Wednesday, November 7, 2007
249-5
Understanding Farmers' Drought Perceptions in Ethiopia and Tanzania: Search for the Missing Link towards Increased Productivity in Semi-Arid East Africa.
Farmers in semi-arid East Africa prioritize drought as major productivity-reducing problem, while erosion experts identify soil degradation as major threat. This discrepancy has limited the adoption of soil and water conservation measures. As previous studies have not confirmed any trend of increased drought frequency, the question needs to be addressed what farmers really mean when they complain about drought. Insight in farmers’ drought perceptions could be the missing link towards increased and sustainable production. From 2004 through 2006, a sociological study has been done in two semi-arid areas in East Africa: Goima Ward, Tanzania and Asfachew Kebele, Ethiopia. The study included questionnaires with mainly open-ended questions (Tanzania: N=120, Ethiopia : N=58); in-depth interviews; group discussions; field visits; and picture assignments. In Tanzania , a one-day drought seminar was held that included farmers, extension workers, district and regional level government officials, and scientists. Farmers in both study areas saw drought in a broader perspective than that of deficient rainfall. Drought indicators were area-specific and included soil degradation-related processes. Farmers recognized differences in drought vulnerability between soil types, location and state of the land, land management practices and farmers' characteristics. Farmers who perceived an increased drought frequency, ascribed this to God’s will, deforestation, or changed land management practices. Farmers’ drought perceptions can be related to the scientific concept of agricultural drought: drought-like plant stress negatively influencing crop growth, development and production. This is caused by water shortage in the crop’s root zone, shortage of nutrient availability for the crop, or both. Agricultural drought vulnerability reduces when soil properties improve because it increases rainwater use efficiency. An alternative for classical soil and water conservation approaches will be a focus on agronomic practices that increase rainwater use efficiency, as it will simultaneously address drought as it is perceived by farmers and scientists’ concern for soil degradation.
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