Sidama Mixed Farming Zone Diagnostic Survey Report Sidamo Region

Abstract

A diagnostic survey was conducted in the kola (low-altitude) and weinadega (medium-altitude) areas of Awasa, Shebedino, Dale and Aleta Wendo weredas of Sidama Awraja during the 1986 crop season. The objective of the survey was to describe the agricultural production system and thereby identify constraints, problems and opportunities for the development of the system. The survey zone lies within an altitude range of below 1500 to 2300 m and the topography ranges from flat to extremely hilly. Soils are predominantly red and brown-black and have a pH level ranging from 6 to 7. The annual rainfall is 1000 to 1200 mm and the main rainy season (June through September/October) receives about 530 mm. The western part of the study area (kola target group) is characterized by erratic rainfall while the eastern part (weinadega target group) enjoys a reliable rainfall pattern. The ethnic composition of the inhabitants of the area is predominantly Sidama while some of the area is inhabited by people of Welaita, Arsi, Gugi, Amhara and Kambata origin. Most of them are Christians, Muslims are next in numbers. The weinadega areas, which are denser in population (over 250 people per sq km), have a longer history in farming than do the kola areas where farming started not more than three decades ago. There are about 158,000 people in the study area organized into 57 service cooperatives, 200 peasant associations and 40 producers cooperatives. Farmers in the target region pursue different crop enterprises in order to secure their family food supply and satisfy cash needs. Maize, enset (false banana), and haricot bean are the major crops grown in the kola area, by proportion of farmers growing. In the weinadega area, enset, maize, and coffee are the most important. Almost two-thirds of the families in both target groups have cows while only 18% of weinadega and 46% of kola farmers have oxen. Equines, poultry, sheep and goats are owned by less than 40% of the farmers in both target group. Sole cropping is common in kola areas, except that haricot beans are usually intercropped with maize. In weinadega areas farmers tend to intercrop annual crops and coffee. In the Awasa area many farmers practice relay intercropping of maize and tef. Cultivated area per family is 1.2 ha for kola and 0.8 ha for weinadega. Land is limited, especially in weinadega areas. Crop rotation and fallowing are rare. Land preparation starts in January and oxen owners plow three times before they plant in March-April. Broadcasting is the common method of planting for annual crops. Row planting is becoming popular particularly in kola. Almost all farmers who are not members of producers’ cooperatives use local varieties of crops. The maize varieties commonly used are Asmara and Kenya. Asmara is tall, late-maturing, susceptible to lodging and drought and is high yielding. Kenya is short, early-maturing and drought tolerant. DAP (diamonium phosphate) fertilizer is used on maize by about one-third of farmers in both target groups. Rates range from about 13 to 50 kg/ha. Most farmers weed enset, coffee and maize more than their other crops. In both target groups tef is weeded rarely or not at all. Yield levels are low and about the same for the two target groups. Maize yields about 1 t/ha, and haricot bean 0.5 to 0.7 t/ha. Livestock feed availability is one of the distinguishing features of the two target groups. Because land scarcity is acute in weinadega areas the pasture and grass availability is limited. Though moisture stress imposes limitations upon the availability of grass and pasture, there are relatively bigger communal grazing areas in kola. Moreover, they have a comparative advantage in terms of using crop residues and stovers. In addition to this they practice godantu, that is. they take their animals to distant places in search of feed and water. However, the feed problem remains acute particularly during the dry season.