Evaluate the impact of soil erosion on local food security during the rainy season in Libokemkem and Ebinat District, Northwestern Ethiopia: an application of the daily soil loss model (DSL)

Abstract Soil erosion is a major issue in northwestern Ethiopia, significantly reducing agricultural productivity. Most households rely on rainfed farming, making food security a serious concern. In this study, we developed and applied the new daily soil loss (DSL) model to evaluate the impact of erosion on the local food security in the catchment found in Libokemkem and Ebinat districts over 23 rainy seasons (2000–2022). The model integrates daily satellite-based precipitation, land use/cover, soil characteristics, vegetation, and topographical data to simulate rainfall, infiltration, runoff, and soil loss at a daily time step. Unlike annual models based on averages, the DSL’s daily resolution captures the effects of extreme rain events daily. Results show strong spatial and temporal variability. Average annual soil loss was approximately 22 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, with dry years such as 2015 producing around 12 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ and wet years exceeding 26 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. Despite its steep slope and shallow soil, Libokemkem loses between 20 and 50 tons of soil per year, whereas clay-rich soils in Ebinat generally buffer erosion, except in hotspots, such as Amistiya. In exposed uplands, long-term hotspots exceeded 100 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, with maxima near 342 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. A daily simulation suggested that short periods of intensive rainfall were responsible for the majority of erosion, which highlights critical windows during the season when croplands are most vulnerable. Based on interviews conducted in the field, such erosion results in reduced yields, increased fertilizer use, and increased dependence on humanitarian aid during adverse years. In this way, the DSL model enables conservation efforts to be targeted and links land degradation to local food security through its unique insight into erosion time and severity. This daily perspective promotes climate-resilient land management in the highlands of northwestern Ethiopia, which are prone to erosion.