Perception of Farmers on Soil Erosion and Sustainable Land Management Practices in Semen Bench District, Southwest Ethiopia

Soil erosion is a very chronic environmental issue in the agricultural sector in Ethiopia. This study's objective in the Semen Bench district is to assess the perception of farmers on soil erosion and sustainable land management (SLM) practices. The study used a multi-stage sampling method. 124 sample households were selected by systematic sampling techniques. The Likert scale and descriptive statistics were used to analyses the data. Perceived consequences of soil erosion were loss of soil fertility (79%), yield reduction (82.3%), decreased soil depth (50.8%), formation of rills and gullies (45.2%), and soil color change (33.9%) on their farmland, respectively. The results showed the significance of SLM practices, with 32 and 56% of respondents strongly agreeing and agreeing that households could control soil erosion, respectively. The farmers implemented different indigenous and introduced practices to minimize soil erosion and improve soil fertility. The common indigenous SLM practices were contour farming, intercropping, agroforestry, and crop rotation, while introduced practices included stone bunds, fanyajuu terraces, cut-off drains, trenches, bench terraces, and area enclosures, as well as planting different seedling species and Vetiver grass. It can be concluded that SLM is crucial for minimizing soil erosion and improving crop yield. Based on the results, recommendations should focus on encouraging farmers and creating awareness about the application of integrated modern SLM practices.