Abstract:
Soil erosion is the principal cause of land degradation and a major constraint to agricultural development in developing countries like
Ethiopia. Tackling the problem of soil erosion requires understanding of the rates of soil loss. In this study, an attempt is made to quantify
soil loss due to water erosion at plot level in Dedo and Tiro Afeta district areas. The amount of soil loss was predicted using RUSLE model
and adapted to Ethiopian conditions. Primary data were collected from 150 randomly selected farm households, managing about
750 plots through individual interviews using semi-structured questionnaires. The result of the study revealed that, the lowest soil loss
is estimated on flat plains (<2% slope) to be about 1.59 t haG1
yearG1
, which is less than the minimum tolerable soil loss (2 t haG1
yearG1
)
for the country. However, the highest soil loss is from steep slopes (up to 35%) at about 31.7 t haG1
yearG1
, about twice the maximum
tolerable soil loss (18 t haG1
yearG1
). The average soil loss rates at cut-off point ranges on average from 1.59-31.7 t haG1
yearG1
. In order to
reverse the soil loss into fertile soil, the farm households need to have a minimum of formal education for using soil and water
conservation technologies and guaranteeing the sustainability of soil loss for enhancement of productivity of each plot. The study results
suggest that selecting priority intervention areas and rehabilitating soil loss management strategies should consider the socio-economic
characteristics and plot specific characteristics of the farm households.
