Conservation Tillage Systems and Water Productivity: Implications for Smallholder Farmers in Semi-Arid Ethiopia

Conservation tillage systems solve the problem of land degradation and declining water productivity. However, direct application of such tillage systems has not been possible among resource-poor, smallholder farmers in semi-arid areas of Ethiopia. This book considers traditional tillage systems and discusses the results of evaluations carried out on appropriate conservation tillage implements and systems for smallholder farmers in semi-arid regions of Ethiopia. It concludes that the traditional tillage implement, the Maresha Plough, is the main cause of repeated and cross-ploughing, leading to land degradation and reduced water productivity.