The Role of Indigenous Knowledge in Land Management Practice: The Case of Kachebira District, Kembata Tembaro Zone Of Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples National Regional State

Abstract

Land degradation is one of the major factors affecting land productivity. Western borrowed knowledge is not solving all problems that humanity faces rather it causes some effects on life. This study conducted on the title the role of indigenous knowledge in land management practice the case of Kachebira district, Kambata Tembaro Zone of South Nation, Nationalities and Peoples National Regional States. The main purpose of this study was to explore the role of indigenous knowledge in land management practices among Kembata society of Kembata Tembaro Zone in the southern region of Ethiopia. The study conducted with the utilization of descriptive type of qualitative anthropological research approach by using both primary and secondary data sources with appropriate data collection methods such as interview, FGD, observation and document review. The upshot of this study includes the importance of various types of indigenous knowledge in land management practices in farmland, in combating soil erosion and maintaining soil fertility to improving livelihood, poverty alleviation and sustaining environment management. Among those practices using animal manure, mulching, agroforestry, mixed cropping, leaving crop residue, slight burning and using ash, check dams, contour farming, banana; inset; grass and vegetation strips, understanding seasonal change and date number division are the major findings. The study concludes indigenous knowledge has significant contribution in land management practice in maintaining soil fertility and combating soil erosion. The study contributes a chord of interests of development researchers and academicians for the further enrichments by this domain of knowledge as Ethiopia has diversified communities with rich indigenous knowledge which pay significant contributions to scientific research