Soil and Water Conservation
Land degradation is a serious problem in Ethiopia. Topography, climate conditions, deforestation, cultivation of marginal or unsuitable lands on hill slopes and overgrazing due to increasing pressure on the land as a result of rising population have accelerated the soil erosion process. Soil erosion also deteriorates the ecological environment. It has direct negative effects on the productivity of the land by loss of nutrients, water and soil. This loss of productivity directly affects the farmer's income, because more inputs are necessary to counteract these processes and to maintain long-term food production. It has also affected water supplies due to reduced infiltration. Exploitation of water resources for irrigation and other uses without creating favorable conditions for recharge leaves little or no water for the ecosystem.
Appropriate soil conservation measures can reverse the situation one of which is increased water supplies. Accordingly, different measures have been implemented in different land uses. While reliable quantitative information on soil and water conservation measures implemented is not available due to different reporting formats and units, the impact of these measures on water resources is not assessed. While the assessment of this impact remains to be a challenge it is wise to document at least the information on areas treated with different soil and water conservation measures. Therefore, areas treated with physical measures (structures such different types of bunds, checkdams and terraces) and biological measures (grass strips, agro-forestry, and plantations for the purpose of conservation of degraded lands) collected.
