ODA BULTUM UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF NATURAL RESOURCE AND

ENVIROMENTAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

RESEARCH PROJECT ON

ASSESSING CONTRIBUTION OF HOMEGARDEN

AGROFORESTRY PRACTICES IN RURAL LIVELIHOOD OF DHERTU
KEBELE, BEDENO DISTRICT, EAST HARARGHE ZONE

ADVISOR: SULTAN H (MSC)

SUBMITTED BY: GEMACHU JUWAR ALI

ID NO: 2592/13.

CHIRO: ETHIOPIA

MARCH 2024
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENT iv
ABBREVATI0N v
1. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 BACK GROUND AND JUSTIFICATION 1
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 2
1.3. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 3
1.3.1. General Objective 3
1.3.2. Specific objectives 3
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 3
2. LITRATURE REVIEW 4
2.1. Brief History and Categories of Home-Gardens 4
2.2.1. Contribution of Home-gardens to Food Availability and Nutrition 5
2.2.2. Fuel woodlots 7
2.5. Environmental benefits of home garden 7
3. METHODOLOGY 8
3.1 Description of the study area 8
3.1.1. Location 8
3.1.2 Climate 8
3.1.3. Temperature 8
3.1.4. Rainfall 8
3.1.5. Soil type 8
3.1.6. Population size 8
3.1.7. Land use system 8
3.1.8. Vegetation cover 9
3.2 METHODOLOGY 9
3.2.1 Sampling technique and sample size 9
3.2.2 Method of data collection 9
3.2.3 Data Analysis

ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and above all, I would like to thank Almighty God for giving me purpose in
my life and being with me in everywhere. Next I would like to extend my great and
deepest thank to my advisor Mr.Sultan. H (M.Sc), who gave me moral support,
valuable comments, suggestion and correction at any time as I want. Next to this,
I would like to extend my hurtful thanks to my families for their financial help and
his overall support to reach this position. Then I would like to thank Oda Bultum
University for preparing this senior research project as on course. Last but not
the least I would like to thank Forestry department.

iii
ABSTRACT

The study was conducted Dhertu kebele ,Bedeno woreda of eastern Hararghe
Zone of Oromia, Ethiopia with the objective of role of hone garden agroforestry
practice for biodiversity conservation , characterization of the existing home
garden agroforestry practice and challenges for improvement of existing home
garden agroforestry practice . In order to achieve these objective 89 households
were selected from the 825 households by simple random sampling technique.
The data were collected from primary and secondary data sources. The study
area had productive age group .Therefore when the productive age group
increased in the study area home garden agro forestry practice would increase.
However, the number of females in the study area were very small this indicates
that the participation and involvement of females for the development of home
garden agroforestry were very less. These was one of the factor that retarded
the improvement of home garden agro forestry practice in the study area leads to
occurrence of soil erosion, land degradation, water quality destruction and
biodiversity extinctions.

iv
1. INTRODUCTION
Home garden agro forestry is the system for the production of subsistence crops
for the gardeners and his family .It may also have additional role of production of
cash crop and ecological role such as hydrologic benefits, micro climatic
modification, soil erosion control and genetic resource
conservation( Soemarwoto,1984).

Agroforestry systems are land-use systems that combine the cultivation of trees,
crops and the husbandry of farm animals on the same land area (Fernandes and
Nair, 1986). In this line, ICRAF (1993) defined agroforestry as a collective name
for land-use systems and technologies where woody perennials (trees, shrubs,
palms, bamboos, etc.) are deliberately used on the same land management unit
as agricultural crops and/or animals, in some form of spatial arrangement or
temporal sequence. In agroforestry systems there are both ecological and
economic interactions between the different components. Accordingly,
agroforestry systems are viewed as an alternative to the ever increasing demand
for food (Soewarwoto, 1987), and a practical solution that brings together
scientific as well as traditional techniques to diversify production.

Agroforestry are viewed as traditional agroforestry systems which are

extensively practiced throughout the world (Wajtkowski, 1998). These practices
are found both in lowland and highland tropics, but are more common in humid
lowlands characterized by high population density. Ethiopia is one of the tropical
countries where agro forestry practice takes place extensively. The most
common known example of perennial crop based agroforestry is practiced in the
Ethiopian highlands of the Southern Nation's Nationalities and Peoples' Regional
State (Tesfaye Abebe, 2005). According to Fernandes and Nair, (1986) a
agroforestry can be defined as ‘ a land use system involving deliberate
management of multipurpose trees and shrubs in intimate association with
annual and perennial agricultural crops and invariably livestock within the
compounds of individual houses, where the whole tree-crop animal unit being
intensively managed by family labor’. Agro forestry have received considerable

1
attention as potential models for economically and ecologically sustainable
systems (Padoch and De Jong, 1991). Agroforestry display number of features
characteristics of sustainable agro-ecosystems, including efficient nutrient
cycling, high biodiversity, low use of external inputs and improved soil
conservation potential. Moreover, agroforestry provides a diverse and stable
supply of socio-economic products and benefits to the families that maintain
them.
In the same line, agroforestry studies in Ethiopia have looked into the species
composition, diversity, structure, and management practice (Tesfaye Abebe,
2005). The plant species diversity in agroforestry is characterized by a large
variety of mostly multi-purpose plants in various vegetation layers, which allow a
good utilization of environmental factors like nutrients and sunlight (Soemarwoto
& Conway 1991).
Agroforestry produce satisfy many human needs as food, fire wood, construction,
animal fodder, medicine, and shade, as well as ornamental, religious and
ceremonial uses (Blanckaert, et al., 2004). Agroforestry are the closest mimics of
natural forests in their structure and usually have 3–4 vertical canopy layers
(Zemede Asfaw and Ayele Nigatu, 1995). Besides the vertical structure,
agroforestry also have distinct horizontal structure which together help in the
efficient utilization of light and space, and support diverse wildlife species
besides meeting basic needs of the family (Das and Das, 2005).
Agroforestry are maintained by member of the household and their products are
intended primarily for household consumption (Gautam et al., 2004). Farmers’
indigenous management of agroforestry includes production of seedlings or
plantings, weeding, manure application, hoeing, pruning and in some cases
irrigation (Fentahun Mengistu, 2008). Farmers employ indigenous knowledge in
designing garden units (horizontal structure) and assemblage of life form that
occupy different vertical layers (vertical structure). These designs regulate light
and consequently increase species diversity and enhance biomass inputs,
improving soil fertility (Beer, et al., 1997). The maintenance and management of
activities in homegardens are highly gender-based and women are mostly

2
responsible for agroforestry.

1.1. Statement of the problem

The development of home garden agro forestry practice in the study area plays a
great role for productive purpose of human being as well as for protection of
environment. Practicing of home garden agro forestry with appropriate species
selection and intensive management home garden agroforestry practice play an
important roles for the local communities such as rehabilitation of degraded
ecosystem, carbon sequestration, reduction of water loss from
evapotranspiration by shade, increased water storage capacity of the soil
,increase water infiltration through better soil physical property and effect of root
, biodiversity conservation, water and soil conservation as well as improving
economic income of individual households. However, there were the number of
challenging factor that retarded the improvement of home garden agroforestry
such as lack of awareness; limiting experiences of home garden agro forestry
practice, lack of land availability and lack of budget were the prominent one.

1.2. Significance of the study

This study would be inhibit the local communities to improve home garden
agroforestry practice as well as the challenging factor that limit the development
of home garden agroforestry practice in the study area. The study created
awareness among the local communities how to improve home garden agro
forestry practice and motivate or increase their involvement in home garden
agroforestry development. In the study area there was some development of
home garden agro forestry practice by the local communities to get in came and
benefits most probability of lively hood of local community. In regard to this the
importance of this study to know the adaption and development of home garden
agro forestry practice in this particular area .In addition to this point and also to
find the solution of problem for changing the lively hood economically systems.

1.3. Objective of the study

1.3.1 General objective

The general objective was the role of home garden agroforestry system and
practices, implication for of biodiversity Conservation of in Woreda.
1.3.2. Specific Objectives

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 To identify the nature and level of community participation in the
development of rural the role of home garden agroforestry system in Bedano
Woreda.
 To identify the challenging factor for the improvement of home garden
agroforestry practice in the study area.
1.6 Research question
 What is the role of home garden agro forestry practice to improve in came of
livelihood?
 What is the role of home garden agro forestry practice to enhance soil fertility?
 What are the challenges of home garden agro forestry practice?
 What is the altitude of the community to development home garden agro
forestry practice?

2. LITRATURE REVIEW

2.1Definitions and concepts of terms

2 .1.1 Agroforestry
Agroforestry is a dynamic ecologically based natural resources management
system that through integration of trees on farms and in the agricultural
landscape diversifies and sustains production for increased social, economic
and environmental benefits (ICRAF, 1997). This definition implies that an
agroforestry system normally involves two or more species of plants, at least one
of which is a woody perennial, always has two or more outputs; and has the cycle
of more than one year. Agroforestry systems are more complex than the mono-
cropping system. Several characteristics of the tree like slow growth, long term
effects on their surroundings, long life, age of trees, the area over which the
influence of trees extend etc differentiate agroforestry from mono-cropping
systems(Young, 1989). The essential features of agroforestry differentiate from
other land use like social forestry, agriculture is the interactions of the tree and
non-tree parts of the system. These interactions could be positive or negative.
Positive interactions include biomass contribution, enhancement of carbon stock
in the soil, water and soil conservation etc., and negative interactions are
competition between components like nutrient, light, water etc.
There are several types of traditional home garden agroforestry practices in

4
different part of our countries. Coffee shade based, scattered trees on the farm
land(parkland), homegardens, woodlots, farm boundary practices, trees on
grazing lands, etc (Yeshanew,1998) for example are, some of the known
examples of traditional agroforestry practices.

2.1.2. Biodiversity

Biodiversity is often considered, especially within the forest management

community, as simply a list of species present at a location. As defined by the
Convention on Biological Diversity, “biological diversity” means the variability
among living organisms from all sources including terrestrial, marine, and other
aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this
includes diversity within species, among species, and of ecosystems (IBC, 2005).

The number of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the enormous

diversity of genes in these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such
as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse on
Earth (Shah, 2009). This variety provides the building blocks to adapt to changing
environmental conditions in the future (IBC, 2005). Appropriate conservation and
sustainable development strategies attempt to recognize this as being integral to
any approach. For instance, conservation of on-farm biodiversity has the
potential to benefit both the farm ecosystem as well as the landscape
ecosystems in which farms are situated (Brodt, et al., 2009). On-farm woody
species have both biophysical and socio-economic roles; among the biophysical
roles, circa-situm conservation (conservation of biodiversity while utilizing
species), soil and water conservation, improvement of soil fertility through
synergistic effects and sequestration of greenhouse gases are the major ones
(Nair, 1993; Young, 1997).

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 2.1.3. Home garden agroforestry systems and practice
The word systems and practices” are often used synonymously in agro forestry
literature (Nair, 1993). However, some distinction can be made between these
two concepts. An agro forestry system consists of one or more agroforestry
practices that are practiced extensively in a given locality or area; the system is
usually described according to its biological composition and arrangement, level
of technical management or socio- economic features. An agroforestry practice,
on the other hand, denotes a specific land management operation on a farm or
other management unit, and consists of arrangements of agro forestry
components in space and/ or time (Nair, 1993).
All agroforestry systems consists of at least two of the three major groups of
agroforestry components; trees (including shrubs), agricultural crops, and
pasture/livestock, trees being present in all agro forestry system. Occasionally
there may be other components also, such as fish, honey bees, etc. Depending
on the nature and type of components involved, agro forestry system can be
classified as agri-silvicultural (tree + crops), silvopastural (tree + pasture and /or
livestock) and agro-silvopastural (all three types of components) (Nair, 1993).

2.2. The role of home garden agroforestry

The roles of home garden agroforestry practices can been seen from the point of
its services and productive functions. In its productive function, agroforestry
provides diversified products used for consumption and income generation. In its
service, functions it protects different land resources like soil from destruction,
animals and crops from harsh climatic conditions. Evidences indicates that the
possibility to double or tripled crop yield for smallholders, without an overall
increase in labor or the need to apply nitrogen fertilizers. A trial in India affirms
that Shisham (planted as boundary plantation on farmers’ wheat field) because
of its nitrogen-fixing roles shows 98.5 percent of a relative grain yield, that is
3.40t/ha (average of four years registered) (Gill, 2003). Another research
conducted in Malawi by World agroforestry centre indicated that maize yields
under Faidherbia albida increased by 280 percent in the zone under the tree
canopy compared with the zone outside the tree zone (Garrity and Verchot, 2009).

6
Agroforestry fulfils many requirements for sustainability by including trees in
agricultural production systems; by utilizing existing resources and management
practices that optimize the combined production of several products instead of
maximizing the production of only one product, and through its numerous service
roles.
Recently agroforestry has gained prominence by many conservationist and rural
development experts as the key to tropical land use stabilization and the drive to
raise rural productivity. The multipurpose value of trees among many rural
dwellers apparently justifies the strategic importance of agroforestry in rural
farming systems, incomes and productivity (Bisong et al., 2009). A study carried
out in Senegal through working with the local communities is a case in point. The
study was carried out by planting multipurpose windbreak/live fences on area
with animals have nothing to eat in the dry season after all grasses been cut or
burned, and women who become exhausted from walking miles to collect fuel
wood. At the end of the project, there was 100% possibility of the families to
produce their own fuel woods (Trees for the future, 2009). Nowadays as
subsistence-farming practices are not ecologically sustainable and often not
economical, interest in agroforestry is increasing (Steppler and Nair, 1987).
Therefore, agroforestry has the potential to solve or ameliorate some of land-use
constraints confronting production systems. Planting of multipurpose trees
provides fodder and live fences for animals, ameliorates microclimate of the area,
reduces degradation of semi-arid lands through windbreaks, shelterbelts also
improves fertility of the land through addition of organic matter and nutrients to
the soil (Kamara et al., 1993). Research conducted in Ethiopia using tree species
scattered on farm lands have shown the potential of trees to improve the
biological and physical properties of the soil through recycling and addition of
important nutrients, resulting in improved productivity (Jiregna et al., 2005;
Yadessa et al., 2001).
Experimental research conducted in Nigeria confirms that agroforestry practices
are better than nitrogen fertilizers (Okogun et al., 2000). The research was
conducted on the yield of maize under five tree species with a control plot,

7
continuously for four cropping season with nitrogen fertilizer application. In the
first years, no significantly different response of the maize yields under the five
tree species, and the control plot observed. The trend maintained persistently for
the four seasons. However, at the end of the fourth season maize yield was low
in the control plots despite nitrogen fertilizer application.

2.2. 1. The contribution of home garden agro forestry to biodiversity

conservation
Ecosystems and species that are important in sustaining human life and the
health of our planet are disappearing at an alarming rate. Consequently, the need
for immediate action to design effective strategies to conserve biodiversity is
receiving considerable attention worldwide. Scientists and policy makers are
becoming increasingly aware of the role of agroforestry and forests plays in
conserving biological diversity in both tropical and temperate regions of the
world. The mechanisms by which agroforestry systems contribute to biodiversity
have been examined by various authors (e.g. McNeely, 2004; Schroth, et al. 2004;
Harvey, et al., 2006; Singh and Pandey, 2011). According to these authors,
agroforestry plays five major roles in conserving biodiversity: (1) provides habitat
for species that can tolerate a certain level of disturbance; (2) helps preserve
germplasm of sensitive species; (3) helps reduce the rates of conversion of
natural habitat by providing a more productive, sustainable alternative to
traditional agricultural systems that may involve clearing natural habitats; (4)
provides connectivity by creating corridors between habitat remnants which may
support the integrity of these remnants and the conservation of area-sensitive
floral and faunal species; and (5) helps conserve biological diversity by providing
other ecosystem services such as erosion control and water recharge, thereby
preventing the degradation and loss of surrounding habitat.

2.2.2. Home garden agroforestry Effects on Erosion Control

Agroforestry has a potential for erosion control through the soil cover provided
by tree canopy and litter, in addition to the role of trees in relation to the runoff-
barrier function (Nair, 1993). The role of trees and shrubs in erosion control could

8
be direct or supplementary. In direct use, the trees are themselves the means of
checking runoff and soil loss. In supplementary use, control is achieved primarily
by other means (grass strips, ditch and-bank structures, and terraces); the trees
serve to stabilize the structures and to make productive use of the land which
they occupy. (Nair, 1993) and (Young, 1989) supported that leguminous trees
have shown potential of reducing soil erosion through five principal ways:
interception of rainfall impact by tree canopy, surface runoff impediment by tree
stems, soil surface cover by litter mulch, promotion of water infiltration, and
formation of erosion resistant soil structure. Udawatta et al (2002) reported that
HGAF and contour strip had a combined significant effect on runoff, sediment,
and nutrient loss reduction as compared with non-HGAF treatments. Similarly,
Okigbo and Lal (1997) reported that the cover measure involving the use of
vegetation for soil protection, maintains the hydrological balance in which the
surface run-off component in the hydrological cycle would be minimized. In the
same way, Juo and Thurow (1998) reported that vegetative barriers are generally
used in combination with mechanical land treatments such as micro catchments.
Thus, once the tree and grass species inside and around the micro catchments
are established, a combined system of land treatments can increase infiltration
and control of erosion. This could in turn improve physical, chemical, and
biological attributes of the soil for fertility maintenance.

2.2. 3. Home garden agro forestry effect on soil fertility improvement

In the broad sense, the productivity of the land is its suitability for production, the
main components of which are light, water and soil. Young, (1989) defined soil
fertility as the capacity of the soil to support the growth of plants, on a sustained
basis under given condition of the climate and other relevant properties of the
land. Regarding the soil fertility, Eyasu (2002) has reported that soil fertility
comprises physical changes, which is the capacity of the soil to provide plants
with foothold, moisture and air, and chemical conditions, which determine the
capacity of the soil to provide plants with nutrients. Its chemical, biological and
physical properties determine the nutrient supply capacity of the soil. There are
16 chemical elements that are considered essential to plant growth, three of

9
which (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen) are obtained from air and water, the
remaining 13 nutrients from the soil (Brady and Weil, 2002). The primary
nutrients that are required by plants in relatively large quantities but are
frequently deficient are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Calcium,
magnesium, and sulphur are secondary nutrients because they are required in
relatively less quantities and are less frequently deficient (Sanchez and Miller,
1986).
Soil fertility decline results from the combined effect of lowering of soil organic
matter, deterioration of physical properties, lowering of nutrient content, and in
some cases acidification, that is commonly associated with the decline in soil
fertility (FAO, 1999a cited by Young, 1989).
Udawatta et al (2002) reported that maintenance and enhancement of soil
fertility is vital for global food security and environmental sustainability. But, if
measures are not taken on time to avoid the loss of soil fertility, it might be a
head ache to growing population especially in developing countries. In line with
this, Eyasu (2002) reported that declining soil fertility in tropical rain fed
agriculture is becoming a serious problem for a growing number of people.
Similarly, Kandji et al (2006) reported that low soil fertility is a major problem to
food production and one of the key biophysical constraints to increased
agricultural growth in sub-Saharan Africa.

To curb the problems of soil fertility, HGAF systems approach might play a
positive impact. There are different types of AF practices that improve soil
fertility management/ improvement: fallows, hedgerow, alley cropping, tree on
crop land, plantation on physical structures as Tembaro district case. Raoe et al
(1998) reported that leguminous trees species have shown some potential for
soil fertility improvement and soil conservation since soil fertility improvement
can be achieved through biomass transfer, long/short term fallows, nitrogen
fixation. In the same way, Ajayi et al (2009) reported that trees/shrubs improve
the physical properties of soils. In particular, soil aggregation is higher in fields
where trees are being grown, and this enhances water infiltration and water

10
holding capacity of soils thereby reducing water runoff and soil erosion. It is also
reported by Acharya and Kafle (2009) that leaf litters in AF systems enrich the
soil fertility by providing organic matters, leaves control the speed of the
raindrops and allow them to go down to the land surface slowly which helps
water to infiltrate into lower part of the soil surface.
HGAF systems have high potential in solving the problem of soil fertility when
compared to non-tree/shrub based systems. Rao et al (1998) stated that the
maintenance of soil fertility in HGAF based systems could be achieved through
increase or maintain nutrient status, increasing soil fauna and flora, better soil
aggregation, lower bulk density, improved soil porosity, increase water infiltration
had compared to the bare soil.
All in all, there are different soil fertility improvement mechanisms in agroforestry
systems: HGAF contributes to the addition of organic matter, improving of soil
chemical change /chemical properties of the soil, and improving soil physical
changes/physical properties of the soil such as reducing excessive tillage,
increasing the moisture content of the soil through different methods of soil and
water conservation practices, reducing compaction of the soil and etc.

2.4. Local knowledge and management of home garden agroforestry

Local knowledge is an indigenous knowledge that unique to a particular culture
and society which people used as a base for local decision-making in agriculture,
health, natural resource management and other activities (World Bank, 1998).
However, nowadays, there is widespread appreciation for the integration of local
knowledge and scientific knowledge (Tesfaye Bashah, 2003). For example,
Selene Asfaw (2003) indicated that farmers’ knowledge complement with
scientific knowledge in evaluating the relationship between tree species and soil
fertility in agroforestry practice.
The knowledge of indigenous peoples is often preserved in rituals, ceremonies
and magic, thus underlining how culture, language, religion, psychology and
spiritual beliefs cannot often be separated from their understanding of the
natural world (Nicholas and Lasimbang, 2004). Therefore, indigenous knowledge
includes complex practices and decisions made by local people (Oudwater and

11
Martin, 2003).
Local knowledge is a valuable resource for sustainable development and it
should play a central role in any development programme (Oudwater and Martin,
2003). Local farmers in Konso, Ethiopia had an indigenous knowledge and skill of
testing agricultural practices that pass from generation to generation. This
knowledge and skills provide them essential information in understanding their
land management practices for their environmental improvement (Tesfaye
Bashah, 2003). Therefore, local knowledge plays a vital role in the sustained
control, access and management of land’s biodiversity (Nicholas and Lasimbang,
2004).
The management of home garden agroforestry needs the participation of all
members of household at a various level (Mohan, 2004). However, large majority
of agroforestry are owned by individual families with the head of the family (the
male or the female) in order to manage it properly (Zemede Asfaw, 2002).
Properly managed agroforestry play a crucial role in improving people’s
livelihoods and quality of life, reduce poverty, and promote economic growth into
the future on a sustainable basis (Maroyi, 2009).
Home garden agroforestry can be found in many parts of southern and
southwestern regions of Ethiopia. In many parts of Ethiopia, rural people
traditionally manage plant species diversity in agroforestry for different
household uses (Remade Asfaw, 2002). Some common management practices
can be identified in Ethiopian agroforestry are as follows: (i) Pruning: farmers use
pruning of tree branch to provide fuel wood, use for fencing, to reduce shade
effect and to minimize competition (ii) Fencing: fencing was done to protect
agroforestry species from predators (wild animals, domestic animals and thieves)
as well as to provide support to creepers, (iii) Fertilizing: The fertility of soil is
maintained in agroforestry by incorporating organic fertilizers such as house
refuses, animal manures and crop residues. Plants like Erythrina brucei, Millettia
ferruginea and Cordia africana are growing in the agro forestry because of
common belief among farmers that they are important in increasing soil fertility
and in conserving soil moisture, (iv) Weeding: Weeding is one of the regular

12
annual management operations carried out by all farmers. Farmers used
weeding operations may be 2-4 times per year, however, varying from farmer to
farmer, which also depend on intensity of weed completion with annual and
perennial crop species. (v) Crop selection: Crop selection is the other practice
performed in the homegarden. Yield, quality and quantity, length of time required
from planting to harvesting and resistance to disease and drought are the
farmers' criteria for selection and (vi) Planting: High diversity of plant species in
the agroforestry is achieved through planting and protecting annual and perennial
herbs, and woody perennials in mixture (Zemede Asfaw, 2002; Belachew
Wassihun, et al., 2003; Fantahun Mengistu, 2009) and other country (Sunwar,
2003).

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3. MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1. Data collection method

All data concerning the study was collected from both primary and secondary
source; primary data was collected through personal interviews with respondent
using questionnaire and direct observation. The secondary data was collected
from various publish and unpublished material such as, research paper, reports
and relevant document of government office of the study area.

3.2 Sampling techniques and sample size

Simple random sampling techniques, because of different experience and

knowledge of assessment home garden agroforestry development. The study
was carried out by purposefully select Dhertu Keble from Bedano district due to
its home garden agroforestry practice. And its accessibility using study Keble
825 household exists; from those 10% (89) household was taken for data
collection.

3.2.1. Sampling Size Determination

Since we cannot conduct the entire household in the Keble, we have to know the
total households in the Keble.

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When we conduct our sample size, we will use the Solvens’ formula n =
N

________

1+ (N*e2)

Target population (N) = 825 HHs

Target population (N) = 825 HHs

Then by using the formula; n = 825 = 89

1+ (825*(10%) 2)

n = 89 households

Where, n =sample size

N= Target population

e = Margin of error (in social science margin of error is 10%)

After this we will use the systematic random sampling (proportionately) in order
to get number of respondents from Keble.

3.4 Data Analysis

The research was developed by both qualitative and quantitative method of data
analysis. After the collection of the required information from primary and
secondary sources, the data was analyzed by using appropriate methods.
Qualitative data was analyzed by interpretation and narration whereas
Quantitative data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, percentage, and
frequency distribution, and tabular form.

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4. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1. Demographic characteristics of households

4.1.1. Age and sex of the respondents
Through the study was done by using random sampling technique and the study
used 89 respondents from sex groups, (60) 67.4% and (29) 32.5% of male and
female respectively. But from this study most of the respondents headed are
male headed and the number of female headed respondents is low. The age
structure of the respondents shows that most of the respondents (38%) were in
between 42-51 years old and the minimum respondents or 2.24% were greater
than or equal to between 62-71 years old.

Table 1 age and sex structure of the respondent

Age of HH Item Frequency Percent

22-31 10 11.23

32-41 38 42

42-51 28 31.46

52-61 11 12.35

62-71 2 2.24

Total 89 100

Sex of HH Female 29 32.5

Male 60 67.4

Total 89 100

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 Source; field survey
From the table (1) most of the respondent were productive age group while the
rest were less productive age group .As the number of productive age increased
in the area this leads to the development of home garden agroforestry practice.
And from the above data, most of the respondent were male (67.4%), while the
rest (32.5%) were female .Therefore from the above table we understood that
most of the male were responsible to improve home garden agro forestry
practice.

4.1.2. The size of the household

The study was carried out of among 27 kebeles in Dhertu. So this study shows
that the maximum number (size) of the household is between 3-5 and 5-7 so
their wealth status is not rich or poor it is medium living standard.

Table: 2 number of HH

Family size Frequency Percent

<3 16 18
3-5 24 27
5-7 40 45
>7 9 10
Total 89 100
Source: field survey

According to the above table (2) most of the respondent (45%) have the family
size between 5-7,whereas the rest of the respondent have the familiy

4.1.3. Religions of the respondents

From the study research we get knowledge about the religious status of Dhertu
kebele. The maximum amount of respondents (50%) were orthodox and the rest
(25%) and (14%) were protestant and wake fata respectively. These data is show
below this chart.

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Table: 3 Religions of the respondents

Religion of respondent Frequency Percent

Protestant 25 28
Orthodox 50 56
Wake fata 14 16
Total 89 100
Source: field survey

4.1.4. Marital status and Educational level of the respondents

About 79% of the kebeles were married and the rest, 7% and 14% of the
household were divorce and single respectively. This shows most of the
respondents were married and the minimum was divorced. Education is a pre-
condition in bringing behavioral and attitudinal change in human beings to
interact with nature to survive. The education level study this kebele helps to see
most of the respondents (67%) were illiterate and the minimum respondent were
can and read and write the rest were above grade 8. The educational level and
marital status of the respondents is illustrated in the following table.

Table 4 Marital status and education level of the respondents

Item Frequency Percent

Marital status Married 70 79
Divorced 6 7
Single 13 14
Total 89 100
Illiterate 60 67
Educational Can read and 15 17
status write
Between 5-8 9 10
grade
Above grade 8 5 6
Total 89 100

Source: field survey

According to the above table (4) most of the respondent (67%) were illiterate
while the rest (17 %) can read, (10%), between grade 5-8 and (6%) above grade 8.
We understood from the above table most of the communities were able to
develop home garden agro forestry practice due to the lack of efficient

18
awareness about home garden agroforestry practice and its role in their
community .

4. 2 .Reasons people adopted home garden agroforestry practice

4.2.1 Ecological benefit of home garden agroforestry in study area

The respondents in study area were adapted home garden agro forestry
practice 30(34%) for water protection, 26 (29%) for carbon sequestration, shelter
for wild animal, soil and water conservation, enjambment of soil fertility, 20 (22%)
for water conservation, 13 (15%) for improvement of biodiversity are the major
one.
According to (Shah, 2009) ,home garden agroforestry to soil provided infinite
foraging possibilities for livestock and also collected Zeus’ annual rainwater,
which did not run over bare soil into the sea as it does today . Since the earth was
still thick and received water which it stored in impermeable clay, it let water it
had absorbed in the heights run down into the valleys, providing abundant
springs and large rivers everywhere.

4.2.2 .Soil fertility improvement and soil conservation

According to the respondents Land degradation and declining soil fertility create
a major threat to agricultural productivity and affecting human welfare in the
study area. Incorporation of trees in the farm can help in maintaining the nutrient
pool and enhance soil fertility both under sequential and simultaneous
agroforestry. Soil fertility can be improved or sustained by the addition of
vegetative organic matter, i.e. decomposition of leafy biomass and roots.
According to (Eyasu. 2002), root systems of woody perennials enable to adapt to
steeply sloping sites that are unsuited to conventional cropping or grazing.
Nitrogen fixing trees (legumes) in agroforestry have the capacity to grow in
difficult sites subject to erosion and low soil fertility. They have also potential to
restore degraded areas and control of soil erosion. Further, integrating
leguminous trees is common in agroforestry, which have ability of fix

19
atmospheric nitrogen and contributes to better soil fertility. Nitrogen fixing tree,
under home garden agroforestry significantly increased nutrient pool, organic
biomass, and activities of organisms in the soil. This would not only be beneficial
to the soil, but would also be cheaper for resource-poor farmers and provide
fodder or firewood.
4.2.3. Water conservation
Almost all of the respondent were stated in the study are home garden
agroforestry practice is important to improve the infiltration capacity of the
compacted soil and where by reduce surface runoff. Out of 100% , 22% of the
respondent were also established home garden agroforestry to improve water
quality both by direct shading but especially by reducing nutrient and bacterial
inputs as a replacement of for agricultural crops .

According to ( Schroth, et al. 2004) home garden agroforestry provides such

efficient filters that they are often used to treat waste water or waste solid either
from domestic plants, from agricultural land or from industry .The role home
garden agroforestry illustrated by the following
Table 5 role of home garden agroforestry
Role home garden NO of respondent Percent
agroforestry
Soil improvement 30 34
Water conservation 20 22
Soil erosion control 26 29
Biodiversity conservation 13 15
Total 89 100
Source; field survey
From the above (5) home garden agroforestry can provide a multitude benefit to
the local communities such as soil fertility improvement, ecological balance,
water and soil conservation, water purification, biodiversity conservation
controlling soil erosion through nitrogen fixing tree, under home garden
agroforestry significantly increased nutrient pool, organic biomass, and activities
of organisms in the soil. This would not only be beneficial to the soil, but would
also be cheaper for resource-poor farmers and provide fodder or firewood.

20
4.3. Challenging factor for improvement of home garden
agroforestry

The respondents stated the major challenging factor for the improvement of
home garden agroforestry in the study area were lack of management practice
(11%) followed by lack of awareness (27%) , lack of budget (34%) and lack of
land availability .Thus there is a need to isolate factors that might be specially
affect the improvement of home garden agroforestry practice and those factors
are illustrated by the following tables.

Table 6 factor for improvement of HGAF

Challenging factors No of respondent Percent

Lack of awareness 38 43
Lack of budget 21 24
Lack of management 10 11
practice
Lack of land availability 35 39
Total 89 100
Source field survey.
From the above table, we understood that most of the respondent (43%) have
lack of awareness about the role of home garden agro forestry and 39% of the
respondent the lack of land availability due to this reason lack of awareness
about the role of home garden agro forestry and lack of land availability were the
most challenging factor for the development of HGAF.

4.4. Attitude of respondent towards improvement of HGAF practice

Out of 100% (67.4%) of the respondent have a positive attitude towards the
improvement of home garden agroforestry practice with regard of getting the
benefits such as income generation, soil fertility improvement, erosion control,
soil and water conservation and 32.6% of the respondent have negative attitude
towards improvement of HGAF. Illustrated by the table.

Table 7 attitude of respondent towards improvement of HGAF practice

Attitude of respondent No of respondent Percent

Positive 60 67.4

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Negative 29 32.6
Total 89 100
Source field survey
From the above Table( 7 ) most the respondent (67.4%) have positive attitude
towards the improvement of home garden agroforestry because of most of the
respondent were understood about the role of home garden agroforestry such
as soil fertility improvement, subsistence, water conservation and biodiversity
conservation whereas some of the respondent(32.6%) have negative attitude
towards the improvement of HGAF due to misunderstanding and lack of
awareness about the role of home garden agroforestry.

4.5. System of agroforestry practiced by the respondent.

In the study area the framers were practiced some types of agroforestry systems
.The respondents mentioned that (43%) of agrosilvopastural, (24.5%) of
agrisilvicultural, and (34%) of silvopastural.According to the respondents
agrosilvopastoral of system of home garden agroforestry system is more
practiced and showed by the following table.

Table 8. System of agroforestry practiced by the respondent.

System of HGAF No of respondents Percent

Agrosilvopastural 38 43
Agrisilvcultural 21 24.5
Silvopasstural 30 34
Total 89 100
According to the table (8) above most of the respondent (43%) were practiced
Agrosilvopastural system because this system contain the components such as
tree, crop and involvement of animals as one components and reduced lack of
land availability.

5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1. CONCLUSION
Home garden agro forestry is the system for the production of subsistence crops
for the gardeners and his family .It may also have additional role of production of
cash crop and ecological role such as hydrologic benefits, micro climatic

22
modification, soil erosion control and genetic resource conservation.

According to the respondent home garden agroforestry systems are land-use

systems that combine the cultivation of trees, crops and the husbandry of farm
animals on the same land area. It is defined as agroforestry as a collective name
for land-use systems and technologies where woody perennials (trees, shrubs,
palms, bamboos, etc.) are deliberately used on the same land management unit
as agricultural crops and/or animals, in some form of spatial arrangement or
temporal sequence. In agroforestry systems there are both ecological and
economic interactions between the different components. Accordingly,
agroforestry systems are viewed as an alternative to the ever increasing demand
for food and a practical solution that brings together scientific as well as
traditional techniques to diversify production

Generally from the respondent we can conclude that home garden agroforestry is
any sustainable land use system that maintain or increase the total yields by
combining food crops with tree crops or livestock on the same units of land
,either alternately or at the same times using management practices that suit the
social and cultural characteristics of local people and provide different benefits
such as soil fertility improvement, soil and water conservation, carbon
sequestration and biodiversity conservation to in the study area.

5.2. RECOMMENDATION
This research was conducted with limited time and budget further study should
be conducted to an output and enhance or improved home garden agroforestry
practice .Based on the finding I would like to recommended the following points.

The government body should be encouraged the local community or farmers to

adopt home garden agroforestry practice.

There should be training center in the study area which helps the rural farmer to
get the technical and theoretical knowledge which enable them to better
understanding about role of home garden agro forestry.

The farmer should be aware about the role of home garden agroforestry practice
and the challenging factors .

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 The skilled o well trained person must be delegated he or she must be
responsible to mobilize about home garden agroforestry practice.

The government should work jointly with local farmer in changing mono
cropping land use system to mixed home garden agroforestry system for climate
change and biodiversity conservation.

Good home garden agroforestry practiced must be adopted in the community

and performed in the good manner through concerned body like Nongovernment
organization Government and local community participation.

The price should have given to the model farmers they are more practiced home
garden agroforestry and protecting.

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