Belay, Asnake Sete (2016) Effect of Soil and Water Conservation Measures on Soil Macronutrient and Moisture Status in Guba-Lafto Woreda, North Wollo, Ethiopia. Masters thesis, Addis Ababa University.
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Abstract
This study was conducted to assess the effect of soil and water conservation practices on soil macronutrients (N, P, and K), organic carbon content, soil pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and soil moisture status in Goba-Lafto Woreda of North Wollo, Ethiopia. Two case study kebeles were purposively selected representing Dega (highland) and Woina dega (midland) agro ecological zones. A total of 130 households were selected for farmer level assessment of the soil fertility and moisture status as production constraints and copying mechanisms employed by farmers. Sixteen composite surface soil samples (0-20 cm depth) were collected from selected sub-watersheds to determine soil macronutrients (N, P, and K), available soil organic carbon, soil pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and moisture status. The major SWC measures being employed in were physical SWC measures (stone bund, hillside terrace, micro water ponds, stone faced soil bund, check dam, and fanya-juu terrace); agronomic conservation measures (contour farming, mixed cropping, and crop rotation) ; and biological conservation measures (afforestation, agroforestry, area closure, and grass strip). The study found that declining soil fertility is among the major crop production problems along with low and erratic rain fall, and limited awareness on SWC measures in Guba-Lafto Woreda. Soil laboratory results indicated that, SWC practices improves available soil macronutrients (N, P, and K), organic carbon content, soil pH, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) as SWC measures reduce runoff and soil erosion, helps keep nutrients on the field. In addition, the study revealed that SWC practices are essential for soil moisture retentions through reducing run-off velocity, conserving and storing water, and then increasing infiltration and percolation rates. Even if SWC measures were essential to enhance available soil macronutrients and moisture status, lack of awareness on SWC, land shortage, labour shortage, and wealth status of the farmers were challenging the households to implement SWC practices on their farmlands.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Crop production problems, Soil fertility decline, Soil and water conservation measures, Soil nutrients, Soil moisture status |
| Subjects: | G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences Q Science > QE Geology |
| Divisions: | Africana |
| Depositing User: | Selom Ghislain |
| Date Deposited: | 12 Sep 2018 08:57 |
| Last Modified: | 12 Sep 2018 08:57 |
| URI: | http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/5172 |
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