Evaluating the impacts of physical soil and water conservation measures implemented by community mobilization in Shebel Berenta district of northern Ethiopia.

Soil erosion ranks among the severe and widespread environmental issues affecting agricultural land productivity and food security. In Ethiopia, to address the widespread erosion and degradation impacts on food security, soil and water conservation (SWC) practices are widely implemented through community mobilization. This study evaluated the impacts of physical SWC practices that were implemented by community mobilization in food insecure rural areas. The study employed interviewing farm households and soil analysis. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, 130 farm households were chosen and interviewed. Farmers' opinion on soil fertility change due to physical SWC practice, such as stone bunds, was further investigated by analyzing a total of 36 composite soil samples, which were collected at 0-20 cm depth. Eighteen of the samples were collected from fields with stone bunds, and the other 18 were taken from the adjacent fields lacking physical SWC measures. The results revealed that 48% of the farmers perceived severe soil erosion, while 52% perceived moderate and slight erosion before the implementation of physical SWC measures. Following the construction of SWC measures, such as stone bunds, only 16% of the farmers perceived severe soil erosion, implying reduced soil erosion on many farmers' fields. About 68% of the respondents perceived that physical SWC measures could increase crop yield, and 75% perceived improvement in soil fertility. Results of soil analysis showed that soil organic carbon, available phosphorus, and available potassium were significantly (p < 0.05) greater in farmlands with stone bunds than adjacent non-treated fields, which aligned to the farmers opinion on soil fertility change. Greater soil fertility in fields with stone bunds revealed the positive effect of SWC practice in reducing erosion. The majority of farmers (60%) repaired constructed bunds and related SWC measures to sustain its function, while considerable farmers were not motivated in repairing the broken bunds, mentioning complaints about cultivable space taken by bunds, shortage of labor, and lack of awareness on the benefit of physical SWC. We conclude that SWC practices improve soil properties for crop production, but some farmers need follow up to increase awareness about positive effect of SWC. Thus, in addition to constructing new physical SWC measures, farmers should be encouraged to repair the damaged physical SWC measures that were constructed by public campaigns. Context-based technical and resource support to the needy group could contribute to implementation and sustainable use.