Drivers of the decline of indigenous land management technologies in Farta Woreda, Northwestern Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

Smallholder farmers in Ethiopia have long been using various indigenous land management practices. It appears from a survey of households, focus group discussions and key informant interviews in Farta Woreda, Northwestern Ethiopia, however that only a few indigenous techniques are widely practised. The use of some technologies has rapidly declined, whereas some others have totally disappeared. Reasons given include small land holdings, shortage of stock feed, prevalence of field-crop pests, late onset and early cessation of rainfall, too few oxen and other livestock, and engagement in non-farm livelihood options. Moreover, indigenous practices are neglected by agricultural extension that promotes introduced alternatives, sometimes coercively. Efforts should be made by research and extension programmes to preserve and use indigenous technologies.

KEYWORDS:

• Land management
• indigenous technologies
• households
• Farta Woreda

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).