June 25, 2026 Thesis Open Access

ESHETU LOGITA

Citation Style Language JSON Export

{
  "DOI": "10.20372/nadre:25221", 
  "language": "eng", 
  "title": "FARMERS' PERCEPTIONS ON SOIL EROSION AND ADOPTION OF PHYSICAL SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PRACTICE IN THE CASE OF ARBEGONA WOREDA ETHIOPIA", 
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2026, 
        6, 
        25
      ]
    ]
  }, 
  "abstract": "<p>ABSTRACT<br>\nLand degradation through soil erosion poses a critical threat to agricultural productivity<br>\nand food security in the highland area of the country.. soil erosion has reached alarming<br>\nlevels, severely impacting smallholder farmers who depend on the land for their<br>\nsubsistence. The Arbegona woreda, known for its hilly terrain and unpredictable rainfall,<br>\nfaces considerable soil degradation issues, exacerbated by the traditional farming<br>\npractices that often neglect soil conservation techniques This problem leads to the<br>\ndepletion of fertile soil, reduced agricultural yields, and increased vulnerability to climate<br>\nchange Physical measures such as terraces, bunds, and check dams, have been widely<br>\npromoted as solutions to reduce soil erosion and improve soil fertility. However, the<br>\nuptake of these practices among farmers remains inconsistent, largely due to their<br>\nperceptions of the effectiveness and feasibility of these methods Additionally, many farmers<br>\nin the this Woreda are deterred from adopting physical conservation measures due to the<br>\nperceived high costs, labor intensiveness, and the lack of immediate, visible benefits.<br>\nThis study assessed farmers&#39; perceptions of soil erosion and the adoption of physical soil<br>\nconservation measures in Arbegona Woreda, . A mixed-methods approach was employed,<br>\ncombining a survey of 148 randomly selected farmers with key informant interviews, focus<br>\ngroup discussions, and field observations. A survey results revealed that majority (86.5%)<br>\nof farmers perceived soil erosion as a severe or moderate problem, accurately identifying<br>\nheavy rainfall (91.9%), steep slopes (83.8%), and deforestation (75.7%) as primary causes<br>\nof soil erosion. Likewise, adoption of physical soil conservation measures was moderate,<br>\nwith soil bunds (43.2%) and stone bunds (39.2%) most common, while about 10.8% of<br>\nfarmers were high adopters. A survey finding reveals that, overall, 24.3% of farmers were<br>\nnon-adopters, 39.2% were low adopters, 25.7% were medium adopters, and only 10.8%<br>\nwere high adopters of physical soil conservation measures. Binary logistic regression<br>\nmodel identified that access to extension services, training, landholding size, and<br>\nperception of erosion severity as the strongest predictors of adoption. However, only<br>\n53.6% of adopters rated measures as effective, and field observations revealed only 21.4%<br>\nof structures in good condition. Maintenance was inadequate, with 28.6% of farmers<br>\nperforming no maintenance due to labor shortages (75%) and dependency mindsets<br>\n(43.8%). The study concludes that while farmers possess strong awareness of soil erosion,<br>\nadoption is constrained by institutional, economic, and labor factors, and sustainability is<br>\ncompromised by poor maintenance and lack of ownership. Therefore, the study<br>\nrecommends that strengthening extension services, providing practical training, promoting<br>\nparticipatory approaches, and shifting policy focus from adoption targets to ensuring long-<br>\nterm functionality and maintenance of soil conservation structures.</p>", 
  "author": [
    {
      "family": "ESHETU LOGITA"
    }
  ], 
  "version": "version 1", 
  "type": "thesis", 
  "id": "25221"
}