Addis Ababa University Colleague of Social Science Department of Geography and Environmental Studies Assessing Integration Indigenous Practices with Modern Technologies for Sustainable Land Management; the Case of Soil Conservation and Fertility Improvement in Debremitimak Kebele, East Gojjam. BY Adimew Admasie September 2014 Addis ababa 1 Assessing Integration of Indigenous Practices with Modern Technologies for Sustainable Land Management; the case of Soil Conservation and Fertility Improvement in Debremitimak Kebele, East Gojjam. BY Adimew Admasie Department of Geography and Environmental Studies A thesis Submitted to Colleague of Social Science In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Masters of Geography September, 2014 Addis Ababa 2 Colleague of Social Science Department of Geography and Environmental Studies Title Assessing Integration of Indigenous practices with Modern Technologies for Sustainable Land Management: the Case of Soil Conservation and Fertility Improvement in Debremitmak Kebele, East Gojjam BY Adimew Admasie Approved by the Board of Examiners Faculty of chairperson Signature _______________________ _________________________ Advisor ________________________ ___________________________ External Examiner ________________________ ___________________________ Internal Examiner _______________________ ___________________________ 3 Acknowledgement I am most indebted to my thesis advisor Doctor Assefa Abegaz for his guidance, constructive comments, and encouragement throughout the course of my work. His valuable advice has helped me realize the thesis. My sincere thanks also go to all staff members of the Department of Geography for their invaluable assistance and encouragement. I am very grateful to Ato Negese Desie, Ewunetu Dagne and Animaw Wubete who helped me during the field trip and the overall data collection process. My sincere thanks also go to all my friends, particularly Nuru Hussen, Dawit Alebachew, Akililu Zewde, Nadew Ayele, Tariku Mulu for their invaluable assistance and encouragement. I would finally like to extend my sincere appreciation to all the farmers‟ in the study area and the Sinan woreda soil conservation experts for their kind participation in the data collection process. i Table of Contents Contents Page Acknowledgement ........................................................................................................................... I Table of contents ............................................................................................................................. II List of table .................................................................................................................................... V List of figure ................................................................................................................................. VI Acronyms ..................................................................................................................................... VII Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... VIII CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................. 1 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Background ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Statement of the Problem .............................................................................................................. 2 1.3. Objective of the Study ................................................................................................................... 4 1.3.1. General Objective ......................................................................................................... 4 1.3.2. The Specific Objectives ................................................................................................ 4 1.4. Basic Research Questions ............................................................................................................. 5 1.5. Significance of the Study .............................................................................................................. 5 1.6. The Delimitation of the Study ...................................................................................................... 6 1.7. Organization of the Thesis ............................................................................................................ 6 CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................................ 7 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................... 7 2.1. Definition of Concepts and Terms ............................................................................................... 7 2.2. Managing soil Fertility: Different inputs used ........................................................................... 9 2.3. Integrating Indigenous practices with Modern Technologies for Sustainable Land Management .............................................................................................................................................. 10 2.4. The Role of Indigenous practices in Modern Conservation and Sustainable Development ........... 11 2.5. The Significance of Indigenous practices for Sustainable Agriculture in Amhara Region. ............. 11 2.6. The Role of Indigenous practices in Development Process ................................................... 12 2.7. The strength of Indigenous Land Management practices ....................................................... 12 2.8. Agricultural Land Degradation in the Highlands of Ethiopia with particular emphasis On the North-western highlands. .................................................................................................................. 14 ii 2.9. Global Perspectives of Indigenous practice for Soil Conservation ....................................... 16 s2.10. National Perspectives of the Indigenous practice for Soil Conservation .............................. 17 2.11. Conceptual Framework ................................................................................................................ 18 CHAPTER TREE ....................................................................................................................... 200 MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................................................................................ 200 3.1. Descriptions of the Study Area ................................................................................................. 200 3.1.1. Location of the Study Area ....................................................................................... 200 3.1.2. Climate...................................................................................................................... 222 3.1.3. Soil ............................................................................................................................ 222 3.1.4. Economic Activity .................................................................................................... 222 3.2. Research Method and Approach .............................................................................................. 222 3.3. Nature of Data ............................................................................................................................. 233 3.4. Sources of Data ........................................................................................................................... 233 3.4.1. Questionnaire ............................................................................................................ 233 3.4.2. Field Observation ..................................................................................................... 244 3.4.3. Focus Group Discussions (FGD) .............................................................................. 244 3.4.4. Key Informant Interview .......................................................................................... 244 3.5. Methods of Data Presentation and Analysis ........................................................................... 255 CHAPTER FOUR ....................................................................................................................... 266 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ................................................................................................. 266 4.1. Demographic Characteristics of Respondents ........................................................................ 266 4.2. The Economic Activity of Farmers in the Study Area .......................................................... 277 4.3. The Factors, level and Type of Soil Degradation in the Study Area ................................... 277 4.3.1. Factors Affecting Soil Degradation in the Study Area ............................................. 277 4.3.2. Level of Soil Fertility Decline in the study Area ........................................................ 28 4.3.3. Type of Soil Erosion by Water in the Study Area .................................................... 311 4.4. Perception of Farmers on Soil Erosion, Fertility Decline and Local Environment