The Role of Indigenous Land Management Practices to Improve Crop Productivity in Abobo District, Gambella, Ethiopia

The study area is experiencing lack of proper land management practices. Large areas are cleared from vegetation and traditional land management practices are not supported by training and new technologies. The objective of this study was to assess the role of Indigenous Land Management Practices improve crop productivity in Abobo District, Gambella, Ethiopia. The data were gathered through semi-structured questionnaires interviews, field observation, focus group discussion, and key informant interview. A total of 138 households were interviewed randomly from three kebeles. Data collected was organized and analyzed using Micro soft excel and SPSS version 21. The findings show that about 63% of the respondents were males while 51.4% of them literate and 48.6% were illiterate. From sampled HHs 62.8% of them got extension service on different LM practices. Most commonly applied LM practices in the study area were application of organic manure, crop rotation, agro forestry, crop residue, fallowing which accounts 55.8%, 71%, 77.5%, 85.5%, and 52.2% and respectively. These indigenous LM practices improve the fertility level of the soil and as a result increase crop yield. The study areas HHs are not well educated so their LM practices must be supported by trainings and for the yield reduction soil test recommendation should be applied. Keywords: Abobo, Indigenous, LM practices, Land degradation, Soil erosion and soil fertility DOI: 10.7176/JEES/9-6-04 Publication date:June 30th 2019