The Role of Agroforestry Practice in Enhancing Agro Ecological Landscape Resilience: A Case of Mana and Kersa Districts of Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Agroforestry is a sustainable land management approach that integrates trees, crops, and livestock to enhance agricultural productivity, biodiversity conservation, and agroecological resilience. Despite its potential, the role of agroforestry in enhancing landscape resilience remains underexplored, particularly in the context of Mana and Kersa districts, Southwest Ethiopia. This study, therefore aims at assessing the contribution of agroforestry practices in improving household income, identifying the most common agroforestry types, and evaluating the level of agroecological resilience in the study area. A mixed-methods approach was used, collecting data from 200 smallholder farmers through structured surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. Statistical analyses using SPSS Version 27 included descriptive statistics, and Chi-square tests to determine significant variations among key agroforestry indicators. The findings reveal that home gardens (99.5%, p < 0.001) and woodlots (69.5%, p = 0.035) are the dominant agroforestry practices in the area. Agroforestry significantly improved household income (p = 0.018) and access to forest products (p = 0.001), while also stabilizing species composition and biodiversity (p = 0.001). However, food insecurity persisted despite increased income levels (p = 0.001), indicating gaps in food production efficiency within agroforestry systems. Radar chart analysis revealed that biodiversity conservation and livelihood enhancement were the highest-rated benefits of agroforestry, while governance and institutional support scored lower, highlighting the need for policy interventions. The study concludes that agroforestry enhances agroecological resilience by maintaining biodiversity, improving livelihoods, and mitigating land degradation. However, challenges such as land tenure insecurity, limited market access, and inadequate institutional support hinder broader adoption. Strengthening policy frameworks, farmer training programs, and government support is recommended to enhance agroforestry adoption and maximize its contribution to sustainable landscape management.