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Teklu Erkossa Jijo

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SUMMARY: TEKLU ERKOSSA JIJO, 54, has a PhD in Soil Sciences from the University of Hohenheim (Germany), MSc and BSc in Soil and Water Management from Wageningen University of Agriculture (The Netherlands) and Haramaya University (Ethiopia), respectively. Besides, he attended several technical and interpersonal training in the USA, Europe, Asia, and African countries. He has over 30 years of project/program management, development work, research, teaching, and consultancy experience in the areas of agriculture, environment, and natural resources management. Currently, he is a senior project manager with GIZ- leading a project, Supporting Soil Health Initiatives in Ethiopia, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which resulted in the development and ratification of a directive on soil and agronomy data sharing and data infrastructure, capacity building for various institutions on geospatial and other digital technologies to create contents useful for agricultural transformation. In addition to supporting the development of two databases (soil survey data at the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), and agronomy data at EIAR), he facilitated the publication of 17 journal articles in a special issue with Experimental Agriculture and the development of a high-resolution digital soil resource map of Ethiopia (under review) as a way of demonstrating the value of data sharing.

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Papers by Teklu Erkossa Jijo

Land Preparation Methods and Soil Quality of a Vertisol Area in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing... more Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing human needs while maintaining or enhancing the natural resource base, and avoiding environmental degradation. Different approaches have been explored to apply the SQ concept in assessing the sustainability of soil management systems. The approaches often relate SQ with the production and the environment functions of the soils (Doran and Perkin, 1996). This is because agricultural productivity and environmental quality influence the standard of human living (Pierzynski et al., 1994; Acton and Gregorich, 1995). 1.4 The need for stakeholder participation Since SQ depends on the intended functions of soils, the direct users of the soils should participate in defining the important functions, setting the criteria and indicators of its quality as well as in its evaluation process. This does not only lead to the development of appropriate management systems but also to the enhancement of their adoption. For the same reason, Andrews et al. (2002b) implemented

in situ生合成超常磁性酸化鉄ナノ粒子(SPION)は癌細胞における効率的温熱療法を誘導する【JST・京大機械翻訳】

ACS applied bio materials, 2020

Crop Water Productivity of Irrigated Teff in a Water Stressed Region

by Bart Schultz and Teklu Erkossa Jijo

Water Resources Management, 2013

In water stressed regions such as the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia, increasing Crop Water Prod... more In water stressed regions such as the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia, increasing Crop Water Productivity (CWP) is imperative for sustainable food and water security. This paper presents CWP of Teff (Eragrostic Tef), a staple food in Ethiopia and an important export crop. Field experiments were conducted under irrigated agriculture during the dry seasons in the periods: 1) November 2010 to March 2011; and 2) December 2011 to April, 2012 at Melkassa Agricultural Research Centre in Ethiopia. Teff crop was irrigated at sixteen different water application depths ranging from 100 to 25 % of the optimum Crop Water Evapotranspiration (ETc.) during the four growing stages, the initial, development, mid season and late season. The effect of seeding rates of 25 kg/ha and 10 kg/ha on lodging and yield of the crop was also determined. The main results were: 1) At 25 % deficit irrigation applied for the whole growth period, Teff CWP was the highest at 1.16 and 1.08 kg/m 3 respectively for the seeding rates of 25 kg/ha and 10 kg/ha; 2) the CWP slightly decreased to 1.12 and 1.07 kg/m 3 when the 25 % deficit was applied during the late season stage; 3) the crop yield response factor (K y) of 1.09 and 1.19 was obtained for seeding rates of 25 kg/ha and 10 kg/ha respectively; the equivalent biomass response factor (K y) was less at 0.88 and 0.96 respectively.

Land Preparation Methods and Soil Quality of a Vertisol Area in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing... more Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing human needs while maintaining or enhancing the natural resource base, and avoiding environmental degradation. Different approaches have been explored to apply the SQ concept in assessing the sustainability of soil management systems. The approaches often relate SQ with the production and the environment functions of the soils (Doran and Perkin, 1996). This is because agricultural productivity and environmental quality influence the standard of human living (Pierzynski et al., 1994; Acton and Gregorich, 1995). 1.4 The need for stakeholder participation Since SQ depends on the intended functions of soils, the direct users of the soils should participate in defining the important functions, setting the criteria and indicators of its quality as well as in its evaluation process. This does not only lead to the development of appropriate management systems but also to the enhancement of their adoption. For the same reason, Andrews et al. (2002b) implemented

Soil fertility effect on water productivity of maize in the upper blue nile basin, Ethiopia

Maize (Zea mays) is among the major cereals grown in the high rainfall areas of the sub-Saharan A... more Maize (Zea mays) is among the major cereals grown in the high rainfall areas of the sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) such as the Ethiopian part of the Blue Nile basin. However, its productivity is severely constrained by poor soil, water and crop management practices. This study simulated water productivity of the crop under varying soil fertility scenarios (poor, near optimal and non limiting) using hybrid seeds under rainfed conditions using the FAO Aqua-Crop model. The result indicated that grain yield of maize increased from 2.5 tons•ha-1 under poor to 6.4 and 9.2 tons•ha-1 with near optimal and non-limiting soil fertility conditions. Correspondingly, soil evaporation decreased from 446 mm to 285 and 204 mm, while transpiration increased from 146 to 268 and 355 mm. Consequently, grain water productivity was increased by 48% and 54%, respectively, with the near optimal and non-limiting soil fertility conditions. The water productivity gain mainly comes from reduced evaporation and increased transpiration without significantly affecting water left for downstream ecosystem services. Therefore, this has a huge implication for a basin scale water management planning for various purposes.

Curriculum Vitae-Teklu Erkossa

Agronomic and Economic Efficiency of Manure and Urea Fertilizers Use on Vertisols in Ethiopian Highlands

Agricultural Sciences in China

Soil fertility depletion is among the major impediments to sustained agricultural productivity es... more Soil fertility depletion is among the major impediments to sustained agricultural productivity especially in the less developed countries because of limited application of fertilizers. Soil fertility maintenance requires a balanced application of inorganic and organic nutrient sources. This study was conducted on a Vertisol in Ethiopia to determine the optimum farm yard manure (M) and nitrogen (N) application rates for maximum return under cereal-pulse-cereal rotation system. The main and interaction effects of M and N significantly affected biomass, grain and straw yields of wheat (Triticum durum) and tef (Eragrostis tef), but the residual effect on chickpea (Cicer arietinum) was not significant. Application of 6 t M ha-1 and 30 kg N ha-1 , gave the largest grain yield of both crops but a comparable result was obtained due to 3 t M ha-1 and 30 kg N ha-1. The economic analysis revealed that 6.85 t M ha-1 and 44 kg N ha-1 for wheat, and 4.53 t M ha-1 and 37 kg N ha-1 for tef were the economic optimum rates. The additional benefit obtained due to these rates was about 450 USD ha-1. Therefore, application of the economic optimum combination of both organic and inorganic sources of nitrogen is recommended for use on cereals in the cereal-legume-cereal rotation system.

Journal of Ecology and The Natural Environment Influence of land use and land cover changes on ecosystem services in the Bilate Alaba Sub-watershed, Southern Ethiopia

by Markos Mathewos and Teklu Erkossa Jijo

Human well-being was obsessed with the natural scheme that provides various functions vital to su... more Human well-being was obsessed with the natural scheme that provides various functions vital to support management at various levels. Land use/ land cover (LULC) dynamics over 45 years within four intervals (1972, 1986, 2008, and 2017) to evaluate its influence on ecosystem services. Geographic information system (GIS) and global value of coefficients' database together with LULC dynamics were used to determine ecosystem service values (ESV). The results showed that cultivated land and settlement land expanded by 67.38 and 532% respectively whereas forest land, shrub land and grassland declined by 66.35 and 18.36% respectively over the analysis period. A decline of total ESVs from US$ 35.23 million in 1972, to 33.61, 27.91 and 25.87 million in 1986, 2008 and 2017, respectively. Approximately US dollar of 9.37 million ESVs were lost owed to LULC changes from 1972 to 2017 in the sub-watershed. In terms of ES functions, erosion control, nutrient cycling, climate regulation and raw material provisions were the key bringers to loss of ESV. Global ESV data sets together with LULC change information helps to make a possible judgment about past environmental changes and reliable results achieved to make sound decisions. The decline of ESV was an indication of environmental degradation in the sub-watershed and needs future appropriate intervention policies in land conservation.

Tillage effects on physical qualities of a vertisol in the central highlands of Ethiopia

African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 2011

In the highlands of Ethiopia, tillage methods and frequency affect drainage, soil erosion, moistu... more In the highlands of Ethiopia, tillage methods and frequency affect drainage, soil erosion, moisture conservation, weeding and harvesting of crops. This is through their effects on soil physical, chemical and biological qualities. In this study, four tillage methods for land preparation, "broad bed and furrows"," green manure", "reduced tillage "and the traditional tillage "ridge and furrows" were evaluated for their effects on soil physical quality indicators. The study was superimposed on the field experiment conducted on a vertisol area at Caffee doonsa for five years (1998 to 2002) in the central highland of Ethiopia. Penetration resistance (PR), aggregate stability, water-holding capacity, crust strength and thickness, texture, porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, bulk density and water holding capacity were the soil physical quality indicators considered. The result indicated that only PR was significantly (p<0.05) affected, where as the other parameter have shown a slight changes that are consistent with the effects on the biochemical parameters as previously reported. Broad bed furrows, and reduced tillage resulted in the highest and the lowest PR, respectively under both the moist and dry soil conditions. Green manure increased aggregate stability and reduced surface crust strength, which was linked to its increased organic matter content and consequent improved microbial activities.

Flood-based Farming for Food Security and Adaption to Climate Change in Ethiopia: Potential and Challenges

F lood-based farm ing is am ong the potential op tions in en su ring access to w ater for crop an... more F lood-based farm ing is am ong the potential op tions in en su ring access to w ater for crop and livestock p roduction for sm all-sca le farm ers in the arid and sem iarid low lands o f sub-Saharan A frica , and E th io p ia in p a rticu la r. F lo o d -b ased irrig a tio n w h ile in ex p en s iv e is ro o ted in trad ition in m any rural com m unities w h ich is in con trast to m any o ther irrigation types w hich are unavailab le (in term s o f w ater source, technology or capacity ) or are costly to develop. Spate irrigation has been p racticed in d ifferen t parts o f E th iop ia for m any decades, but it w as only recen tly that it gained the go v ern m en t’s attention . T his study w as conducted through a review and inform al d iscussion w ith the ob jectives o f docum en ting the curren t sta tus, trends and p rospects o f spate irrigation in the coun try and the associated challenges, tak ing cases o f selected schem es in different regional states. The study revealed t...

Land Preparation Methods and Soil Quality of a Vertisol Area in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing... more Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing human needs while maintaining or enhancing the natural resource base, and avoiding environmental degradation. Different approaches have been explored to apply the SQ concept in assessing the sustainability of soil management systems. The approaches often relate SQ with the production and the environment functions of the soils (Doran and Perkin, 1996). This is because agricultural productivity and environmental quality influence the standard of human living (Pierzynski et al., 1994; Acton and Gregorich, 1995). 1.4 The need for stakeholder participation Since SQ depends on the intended functions of soils, the direct users of the soils should participate in defining the important functions, setting the criteria and indicators of its quality as well as in its evaluation process. This does not only lead to the development of appropriate management systems but also to the enhancement of their adoption. For the same reason, Andrews et al. (2002b) implemented

Soil fertility effect on water productivity of maize in the upper blue nile basin, Ethiopia

Agricultural Sciences, 2011

Maize (Zea mays) is among the major cereals grown in the high rainfall areas of the sub-Saharan A... more Maize (Zea mays) is among the major cereals grown in the high rainfall areas of the sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) such as the Ethiopian part of the Blue Nile basin. However, its productivity is severely constrained by poor soil, water and crop management practices. This study simulated water productivity of the crop under varying soil fertility scenarios (poor, near optimal and non limiting) using hybrid seeds under rainfed conditions using the FAO Aqua-Crop model. The result indicated that grain yield of maize increased from 2.5 tons•ha-1 under poor to 6.4 and 9.2 tons•ha-1 with near optimal and non-limiting soil fertility conditions. Correspondingly, soil evaporation decreased from 446 mm to 285 and 204 mm, while transpiration increased from 146 to 268 and 355 mm. Consequently, grain water productivity was increased by 48% and 54%, respectively, with the near optimal and non-limiting soil fertility conditions. The water productivity gain mainly comes from reduced evaporation and increased transpiration without significantly affecting water left for downstream ecosystem services. Therefore, this has a huge implication for a basin scale water management planning for various purposes.

Deutscher Tropentag 2003 Göttingen, October 8-10, 2003

tropentag.de, 2003

... Development Effect of High Temperature and Heat Shock on Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill... more

The Impacts of Improving Water Management of Smallholder Agriculture in Ethiopia

International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology, 2020

The purpose of this review is to compile the previous, current, and upcoming trends of water mana... more The purpose of this review is to compile the previous, current, and upcoming trends of water management and irrigation program development to raise crop production and ensure smallholder food security in Ethiopia. Integrated water management and irrigation development have been suggested to be a fundamental crucial part in decreasing food scarcity and alleviating poverty. Several organizations of irrigation schemes in Ethiopia have very weak institutional set up with limited financial and technical capacities and poor performance. Also, the existing performance of agricultural water development is not meaningfully contributing to the national economy of the country comparing to rain-fed farming.

Sediment and nutrient lost by runoff from two watersheds, Digga district in Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia

Journal of Environmental Science and Technology

The study was conducted in two sub watersheds in the Upper Blue Nile Basin in Ethiopia to determi... more The study was conducted in two sub watersheds in the Upper Blue Nile Basin in Ethiopia to determine the quantity, quality of sediment lost and its onsite costs in terms of crop yield. Two monitoring stations at the outlets were selected. Discharges were estimated and depth integrated daily runoff samples were collected during the rainy season in 2011. The sediment concentration and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content was analyzed and related to crop yield using a nutrient response equation for maize (Zea mays). The result shows statistically significant differences in sediment concentration of the two watersheds. Suspended sediment concentration was strongly correlated with the discharge from Chekorsa River (R 2 = 0.7) but it was very weak for Dapo. There was higher concentration of nutrients in the sediment than the surface soil in both watersheds. Particularly, sediment enrichment ratio of available P was 2.7 and 9 for Dapo and Chekorsa Rivers, respectively. The estimated yiel...

Tillage effects on physical qualities of a vertisol in the central highlands of Ethiopia

Enhancing farming system water productivity through alternative land use and water management in vertisol areas of Ethiopian Blue Nile Basin (Abay)

Agricultural Water Management, 2014

Until recently, the Ethiopian government's investment did not systematically target high potentia... more Until recently, the Ethiopian government's investment did not systematically target high potential areas for agricultural intensification, limiting the potential productivity gains. Waterlogged vertisols, which cover about 2.7 million hectares in the Ethiopian part of the Blue Nile Basin, are among the high potential soils where management interventions could result in positive impacts. This study utilized soil, climate, crop and livestock productivity data and models to demonstrate intensification strategies which can increase crop-livestock system productivity. To understand the effects of alternative land use and water management interventions on water productivity, the areas have been classified into three drainage status depending on slope classes. Accordingly, non-drainable (0-2%), drainable (2-5%) and naturally drained (>5%) respectively, represented areas where artificial drainage is not feasible, where drainage using broad bed and furrows (BBF) is recommended, and areas where waterlogging is not a problem and no intervention is needed. Early planting of wheat (Triticum spp.) on BBF instead of the traditional late planting on flat beds in drainable areas and rice (Oryza sativa) cultivation instead of the traditional extensive grazing or growing grass-pea (Lathyrus sativus) on the flat areas provide viable alternative cropping options. Yield data of the crops and biomass of the native grass were obtained from research stations in the area while the effective rainfall and crop water requirement were estimated using CROPWAT Model. The value of the native grass and crop straw as livestock feed was estimated based on previous works. With respect to effective rainfall, the water productivity increase due to BBF over the control ranged from 5% to 200%, with an average increase of 57%. Despite higher water consumption of rice, feeding its residues to livestock enhanced the overall economic water productivity of the system as compared to the natural grazing or grass-pea cultivation. This can be accounted for by higher rice biomass productivity and the greater demand for its grain. The study demonstrated that draining the excess water when the slope allows, growing suitable high value crops on non-drainable areas, and integration of livestock into improved land and water management enhance overall agricultural system water productivity.

Land Preparation Methods and Soil Quality of a Vertisol Area in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Land Preparation Methods and Soil Quality of a Vertisol Area in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing... more Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing human needs while maintaining or enhancing the natural resource base, and avoiding environmental degradation. Different approaches have been explored to apply the SQ concept in assessing the sustainability of soil management systems. The approaches often relate SQ with the production and the environment functions of the soils (Doran and Perkin, 1996). This is because agricultural productivity and environmental quality influence the standard of human living (Pierzynski et al., 1994; Acton and Gregorich, 1995). 1.4 The need for stakeholder participation Since SQ depends on the intended functions of soils, the direct users of the soils should participate in defining the important functions, setting the criteria and indicators of its quality as well as in its evaluation process. This does not only lead to the development of appropriate management systems but also to the enhancement of their adoption. For the same reason, Andrews et al. (2002b) implemented

Work: Rahem Building P. O. Box 100009 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia M

(2012) Green and blue water dimensions of foreign direct investment in biofuel and food productio... more (2012) Green and blue water dimensions of foreign direct investment in biofuel and food production in West Africa: the case of Ghana and Mali In: Allan T., Keulertz M., Sojamo S., Warner J. (eds), Handbook of Land and Water Grabs in Africa Foreign direct investment and food and water security, Routledge Taylor and Francis Group Seleshi B. A. S. S. Demissie, F. Hagos, Erkossa T. and Don Peden (2012) Water management intervention analysis in the Nile Basin In: Awulachew S. B., V. Smakhtin, D. Molden, D. Peden (eds) The Nile River Basin Water Agriculture 8.4 Conference proceedings Erkossa T., Haileslassie A., Amede T.

Land Preparation Methods and Soil Quality of a Vertisol Area in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing... more Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing human needs while maintaining or enhancing the natural resource base, and avoiding environmental degradation. Different approaches have been explored to apply the SQ concept in assessing the sustainability of soil management systems. The approaches often relate SQ with the production and the environment functions of the soils (Doran and Perkin, 1996). This is because agricultural productivity and environmental quality influence the standard of human living (Pierzynski et al., 1994; Acton and Gregorich, 1995). 1.4 The need for stakeholder participation Since SQ depends on the intended functions of soils, the direct users of the soils should participate in defining the important functions, setting the criteria and indicators of its quality as well as in its evaluation process. This does not only lead to the development of appropriate management systems but also to the enhancement of their adoption. For the same reason, Andrews et al. (2002b) implemented

in situ生合成超常磁性酸化鉄ナノ粒子(SPION)は癌細胞における効率的温熱療法を誘導する【JST・京大機械翻訳】

ACS applied bio materials, 2020

Crop Water Productivity of Irrigated Teff in a Water Stressed Region

by Bart Schultz and Teklu Erkossa Jijo

Water Resources Management, 2013

In water stressed regions such as the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia, increasing Crop Water Prod... more In water stressed regions such as the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia, increasing Crop Water Productivity (CWP) is imperative for sustainable food and water security. This paper presents CWP of Teff (Eragrostic Tef), a staple food in Ethiopia and an important export crop. Field experiments were conducted under irrigated agriculture during the dry seasons in the periods: 1) November 2010 to March 2011; and 2) December 2011 to April, 2012 at Melkassa Agricultural Research Centre in Ethiopia. Teff crop was irrigated at sixteen different water application depths ranging from 100 to 25 % of the optimum Crop Water Evapotranspiration (ETc.) during the four growing stages, the initial, development, mid season and late season. The effect of seeding rates of 25 kg/ha and 10 kg/ha on lodging and yield of the crop was also determined. The main results were: 1) At 25 % deficit irrigation applied for the whole growth period, Teff CWP was the highest at 1.16 and 1.08 kg/m 3 respectively for the seeding rates of 25 kg/ha and 10 kg/ha; 2) the CWP slightly decreased to 1.12 and 1.07 kg/m 3 when the 25 % deficit was applied during the late season stage; 3) the crop yield response factor (K y) of 1.09 and 1.19 was obtained for seeding rates of 25 kg/ha and 10 kg/ha respectively; the equivalent biomass response factor (K y) was less at 0.88 and 0.96 respectively.

Land Preparation Methods and Soil Quality of a Vertisol Area in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing... more Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing human needs while maintaining or enhancing the natural resource base, and avoiding environmental degradation. Different approaches have been explored to apply the SQ concept in assessing the sustainability of soil management systems. The approaches often relate SQ with the production and the environment functions of the soils (Doran and Perkin, 1996). This is because agricultural productivity and environmental quality influence the standard of human living (Pierzynski et al., 1994; Acton and Gregorich, 1995). 1.4 The need for stakeholder participation Since SQ depends on the intended functions of soils, the direct users of the soils should participate in defining the important functions, setting the criteria and indicators of its quality as well as in its evaluation process. This does not only lead to the development of appropriate management systems but also to the enhancement of their adoption. For the same reason, Andrews et al. (2002b) implemented

Soil fertility effect on water productivity of maize in the upper blue nile basin, Ethiopia

Maize (Zea mays) is among the major cereals grown in the high rainfall areas of the sub-Saharan A... more Maize (Zea mays) is among the major cereals grown in the high rainfall areas of the sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) such as the Ethiopian part of the Blue Nile basin. However, its productivity is severely constrained by poor soil, water and crop management practices. This study simulated water productivity of the crop under varying soil fertility scenarios (poor, near optimal and non limiting) using hybrid seeds under rainfed conditions using the FAO Aqua-Crop model. The result indicated that grain yield of maize increased from 2.5 tons•ha-1 under poor to 6.4 and 9.2 tons•ha-1 with near optimal and non-limiting soil fertility conditions. Correspondingly, soil evaporation decreased from 446 mm to 285 and 204 mm, while transpiration increased from 146 to 268 and 355 mm. Consequently, grain water productivity was increased by 48% and 54%, respectively, with the near optimal and non-limiting soil fertility conditions. The water productivity gain mainly comes from reduced evaporation and increased transpiration without significantly affecting water left for downstream ecosystem services. Therefore, this has a huge implication for a basin scale water management planning for various purposes.

Curriculum Vitae-Teklu Erkossa

Agronomic and Economic Efficiency of Manure and Urea Fertilizers Use on Vertisols in Ethiopian Highlands

Agricultural Sciences in China

Soil fertility depletion is among the major impediments to sustained agricultural productivity es... more Soil fertility depletion is among the major impediments to sustained agricultural productivity especially in the less developed countries because of limited application of fertilizers. Soil fertility maintenance requires a balanced application of inorganic and organic nutrient sources. This study was conducted on a Vertisol in Ethiopia to determine the optimum farm yard manure (M) and nitrogen (N) application rates for maximum return under cereal-pulse-cereal rotation system. The main and interaction effects of M and N significantly affected biomass, grain and straw yields of wheat (Triticum durum) and tef (Eragrostis tef), but the residual effect on chickpea (Cicer arietinum) was not significant. Application of 6 t M ha-1 and 30 kg N ha-1 , gave the largest grain yield of both crops but a comparable result was obtained due to 3 t M ha-1 and 30 kg N ha-1. The economic analysis revealed that 6.85 t M ha-1 and 44 kg N ha-1 for wheat, and 4.53 t M ha-1 and 37 kg N ha-1 for tef were the economic optimum rates. The additional benefit obtained due to these rates was about 450 USD ha-1. Therefore, application of the economic optimum combination of both organic and inorganic sources of nitrogen is recommended for use on cereals in the cereal-legume-cereal rotation system.

Journal of Ecology and The Natural Environment Influence of land use and land cover changes on ecosystem services in the Bilate Alaba Sub-watershed, Southern Ethiopia

by Markos Mathewos and Teklu Erkossa Jijo

Human well-being was obsessed with the natural scheme that provides various functions vital to su... more Human well-being was obsessed with the natural scheme that provides various functions vital to support management at various levels. Land use/ land cover (LULC) dynamics over 45 years within four intervals (1972, 1986, 2008, and 2017) to evaluate its influence on ecosystem services. Geographic information system (GIS) and global value of coefficients' database together with LULC dynamics were used to determine ecosystem service values (ESV). The results showed that cultivated land and settlement land expanded by 67.38 and 532% respectively whereas forest land, shrub land and grassland declined by 66.35 and 18.36% respectively over the analysis period. A decline of total ESVs from US$ 35.23 million in 1972, to 33.61, 27.91 and 25.87 million in 1986, 2008 and 2017, respectively. Approximately US dollar of 9.37 million ESVs were lost owed to LULC changes from 1972 to 2017 in the sub-watershed. In terms of ES functions, erosion control, nutrient cycling, climate regulation and raw material provisions were the key bringers to loss of ESV. Global ESV data sets together with LULC change information helps to make a possible judgment about past environmental changes and reliable results achieved to make sound decisions. The decline of ESV was an indication of environmental degradation in the sub-watershed and needs future appropriate intervention policies in land conservation.

Tillage effects on physical qualities of a vertisol in the central highlands of Ethiopia

African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 2011

In the highlands of Ethiopia, tillage methods and frequency affect drainage, soil erosion, moistu... more In the highlands of Ethiopia, tillage methods and frequency affect drainage, soil erosion, moisture conservation, weeding and harvesting of crops. This is through their effects on soil physical, chemical and biological qualities. In this study, four tillage methods for land preparation, "broad bed and furrows"," green manure", "reduced tillage "and the traditional tillage "ridge and furrows" were evaluated for their effects on soil physical quality indicators. The study was superimposed on the field experiment conducted on a vertisol area at Caffee doonsa for five years (1998 to 2002) in the central highland of Ethiopia. Penetration resistance (PR), aggregate stability, water-holding capacity, crust strength and thickness, texture, porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, bulk density and water holding capacity were the soil physical quality indicators considered. The result indicated that only PR was significantly (p<0.05) affected, where as the other parameter have shown a slight changes that are consistent with the effects on the biochemical parameters as previously reported. Broad bed furrows, and reduced tillage resulted in the highest and the lowest PR, respectively under both the moist and dry soil conditions. Green manure increased aggregate stability and reduced surface crust strength, which was linked to its increased organic matter content and consequent improved microbial activities.

Flood-based Farming for Food Security and Adaption to Climate Change in Ethiopia: Potential and Challenges

F lood-based farm ing is am ong the potential op tions in en su ring access to w ater for crop an... more F lood-based farm ing is am ong the potential op tions in en su ring access to w ater for crop and livestock p roduction for sm all-sca le farm ers in the arid and sem iarid low lands o f sub-Saharan A frica , and E th io p ia in p a rticu la r. F lo o d -b ased irrig a tio n w h ile in ex p en s iv e is ro o ted in trad ition in m any rural com m unities w h ich is in con trast to m any o ther irrigation types w hich are unavailab le (in term s o f w ater source, technology or capacity ) or are costly to develop. Spate irrigation has been p racticed in d ifferen t parts o f E th iop ia for m any decades, but it w as only recen tly that it gained the go v ern m en t’s attention . T his study w as conducted through a review and inform al d iscussion w ith the ob jectives o f docum en ting the curren t sta tus, trends and p rospects o f spate irrigation in the coun try and the associated challenges, tak ing cases o f selected schem es in different regional states. The study revealed t...

Land Preparation Methods and Soil Quality of a Vertisol Area in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing... more Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing human needs while maintaining or enhancing the natural resource base, and avoiding environmental degradation. Different approaches have been explored to apply the SQ concept in assessing the sustainability of soil management systems. The approaches often relate SQ with the production and the environment functions of the soils (Doran and Perkin, 1996). This is because agricultural productivity and environmental quality influence the standard of human living (Pierzynski et al., 1994; Acton and Gregorich, 1995). 1.4 The need for stakeholder participation Since SQ depends on the intended functions of soils, the direct users of the soils should participate in defining the important functions, setting the criteria and indicators of its quality as well as in its evaluation process. This does not only lead to the development of appropriate management systems but also to the enhancement of their adoption. For the same reason, Andrews et al. (2002b) implemented

Soil fertility effect on water productivity of maize in the upper blue nile basin, Ethiopia

Agricultural Sciences, 2011

Maize (Zea mays) is among the major cereals grown in the high rainfall areas of the sub-Saharan A... more Maize (Zea mays) is among the major cereals grown in the high rainfall areas of the sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) such as the Ethiopian part of the Blue Nile basin. However, its productivity is severely constrained by poor soil, water and crop management practices. This study simulated water productivity of the crop under varying soil fertility scenarios (poor, near optimal and non limiting) using hybrid seeds under rainfed conditions using the FAO Aqua-Crop model. The result indicated that grain yield of maize increased from 2.5 tons•ha-1 under poor to 6.4 and 9.2 tons•ha-1 with near optimal and non-limiting soil fertility conditions. Correspondingly, soil evaporation decreased from 446 mm to 285 and 204 mm, while transpiration increased from 146 to 268 and 355 mm. Consequently, grain water productivity was increased by 48% and 54%, respectively, with the near optimal and non-limiting soil fertility conditions. The water productivity gain mainly comes from reduced evaporation and increased transpiration without significantly affecting water left for downstream ecosystem services. Therefore, this has a huge implication for a basin scale water management planning for various purposes.

Deutscher Tropentag 2003 Göttingen, October 8-10, 2003

tropentag.de, 2003

... Development Effect of High Temperature and Heat Shock on Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill... more

The Impacts of Improving Water Management of Smallholder Agriculture in Ethiopia

International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology, 2020

The purpose of this review is to compile the previous, current, and upcoming trends of water mana... more The purpose of this review is to compile the previous, current, and upcoming trends of water management and irrigation program development to raise crop production and ensure smallholder food security in Ethiopia. Integrated water management and irrigation development have been suggested to be a fundamental crucial part in decreasing food scarcity and alleviating poverty. Several organizations of irrigation schemes in Ethiopia have very weak institutional set up with limited financial and technical capacities and poor performance. Also, the existing performance of agricultural water development is not meaningfully contributing to the national economy of the country comparing to rain-fed farming.

Sediment and nutrient lost by runoff from two watersheds, Digga district in Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia

Journal of Environmental Science and Technology

The study was conducted in two sub watersheds in the Upper Blue Nile Basin in Ethiopia to determi... more The study was conducted in two sub watersheds in the Upper Blue Nile Basin in Ethiopia to determine the quantity, quality of sediment lost and its onsite costs in terms of crop yield. Two monitoring stations at the outlets were selected. Discharges were estimated and depth integrated daily runoff samples were collected during the rainy season in 2011. The sediment concentration and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content was analyzed and related to crop yield using a nutrient response equation for maize (Zea mays). The result shows statistically significant differences in sediment concentration of the two watersheds. Suspended sediment concentration was strongly correlated with the discharge from Chekorsa River (R 2 = 0.7) but it was very weak for Dapo. There was higher concentration of nutrients in the sediment than the surface soil in both watersheds. Particularly, sediment enrichment ratio of available P was 2.7 and 9 for Dapo and Chekorsa Rivers, respectively. The estimated yiel...

Tillage effects on physical qualities of a vertisol in the central highlands of Ethiopia

Enhancing farming system water productivity through alternative land use and water management in vertisol areas of Ethiopian Blue Nile Basin (Abay)

Agricultural Water Management, 2014

Until recently, the Ethiopian government's investment did not systematically target high potentia... more Until recently, the Ethiopian government's investment did not systematically target high potential areas for agricultural intensification, limiting the potential productivity gains. Waterlogged vertisols, which cover about 2.7 million hectares in the Ethiopian part of the Blue Nile Basin, are among the high potential soils where management interventions could result in positive impacts. This study utilized soil, climate, crop and livestock productivity data and models to demonstrate intensification strategies which can increase crop-livestock system productivity. To understand the effects of alternative land use and water management interventions on water productivity, the areas have been classified into three drainage status depending on slope classes. Accordingly, non-drainable (0-2%), drainable (2-5%) and naturally drained (>5%) respectively, represented areas where artificial drainage is not feasible, where drainage using broad bed and furrows (BBF) is recommended, and areas where waterlogging is not a problem and no intervention is needed. Early planting of wheat (Triticum spp.) on BBF instead of the traditional late planting on flat beds in drainable areas and rice (Oryza sativa) cultivation instead of the traditional extensive grazing or growing grass-pea (Lathyrus sativus) on the flat areas provide viable alternative cropping options. Yield data of the crops and biomass of the native grass were obtained from research stations in the area while the effective rainfall and crop water requirement were estimated using CROPWAT Model. The value of the native grass and crop straw as livestock feed was estimated based on previous works. With respect to effective rainfall, the water productivity increase due to BBF over the control ranged from 5% to 200%, with an average increase of 57%. Despite higher water consumption of rice, feeding its residues to livestock enhanced the overall economic water productivity of the system as compared to the natural grazing or grass-pea cultivation. This can be accounted for by higher rice biomass productivity and the greater demand for its grain. The study demonstrated that draining the excess water when the slope allows, growing suitable high value crops on non-drainable areas, and integration of livestock into improved land and water management enhance overall agricultural system water productivity.

Land Preparation Methods and Soil Quality of a Vertisol Area in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Land Preparation Methods and Soil Quality of a Vertisol Area in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing... more Pierce, 1991). Agricultural sustainability is the management of resources to satisfy the changing human needs while maintaining or enhancing the natural resource base, and avoiding environmental degradation. Different approaches have been explored to apply the SQ concept in assessing the sustainability of soil management systems. The approaches often relate SQ with the production and the environment functions of the soils (Doran and Perkin, 1996). This is because agricultural productivity and environmental quality influence the standard of human living (Pierzynski et al., 1994; Acton and Gregorich, 1995). 1.4 The need for stakeholder participation Since SQ depends on the intended functions of soils, the direct users of the soils should participate in defining the important functions, setting the criteria and indicators of its quality as well as in its evaluation process. This does not only lead to the development of appropriate management systems but also to the enhancement of their adoption. For the same reason, Andrews et al. (2002b) implemented

Work: Rahem Building P. O. Box 100009 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia M

(2012) Green and blue water dimensions of foreign direct investment in biofuel and food productio... more (2012) Green and blue water dimensions of foreign direct investment in biofuel and food production in West Africa: the case of Ghana and Mali In: Allan T., Keulertz M., Sojamo S., Warner J. (eds), Handbook of Land and Water Grabs in Africa Foreign direct investment and food and water security, Routledge Taylor and Francis Group Seleshi B. A. S. S. Demissie, F. Hagos, Erkossa T. and Don Peden (2012) Water management intervention analysis in the Nile Basin In: Awulachew S. B., V. Smakhtin, D. Molden, D. Peden (eds) The Nile River Basin Water Agriculture 8.4 Conference proceedings Erkossa T., Haileslassie A., Amede T.