HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIROMENTAL

SCIENCE

SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURSES AND ENVIROMENTAL SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY

SENIOR SEMINAR PAPER

EFFECTIVENESS OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PRACTICES

SUBMMITED BY

ABREHAM DEFARU ……………

ADVISER MR TAMRAT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE

Acronyms and Abbreviations.......................................................................I

1. INTRODUCTION.…………………………………………………….…………………………..........5

1.1 Background .............................................................................................5

1.2 Objectives......….….……………………...........................................................7

1.2.1 General objective........…….………….………….........................................7

1.2.2 Specific objectives...……………….…………….........................................7

2. LITERATURE REVIEW..............................................................................7

2.1 Concept and definition of soil and water conservations .................7

2.2 Types of soil and water conservation practices...............................8

2.2.1 Biological soil and water conservation practices......................8

2.2.2 Physical structure measures..................................................…..…9

2.3 Characteristics of soil and water conservation................................10

2.4 Effectiveness of soil and water conservation practices...............11

2.5 Determinant factors of soil and water conservation practices....12

2.5.1 Economic factors..............………………………………………………………..…12

2.5.2 Institutional factors.........…………...................................................12

2.5.3 Physical factors………………………………………………………………………………12

2.5.4 Demographic factors…………………………………………………………………….12

2.6 Advantages of soil and water conservation……………………………………13

3. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION……………………………………..13

3.1 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………..13

3.2 Recommendation…………………………………………………………………………14

4.REFFERENCE…………………………………………………………………………………………14
 Acknowledgement

Frist and for most, I would like to thank God for helping and giving as throughout my entire life.
my special and heart full thanks also go to advisor Mr. Tamrat , for his support, guidance,
suggestion, comment and encouragement, through idea to the completion of this seminar.
Finally, I would like to thanks our families for they support with financial.
ACCRONOMYS AND ABBREVATIONS

% percentage

FAO food and Agricultural Organization

ISCP integrated soil conservation practice

masl meter above sea level

SOM soil organic matter

SWC soil and water conservation

SSSA soil science society of America

UNDEP united nation development for environmental protection

 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background
The population of the world is dependent on land resource-more than 97% of the total food is
derived from the land, the reaming from the aquatic system. Agriculture is an essential
component of society of well- being and occupies 40% of the land surface and consumes 70% of
global water resources. At every point of production, agriculture influence and is influenced by
ecosystem, biodiversity and the economy ( Nyssen, 2004).

Now a day, depletion of natural resources is the major problem facing the world. World
Resource institute of the United Nations Environmental program estimated that the million of the
hectare of land are degraded and completely disappeared with their original biotic functions
and 1.2 billion hectares (10%) of the earth's vegetative surface are moderately degradation (soil
erosion and climate change) has direct effect on agriculture productivity and food security
( Mulugata and Karl, 2010).

The economic development of developing countries also depends on the performance of the
agricultural sector, and the contribution of this sector depends on how the natural resources are
managed. Unfortunately, in majority of developing nations, the quality and quantity of natural
resources are decreasing resulting in more serve drought and floods. Effective integrated
watersheds management can reduce these effects. Since Ethiopia is one of the developing
countries, land degradation is one of the most challenging environmental problems in the country
( Fikru, 2009).Soil erosion is recognized as one of the world's most serious environmental
problems ( Pender and Kerr, 1998 ) global; about 80% of the current degradation of agriculture
land is caused by Soil erosion ( Angina et al., 2003).Soil is the critically important resources, the
efficient management of which is vital for economic growth. The back bone of the agrarian
economy in most developing countries is rain fed agriculture. The socio -economic development
of developing countries depends on agriculture ( Fikru, 2009).

The Ethiopia highlands inhabited by the vast majority of the Ethiopia human and livestock
populations are under continuous threat from Soil erosion. Land degradation induced by soil
erosion is considered to be among the major factors responsible for the recurrent malnutrition
and famine problems in Ethiopia. Soil erosion in association with inappropriate land
management practices is one of the main factors which Causing soil degradation. Poor soil and
water management practices and lack of effective planning and implementation approaches for
soil and water conservation are responsible for acceleratin soil erosion on agricultural lands and
siltation of lakes and reservoirs down streams ( Yerosion and Herweg, 2000). Soil and water
conservation in Ethiopia is therefore not only closely related to the improvement and
conservation of ecological environment, but also to the sustainable development of its
agricultural sector and its economy at large. In Ethiopia, efforts towards this conservation goal
were started since the mid 1970s and 80 ( Thomas et al., 2002). Since then, different soil
conserving technologies with a varied approach has been underway and various strategies have
been introduced to enhance agricultural development and rural livelihood ( Aklilu, 2006).

1.2 Objectives

1.2.1. General Objective

The general objective of this seminar paper is to assess the effectiveness of the soil and water
conservation practices.

1.2.2 Specific objectives

To identify the types soil and water conservation practices in the study area.
To investigate the factor that affecting soil and water conservation practices in the study area
To assess farmers perception for soil and water conservation practices in the study area
To recommend the types of soil and water conservation being practiced in the study area

2. LITERATURE REVIEW
 2.1 Concept and definition of soil and water conservation
The term conservation required many coordination but the most wildly accepted definitions as
defined by international union for conservation of natural resource is the management of human
use of natural resource that may yield the greatest sustainable benefit and maintaining its
potential to meet the aspiration of future generation ( Taffa, 2002). Soil conservation is
maintaining good soil health by various practices. The aim of soil conservation is to prevent soil
erosion, prevent soils over us, and prevent soil contamination from chemical. There are various
measures that are used to maintain soil health and prevent the above harms to soil ( Hudson,
1992). Conservation of soil and water resource is essential for sustainable food and fiber
production to answer the demand of increasing human population and pressuring the
environment ( Agassive, 2002). Soil conservation practices the physical biological application of
land water management knowledge by skillful means with the goal of protecting our soil
resource from exploitation.

2.2 Types of soil and water conservation practices

2.2.1 Biological soil and water conservation practice
Biological soil and water conservation practice were covering of soil surface by vegetation to
reduce soil erosion , improve the quality of environment and fertility usually effective option for
achieving better vegetation cover is the establishment of enclosure to enhance natural
regeneration and human activities that were restricted for shorter or longer period or even
permanently. Prevention of wood and non timber forest product and biodiversity conservation
and also enclose tree plantation, crop rotation ,strip cropping ,mulching and allay crop are some
of the biological practice( Amanual, 2004).

A. Crop Rotation
Crop rotation system in which different crops are grown sequentially on the same field in
alternative season and the most simplest desirable strategies for soil conservation
( Magdotf,1992).
Crop rotation is generally defined as more or less regularly recurrent succession of different
crops on a given area of land good crop rotation and addition of humans, restoration and
reduction of post disease ( shetto, 1999).
 B. Mulching
Mulching is forming maintenance surface residual on field. Mulching normally utilize natural
material and involved covering the soil with cut grass, crop residual and straw. Mulching is
highly practicing by farmers in water area due to availability of vegetative material. The
importance of mulching is reducing Surface run off, protect soil erosion and evaporation losses
and conserve soil moisture ( Mati, 2005).
C. Fallowing

The traditional method of restoring productivity and fertility by left ting the land to some time is
called fallowing .but ,due to the limited farming size most of peoples not practice as well ( Mati,
2005). Proper period of fallowing in particular agricultural field improved the soil. Fertility and
replenish the nutrient uses by agricultural practices ( Eswarne et al., 2006).
D .Manuring

Manuring mostly involves in soil fertility management because of it riches in nutrient and reduce
soil erosion by increasing the formation stability and strength of soil aggregates and having
higher organic matter contents( Hnerey and Radi, 2008).

E. Mixed cropping

Two or more crops are grown in the some field in the same season .This is specially due with
large crops and the leguminous species since they are the nitrogen fixing plants and this helps to
the other plant as nutrient ( Michael, 2001).

F. Contour ploughing
Contour farming involves plowing, planting and weeding along the contour across the slope
other than up and down so these practices are the most conservation measures to reduce soil loss
and increase water holding capacity (Tadesse,1991).
G. Grass strip

It is a narrow bund of grass planted on a land along the contour. The grass strip may be formed
by planning of grass or by leaving a farm land unplugged to grow natural grass. Grass strip are
effective soil and water conservation measures of soil with good infiltration slope ( Taffa, 2002).
2.2.2 Physical structure Measures
Soil erosion reduces soil depth and removes the entire soil. Thus loss of the soil means loss of
the latter with most nutrients organic matter and the best structure for crop root growth. So
the purpose of physical soil conservation is not merely to preserve soil but maintain its
productive capacity while using it. Terraces and fanya juu are soil and water conservation
activity even though they are preferred to the type of topography or slope of farming system or
climate (Lesise, 2004).

Contouring, contour plough, cutoff-drain rough surface created by tillage and terracing
increase infiltration by holding water on the land.

A. Cut off-drain
Cut off drains are one of the physical structural conservation methods by digging the soil in deep
in order to direct the runoff before reaching the farm land. Some farmers constructed this for
protecting soil erosion by excess runoff and it also used to deposit excess water to the farming
field ( UNDEP, 2008).

B. Traditional ditches
Drainage Ditches are the most useful for soil and water conservation by constructing different
channels on cultivated lands to drain excess water and it has a major role for soil erosion control
( UNDEP, 2008).

C. Terrace
Terrace is the technique for collecting surface runoff water for increasing infiltration and
controlling soil erosion and used to transform land scape to steeped agro-systems in many hill or
mountainous place ( Zuazo et al., 2005).

D. Soil bund
Soil bund is an embankment constructed from soil along the contour with water collection
channel or basin at its upper side. This method issued not only control of erosion but also under
for growth of grass because the farmers plant grass at the bund .

2.3. Characteristic of soil and water conservation

 A. Flexibility and areal specific
Condition for adoption of soil and water conservation practices are the production associated
such as the farm, topography or land scape features, and change in economy, social and cultural
setting of the community ,some of these techniques are fixable and area specific as they are
relay on the local economic, social and cultural religious and environmental ( Achim, 2008).

B. Integration with modern technologies

Integration the traditional techniques with modern developments may lead towards a sustainable
management of the ever increasing of the soil conservation and protects from erosion ( Achim,
2008).

C. Dynamic
It is dynamic and involves all the time change. Since is due to that of soil and water conservation
is a collective practice of long period time by the indigenous people ( Achim, 2008).
D. Multi-functionality
ISCP are usually reflects their multifunction such as fertility management, erosion control. Drain
and harvesting ( Shetto, 1999).

2.4 Effectiveness of soil conservation practices.

The effectiveness of ISCP is measured by their capacity on conserving soil erosion problems,
soil productivity increase-men and how they control the soil loss their applicability on the
management. According to FAO (1994) a well known conservationist, soil conservation means
treating every soil according its capabilities. added that soil conservation means farming the
land in a manner which will bring about maximizing production. From this can interfere by soil
conservation we do not just simply means control of soil erosion. It involves use of each hectare
of land within its capability and improvement there by to achieve sustainable development .

Soil conservation activities are an activity that agriculturalists do on soil effectively in order to
grow plants to meet societies’ need. And it is a wide term covering all the factors directly under
man control, such as the choice of land use choice of crop, method of crop production and
mineral practice. This is to say that soil conservation is essentially embraces more than just the
prevention of soil losses and which includes maintenance of sufficient organic matter in the soil
which improves structure and water holding capacity of the soil which in turn reduces loss of soil
( Hudson, 1987). According to Hudson (1987) soil and water conservation techniques are highly
effective in the conservation of soil from the erosion problem and they are highly importance in
the increasing of productivities of land.

2.5 Determinant factors of soil and water conservation practices

Soil erosion is the main form of land degradation, caused by the interacting effects of factors
such as biophysical characteristics and socio- economic aspects would affect the quality of the
soil. When rain drops hits so that is not protected by the cover of vegetation and where there are
not roots to bind the soil, it has the impact of a bullet.

2.5.1 Economic factors

Economic variable can play an important role in determining the adoption of SWC practices of
the household. Economic factors such as Among the economic factors, farm size is an important
variable in relation to the adoption of SWC ( Amsalu and Degaaff, 2006).Farmer size is one of
the factors that affect farmers decision to soil conservation technologies ( Tadesse and Belay,
2004) especially physical structure like terrace imply along pay back period.

2.5.2 Institutional factors

Institutional inefficiencies in the development and delivery of relevant knowledge and assistance
are assed to be the major reason why soil and water conservation technologies are not adopted
( Baidu and Forson, 1999). Therfore , integration of SWC technologies into institution, local
information and assistance networks can facilities the adoption process ( Baidu and Forson,
1999).
2.5.3 Physical factors
Stepper slope has been found to have a positive effect on the decision of SWC practices.
Empirical studies in different part of Ethiopia reported a positive and significant correlation
between the slope a farm and the decision of the adoption of SWC practices ( Berhanu and
Swinton, 2003).Farmers plot with steep slopes are more involved in the continued use than those
who flat or gently sloping farm land. On steep slopes farmers are constructing soil bunds and
fanyajuu on their farm land to prevent soil erosion ( Cramb et al., 2009).
The soil fertility conditions of cultivated plots are an important factors on farmer's decision on
the continued use of soil and water conservation practices.

2.5.4 Demographic factors

The household variable that is considered to have effect on the adoption of SWC technologies
included age, level of education, family size and farm experience ( Akililu, 2006).The influence
of farmers age on the adoption performance of soil and water conservation may be either positive
or negative. Some studies indicate that farm experience has a positive relationship with the use of
conservation practices ( Amsalu and Degaaff, 2006).The long term planning horizon

By younger farmers might be influence for the negative effect of age on the adoption decision of
soil and water conservation practices.

Family size is often reported as having negative and positive effect on the adoption and
preservation of conservation activities. Large family are expected to adopt or more chance to
implement the practice more than those who lack of labour or relatively less family accessibility
( Pender and Kerr, 1998).

2.6 Advantages of soil and water conservation practices

The overall importance of soil and water conservation obtained for maximizing sustainable level
of production from given area. This can be achieved by maintaining soil loss below thresh hold
level ,the critically permits the natural rate of soil formation to keep with the rate soil erosion.
The importance of soil and water conservation maintaining inadequate depth of soil fertility of
soil and reducing loss of nutrient from agricultural land preventing pollution of water bodies,
decreasing of the rate of sedimentation of the reservoirs and preventing land deterioration
( Lesie, 2004).

The basic use of soil water conservation practice is to achieve agricultural products and
productivities. Soil productivity is the capacity of the soil to support the growth of plant on
sustainable base under given condition of climate and other relevant properties of the land. It a
normal environment to produce a particular plant or sequence of plant under specified
management condition. It is the potential of soil to produce maximum yield ( Vienyoung, 2008).
The practices of soil and water conservation in Ethiopia more observed in conso people trying
like terracing.
3. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

3.1 Conclusion
Soil and water conservation is positive work of reducing the rate of soil loss and increase
infiltration of water at least to a tolerable leveled. It is needed not only prevent soil loss there by
to support the growth of crop but also to avoid such problem us silting up of dames, deposition
of sediments which turn leads the river to change its courses and also cause of water pollution.
 As major finding this study clearly indicates that farmers in the study area have very good
perception of erosion hazards, to tackle the problem most of them have Appling different types
of soil and water conservation measures and they are highly effective in conservation of soil in
the study area by protecting the erosion problem and increase their productivity.

Some soil and water conservation techniques are practiced in the area including Biological
conservation measures like crop rotation, contour ploughing fallowing and mixed cropping and
physical conservation measures include soil bund, cut- off drain. But in the area there are some
factors that affect them in practicing of the soil and water conservations such as land insecurity,
population increment farm size and economic problems are the major factor in the study area.

3.2 Recommendation

From my seminar paper suggestion from this following recommendations are made based on
the finding
 Increase the knowledge if farmers about soil and water conservation practices.
 Facilitate the spread of information, new idea, and innovations for farmers about soil
and water conservation and managements.
 It is advisable to introduce modern technology which is biological and physical
conservation methods.
 Since population growth is one of the basic causes of soil degradation and depletion so a
mechanism for holding the family size slow down should be set up.
 Land ownership right should be secured this changes the psychology of individual
farmers from uncertainty to security tends to develop their land.

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