Smallholder banana - based farming system dynamics of Arba Minch Zuria District, the case of Gamo Zone, Ethiopia: Qualitative exploration

Abstract

Different types of crops are produced in different agro-ecological zones of Ethiopia where specific biophysical conditions define the success of their production. This banana-based smallholder farming systems explorative study objective was to explore existing banana-based farming system dynamics and examine push-pull factors accelerating these dynamics. To achieve the objectives of study, three Kebeles of Arba Minch Zuria district were selected purposively. Both primary and secondary data were collected and analyzed using qualitative data analysis method. The results show that cropping systems of the study area have been changed a lot during the last years; going from seasonal crops farming to perennial fruit crops-based farming. An early farming practice of the study area was cultivating seasonal crops like maize, teff, sweet potato, and cotton. Later on farmers have shifted to perennial cash crops like banana and mango. Most farmers in the study area use cow dung, crop residues, poultry droppings, and house cleans to improve soil fertility of their banana field. During establishment of banana farmland, farmers inter-crop vegetable and cereal crops to maximize their farm income. When banana develop three to four suckers per hill and full canopy, farmers make their banana farm monoculture. Access to irrigation water, minimum input requirement Abayneh Feyso ABOUT THE AUTHORS Abayneh Feyso is MSc. holder in Agribusiness and Value Chain management. He has designed and conducted value chain and market analysis research on Cotton, Sorghum, Potato and Sericulture. Also he conducted food security, farming system dynamic and circular economy researches. He has an interest of designing value chain management studies along circular economy.

Smallholders' Conservation Agriculture Adoption Decision in Arba Minch and Derashe Districts of Southwestern Ethiopia

“…[34]. In the last ten years, the district received a total annual rainfall of 892 mm, with maximum and minimum temperatures of 30.4 and 15.6 °C, respectively [21]. Among the total Kebeles, the study was conducted in two neighboring Kebeles, namely, Zeyse Eligo and Zeyse Wezeqa.…”

“…Smallholders in the neighboring Arba Minch Zuriya district practice CT using mineral fertilizer and overirrigating their felds with fooding [21]. Even though chemical fertilizer use has enhanced crop productivity and soil fertility, excessive use has resulted in a decline in the soil organic matter (SOM) content and a consequent decline in soil quality [22].…”

“…Besides, in the Arba Minch area, overirrigation using lake water leaches nutrients from the soil. Te state has increased the rate of salinization and thus removed more banana felds from production [21]. Despite all the benefts of CA, smallholders have had a low adoption rate in the Arba Minch Zuriya district.…”

Maize Market Chain Analysis and the Determinants of Market Participation in the Gamo and Gofa Zones of Southern Ethiopia

“…e district is geographically located between 5 °42′ and 6 °13′ north latitude and 37 °19′ and 37 °41′ east longitude, with an elevation of 1170 m. a. s. l [18,19]. e district has received 892 mm of average rainfall with minimum and maximum temperatures of 15.6 and 30.4 °C, respectively, in recent decades [11].…”

“…Several types of research have been performed on maize in the study area [9][10][11][12][13][14]. However, most previous studies have focused on maize production improvement only by ignoring maize marketing issues in the study area.…”