Reducing soil degradation to increase resilience to climate change and strengthen livelihoods in Ethiopia.

Soil degradation is a major problem in Ethiopia. Depletion of soil organic matter is a cause of low agricultural productivity, as soils become less fertile and less resilient to extreme weather events, which are expected to increase with climate change. Further, this could increase the risk of crop failure and soil erosion, and soil carbon and nutrient losses. Low soil fertility is linked to poverty. Therefore, farmers need support to invest in soil conservation measures and to more effectively use organic resources, such as dung, to restore soils. If used effectively, such measures could be successful in addressing soil degradation.