Assessment of agricultural emissions, climate change mitigation and adaptation practices in Ethiopia

Figures & data

Figure 1. Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture in Ethiopia in MtCO₂eq. (Source: FAOSTAT, 2021).

Figure 2. Study region where data was collected.

Figure 3. Workshop participants per stakeholder type (N = 36).

Table 1. Summary of field data collected on climate, land use, land use and land cover change, management practices applied in cropland, livestock and agroforestry, and farm products.

Question topics	Results
Climate in the study region	Dega^5 – Dega’s traditional climate zone has an average temperature of about 16 °C and an annual rainfall between 1200 and 2200 mm, with elevation between 2300 and 3200 m (Adego et al., 2018).
Land use	Average area per farm: 0.25 ha (1 timad). Mixed farming with cropland and grassland, trees sparsely distributed across the landscape (Red hot poker tree (Erythrina abyssinica); African redwood (Hagenea abyssinica); Hagenia (Hagenia abyssinica); African junipers (Juniperous procera) around the crop fields; Erythrina brucei for fencing).
Agroforestry	Enset trees (Ensete ventricosum) and vegetables such as cabbage, beans, fava beans and peas. Average area of around 0.25 ha (1 timad) per farmer. Main products: food, forage and fibres.
Land use and land cover change	Initially from natural forest or grassland to cropland. More recent conversions, from degraded land to afforested land, often with non-native trees such as eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) and cedars (Cupressus lustanica), or from natural forest, bushland, grassland, shrubs, deforested land and degraded croplands to agroforestry systems.
Management practices in cropland and agroforestry	Ox ploughing with a frequency varying from two to six times per year – it was assumed reduced tillage. Crop rotations with cereals and potatoes. Application (in kg ha^−1) of synthetic fertilizer (urea and di-ammonium phosphate) in cereal crops (wheat and barley) and potatoes – provided in the Database – Supplementary Material. Qualitative information on the application of organic fertilizer to wheat (52% of farmers apply), barley (44% of the farmers apply) and potatoes (40% of the farmers apply). Farmers mentioned some straw is left in the soil and ploughed (amount per farmer unknown).
Livestock numbers and types	Livestock numbers (details provided in Database – Supplementary Material): Mainly cattle and sheep, which are local and/or improved (hybrid) breeds; Also chicken and a limited number of oxen and donkeys for farm work.
Livestock management practices	Mixed farming system. Feed consists mainly of desho grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum), cereal residues, and leaves, branches, stem and bark from enset residues.
Farm products	Meat, eggs, butter, grains and tubers for own consumption and to sell in local markets. Enset to sell in the local markets. Yield ranges: Wheat [500–4000] kg ha^−1; Barley [300–4000] kg ha^−1; Potato [1000–35,000] kg ha^−1.
Other comments	One farmer mentioned that straw from wheat is used for animal feed and house construction. One farmer mentioned that leaves from enset (Ensete ventricosum) are used for animal feed.

Figure 4. Greenhouse gas emissions per hectare from synthetic fertilizer application in wheat, barley and potato in t CO₂eq ha⁻¹ (N = 25).

Figure 5. Greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production (enteric fermentation, manure management and feed) in tCO₂eq ha⁻¹ (N = 25 farmers).

Figure 6. Screenshot of the MOT presenting a suggested list of mitigation options and mitigation potential (in kg CO₂eq ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) for farmer 1.

Table 2. Total mitigation potential of manure application in wheat production across the 25 farmers.

Crop	Total number of farmers who produce wheat	Number of farmers who do not apply animal manure in the soil	Mitigation potential of manure application (kgCO2eq ha^−1 yr^−1)	Total mitigation potential (kgCO2eq ha^−1yr^−1)
Wheat	25	17	−0.8008	−13.6

FAOSTAT. (2021). Retrieved June 30, 2021, from http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/GT

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Adego, T., Simane, B., & Woldie, G. A. (2018). Sustainability, institutional arrangement and challenges of community based climate smart practices in northwest Ethiopia. Agriculture and Food Security, 7(1), 56. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-018-0206-0

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