The Effect of Climate-Smart Agriculture on Soil Fertility, Crop Yield, and Soil Carbon in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

It is critical to develop technologies that simultaneously improve agricultural production, offset impacts of climate change, and ensure food security in a changing climate. Within this context, considerable attention has been given to climate-smart agricultural practices (CSA). This study was conducted to investigate the effects of integrating different CSA practices on crop production, soil fertility, and carbon sequestration after being practiced continuously for up to 10 years. The CSA practices include use of soil and water conservation (SWC) structures combined with biological measures, hedgerow planting, crop residue management, grazing management, crop rotation, and perennial crop-based agroforestry systems. The landscapes with CSA interventions were compared to farmers’ business-as-usual practices (i.e., control). Wheat (Triticum sp.) yield was quantified from 245 households. The results demonstrated that yield was 30–45% higher under CSA practices than the control (p < 0.05). The total carbon stored at a soil depth of 1 m was three- to seven-fold higher under CSA landscapes than the control. CSA interventions slightly increased the soil pH and exhibited 2.2–2.6 and 1.7–2.7 times more total nitrogen and plant-available phosphorus content, respectively, than the control. The time series Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) revealed higher soil moisture content under CSA. The findings illustrated the substantial opportunity of integrating CSA practices to build climate change resilience of resource-poor farmers through improving crop yield, reducing nutrient depletion, and mitigating GHG emissions through soil carbon sequestration.

Factors Influencing the Adoption of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practice by Small-Scale Farming Households in Wondo Genet, Southern Ethiopia

“…During a group discussion with key informants, participants stated that the majority of farm-related activities were controlled by men, with women only having the right to participate in farm harvesting, winnowing, and postharvest activities. This finding is analogous to Demissie (2019) and Tadesse et al (2021). These results contradict the findings of Mfundo (2013) and Pujiwidodo (2016), who also perceived that small-scale farming in South Africa is experienced mainly at a local level by elder females.…”

Effect of Agricultural Land Management Practices on the Selected Soil Quality Indictors: Empirical Evidence from the South Ethiopian Highlands

“…Therefore, the result implies soil B level varied not only within the year of intervention but also with treatment types; thus the mean value of soil B increased with duration of intervention and integration of physical and biological conservation measures. Similar ndings have also been reported by Tadesse et al (2021), in Tula watershed in south central Ethiopia, where the mean value of soil B increases with an increase in duration of intervention and types of treatment.…”

Climate-Smart Agriculture: Sleeping Beauty of the Hungarian Agribusiness

“…Agricultural practices and technologies are smart for the climate if they can deliver integrated benefits. For example, reduced tillage practices can increase production by improving soil quality, support mitigation by increasing carbon capture, and strengthen farmers' resilience to climate shocks such as drought and floods [40,62,63].…”