Exploring the Practice of Bench Terraces and its Sustainability in Silte and Gurage Zones SNNPR, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background and Objective: The increment of population number is creating pressure on land for crop and fodder production in Ethiopian. Practicing bench terraces could resolve the shortage of cultivable land and mitigate the problem of soil erosion. However, the multiple benefits of bench terraces; its practices and sustainability are not well studied in different parts of southern Ethiopia. Therefore, the current study has been initiated to explore the bench terraces technical standards, limitations, opportunities and farmers perceptions towards its sustainability in Silte and Gurage highland areas of southern Ethiopia. Materials and Methods: Two woredas from each zone were purposefully selected based on the potential of bench terraces. From each woreda, three potential Kebeles were selected. From each selected Kebeles, bench terraces were selected and field measurement was conducted. Focus group discussion and key informant interview were conducted. Results: The highest land slope (41%) from Cheha woreda and the lowest (17.9%) from Gummer woreda , the mean riser height of the sampled terrace was in the recommendation range, and the widths of bench are also within the recommended ranges from 2.5 m to 5 m wide. The measured bed slopes of bench are within the recommended range from 3 to 7%. However; bench terraces riser slope and bed slope were higher than the recommended range. This implies some of the terraces technical parameters have been built with no consideration of MoA and FAO standards. Conclusion: It was noted that most of the terraces constructed are in line with the norms of Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Agricultural Organization. However; the bed slope at Arekit sheleqo and the mean riser slope for all sites were not within the recommended ranges from 30 to 60%. Some of the bench terraces at Cheha woreda were seriously damaged by animals whereas at “Someno koto” at Mirab Azernet Berebere woreda were left abandoned without any land management interventions. To ensure sustainable use of bench terraces, the technical parameters should be appropriately designed and intervened with different land management practices.