Understanding the Spontaneous Spreading of Stone Bunds in Ethiopia: Implications for Sustainable Land Management

Abstract

This study deals with the spontaneous spreading of stone bunds in the central Ethiopian highlands, i.e., the adoption and implementation of stone bunds by farmers on their own initiative. The study tests the hypothesis that spontaneously implemented stone bunds, as compared to stone bunds implemented by mass mobilization campaigns, are more integrated with other land management practices and lead to higher yields. Data are collected in the Girar Jarso woreda through field observations and household surveys. Descriptive statistics are used to analyze and test the data at 1% and 5% probability levels. Results show that stone bunds are spontaneously implemented mainly on farmlands located nearby the homesteads where farmers perceive severe erosion, poor soil fertility and steep slope gradients. Compared to stone bunds implemented by mass mobilization, spontaneously implemented stone bunds are perceived as better maintained, more frequently modified to fit the farming system and better integrated with soil fertility management practices, such as applying fertilizer, compost and manure. Particularly, this better integration with other practices is very important, because it makes stone bunds more effective in reducing erosion, leading to beneficial effects on soil moisture and soil productivity, as perceived by farmers. The study, therefore, suggests that the mass mobilization campaign should use a more participatory and integrated approach, in which there is ample space for awareness raising and learning concerning the benefits of integrated farm management, and in which farmers themselves have a leading role in the decision on where to construct stone bunds. Such a strategy will lead to more sustainable impact on soil fertility and food security than the current top-down intervention approach.

How farmers’ characteristics influence spontaneous spreading of stone bunds in the highlands of Ethiopia: a case study in the Girar Jarso woreda

“…Moreover, compared with the NSF, SF are farmers with better knowledge as well as experience in IFM. This was also observed in a previous study that showed that spontaneously implemented stone bunds were more integrated with compost and manure use to produce high yields and sufficient crop residues for livestock feeds (Abi et al 2018). Results also indicate that SF have a better farm planning and more positive future prospects to change and to make improvements in their household food security and living condition and therefore have a longer planning horizon than the NSF.…”

“…Work motivation is directly related to the perception that farmers have on implemented stone bunds. Results also show that SF have a more positive perception of stone bunds than the NSF, which is of course due to the experienced positive effects of stone bunds on soil erosion, soil productivity and crop yields (Abi et al 2018). Not surprisingly, results also show that SF have a better sense of ownership and responsibility to protect and maintain implemented stone bunds than NSF.…”

“…Similarly, purposive sampling was used to select the study farmers. A household survey was conducted on 80 farmers to investigate the process of spontaneous spreading of stone bunds in these watersheds (see Abi et al 2018). Of these 80 farmers, 40 are spontaneous farmers (SF) and 40 are non-spontaneous farmers (NSF).…”

“…However, in a study conducted in the central highlands of Ethiopia, Abi et al (2018) found that some SLM measures, particularly stone bunds, were spontaneously implemented on some farmlands. Farmers doing this used their own family labour and knowledge, which was often obtained during their participation in the governmental mass mobilization campaigns.…”

“…In this woreda, we previously conducted research on the characteristics of spontaneous stone bunds (Abi et al 2018) and analysed the location of farmlands, stone bunds usages and their effects to contribute to understand where and why the stone bunds spread spontaneously. The present study aims to identify the characteristics of spontaneous farmers, by whom stone bunds spread spontaneously, compared to nonspontaneous farmers to fill the gap.…”