Integrating soil conservation and fodder production as climate adaptation strategy in Ethiopia

Abstract

Like many smallholder farmers in Africa, the farming families of southern Ethiopia are facing three major challenges: the need to intensify and diversify their farm production, on very small areas, in a context of high population growth. In these rural areas, given the fertility rate, the population will double by 2050; agricultural practices must preserve the environment to maintain its productive capacity, for current and future generations; the necessity to rapidly adapt farming practices to cope with climate changes. Regarding these three challenges, Inter Aide has developed an innovative approach that consists in combining fodder production and soil and water conservation. The basic idea is simple: to plant fodder on anti-erosive structures and in unproductive places on the farm.