Acacia seyal is one of the multipurpose parkland agroforestry tree species in eastern and southern Africa. It is a common on-farm tree in the Rift Valley of Ethiopia, but information is limited on its effect on soil properties and sorghum growth and yield. The study was conducted to evaluate its effect on selected soil properties and sorghum growth and yield in Guba Lafto district of northern Ethiopia. Six isolated and closely comparable Acacia seyal trees growing on sorghum farms were purposely selected, and plots were marked under the canopy of trees with three radial distances (0–2 m, 2–4 m, and 4–6 m) and one outside of the tree canopy (10 m away from any tree). Soil samples from each distance zone were taken between 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm soil depths for soil property analysis. Four quadrates with 1 m2 at each distance zone in four directions were laid for sorghum growth and yield attribute valuation. The results showed that only total nitrogen (TN) was significantly higher ( P < 0.05 ) at the subsoil layer under the canopy compared to an open area, while other selected soil parameters were not affected by the tree species. Sorghum biomass yield ( P = 0.006 ) and grain yield ( P = 0.025 ) were significantly lower under the canopy of the trees than in the open area. Generally, Acacia seyal had little effect in improving soil properties and showed a negative effect on sorghum yield and growth. Further research on its effect under wide area coverage of parkland system should be performed to bring a radical shift on the intercropping farming system.

Acaciaseyal is seen as a common on-farm tree species in the Rift valley of Ethiopia, predominantly in the Guba Lafto district of northeastern Ethiopia. Maintenance and improving existing practices and incorporation of multipurpose trees in farms got a due focus to increase agricultural productivity, but the information is limited about farmers’ perceptions, traditional knowledge, and practice about the species and its parkland system in the study site. The information was gathered via household interviews, focused group discussions, and key informant interview tools. Systematic random sampling technique was employed for household selection. 47 sample households were selected, and information was generated via descriptive and logistic analysis techniques. The result explored that Acacia seyal was considered by respondents as an invasive species and the majority of household respondents (87%) showed a negative perception of intercropping the species with annual crops due to its impact on companion crops and soil values. However, most of them (61.7%) were willing to sustain it along the boundary (83%), at an on-farm soil bund (36.2%) and at an open grazing area (19.1%) for its off-farm economic role. They retained it primarily for fuel wood purposes (95%), for cash (34%), and for livestock feed (25%). Pruning is the main management practice adopted for the species for the sake of minimizing the shade effect and to get its byproducts. Generally, farmers reflect a negative attitude to the species’ productivity role in the integrated system but understand its positive socioeconomic contribution outside their crop farms. Therefore, the investigation directs, as it will be advantageous to manage the species under the off-farm growing niche for its better synchronization to the farmers, but further work needs to be conducted in large scale survey and on its economic advantage at off-farm growing conditions for a radical shift in the farming system.