Agro-Ecology Based Evaluation of Some Structural Soil and Water Conservation Measures Implemented in Aleta Wendo District, Sidama Zone, SNNPR, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was conducted in Aletawendo district which is one of the 19 districts of Sidama zone found under SNNPR of Ethiopia. Lots of soil and water conservation (SWC) measures have being employed in Aletawendo district. Nonetheless, there is a gap in the choice of SWCs in the district in that SWCs are being chosen not based on the agro-ecologies of the district. They are not being selected and implemented as per the agro-climatic conditions of the area. To recognize this, data were collected from 372 farm households and 25 natural resources management (NRM) experts found in the district. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics with the help of SPSS software. The result indicated that some structural SWCs being implemented in the district were SWCs adopted from other areas and are not compatible with the agro-ecology of the area. They are direct copies of conservation technologies being used in other areas and are being directly implemented in the study watershed regardless of the scientific justifications of various experts and without any modifications on these technologies to suit the agro-ecologies of the district. Such a practice may lead to failure in the application and sustainability of SWC structures and even may lead to disaster such as floods and landslide as per various studies.

Keywords: Agro-ecology, SWCs, Kolla. Dega, Weyandega