Abstract:
In the highlands of Arsi, in the wheat-barley belt of Ethiopia, farmers are having difficulties
in maintaining a livelihood in an environment of low grain prices and increasing fertiliser
prices and landlessness. Against this background, the study analysis possibilities of moving
from dominant monocropping practice to crop diversification and better crop-livestock
integration.
The Agricultural Research for Development (ARJD) approach was used to analyse the
interactions and changes occuring in the farming systems in one selected district in Arsi Zone
and to identify strategies to divesify crop production and improve the integration of livestock
into these farming systems. Thirteen strategies are suggested and four prioritised strategies
discussed in detail. The study concludes with research proposal outlines for these four
strategies.
