Analyzing Performances of Selected Sustainable Land Management Practices in Gina Beret Watershed, North Shoa Yeron Tekalign Beyene A Thesis submitted to Center for Environmental Science School of Graduate Studies Presented in partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Science, in Environmental Science Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa, Ethiopia December, 2016 ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES This is to certify that the Thesis prepared by Yeron Tekalign Beyene, entitled: Analyzing Performances of Selected Sustainable Land Management Practices in Gina Beret Watershed, North Shoa and Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science (Environmental Science) complies with the regulations of the University and meets the accepted standards with respect to originality and quality. Signed by Examining Board: Name Signature Date 1. __________________________ ______________________ _________________ (Examiner) 2. __________________________ ______________________ _________________ (Examiner) 3. __________________________ ______________________ _________________ (Advisor) 4. __________________________ _______________________ _________________ (Chairman) Acknowledgements First of all, I would also like to express my special appreciation to my advisor Dr. Mekuria Argaw Associate Professor, Center for Environmental Sciences, Addis Ababa University for his consistent and stimulating advice, valuable suggestions, unreserved support and insightful academic assistance in every bit of my work for the completion of the thesis. Without his encouragement, suggestion and support this paper would not have come to a successful end. My heartfelt appreciation goes to International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa for financial support and technical support they rendered to my research work. I am very much grateful to Dr. Kindu Mekonnen and Dr. Lulseged Tamene for their willingness and giving me the opportunity to work with them.Also for helping me in providing necessary materials constructive comments and guidance. I would also like to acknowledge Gudo Beret kebele Administration and Basona Werana Woreda Agricultural Office staffs who have given me necessary data and information needed for the research work during the study area survey. Furthermore, I would also like to express my deepest and most heart-felt gratitude to my beloved families for their prayers, moral support, strength and encouragement to me in completing my study. Last but not least I would like to thank my friends and colleagues for always being there for me. To those who indirectly contributed in this research, your kindness means a lot to me. Thank you very much. i Table of contents Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... V LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................... VI LIST OF APPENDICES .......................................................................................................... VII ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................ VIII 1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................ 1 1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ............................................................................................... 4 1.3. OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................................... 6 1.3.1. General objective ........................................................................................................... 6 1.3.2. Specific objectives ......................................................................................................... 6 1.4. SCOPE OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................................. 6 1.5. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................ 7 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................................ 8 2.1. EXTENT OF LAND DEGRADATION .......................................................................................... 8 2.2 SOIL FERTILITY DECLINE ...................................................................................................... 11 2.2.1. Organic Matter ............................................................................................................. 11 2.2.2. Total Nitrogen.............................................................................................................. 13 2.2.3. Available phosphorus .................................................................................................. 14 2.3. THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT ........................................................ 15 2.4. LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN ETHIOPIA .................................................................... 18 2.5. SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PRACTICES TO COMBAT THE PROBLEM ........................... 20 2.3.1. Physical/Mechanical/ Soil conservation Measures ...................................................... 21 2.3.2. Biological /Vegetative/ Soil Conservation Measures .................................................. 21 3. MATERIALS AND METHODS ........................................................................................... 24 3.1. DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA ...................................................................................... 24 3.1.1. Location ....................................................................................................................... 24 ii 3.1.2. Climate......................................................................................................................... 26 3.1.2.1. Rainfall .................................................................................................................. 26 3.1.2.2. Temperature .......................................................................................................... 27 3.1.3. Topography .................................................................................................................. 28 3.1.4. Soil ............................................................................................................................... 28 3.1.5. Land Use ...................................................................................................................... 28 3.1.6. Agro-ecology of the Study area ................................................................................... 29 3.1.7. Demographic Features ................................................................................................. 29 3.1.8. Economic Activities .................................................................................................... 29 3.1.9. Agriculture and Land Management Practices ............................................................. 31 3.1.9.1 Tree Lucerne/ (Chamaecytisus palmensis/ proliferus) along stone bund .............. 32 3.1.9.2 Phalaris /Phalaris arundinacea/ along stone bund .................................................. 34 3.1.9.3 Stone bund ............................................................................................................. 35 3.1.9.4 Without SLM practice............................................................................................ 36 3.1.10 Map of SLM practices within the study area .............................................................. 37 3.2. METHODS ............................................................................................................................ 38 3.2.1 Reconnaissance Survey ................................................................................................ 38 3.2.2. Biophysical Survey ...................................................................................................... 38 3.2.3. Study design and sampling strategy ............................................................................ 38 3.2.3.1 Design of the study ................................................................................................ 38 3.2.3.2. Sampling Technique ............................................................................................. 41 3.2.4. Type and Source of data .............................................................................................. 43 3.2.5 Soil survey .................................................................................................................... 43 3.2.6 Soil analysis .................................................................................................................. 44 3.2.7. Socio-economic survey................................................................................................ 45 3.2.7.1 Household survey................................................................................................... 45 3.2.8 Method of data collection ............................................................................................