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Nutrient Balance of Farming Systems in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how soil fertility management and farm nutrient balances varied across socio-economic groups in northern Ethiopia. Field surveys were carried out in 32 farms in Tigray, northern Ethiopia using different socio-economic groups, viz.: model/non model and female/male farmers. The nutrient input flows and output flows were monitored and analysed using Monitoring for Quality Improvement (MonQI) toolbox. Results of the study showed that average nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) balances in the highlands were − 30.8, 4.08 and − 42.75 kg ha−1, respectively while in the lowland the average nutrient balance were − 19.5, 2.09 and − 15.35 kg ha−1 for N, P and K, respectively. All farms had negative N and K nutrient balances, with lower negative N and K balance recorded in highlands than the lowlands. The reported values account about 0.6% and 2.7% of the total soil N and K pools in the highland and 0.3% and 0.8% in the lowland, respectively. Nutrient depletion rates in the highlands were 0.6% year−1 and 2.7% year−1 for N and K, respectively while for the lowlands the rates were 1.5% year−1 and 3.4% year−1 for N and K, respectively. Depletion rates were higher in the lowlands than highlands due to monocropping, crop residue removal and absence of soil water conservation. Most farms belonging to model farmers of both categories and non-model male farmers show more negative nutrient balance. We conclude that socio-economic status and being model farmers had less role in soil fertility maintenance. However, the more positive balance in female-headed households points to the need for adequate attention and support for the female-headed households. This study underscores the need for sustainable nutrient management. More so, agricultural policy should target female-headed households to help reduce the productivity gap between male-headed households and female-headed households.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the farmers in Raya Azebo and Endamehoni district who spared their time to share knowledge; translators during data collection, and partners for their support. The authors would also thank Mekelle Soil Research Centre for allowing us to undertake soil analysis in their laboratory.

Funding

This study was funded by Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Addis Ababa (BENEFIT-CASCAPE Project), Ethiopia, with grant number pc16/CDI415.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Land Resources Management and Environmental Protection, Mekelle University, P.O Box 231, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia

    Girmay Gebresamuel & Chukwuebuka Christopher Okolo

  2. Alterra, WUR, Wageningen University, P.O Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Denisse Opazo-Salazar, Gabriel Corral-Núnez & Christy van Beek

  3. Soil Cares Foundation, Nieuwe Kanaal 7c, 6709 PA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Christy van Beek

  4. Centre for Environmental Studies, College of Natural and Computational Science, Addis Ababa University, P.O Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Eyasu Elias

  5. Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Althanstr, 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Chukwuebuka Christopher Okolo

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  1. Girmay Gebresamuel
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Gebresamuel, G., Opazo-Salazar, D., Corral-Núnez, G. et al. Nutrient Balance of Farming Systems in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 21, 315–328 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-020-00362-3

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