Background
Land degradation is a long-term decline in ecosystem functions caused by
disturbances from which land cannot recover unaided (Bai et al .,
2008). Land degradation occurs as a result of anthropogenic activities
and climatic variations (Ahmed and Pandey, 201. It includes all
processes that diminish the capacity of land resources to perform
essential functions and services in ecosystems (Hurni et al .,
2010). It is caused by the natural ecosystem and the human social
system. Interactions between the two systems determine the success or
failure of resource management (Berry, 2003).
Land degradation has become an important concern affecting food security
affecting peoples’ livelihood (Bezuayehu et al ., 2002).
Over-grazing, deforestation, agricultural expansion and backward
agricultural practices are considered as the major causes of land
degradation (Stocking and Murnaghan, 2000; FAO 2004; FRA, 2005).
Ethiopia is one of the well-endowed countries in SSA (Sub-Saharan
Africa) in terms of natural resources (Gete et al ., 2006).
However, land degradation is a major problem. The major driver is the
conversion of forest into agriculture and inappropriate agricultural
practices. The Ethiopian population has been growing at a fast rate from
12 million at the beginning of the 1900s to 74 million in 2007, i.e., at
a rate of <1.3% before 1950 and 2.6% between 1994 and 2007
(CSA, 2008) which is now greater than 110 million (FDRE, 2018). Due to
the favorable climatic conditions, the Ethiopian highlands have a long
history of settlement and sedentary agriculture, and as a result, the
density of the human and livestock population is high (Sonneveld and
Keyzer, 2003). The problem is very serious particularly in steep lands
where rain-fed agriculture constitutes the main livelihood of the people
(Shiferaw and Holden, 2001). This diminished potential productivity and
the economic utility of the land (Mitiku et al ., 2006).
Land degradation due to soil erosion and nutrient depletion is
considered as the main problem constraining the development of the
agricultural sector in Ethiopia (Amsalu and de Graaff, 2007; Tefera and
Sterk, 2010). It also directly threatens the long-term growth of
agricultural productivity, food security, and the quality of life
(Shiferaw et al ., 2009).
Efforts to conserve soil and water resources and prevent land
degradation date back to the mid-1970s and 80s in Ethiopia (Bekele and
Holden, 1998). Since then many public organizations and NGOs have been
involved in addressing the widespread problem of land degradation. SWC
works have been carried out through campaign. Incentives like food for
work or cash for work were used as instruments to stimulate farmers to
put up the structures even in their fields. However, the efforts put
towards the promotion of the technologies so far seem to have had a
limited impact in increasing the sustained use of conservation measures
(Eshetu, 2004). The limited success of the efforts highlights the need
to better understand the factors that encourage/discourage the adoption
and the sustainable use of conservation practices (Belay, 1992). The
adoption of improved technology is for the most part affected by farmer
characteristics, farm-specific conditions, technology characteristics,
and institutional set up in which production takes place (Bekele and
Holden, 1998).
The most important reason for the limited use of SWC technologies is
farmers’ low perception and adoption behavior. According to Kessler
(2006), SWC measures fully adopted only when their execution is
sustained and fully integrated into the household’s farming system.
Soil and water conservation efforts have focused on highly degraded
areas with limited production potential in the district. Marginal steep
lands have been terraced with a few structural SWC measures (Guduru
district agricultural office, 2019). Despite the promotion, the adoption
of SWC practices by farmers has been limited. Farmers of the study area
have limited information on the management of land degradation and SWC
practices. For example, most farmers have not implemented stone bund
terraces because they assume it decreases the cropland (Guduru district
agricultural office, 2019) as a result, land degradation remains a major
threat to agricultural production. Thus, there is a need to assess
farmers perception of SWC practices and its implication on land
degradation. Therefore, the objective of this study was specifically to
assess farmers perception of SWC practices and the causes and
consequences of land degradation.