The performance of selected soil and water conservation measures - case studies from Ethiopia and Eritrea

This paper investigates the performance of selected soil and water conserva tion measures in the highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea, namely Fanya Juu, s oil/stone bund, grass strips and double ditches. The impact of these techni ques on runoff, soil loss, crop yield and biomass production is measured at on-farm experimental sites in seven research sites under different a,oro-e cological conditions. On one hand, most measures brought about a considerab le reduction in soil loss and runoff. The latter, however, increases the wa terlogging hazard, particularly in sub-humid environments. On the other han d, crop yield and biomass production did not increase, as it would have bee n necessary to compensate for the high costs of soil conservation. Thus, th e measures tested only partially fulfil their requirements. To enhance thei r adaptability to local conditions, they must be supplemented with biologic al and agronomic measures that help improve production. (C) 1999 Elsevier S cience B.V. All rights reserved.