Ethiopian Agriculture Is Taking A Climate Smart Turn
As part of their climate mitigation efforts, Ethiopian smallholder farmers have begun using decreased tillage and applying manure to the soil. Through the storage of soil organic matter, these methods have the ability to sequester carbon.
As part of their climate mitigation efforts, Ethiopian smallholder farmers have begun using decreased tillage and applying manure to the soil. Through the storage of soil organic matter, these methods have the ability to sequester carbon.
As a result, soil water-holding capacity rose, which is important in dry areas and stabilizes crop yields. Farmers have also begun to use climate adaption techniques such as:
- Adoption of animal breeds indigenous to the area
- Reducing the number of animals in a herd to a reasonable amount
- Fertilizer application will be increased.
- Instead of wheat, barley is being planted.
- Planting of boundaries
- Desho grass, an Ethiopian native grass, has been introduced.
- Crop diversity and early planting of crops
- Keeping things in the good years to make up for the bad ones
- Inquiring of government agriculture authorities and development agents for information and guidance
According to research published in the Climate Policy journal, these climate adaptation techniques were likely prompted by changes in weather patterns seen by farmers.
The researchers, headed by Diana Feliciano of the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom, looked into how mitigation and adaptation methods were implemented on smallholder farms in Ethiopia. They calculated GHG emissions related to mitigation techniques and identified viable mitigation strategies, as well as hurdles and enablers for implementation.
Twenty-five smallholder farmers were chosen and questioned about their land-use and land-management techniques in the field. The Mitigation Strategies Tool (MOT) was used to calculate GHG emissions, identify mitigation options and co-benefits, and serve as a forum for learning and knowledge exchange among various stakeholders.
In Ethiopia, the MOT was utilized to do fast assessments of land and livestock management methods' contributions to GHG emissions and carbon sequestration. It was also utilized to bridge the gap between research and practice, allowing for better information transfer and learning.
Carbon dioxide emissions are measured in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per hectare (kg CO2eq ha1) and kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilogram of the product (kg CO2eq kg1). Synthetic fertilizer application resulted in GHG emissions ranging from 0.5 to 2.6 t CO2eq ha1 in wheat, 0.3 to 3.6 t CO2eq ha1 in barley, and 0.5 to 8.3 t CO2eq ha1 in potatoes. Among the farmers surveyed, CO2 emissions from animal production ranged from 6.1 to 31.4 t CO2eq ha1.
All of the farmers in the research noted that weather patterns have changed. Reduced rainfall, improved warmth, reduced cloudiness, and more sunlight hours were all stated. Farmers in the poll also highlighted increased weather unpredictability and changing trends.
Climate change has also resulted in a lack of water and the loss of water springs, as well as an increase in crop diseases, lower agricultural yields, and delays in the start of the crop season, according to some farmers. Through dialogue with farmers and statistics on the quantity of organic matter supplied to the soil, barriers and enabling variables must be investigated. These activities aid in soil conservation, which is important for adapting to climate change in semi-arid areas.
MOT can be used in the future to enhance the identification of effective climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies by facilitating information sharing between academics and practitioners in Ethiopia and other developing countries with limited data.
