Assessment of Indigenous Knowledge of Farmers on Soil Fertility Management: In Case of Bule Hora Woreda, West Guji Zone, Bule Kegna Kebele

Abstract

The study was conducted in Bule Kenga kebele to assess the indigenous knowledge of community on soil fertility management. The main objective of this study was to assess the Indigenous knowledge of farmers on soil fertility management in the study area. The data was collected through household survey, interviews, questionnaire and observation. To do so, one samples kebeles were used. Accordingly, the majority of the respondents revealed that indigenous soil fertility management together with natural resource management was very significant, at community level. Local farmers know their own strength, forces knowledge, and technique to conserve soil even hilly lands. The major indigenous knowledge of soil fertility management in the study area was crop rotation, Organic fertilizer, Agroforestry, intercropping, and green manure. As a result the, majority of respondents (57%) reported that they had knowledge on the soil fertility management whereas 43% had no knowledge on soil fertility management. As the result shows, out of the total respondents, 60%, 26%, 9%, and 6 % of the respondents said role of indigenous knowledge of soil fertility improvement were good, better, best and bad, respectively. The traditional land management practices improved cropland productivity through addition of organic matter to the soil, adding nitrogen, maintaining organic matter and plant nutrients, and improving soil structures increasing water infiltration and reducing run off. Lastly local knowledge ought not to be ignored because it has own attribution to reduce the soil fertility problems which in line with the current study area

DOI: 10.7176/JEES/11-8-03

Publication date:August 31^st 2021