Agricultural productivity, land use and draught animal power formula derived from mixed crop-livestock systems in Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

The interaction of agricultural land cover area between land use systems and level of household income was identified. The annual cropland area was significantly higher than the natural pastureland and perennial cropland. The difference in household income earned was not significant between the annual crop and livestock. Such a difference however is not surprising because smallholder land system is a dual asset, and farm components are interrelated to and interdependent upon each other. In one season directly and simultaneously, the diversified forms of agricultural land provide food and feed that reduce the direct allocation of land for grazing. Nonetheless, decisions made in the household on the land use allocation for farm enterprise is neither random nor optional but are through behavioural adaptation of the system in changing condition, emerging opportunity and its ability to maximize choice and utility in the household. The study set up was initiated from the characterization of smallholder mixed crop-livestock systems divided into different agro-ecological zones for land use in Southwestern Ethiopia. Agricultural productivity in a smallholder system is chiefly an aggregate effect of interaction between elements and component, specialization and diversity in a farming system mainly found in food production biomass base. Several challenges, however, limit various positive significant balance reflected in the food and non-food production biomass base, as well as non-farm activities.

Characterization of smallholder mixed crop–livestock systems in integration with spatial information: In case Ethiopia

“…The study was conducted in two administrative zones (Gamo Gofa and Dawuro) in South Nations Nationalities Peoples' (SNNP) regional state, Ethiopia. Gamo Gofa and Dawuro zones lie between 5°34′ 16.31′′ N to 7°20′ 58.01′′ N latitude and 36°22′ 13.04′′ E to 37°51′ 26.31′′ E longitude (Amejo, 2018;Amejo et al, 2018a). The capital town Arba Minch of Gamo Gofa zone and Tarcha of Dawuro zone is found respecting at about 490 and 505 km south of Addis Ababa.…”

“…The rural population is about 88% in Dawuro and 84% in Gamo Gofa. The study zones were selected purposively based on the diversity in the farming systems and the agroecology zones (e.g., Amejo, 2018;Amejo et al, 2018a).…”

“…One of the proximity markets to Losha is Arba Minch city with about 142,900 population (Ethiopia, 2015). However, numerical advantage in farm size could probably allow growing staple food crops such as enset and increasing consumption of home-based food in the Gmra Qema household (Amejo et al, 2018a).…”

“…The higher demographic characteristics in the highland and the lowland might reflect increased population density with an early period settlement and reducing resource potential regarding the former (Amejo, 2018;Amejo et al, 2018a), while the latter case might be indicating the shift of population movement from the highland to the lowland with depleting and scarcity of resources in the highland. Column means in category of the same superscript are not significant (p < 0.05).…”

“…It is certain that income generated from livestock is crucial addition to livelihoods together with cropping source, which is decreasing vulnerability to risk factor and reduce dependency on external inputs in smallholder systems (Behera, Yates, Kebreab, & France, 2008). Livestock usually has multiple purposes, it provides food, income, draught power for crop production, manure to improve soil fertility and it is an essential asset for insurance in times of scarcity (e.g., Amejo, Gebere, Kassa, & Tana, 2018a).…”