Enhancing communities’ adaptive capacity to climate change in drought-prone hotspots of the Blue Nile Basin in Ethiopia
ILRI-UNEP-Wollo University pilot project
A report on
Socio-economic baseline survey, Kabe watershed, Woreilu, Ethiopia
Prepared by:
Fikru Assefa ………………… Head of the Team
Mengistu Abate…………………Member
Amare Mitiku……………………Member
Yidnekachew Ewnetu……………Member
July 2012
Dessie, Ethiopia
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Contents
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Abbreviations
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Introduction
1.Introduction and Background
1.2.Introduction
1.3.Background of the study
1.4.Objective of the Baseline Data
1.5.Rationale
2.Methodology
2.2.Description of the Woreilu Woreda
2.3.Description of Kabe Watershed
2.4.Methods of data collection
2.5.Methods of Data Analysis
3.Result and Discussion
3.1.Household and Demographic Characteristics
3.1.1Family size and Age Distribution
3.1.2Education
3.2.Land ownership
3.3.Crop Production
3.3.1Average land size and amount produced in each crop type
3.3.2Crop Productivity
3.3.3Intercropping Practice
3.3.4The Use of Improved Seeds
3.3.5Crop disease, pests and weeds
3.3.6Other Pre and Post production treats of yield loss
3.4.Home Gardening Practice
3.5.Livestock production
3.3.7Common Types of Animal Nourish in Kabe watershed
3.3.8Measures taken to fill the gap of animal feed shortage
3.3.9Animal rearing Problems in the watershed
3.6.Food Security
3.3.10Food Availability
3.3.11Major challenges and Problems in Food Production
3.7.Credit provision and saving culture of the community
3.8.Technology and Farm Input Use
3.9.Soil and Water Conservation/Practices
3.10.Irrigation Practices
3.11.Forestry practices
3.12.Farmers’ Perception on Climate change and Adaptation
3.13.Off - farm Activities
4.Conclusion and Recommendation
References
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Abbreviations
CSA - Central Statistical Authority
DAs - Development Agents
e.g – For example
FGD – Focus group Discussion
GTP - Growth and Transformation Plan
HH- Household
ILRI - International Livestock Research Institute
i.e – That is
NGOs – Non-Governmental Organizations
SARC - Sirinka Agricultural Research Center
SWC – Soil and Water Conservation
SPSS - Statistical Package for Social Sciences
TLU – Tropical Livestock Unit
UNEP - United National Environmental Program
WU- Wollo University
WWARDO - Woreilu Woreda Agricultural and Rural Development Office
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are grateful to thank WoreiluWoreda Administration and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Office staff for their cooperation both at office and field levels.
We would like to thank Dr. Yitbarek W/Hawariate for his valuable contributions to this report. His enthusiasm, advice, supervision and encouragement were greatly appreciated.
We also wish to extend our sincere gratitude to the people of Kabe watershed who contributed their time, experiences and stories to the benefit of this assessment and without whose cooperation the completion of this report would not have been possible.
We would also like to thank the whole participants of the project from staff of Wollo University and Sirinka Agriculture Research Center for their support at various stages of the survey. Their constant availability and cooperation was a great help to the development of this project.
Special thanks also to Kabe (O14) Kebele development workers for their direct participation in data collection activity and their help in guiding and familiarizing the survey team with the watershed community.
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Introduction
1.Introduction and Background
This base line was developed to identify relevant indicators of outcomes for the major thematic areas of Kabe watershed program in order to conduct effective monitoring and evaluation of the project implementation by each partner.
The necessary secondary and household survey was collected, filtered, and documented for this report. However, much of the work has not been performed due to delay in time of program implementation and staff mobility in Wollo University to carry out detailed socio-economic assessment in the watershed. This baseline data was therefore conducted in order to analyze the overall socioeconomic conditions of households in Kabe watershed as base line information.
Background of the study
Poorly developed countries in Africa are vulnerable to worst climate change impacts. The main reason for this could be most of their people depend on Agriculture, which is often exposed to climate variability. In addition, their national adaptive capacities are due to poverty and degraded environmental conditions.
In spite of this, government and development agencies have been trying to grip the challenges including the development of fitting adjustment strategy. For example, the Ethiopian government in its new Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) has committed itself in formulating and implementing climate change adaptation mechanisms for the sustainable existence of the country.
Hence, a project entitled ‘’Enhancing communities’ adaptive capacity to climate change in drought-prone areas of the Blue Nile Basin in Ethiopia’’ was launched in November 2011 funded by the United National Environmental Program (UNEP) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in partnership with Wollo University, (some of the activities were sub-contracted to Sirinka Agricultural Research Center (SARC) and Woreilu Woreda Agricultural and Rural Development Office (WWARDO).
This base line data is one part of the project, which is component of the Nile Basin Project to support the resilience of Kabe Watershed society to their vulnerable ecosystems and to findmechanisms for copping climate change.
Objective of the Baseline Data
The overall objective of this baseline study is to establish a comprehensive multi-sectoral information base about local status of climate change indicators, climate change adaptation strategies, available & potentials resources and social & economic services. It will also deal with detail socio-economic assessment for future project planning and monitoring processes through the generation of basic and actual information on different aspects of people’s life in Woreilu Woreda in general and Kabe watershed in particular.
Specifically, the baseline study covers the following specific objectives;
- Assess demographic characteristics and asset holdings of the watershed community
- Assess current production characteristics and status of crop and livestock
- Assess current household food shortage problem
- Examine the access and coverage of social service and infrastructure of the community
- Analyze the home-gardening practice of the community
- Assess attitude and practice of the resident population in relation to climate change adaptation strategies, soil and water conservation and tree plantation activities
- Analyze the credit and saving behaviors of the community
- Review the existence and role of off-farm activities in the watershed
Rationale
The survey is mainly conducted to show the existing features of Kabe watershed in different dimensions, which will be used as a baseline for various purposes. As a result, such features of the area are important for different research and development purposes.
In addition the results of the survey will be used to identify the gaps and intervention needs ofthe watershed. This will create a favorable situation for planning appropriate development and research activities standing from the actual status of the area. Thus the survey information has a great importance to allocate resources effectively to solve prior and actual problems of the society and the watershed.
2.Methodology
Description of the Woreilu Woreda
Woreilu is one of the 24 administrative districts in South Wollo Zone of Amhara region. It is located at 52 07 31 – 56 53 870 E longitude and 114 19 19 – 120 91 580 N latitude and 492 km from Addis Ababa, capital city of Ethiopia, 571km from Bahir Dar, capital of Amhara Regional state, as well as 91km in West of Zonal Town Dessie.
According to the Agricultural and Rural Development office of the Woreda, agro-ecologically the Woreda is classified as high land (Dega) accounts 82% and intermediate highland (Woina Dega) account the rest 18%. Also, from the total number of 23 kebele administrations (20 are rural) in the Woreda, most Kebeles produce crops in Meher season, six kebeles in both seasons and only one kebele in Belg season. The Agro-climatic conditions of the Woreda range from moderate to high ones with an average altitude of 2730m.a.s.l. Annual rainfall ranges from 766.2mm to 1250mm. which is usually inadequate (short in duration), poorly distributed and highly variable in inter and intra seasons.
The farming system of the Woreda is mixed farming. Cereals (like Wheat, Barly and Teff) and pulses (like field pea, Lentils, Fenugreeks, Horse bean) are some of the dominant crops grown in the area. Livestock production is another major element of farming system consisting cattle, sheep, goats, equine, chicken and bee colonies. These animals are used for traction power for agricultural operation, milk, meat, egg, honey, and means of income for households. However, livestock production in the area is highly affected by shortage of livestock feed and diseases.
According to CSA (2007), the total population of the Woreda is 134,177 (66,190 Male and 67,987 Female) with an average family size of 4.4. Average livelihoods condition for 83% of the people is rain fed Agriculture. The remaining population depends on petty trading (15%), and handicrafts (2%). The total area of the Woreda is 68,252.75ha with an average land holding of 1.3ha per HH. The mountainous, intermediate and flat land accounts 11%, 47% and 42% of the total area respectively.According to the Woreda Agricultural and Rural Development office, the land use of the district is illustrated in the following table. Kabe watershed is thus one villagein the Woreda, where this survey was conducted.
Table 1: Land use of Woreilu Woreda in ha.
No / Land use type / Measurement / Quantity1 / Cultivated farm land / ha / 32,329
2 / Forest land / ha / 15,079.9
3 / Wet land / ha / 12,519.85
4 / Grazing land / ha / 3,624
5 / Construction / ha / 4,700
Total Area in ha / 68,252.75
Sources: Woreailu Woreda ARDO
Description of Kabe Watershed
Kabe[1] is located about 60km from Dessie at the road to Woreilu town and 30km from the district, Woreilu. Currently the town is considered as one of the Woreda’s city administrative small town. Kabe is surrounded by rural Kebeles including kebele 014 where almost the entire watershed of ILRI-Wollo-UNEP project is located. That is the reason why the name of the watershed is called Kabe watershed (sometimes locally called Degnu watershed). The kebele is located in Eastern part of the Woreilu town and according to the CSA in 2007 of Ethiopia; the kebele population growth will be the projection of 2.72%. As a result, the population of the kebele in 2012 will be 7,905[2].
Out of the total population of the kebele none (0%) are urban dwellers while all are rural residents. According to our transact field work observation in the study time, severe environmental degradation problems like soil erosion and nutrient depletion which in sum constrained agricultural production in the Kebele are the common phenomena.
The main support of the economy is mainly rain-fed agriculture. As a result, persistent drought and many crop failures are common phenomena, all of which in turn result chronic food shortage and poverty. The study was conducted in the Kabe watershed, which has four sub-watersheds. But for our study we again segregated in to three topographic statuses like upstream, middle part and downstream of the watershed.
Kabe’s altitude varies from 2840 masl near the Selgi River to 3860 masl at the top of mount Yewol. Farmers carry out crop-livestock mixed farming system. However, low soil fertility, crop diseases like rust, weeds and lack of agricultural inputs including improved seeds and moisture stress are the main problems of crop production in the watershed.
According to the Kebele Development Agents (DAs), the amount of land cultivated 1,366 ha in Meher and 579ha in Belg in the year 2011/2012. Kabe watershed is one of most irrigation water potential area of Woreilu Woreda having a total potential of water to irrigate 564ha of land for a total of 837 household beneficiaries.
Therefore, all the information illustrated below would represent the area where the watershed is located. Water in the Kabe watershed flows from the upstream mountain, called Yewol to the Selgi River in the downstream and joins to one of the Blue Nile tributary called Betho River.
Methods of data collection
The data used for this study were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. The primary sources mainly related to perception and actual production level & status were collected using both formal and informal survey methods. All the necessary quantitative data required for the study were gathered through a farm household survey conducted in June, 2012. At the beginning stage of the survey, informal meetingswere undertaken with a group of farmers in order to understand the general agricultural and socio-economic situation of the population of the study area. Also, informal meetings with key informants (farmers, elder people, Kebele administration, women, experts and development agents (DAs)) were held to gain in-depth knowledge about the area and to pre-test the farm survey questionnaire. These questions were pre–tested with selected respondents. Subsequently, on the basis of the results obtained from the pre-test, necessary modifications were made to the questionnaire, which was ultimately translated from English into the local language, Amharic. The interviews were conducted in Amharic.
In addition to informal contacts, transect walksacross each village were conducted in order to obtain all the necessary information requiredto be included in the survey.The aim was to get insights about the actual existing features of both physical and socio-cultural status of the community such as topography, erosion status, and types of SWC practices, forestry development, crop pattern, institutional support, and indicator status of climate changes, HH asset level and other demographic status. During the transect walks, informal discussions with villagers helped to acquire useful and detailed information which would have been difficult to collect through the questionnaire survey.
Thus, cross sectional data through a random sampling technique was used to select a total of 323 households[3] for both FGD (from which 173 HH were used for FGD and Key informants) and personal interviewer (150 HH were used) from among 1581 HH farmers were gathered on a large number of demographic and socio-economic related variables participating in the agricultural activities in the study area. The sampling was done using a list of all households in the villages which was obtained from the representative village administrations and local development agents. A structured questionnaire[4] was used for the interviews, which were conducted both in the homestead and on the farm land activities.
Data generated from the interview included used and it provided information on the following key baseline indicators: Household characteristics, households land ownership and land characteristics, crop production and productivity, home gardening practice, animal production and forage development, food security status, rural household saving and credit culture, soil and water conservation, irrigation and tree plantation practices, climate change and farmers’ attitude, household assets, institutional support, off-farm activities and its challenges were obtained.
Based on understanding of farming and SWC practices and educational level, four enumerators were selected and trained. Subsequently interviews were conducted with the assistance of the survey team members. At the end of the formal survey in each village, focus group discussion (FGD) and community discussions were held by the team members of Wollo University staff and the four enumerators with key informantsincluding community administration leaders, religion leaders, elders, women farmers and development agents. This informal technique helped to acquire useful and detailed information about biophysical factors and farmers’ perceptions.
Data from informal local discussions and secondary sources were also used to verify and supplement the quantitative results from the structured questionnaires.
Methods of Data Analysis
Farmers in the Kabe watershed cultivate or manage several plots located at different distances from home. To accomplish the analysis at the HH level, the data acquired for each HH were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques provided by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 16). For the informal key informant interviews and field observation notes, a qualitative analysis was used.
3.Findings and Discussion
Household and Demographic Characteristics
3.1.1Family size and Age Distribution
As discussed in the methodology section of this survey report and shown in the table below, 28.7%, 40.7% and 30.7% of the sample households were selected from the upper, middle and lower section of the watershed respectively. A total of 150 sample households were used for the survey interview, 24% of them are female headed and 76% are male headed. The survey also shows that the average family size of the sample households is 5.
Table 2: Settlement of sample households
Source: Own survey 2012
According to the survey result, age is one of the important factors in assessing labor productivity of a given area. The most productive age ranges between 16 and 64. The populations below the age of 16 and above 64 are commonly regarded as dependents or less productive members of the community. According to this survey, 42.47% of the sample populations areunder the age of 15, 54.31 % of the populations are within the range of 16-64, and the remaining 3.21% are above the age of 64. Thus more than half of the sample population lies in the most productive working age category.
3.1.2Education
Education is one of the basic indicators for determining development status of a community. The survey shows that 43.87% or much more than one third of the sample populations are illiterate. 15.74 % of the sample can only read and write without visiting a formal school. Around 40% of the sample populations attend a formal education, but only 4.64% of the totals are above 8th grade.