable Land Management ................................................................................................12 2.1.1. The concept of Sustainability and Sustainable Land Management ......................................12 ii 2.2. Farmland Management ............................................................................................................14 2.3. Farmland management practices and their Importance ............................................................15 2.4. Land Degradation in Africa .....................................................................................................18 2.5. Land Degradation in Ethiopia ...................................................................................................20 2.6. Major Determinants for Adoption and Implementation of Improved Farmland management practices ...............................................................................................................21 2.6.1. Government Policies and Programs .......................................................................................21 2.6.2. Farmers’ Decisions, Socio-economic and institutional factors............................................. 21 2.6.3. Education, Farmers’ local knowledge and active participation .............................................22 2.6.4. Endowments of Physical and Human capital .........................................................................24 2.6.5. Topography and climate ........................................................................................................24 2.7. Conceptual framework of the study ..........................................................................................25 Chapter Three Descriptions of the Study Area .....................................................................................................27 3.1. Location and size ......................................................................................................................27 3. 2. Relief, climate and Drainage ....................................................................................................28 3.3. Vegetation .................................................................................................................................29 3.4. Soils and Land Use/ Land Cover ..............................................................................................29 3.5. Socio economic characteristics ................................................................................................30 Chapter Four Results and Discussions ...............................................................................................................34 4.1. Attributes of Sample Households ............................................................................................34 4.2. Farmland Management Practices ..............................................................................................36 4.2.1. Soil Fertility Maintaining Practices .....................................................................................36 4.2.1.1. Indigenous Management practices .....................................................................................37 4.2.1.2. Modern management practices ..........................................................................................40 4.2.2 Soil and Water Conservation Measures ..................................................................................43 4.2.2.1. Indigenous Methods ...........................................................................................................44 iii 4.2.2.2. Modern management Methods ..........................................................................................47 4.2.3. Weed and Insect Controlling Practices .................................................................................51 4.2.4. Crop Productivity Increasing Practices ..................................................................................53 4.3. Determining Factors of the Adoption and Implementation of Improved Farmland Management Practices ................................................................................................................57 Chapter Five Conclusion and Recommendations .............................................................................................67 5.1. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 67 5.2. Recommendations .....................................................................................................................69 References……………………………………………………………………………………… .. .72 Appendixes……………………………………………………………………………………… ..77 iv List of Tables Table No pages Table3.1. Division of relief types in Gozamen woreda ..................................................................28 Table3.2. Land use/land cover in Gozamen woreda ........................................................................30 Table4.1.