Establishing exclosures has become common in Ethiopia, especially in the central and northern highlands, where they serve as a response to persistent forest degradation, affecting forest resources and ecosystem services. We investigated changes in vegetation composition, aboveground biomass and soil properties after establishing an exclosure on degraded communal grazing land in Aba-Gerima watershed, North-Western Ethiopia. We selected 4-yr-old exclosure and paired the selected exclosure with an adjacent communal grazing land. In the exclosure, we recorded 46 plant species representing 32 families, whereas we recorded 18 plant species representing 13 families in the adjacent communal grazing lands. Most of the identified woody species are economically important. We observed significant differences between the exclosure and adjacent grazing land in woody species richness, diversity and evenness. Exclosure displayed higher woody species density, basal area and aboveground woody biomass compared to the adjacent grazing land. Landscape position influenced vegetation composition, richness and diversity in the exclosure and adjacent grazing land. Significant differences between the exclosure and adjacent grazing land in soil properties were detected. The influence of landscape positions on soil properties was not consistent. At foot slope position, in the 0- to 15-cm and 15- to 30-cm depths, soil organic carbon and nitrogen content detected in exclosure were significantly higher when compared to the values observed in the adjacent grazing land. However, differences at mid and upper slope positions were not significant. The results support that the establishment of exclosures on degraded lands could support the restoration of degraded native vegetation and soil properties, which consequently enhance the ecosystem services that can be obtained from degraded lands.

Fodders are the major feed resource in Ethiopia. This study was conducted to assess biomass production and nutritive value of fodder resources in Ethiopia. A total of 34 scientific papers and 30 Central Statistical Agency (CSA) (Ethiopia) reports for biomass production, and 249 scientific papers for nutritive value were used for this study. The biomass production of crop residues was greatest followed by grazing biomass, enset [Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesem.] and banana (Musa spp.) leaves and pseudostems. The crude protein (CP) concentration of vetch (Vicia spp.) hay, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) hay, cultivated legume species and many indigenous browse species was >150 g kg−1 dry matter (DM). However, the CP value of natural pasture, crop residues, natural pasture hay, rhodes grass (Chloris gayana Kunth) hay, cultivated grass species, sycamore fig (Ficus sychomorus L.), Indianfig pricklypear [Opuntia ficus‐indica (L.) Mill.] and enset and banana was <150 g kg−1 DM. Natural pasture, crop residues, all parts of enset except enset corm, natural pasture hay, rhodes grass hay, and cultivated grass species contained >550 g kg−1 DM neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Enset corm, vetch hay, alfalfa, Chinese banyan (Ficus thonningii Blume), and bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina Delile) contained >10 MJ kg−1 DM metabolizable energy (ME). Crop residues except faba bean straw contained <600 g kg−1 DM in‐vitro digestibility. Methods should be devised for more efficient and effective use of the most widely available crop residues and grazing biomass through better management practices and appropriate supplementation with good quality forages and locally available better quality agricultural and agro‐industrial by‐products.

Background Nitrogen fixation by legumes like faba bean is a cheap way of fixing atmospheric nitrogen to plant available form. However, the inoculation of grain legumes with rhizobium bacteria are poorly researched in Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Methods Thus, a study to examine the effects of rhizobium leguminosarum (var vicae) strains on nodulation, growth, and yield of faba bean was conducted in Wereillu district of Amhara Region, Ethiopia during the rainy season of 2018. The treatments comprised of four levels of faba bean Rhizobium strains (un-inoculated, EAL-1018, EAL-1035 and EAL-17) arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The collected data on yield and yield-related parameters were analyzed using Statistical Analysis System (Statistical Analysis System, version 9.1, SAS Institute Inc, Cary, 2003), version 9.1 and subjected to Duncan’s Multiple Range Test for mean separation when the analysis of variance was significant. Results The result revealed that the effect of EAL-1018 brought significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher difference on nodule number, nodulation volume, nodule dry weight, biomass yield and grain yield compared to the control. Faba bean strain, EAL-1018 gave 45.6, 27 and 11.6% grain yield advantage over the control, EAL1017 and EAL 1035 respectively. Conclusion Biologically as well as Economically EAL 1018 brought the maximum yield and net benefit (47020.7) compared to the other treatments. Hence, EAL-1018 is recommended for the study area and similar agro—ecologies.

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