Harnessing microcatchments to enhance soil moisture and Moringa stenopetala growth for climate resilience in Drylands of Southern Ethiopia

Dryland areas in southern Ethiopia are highly vulnerable to climate-driven prolonged droughts and erratic rainfall, which threaten agricultural productivity and food security. Micro-catchment water harvesting (MCWH) techniques show promise; however, selecting the appropriate micro-catchment should balance labor, ecological objectives, and site-specific conditions. This study evaluated MCWH techniques for enhancing soil moisture retention and growth of Moringa stenopetala, a drought-resistant multipurpose tree, as a climate resilience strategy in the Hamer district, southern Ethiopia. Additionally, we evaluated pastoralists’ preferences based on design simplicity and labor requirements for successful adoption. Field experiments conducted from 2021 to 2023 compared traditional planting methods with microcatchments such as trenches, half-moons, and improved pits, using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with six replications. A participatory approach involved 90 pastoralists to gauge their preferences for the different microcatchments. Results showed that the introduced microcatchments increased soil moisture by 93% in half-moons (18.72% at 20–40 cm depth) and 49% in trenches compared to traditional pits (9.68%). Half-moons boosted Moringa performance: leaf yields + 26% (427 g/plant), plant height + 27% (114 cm), and survival rate 85% vs. 45% in control. Community preferences supported these results, with 72% favoring half-moons for low labor (2.5 days/plot) and simplicity, supporting adoption, thereby improving resilience and sustainable water management. These results highlight half-moons as a scalable, community-accepted strategy for combating water scarcity and building climate resilience in arid agro-pastoral systems. However, long-term economic and soil health studies are recommended.