An agroforestry practice produces different benefits, which enhance household incomes and diversification of products. This study was aimed to identifying existing agroforestry practices and to identify perception behind of agroforestry practice and to identify the opportunities and major constraints related to agroforestry practices in Fedis, Kersa and Jarso Districts of the lowland, midland and highlands agro ecologies, of East Hararghe Zone, oromia, Ethiopia. The study was based on a household survey conducted on 154 farm household heads; focus group discussions, key informant interviews and direct field observations were applied. The data were analyzed using analytical (SPSS 20.0) software packages to calculate descriptive statistics. Chi-squared tests were used to compare the agroforestry practices and agro ecologies. The result indicates that six AFPs exist in the study area namely; scattered trees on croplands (58%), hedge row intercropping (33%), home garden (22%), multipurpose trees on farmland (19%), live fence /boundary planting (18%), and wind breaks (4%) were dominant. Significant respondent number (51.96%) of practices is involved in agri-silvicultural system, most of the farmer's (45.12%) have positive attitude towards Agroforestry practices in the study area. Most of the respondents agreed on agro-forestry practices increased the construction input, soil fertility, food, and fodder. On the other hand, sacristy of land, moisture stress, diseases and pests, inadequate seedlings availability, and inadequate extension services are the major constraints. Results of the socio-economic characteristics respondents showed that gender, age, family size, and land holding positively and significantly influence the decision of the determined practice of household's and were significantly affected the choice of agroforestry practice by the households. Based on the survey, it is concluded that scattered trees on farmland, hedge row intercropping, and home garden AFP dominant practices across agro ecologies and were the most appropriate agro-forestry practices. This agro-forestry practices increased the construction input, soil fertility, food, and fodder in the area of land sacristy, moisture stress, diseases and pests. Therefore, further the tree integration efforts of farmers should be guided by scientific principles, the interaction tree species with annual crops and economic analysis of the individual agroforestry practices, domestication of nitrogen fixing trees, fruit tree species, and promoting sustainable agroforestry should be carried out.

Tree planting on degraded lands plays a key role in forest rehabilitation processes through afforestation and/or reforestation. Moisture conservation structures have significant impact on seedling survivals at degraded lands. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of moisture conservation structures on seedling survival and growth performance of selected tree species. Field experiment was conducted for four (2016)(2017)(2018)(2019)(2020) in degraded area closure at Babile District East Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia. The experimental design followed was the split plot design. The moisture conservation structures as main plot used were Soil level bund, Trench and normal pit (used as control). The tree species grown as subplots were Moringa oleifera, Melia azedarach, Grevillea robusta, Leuceana leucocephala and Sesbanea sesban. The five tree species were planted by using seedlings. The tree survival rate, plant height, diameter at breast height and root collar diameter of the five tree species were measured every three months in year after transplanting. The result shows that moisture conservation structures were significant in tree survival rate, plant height, and root collar diameter but not in tree diameter at breast height. Tree seedling height and root collar diameter grown in the Soil level bund were significantly higher than those grown in moisture conservation structures, trench and normal pit (P≤0.05). Survival rate and diameter at breast height grown in the Trench were significantly higher than those grown in moisture conservation structures, soil level bund and normal pit (P≤0.05). The survival rate of tree seedling was higher when grown in Trench than normal pit (control) (P≤0.05). The interaction of tree species seedlings and moisture conservation structures shows that those seedlings grown on moisture conservation structures were significantly thicker, taller and more survived than those grown on the normal pit (control) (P≤0.05). Based on the experiments, it is concluded that moisture conservation structures particularly the Trenches was considered as the most appropriate planting pit. Therefore, further demonstration of Trenches tree planting should be carried out.

Study was under taken on five agroforestry tree species: Moringa oliefera, Gravilea robusta, Azadarichta indica, Leuceana leucocephala and Cordia africana at Fedis Agricultural Research Center to evaluate their adaptability and growth performance. The experiment was laid out in RCBD with three replications. The growth parameters; diameter, plant height and survival rate were measured and recorded at interval of three months. Results revealed that there were selected agroforestry tree species had no problem on survival and adaptability at study area except some growth variation and the outcome had a significant value at (p<0.05) between treatment's parameters. The variations among tree species in height growth, root collar diameter development, diameter at breast height and survival rate were highly significant (p<0.05) after four years of age. This could be due to environmental factor and/or genetic potential of the species, which generally govern the growth of a given species. Among the species tasted, Azadarichta indica showed the highest performance followed by Leuceana leucocephala, Moringa oliefera in terms of height growth, root collar diameter and diameter at breast height. Moringa oliefera, Azadarichta indica, and Leuceana leucocephala showed the highest survival rate with 84%, 83.67% and 82.33% respectively. On the other hand, Gravilea robusta and Cordia africana showed lowest performance. Thus, the long dry season, which extended from eight to ten months in the study area, clearly explains the poor survival and growth response in some of the species. Hence it can be inferred that the conditions of Babille matched with the environmental requirement of Moringa oliefera, Azadarichta indica, and Leuceana leucocephala. Therefore, the species offers much promise for future use in agroforestry practices in the area. Generally, the study under Babille conditions and related agro ecology, we advocate these adapted species for further properly allocate species into the site that grow and adapt agro forestry practices, forest plantations and economic and livelihood benefits for different stakeholders.

Among several multipurpose tree species in the eastern parts of Ethiopia, Sesbania sesban, Moringa oliefera, Gravilea robusta, Cordia africna, Azadarichta indica and Leuceana leucocephala are common. However, their adaptability and growth performance of this tree species has not scientifically trailed in the study area. Therefore, the study was conducted to evaluate the adaptability of multipurpose tree species at Babille District, Oromia, Ethiopia, for three years (June 2016 - June 2019). The experiment was laid out in RCBD with three replications. Data on the growth parameters; diameter, plant height and survival rate were measured and recorded at interval of three months. Results revealed that there were highly significant (p <0.05) variations among tree species in height growth, RCD, DBH and survival rate at the study area. Among the species tasted, M. oliefera showed the highest performance followed by A. indica, S. sesban and L. leucocephala in terms of height growth, RCD and DBH at Babille condition. after three years of establishment, M. oliefera, A. indica, S. sesban and L. leucocephala showed the highest mean survival rate at the study area. Hence it can be inferred that the conditions of Babille district matched with the environmental requirement of those tree species. On the other hand, species of G. robusta showed lowest performance at the study area. Thus, the long dry season, which extended from eight to ten months in the study area, clearly explains the poor survival and growth response in some of the species. Generally, the study under Babille condition and related agro-ecology, we advocate these adapted species and properly allocate species into the site that grow and adapt well for further agroforestry practices at wider scale on which success of agroforestry practices and forest plantations depend.

No abstract