Maize stover retained on farmers field (GERBA LETA)
Crop residue management involves leaving stover and other trash from cereal crops (including tef, wheat and maize), as well as haulms of legumes, in the field. Crop residue (CR) management is integral to soil health: it yields multiple benefits such as mitigating the risks of soil loss to water erosion, reducing the decomposition of organic matter and storing extra carbon. It also increases the fertility status of degraded soils and helps to improve soil structure and moisture properties. Degraded soils are at risk of tillage, water, and wind erosion. Soils degrade quickly when not covered and when no effort is made to increase organic matter levels or improve soil structure. Crop residue management plays an important role in arresting soil degradation and improving soil properties, and eventually increasing crop production. Therefore, it has positive economic and ecological functions. The aim of applying this technology is to improve soil fertility, reduce soil acidity and demands for synthetic fertilizers. Overall, crop residue management allows land users to sustainably use their land over a long period without losing its productive potential. In this part of Ethiopia, land users used to leave maize and millet stover in the fields but this is challenged by the prevalence of free (open access) grazing. Thus, controlling grazing is one prerequisite to ensuring adoption of the technology. Monocropping also reduces biomass production. Land users appreciate the extra grain yields from crop residue-rich farms. CR management also retains moisture and enables early tillage operations. In summary, the application of appropriate CR management provides multiple benefits. It mitigates the risks of erosion, reduces excessive mining of CR, reduces the rate of decomposition of organic matter, increases the fertility status of degraded soils, and increases crop production and sustainable productivity.
Location: Oromia, Ethiopia
No. of Technology sites analysed: 10-100 sites
Spread of the Technology: evenly spread over an area (approx. 0.1-1 km2)
In a permanently protected area?: Nee
Date of implementation: 2015; less than 10 years ago (recently)
Type of introduction
Land users are benefited from various financial institutions to access credit and other services. Various credit institutions and revolving funds were mentioned my the land users.
The purpose is to use less of crop residue for soil amendment than as fodder.
The purpose is to reduces
As it improves soil structure, moisture retention capacity, etc., the practice reduces risks of crop failure.
The health condition is convergent with considerable harvest and food security.
The health condition is convergent with considerable harvest and food security.
The ground cover by crop residues inevitably contributes to the reduction of evaporation.
Improves on a gradual basis.
Crop residue may host some insects but obstruct the movement of others.
Increasing the moisture retention capacity of the soil improves crops' resilience to droughts and other adversity.
Accumulation of crop residue increases carbon storage via the reduction of emissions.
No facts are available to support the allegation. Besides, it needs long-term observation and documentation.
Impact of greenhouse gases reduced with accumulation of crop residues.
