Ethiopia goes organic to feed herself - The Institute of Science In ...

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Figure 1. Maize yields in 5 sites
Figure 2. Tef yields in 8 sites.
Figure 3. Wheat yields in 6 sites.
Figure 4. Barley yields in 6 sites.
been compiled by crop: figures 1-4 for maize, tef, wheat and barley,
respectively. Table 1 gives the yields for faba bean, field pea and finger
millet for 2002 with yields for 1998/99 for the Southern Zone
included for comparison.
The farmers' experience
As the data show, yield increases whenever compost is applied. The
yields from compost are comparable, and higher than those from
chemical fertilizer. Farmers who have learnt how to make and use
compost effectively are not interested in continuing to use chemical
fertilizer, i.e. they have willingly withdrawn the use of chemical fertilizer
without any loss in production. Some farmers are even making
their own observations on comparing compost with animal dung
and/or chemical fertilizer.
It is interesting that the yields of the check and composted crops
(maize, wheat, barley, field pea and faba bean) in Adibo Mossa in
the Southern Zone show little difference. The farmers here apply
about 150 q/ha of compost to their fields, the highest rate of any of
the sites. It is possible that the soil is sufficiently rehabilitated (since
1998) to give good yields without compost being applied every year.
Farmers, development agents, and ISD staff have identified the
Table 1: Yields (q/ha) for faba bean, field pea and finger millet in 4 sites;
1998 compared with 2002.
Crop/Location/year Check Compost Chemical fertilizer
Finger Millet/ Adi Nefas/02 4.2 16.8
Finger Millet/ Guroro/02 5.1 11.1
Faba Bean / Adibo Mossa/98 3.4 15.0
Faba Bean / Adibo Mossa/02 25.7 26.3
Field Pea / Adibo Mossa/98 2.5 12.8
Field Pea / Adibo Mossa/02 26.4 27.7
Faba Bean / Adi Gua'edad/02 23.8 34.0 34.9
following as the positive effects of using compost:
• Yields as good and often better than those from using chemical
fertilizer
• Maintaining or increasing agro-biodiversity
• Reduced weed loads in composted fields
• Increased moisture retention capacity of soil
• Plants grown with compost more resistant to pest and disease
than crops treated with chemical fertilizer.
• Compost has a residual effect on soils; farmers do not need to
apply compost each year
• Farmers have been able to get out of debt from buying chemical
fertilizer
• Foods made from composted grain have a better flavour than
foods made from crops treated with chemical fertilizer
Some farmers diversified their production once the quality of
their land improved. For example, one farmer in Adi Nifas now regularly
plants vegetables, particularly tomato and chilli pepper in his
tef field. These do not interfere with the tef, maturing after the grain
is harvested and bringing the farmer additional income.
In Adi Nifas, where the main gullies and hillside were treated
with check dams at the start of the project, the stream from the hillside
now holds water all year round, and
several farmers downstream have developed
irrigated vegetable production after
they harvested their grain crops. They are
able to regularly get two crops a year.
Many farmers have also started to plant
fruit trees, both around their homesteads
and in rehabilitated gullies.
The data from the Tigray project were
collected by Arefaine Asmelash and Hailu
Araya, and analysed and compiled by Hailu
Araya, Sustainable Community
Development Team Leader in ISD. SiS
www.i-sis.org.uk