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Farmers' Perception of Land Degradation and Traditional Knowledge in Southern Ethiopia—Resilience and Stability
Author(s) -
Assefa Engdawork,
HansRudolf Bork
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
land degradation and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1099-145X
pISSN - 1085-3278
DOI - 10.1002/ldr.2364
Subject(s) - land degradation , livelihood , land management , context (archaeology) , psychological resilience , land use , soil fertility , environmental resource management , geography , sustainable land management , productivity , resilience (materials science) , land use, land use change and forestry , soil retrogression and degradation , agriculture , environmental planning , natural resource economics , agroforestry , environmental science , economic growth , economics , ecology , psychology , physics , archaeology , soil water , soil science , psychotherapist , biology , thermodynamics
Land degradation is the major economic and environmental threat in Ethiopia. Since the 1960s, the various traditional land management systems have undergone unprecedented changes. Within the context of farmers' awareness of land degradation and local responses to the problems, the objective of this study is to examine the resilience and stability of traditional land management knowledge in Southern Ethiopia. Data were collected using interviews, group discussions and field observations. Results of the study demonstrate that farmers have a wealth of experience in identifying the severity, dynamics and causes of soil erosion and soil fertility decline and grazing land deterioration. In response to these problems, farmers have developed a wide range of traditional land management practices, supported across the generations by the traditional law ( benee woga ) and norms. However, recent changes include reduction and abandonment of fallowing, modification of crop rotation and large‐scale reduction of manuring. The current practices used to fulfil livelihood requirements are the main driving forces that affect the resilience of the system. Thus, environmental and land use management planning should consider rehabilitating land not only based on traditional land management knowledge but also with regards to raising its agricultural productivity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.