Annex 3: Future prospects: Resource management for the improvement and sustainability of crop and livestock productivity on highland Vertisols in Ethiopia

Background
Goals and objectives
Project duration and expected outputs
Implementation

Background

In smallholder farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa livestock provide milk, meat, manure, wool, hide and skin for on-farm use and marketing and draught power for cropping. Integrated crop-livestock systems can substantially meet the increasing food and other demands of people if some of the major production constraints are removed.

The Ethiopian highlands, where millions of people scratch out a living from lighter soils on steep slopes, is fast degrading under the combined effects of continuous cropping and overgrazing. Meanwhile, the potentially productive Vertisols located on mild slopes continue to be underutilised because of socio-technical problems associated with their management. As a result, the majority of the rural people in Ethiopia are becoming dependent on food aid. Sustainable technologies that could further reinforce crop-livestock interactions in the farming systems are urgently needed.

Of the estimated 12.6 million ha of Vertisols in Ethiopia, 7.6 million ha are in the highland zone and five million ha in the lowland zone. Only about 28% of the highland Vertisols are cultivated giving generally low-yielding food crops during the latter part of the growing season. Waterlogging, drought and poor workability are the major problems of Vertisols.

During the past six years, a consortium of five active collaborating institutions, namely the International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA), the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), the Alemaya University of Agriculture (AUA) and the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) were formed as the Joint Vertisol Project (JVP) to coordinate research, training and outreach activities. The JVP-developed package of technologies for raising the productivity of Vertisols included broadbed maker (BBM), better cropping options and the concept of dry planting.

The traditional animal-drawn implement, the maresha is inadequate for land-shaping, but it can be modified (using attachments) to give it a land-shaping character. This new implement (the BBM) makes broadbeds and furrows (BBF) allowing drainage of excess water during the growing season. The drainage furrows, in some instances, serve as irrigation furrows also; this makes the BBF technology more versatile. The JVP has recommended crop varieties that are suitable for extended cropping periods on drained Vertisols. On-farm research results confirm that crop yields can be increased by 60% through drainage improvement by the BBF method. By combining several elements of technology, crop yields can be raised twofold or even more. These results have attracted the attention of development and extension agencies. According to one estimate these technologies could potentially benefit four million farm-families living in highland Vertisol areas of Ethiopia alone.

In order to make the drainage improvement practices widely applicable and environmentally safe, further research is needed for translating the plot-based research into watershed management technologies. In the absence of coordinated watershed planning, water drained from individual field plots can cause widespread land degradation. Watershed research will involve systematic study for soil conservation and water control techniques that may suit the farmer endowments. This should also include techniques to make broadbeds and furrows and other structures long-lasting. Selected soil-binding crops (including tree species and other perennials) should form part of the production system for ensuring soil and water conservation and sustained production on the Vertisols. Also, efficient modes of technology transfer will have to be formulated.

In addition to research and development activities on already cultivated Vertisols, future work should also develop criteria and technologies for optimising land use in other areas - e.g., shift from less productive pastoral systems towards crop-livestock systems including elements of higher productivity as well as sustainability in potentially suitable areas.

The first two phases of the project have been funded mainly by the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC). The second phase of the JVP ended in December 1992. This proposal seeks funds to continue the Project and is therefore jointly submitted for donor support. The proposal covers activities envisaged for the third phase of the JVP to be executed by ILCA, ICRISAT, IAR and AUA.

Goals and objectives

Goals

1. To investigate and recommend appropriate soil, water and crop management practices for increased and sustainable food production on Vertisols in Ethiopia

2. To simultaneously enhance research capacity in Ethiopia in land and water management

3. To devise and implement the rapid transfer mechanism of the technological packages developed during the past years.

Ojectives

1. To identify, develop and adapt a range of cropping options for Ethiopian Vertisols

2. To conduct research, training and outreach activities on porous barriers (e.g. Vetiver hedges), and other grasses for stabilisation of soil and water conservation structures taking into account the unique physical properties of Vertisols

3. To develop and adapt better resource management practices in a watershed context incorporating agro-forestry practices in the agricultural production system

4. To promote optimisation of labour with simple technological inputs, human as well as animal power

5. To promote the already available technological packages to the farmers

6. To verify new cropping technologies on farmers' fields

7. To develop training and extension information manuals for Vertisol management

8. To contribute to the development of trained manpower needs of the country in the various disciplines of Vertisol management.

Project duration and expected outputs

The Project duration is five years during which time the following activities will be undertaken and outputs are expected:

1. Better resource conservation and management of Vertisols

2. Increased human food, animal feed and fuel production as a result of better floral mix and management of Vertisols

3. Optimal use of human and animal power

4. Introduction of new methods end fools that will increase productivity of farm labour (including women) and reduce drudgery on farm work

5. Experience and technologies developed in the Project may have spillover effect in Vertisols in other countries of Africa.

Implementation

Operational arrangement

The partner institutions will be IAR, AUA, ILCA and ICRISAT and they will bear the primary responsibility for the conduct of the Project. The Project will also seek the active collaboration of the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture and International Board for Soil Research and Management (IBSRAM). Task-sharing among the partner institutions would depend on the institutional mandate and is given in Table 1.

Table 1. Framework for institutional cooperation and task-sharing among the partner institutions.

Task	Institutions
	ILCA	ICRISAT	IAR	AUA	MOA
1. Field and watershed scale surveys and assessment of constraints:
- Agroclimatic and hydrologic	*	***	*	**	**
- Agronomic (food + forage)	***	*	***	***	*
- Trees and shrubs	***	**	**	*	***
- Socio-economic	***	**	***	*	*
- Crop-livestock integration	***	**	**	**	*
2. On-station research:
- Land and water management	***	***	*	*	***
- Soil fertility	*	*	***	***	*
- Crops and varieties	*	*	***	***	*
- Design and evaluation of cropping and alternative land-use systems	***	***	***	***	**
- Farm implements	***	*	***	*	**
3. On-farm research	***	***	***	***	***
4. Preparation of reports and manuals	***	***	***	***	**
5. Training of Ethiopian scientists and technicians	***	***	***	***	***
6. Technology diffusion to user organisations and farmers	*	*	**	**	***

* Less input; ** Medium input; *** More input.

Acronyms:

ILCA	International Livestock Centre for Africa
ICRISAT	International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
IAR	Institute of Agricultural Research
AUA	Alemaya University of Agriculture
MOA	Ministry of Agriculture

Strategic considerations

Based on the experience of several projects in Africa and in recognition of environmental diversity and socio-economic factors affecting the use of Vertisols in Ethiopia, the Project will include the following strategies:

Coordination: In order to organise and coordinate the efforts of collaborating institutions an Advisory Committee (AC) composed of the heads of the collaborating institutions and a Technical Committee (TC) composed of leaders of the respective Vertisol project teams of the active institutions have been formed. To ensure more collaboration and follow-up, a coordination office is being opened soon.

Multidisciplinary approach: The Project will have input from technical as well as social scientists. It will adopt a systems-approach perspective in investigations and formulating recommendations based on on-station and on-farm studies.

Low-cost inputs: In providing technical solution, the Project will emphasise the use of locally available and low-cost inputs.

Flexibility of technology options and land-spatial scale: It is envisaged that extension workers and farmers will take into account local factors (landscape position, source of excess water, rainfall pattern etc) while choosing a particular option for water control and crop management. Some options will be appropriate for individual field plots while others will require planning on small watershed basis.

Main areas of investigations

1. Field and watershed scale surveys; analysis of hydrologic, socio-economic and agronomic constraints

2. Evaluation of runoff diversion channels and network of surface drains for efficient and safe disposal of drained water on watershed (community) basis; methods for managing field depression; linking of practices for individualplots with community drains

3. Adjustment of specification of broadbed and furrows in relation to topography, climate and soil factors; management of surface cracks for reducing evaporation in post-rainy season. Further improvement of -the BBM in terms of draught and efficiency

4. Development of attachments for the broadbed maker to perform minimum tillage, row planting and weeding practices

5. Investigating options for minimising soil erosion in a watershed context: planting of trees and shrubs on marginal and high slopy grounds, reclaiming gullies, covering of channels with vegetation etc. Evaluation of options for double cropping on Vertisols (e.g. different crop combinations; planting on raised beds during the rainy season and in furrows during the post-rainy season)

6. Crop response to nitrogen application on Vertisols in relation to toposequence and water regime.

Target areas

The project will develop recommendations primarily for smallholder farming systems of rainfed Vertisol areas in the highlands and semi-arid tropical zones of Ethiopia.

Project coordination

The Project technical activities will be coordinated by the existing Technical Committee (TC) of the Joint Vertisol Project in accordance with the terms of reference given to it by the Advisory Committee (AC) of the JVP. The overall management will be followed up by the coordination office.

Project evaluation and reporting

Annual reports will be submitted to donor agencies and heads of partner institutions through the coordination office. Biennial review shall be encouraged to evaluate the progress of the Project.