نوع مقاله : Special Issue: New Approaches to Water and Soil Management and Modeling
نویسندگان
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Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, College of Social Science and Humanities, Mettu University, Mettu, Ethiopia
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Department of Soil Resource and Watershed Management, College of Agriculture and Natural Resource Management, Gambella University, Gambella, Ethiopia
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Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, College of Social Science and Humanities, Debark University, Debark, Ethiopia
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Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
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Departments of Geography and Environmental Studies, College of Social Science and Humanities, Mettu University, Mettu, Ethiopia
چکیده
The study examined the practices and factors affecting the adoption of soil and water conservation (SWC) measures in Mettu district. To achieve this, a cross-sectional survey design with a mixed-methods approach, specifically concurrent triangulation, was employed. A total of 341 households were selected using simple random sampling. Quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics and a binary logistic regression model, while qualitative data were summarized, narrated, and interpreted. The findings revealed that the primary drivers of soil degradation in the area were deforestation (47.4%), steep slopes (79%), irregular and erosive rainfall (26.2%), land fragmentation (72%), overgrazing (88.2%), weak management practices (58.5%), and improper farming techniques (63.8%). Among these, overgrazing, steep slopes, and land fragmentation were the most influential factors. Indigenous soil conservation practices widely employed by farmers included crop rotation (85.5%), contour plowing (74.2%), fallowing (51%), mulching (77%), manuring (56.7%), and traditional cut-off drains (78Among the introduced soil and water conservation measures, vetiver grass (91.3%) emerged as the most widely adopted practice, followed by soil bunds (70%), hillside terraces (69.5%), agroforestry (40.5%), and micro-basins (38.2%). The binary logistic regression results revealed that gender, household age, education level, access to credit, and landholding size positively and significantly influenced farmers’ decisions to adopt SWC practices. In contrast, longer distances between homes and farm plots significantly reduced the likelihood of adoption. Overall, strengthening farmers’ awareness supported by coordinated efforts from relevant stakeholders is essential to advancing sustainable soil and water conservation in the district.
کلیدواژهها
موضوعات
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