IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v14y2024i8p1404-d1459417.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Farm Household Head Characteristics and Perceptions of Factors Related to Sustainable Management of Fogera Wetlands in Five Kebeles of South Gondar, Ethiopia

Author

Listed:
  • Mare Addis Desta

    (Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction, and City Development, Addis Ababa University (AAU), Addis Ababa P.O. Box 518, Ethiopia)

  • Gete Zeleke

    (Water and Land Resource Center (WLRC), Addis Ababa University (AAU), Addis Ababa P.O. Box 3880, Ethiopia)

  • William A. Payne

    (College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557-0222, USA)

Abstract

Policies regulating common-pool resources (CPR), such as wetlands, should take into account community socio-economic realities and community perceptions. The study aims to examine whether policies regulating common-pool resources, such as wetlands, should take into account community socio-economic realities and community perceptions. Specifically, it characterized Ethiopian farm households in the Amhara Region and household-head perceptions of six factors related to sustainable wetland management. Surveys were given to 385 respondents from five administrative units or kebeles (kebele is the smallest administrative unit). Focus-group discussions followed. All respondents were Orthodox Christians, and men constituted 93% of household heads. Kebeles differed significantly for household-head age and education, but overall education level was low. Most households had three or four children. Overall, the mean farm area was 0.89 ha, but within kebeles, mean areas ranged from 1.35 to 0.80 ha. Kidest Hana was the most successful kebele for farm size and yield. Significant differences existed among kebele farms for percentages of harvested crops sold, suggesting some were less food-secure. Data suggested male household-head farms had twice the area of female-head farms, older household heads had more land than younger ones, heads with more education had more children, and married heads had more land than divorced or unmarried heads. None felt that people outside their kebele should access their natural resources. Overall, 85% thought land ownership was communal, and 15% thought it was private. A plurality (44%) did not know who oversaw land management. None knew of any organizations working on sustainable wetland management, but most (75%) wanted to attend meetings on the subject. No farm used mechanized agriculture. Most (87%) had not abandoned alternative crops to produce more rice. Therefore, as a conclusion, every effort needs to be taken to address this socio-ecological and development challenge that faces Fogera wetlands and larger national and international impacts to achieve balanced and sustainable development. Hence, our study highlights the need for better education, leadership, and policies regarding sustainable wetland management.

Suggested Citation

  • Mare Addis Desta & Gete Zeleke & William A. Payne, 2024. "Farm Household Head Characteristics and Perceptions of Factors Related to Sustainable Management of Fogera Wetlands in Five Kebeles of South Gondar, Ethiopia," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-24, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:14:y:2024:i:8:p:1404-:d:1459417
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/8/1404/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/8/1404/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dison, A. B. & Wood, A. P., 2007. "Local institutions for wetland management in Ethiopia: sustainability and state intervention," IWMI Books, Reports H040691, International Water Management Institute.
    2. Fisher, Monica & Kandiwa, Vongai, 2014. "Can agricultural input subsidies reduce the gender gap in modern maize adoption? Evidence from Malawi," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 101-111.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mkandawire, Dingase & Gbegbelegbe, Sika Dofonsou & Yami, Mastewal & Nsenga, Justus & Kenamu, Edwin & Manyong, Victor & Abdoulaye, Tahirou & Alene, Arega & Bamba, Zoumana, 2021. "Analysing Urban and Peri-Urban Youth Employment in Agribusiness in Malawi: A Mixed Methods Approach," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315214, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    2. Khushbu Mishra & Abdoul G. Sam & Gracious M. Diiro & Mario J. Miranda, 2020. "Gender and the dynamics of technology adoption: Empirical evidence from a household‐level panel data," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(6), pages 857-870, November.
    3. Sofoluwe, Nurudeen Afolabi, 2021. "Effect of Access to Innovations on Assets Acquisition and Development Capacity of Women in Rural Nigeria," Western Balkan Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development (WBJAERD), Institute of Agricultural Economics, vol. 3(2), July.
    4. Avila-Santamaria, Jorge J. & Useche, Maria P., 2016. "Urea Subsidies and the Decision to Allocate Land to a New Fertilizing Technology: Ex-ante Analysis in Ecuador," 2016 Annual Meeting, February 6-9, 2016, San Antonio, Texas 229851, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    5. Raymond Boadi Frempong, 2023. "Do subsidies on seed and fertilizer lead to child labour? Evidence from Malawi," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 41(2), March.
    6. Fujimoto, Takefumi & Suzuki, Aya, 2021. "Do Fertilizer and Seed Subsidies Strengthen Farmers' Market Participation? the Impact of Tanzania NAIVS on Farmers' Purchase of Agricultural Inputs and Their Maize-Selling Activities," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315044, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    7. Sylvester Ochieng Ogutu & Andrea Fongar & Theda Gödecke & Lisa Jäckering & Henry Mwololo & Michael Njuguna & Meike Wollni & Matin Qaim, 2020. "How to make farming and agricultural extension more nutrition-sensitive: evidence from a randomised controlled trial in Kenya [Agricultural extension: good intentions and hard realities]," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 47(1), pages 95-118.
    8. Fitsum Dechasa & Feyera Senbeta & Dawit Diriba, 2025. "Knowledge, attitude and participation intention to use and management of wetlands: evidence from the central rift valley of Ethiopia," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(1), pages 1855-1875, January.
    9. Matita,Mirriam & Zingwe,David & Dizon,Felipe Jr Fadullon, 2024. "Comparative Impacts of Input Subsidies, Irrigation Investments, and Social Cash Transfers on Food and Nutrition Security in Malawi," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10778, The World Bank.
    10. Perelli, Chiara & Cacchiarelli, Luca & Peveri, Valentina & Branca, Giacomo, 2024. "Gender equality and sustainable development: A cross-country study on women's contribution to the adoption of the climate-smart agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    11. Dingase Mkandawire & Sika Gbegbelegbe & Justus V Nsenga & Mastewal Yami & Edwin Kenamu, 2023. "Analysing urban and peri-urban youth employment in agribusiness in Malawi," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(9), pages 1-23, September.
    12. Matita, Mirriam & Chiwaula, Levison & Wadonda Chirwa, Ephraim & Mazalale, Jacob & Walls, Helen, 2022. "Subsidizing improved legume seeds for increased household dietary diversity: Evidence from Malawi’s Farm Input Subsidy Programme with implications for addressing malnutrition in all its forms," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    13. Rie Muraoka & Tomoya Matsumoto & Songqing Jin & Keijiro Otsuka, 2016. "On the Possibility of a Maize Green Revolution in the Highlands of Kenya: An Assessment of Emerging Intensive Farming Systems," Natural Resource Management and Policy, in: Keijiro Otsuka & Donald F. Larson (ed.), In Pursuit of an African Green Revolution, edition 1, chapter 0, pages 145-164, Springer.
    14. Keenan, Michael & Pamuk, Haki & Ng'ang'a, Stanley Karanja & Hella, Joseph Phillip, 2021. "Investment and Household Bargaining in Small-scale Farming Households A Lab-in-the-Field Experiment from Rural Tanzania," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315291, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    15. Gondwe, Therese & Tegbaru, A. & Oladeji, Alamu E. & Khonje, Makaiko & Manda, J. & Gaya, H., 2017. "Correlates and consequences of women’s participation in the cowpea value chain in eastern Zambia," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 56(3), July.
    16. Hambulo Ngoma & Henry Machina & Auckland N. Kuteya, 2021. "Can agricultural subsidies reduce gendered productivity gaps? Panel data evidence from Zambia," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 39(2), pages 303-323, March.
    17. Lambrecht, Isabel & Vanlauwe, Bernard & Maertens, Miet, 2014. "What is the sense of gender targeting in agricultural extension programs? Evidence from eastern DR Congo," Working Papers 167158, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Centre for Agricultural and Food Economics.
    18. Vivian Polar & Jaqueline A. Ashby & Graham Thiele & Hale Tufan, 2021. "When Is Choice Empowering? Examining Gender Differences in Varietal Adoption through Case Studies from Sub-Saharan Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-19, March.
    19. Beata Michaliszyn-Gabryś & Joachim Bronder & Janusz Krupanek, 2024. "Social Life Cycle Assessment of Laser Weed Control System: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-28, March.
    20. Hirpa Tufa, Adane & Alene, Arega D. & Cole, Steven M. & Manda, Julius & Feleke, Shiferaw & Abdoulaye, Tahirou & Chikoye, David & Manyong, Victor, 2022. "Gender differences in technology adoption and agricultural productivity: Evidence from Malawi," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:14:y:2024:i:8:p:1404-:d:1459417. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.