The Dynamics of the Central Ethiopian Farming Systems

Abstract

Nowadays, biophysical and socio-economic determinants of farming system are in a state of rapid change. Natural resources are depleting from time to time and climate change is a current big issue in the field of agriculture. Science and technology is also growing from time to time at alarming rate. These technologies and many other factors are believed to influence changes to the existing farming systems at different dimensions and extents. However, there is no adequately documented and up-to-date information illustrating dynamism of farming systems over time. The general objective of the study was to explore and characterize the changes of farming systems over time and identify the factors that contributed for the change especially in the highland agroecology. The study was conducted in the central highland agro-ecology through interviewing 1074 randomly selected households (96 were female headed households - FHH) selected from 8 zones and 16 districts. According to the findings, 95% of the sample households have perceived that farming systems changes are evident in the highlands that were either positive contributing to growth of agriculture and farmers’ livelihoods or negative affecting the environment. As recognized by 82% of the households, substantial changes in the farming systems have taken place especially in the recent decade. This was largely associated with massive government interventions on agriculture sector through designing and implementing GTP, AGP and other programs, and climate change. Tens of driving factors to changes in farming systems were identified in the study. As perceived by 87% of the households, the major factor that has influenced changes to farming systems was identified to be introduction, promotion and dissemination of agricultural technologies including crops, livestock, natural resources and others. Other major driving factors included expansion of public infrastructures, such as schools (80%), roads and transportation (76%), health centers, potable water points, rural electrification, communication media (e.g. mobile phone) (74%) and others. Farmers’ use of transportation services and market participation has also influenced positive changes to farming systems. Climate change, human, and livestock population growth haveimposed threats to the environment. As the major driving factors, various technologies have been adopted despite the extent varies from one type of technology to another. For instance, among cereals, adoption rate of improved wheat varieties was 77%, maize (74%), tef (50%) and barley (47%). Among pulses, adoption rate of lentil was 71%, chickpea (49%) and field pea (29%). In the highland agro-ecology, 24% of the farmers have also adopted improved varieties of linseed. On the aspect of dynamism, nearly 90% of highland households started adopting of improved varieties of various crops mainly in the last decade while others before a decade. Adoption of inorganic fertilizer on crops was in the range of 22% – 94% while crop protection chemicals in the range of 27– 92%. Row planting adopters was 6% for tef, 18% for wheat and 19% for barley. Overall, nearly 50% of the highland households have adopted improved crop technologies. This implies that another 50% of the farming community have not yet adopted the use of improved technologies. According to 57% of the households, the major factor that restricted crop technology adoption was limited availability of improved variety seeds while the other factor was unstable performance of improved varieties compared to locals. Other factors were economic reasons, such as limited affordability of packages of technologies. Among the livestock technologies, adoption rate of crossbred cows were 19% and improved forage varieties (12%). Adoption rate of water harvesting structures in the highlands was 8%. Overall, women (married and FHH) and youth had limited access to technology use and capacity enhancing opportunities. Climate change (drought) was also evidently occurring in the highlands, because of which farmers are using various coping mechanisms, such as asset depletion (40%), borrow money (25%), and engage in IGAs (20%) and others. Adaptation mechanisms included changing variety type (61%), adjusting planting time (55%) and many others. Women were more affected with climate change than men. In spite of all that technology adoption and development interventions, 33% of the highland households (36% for male-headed households and 46% for female-headed households) were still food insecure. The major problems in the farming systems were identified to be limited integration of different farming systems components, inadequate and unsustainable supply of improved technologies and many others.