Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1125
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1125
24 Apr 2024
 | 24 Apr 2024

Gully rehabilitation in Southern Ethiopia – value and impacts for farmers

Wolde Mekuria, Euan Phimister, Getahun Yakob, Desalegn Tegegne, Awdenegest Moges, Yitna Tesfaye, Dagmawi Melaku, Charlene Gerber, Paul Hallett, and Jo Smith

Abstract. Gully erosion can be combatted in severely affected regions like sub-Saharan Africa by a range of low-cost interventions that are accessible to affected farmers. However, for successful implementation, biophysical evidence of the effectiveness of interventions needs to be combined with buy-in and input from local communities. Working with farmers in a watershed in Southern Ethiopia, we investigated (a) the effectiveness of low-cost gully rehabilitation measures to reduce soil loss and upward expansion of gully heads, (b) how farmers and communities view gully interventions, and (c) whether demonstrating gully interventions in-context changes farmers’ knowledge and perceptions of their capacity to act. On-farm field experiments, key informant interviews, focus group discussions and household surveys were used to collect and analyze data. Three gully treatments were explored, all with riprap, one also with grass planting, and one with grass planting and check-dam integration. Over a period of 26 months these low-cost practices ceased measurable gully head expansion, whereas untreated gullies had a mean upward expansion of 671 cm resulting in a calculated soil loss of 11.0 tonnes. Farmers viewed these gully rehabilitation measures positively, apart from the high cost of input materials and technical requirements of gabion check-dams. Ongoing rehabilitation activities and on-farm trials influenced knowledge and understanding of similar gully treatments among survey respondents. On-farm experiments and field day demonstrations empowered farmers to act, addressing pessimism from some respondents about their capacity to do so.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

10 Sep 2024
Gully rehabilitation in southern Ethiopia – value and impacts for farmers
Wolde Mekuria, Euan Phimister, Getahun Yakob, Desalegn Tegegne, Awdenegest Moges, Yitna Tesfaye, Dagmawi Melaku, Charlene Gerber, Paul D. Hallett, and Jo U. Smith
SOIL, 10, 637–654, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-637-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-637-2024, 2024
Short summary
Wolde Mekuria, Euan Phimister, Getahun Yakob, Desalegn Tegegne, Awdenegest Moges, Yitna Tesfaye, Dagmawi Melaku, Charlene Gerber, Paul Hallett, and Jo Smith

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1125', Anonymous Referee #1, 23 May 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Wolde Bori, 24 May 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Wolde Bori, 03 Jul 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1125', Christopher Shepard, 29 May 2024
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC2', Wolde Bori, 03 Jul 2024

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1125', Anonymous Referee #1, 23 May 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Wolde Bori, 24 May 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Wolde Bori, 03 Jul 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1125', Christopher Shepard, 29 May 2024
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC2', Wolde Bori, 03 Jul 2024

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (03 Jul 2024) by Estela Nadal Romero
AR by Wolde Bori on behalf of the Authors (11 Jul 2024)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (17 Jul 2024) by Estela Nadal Romero
ED: Publish as is (22 Jul 2024) by Kristof Van Oost (Executive editor)
AR by Wolde Bori on behalf of the Authors (24 Jul 2024)  Author's response   Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

10 Sep 2024
Gully rehabilitation in southern Ethiopia – value and impacts for farmers
Wolde Mekuria, Euan Phimister, Getahun Yakob, Desalegn Tegegne, Awdenegest Moges, Yitna Tesfaye, Dagmawi Melaku, Charlene Gerber, Paul D. Hallett, and Jo U. Smith
SOIL, 10, 637–654, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-637-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-637-2024, 2024
Short summary
Wolde Mekuria, Euan Phimister, Getahun Yakob, Desalegn Tegegne, Awdenegest Moges, Yitna Tesfaye, Dagmawi Melaku, Charlene Gerber, Paul Hallett, and Jo Smith
Wolde Mekuria, Euan Phimister, Getahun Yakob, Desalegn Tegegne, Awdenegest Moges, Yitna Tesfaye, Dagmawi Melaku, Charlene Gerber, Paul Hallett, and Jo Smith

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Short summary
Working with farmers in a watershed in Southern Ethiopia, we investigated (a) the effectiveness of low-cost gully rehabilitation measures to reduce soil loss and upward expansion of gully heads, and (b) how farmers and communities view gully interventions. Over a period of 26 months, low-cost practices ceased measurable gully head expansion, whereas untreated gullies had a mean upward expansion of 671 cm resulting in a calculated soil loss of 11.0 tonnes.