Project 5: Soil Fertility

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Project 5 Soil Fertility

• The sustainable use of soil resources of the
  Gilgel Gibe watershed
• Current project status presented by Jan Diels

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14 local team members currently (1 PhD, 9 MSc, 4
BSc)

• Started with 10 real members (12 on paper)
• 1 member (deputy PL) left Jimma University
• 5 new members joined (3 in 2007, 2 in 2008)
• 3 of the current members are enrolled in an MSc
  abroad with external funding (1 in Gent with
  thesis research within the project 2 elsewhere
  without any connection to the project)
• One member started local PhD program

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8 Flemish team members
Eric Van Ranst, UGent Jozef Deckers,
K.U.Leuven Gerard Govers, K.U.Leuven Jean Poesen,
K.U.Leuven Stefaan De Neve, UGent
Oswald Van Cleemput, UGent Pascal Boeckx
UGent Jan Diels, K.U.Leuven
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Project Objectives
Overall objectives Academic A research and
teaching centre of excellence in integrated soil
fertility management is established at
JUCAVM Developmental Land productivity in the
Gilgel Gibe catchment area is improved through
integrated soil fertility management systems, and
the lifespan of the Gilgel Gibe hydroelectric
power plant is extended by minimizing sediment
deposition in the reservoir. Specific
objectives Academic The research capacity of
JUCAVM to develop agricultural technologies that
improve soil fertility is strengthened Development
al none (planned for Phase 2)
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Project Concept and Timing
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
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Assessment of the soil characteristics and the
spatial distribution of soils in the Gilgel Gibe
watershed
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Jimma-Dedo transect
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Identifying sediment sources and making sediment
budget of Gilgel Gibe dam catchment
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Gilgel Gibe river at Assendabo (bridge
Jimma-Addis road)
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Where does sediment come from?
Typical landscape near Dedo in September
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Sheet and rill erosion important when rains start?
Landscape in February
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Confluence of contrasting rivers south of Dedo-
right-hand river affected by a landslide
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Runout zone of large landslide South of Dedo -
clay from weathered trachite - trigger?
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Reservoir
Jimma
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No obvious trend in Gligel Gibe discharge rate at
Assendabo bridge
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Improved cereal-grain legume cropping systems
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Secondary forest on steep slopes
Maize-teff farming system near Nada
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Horse bean food feed Biological nitrogen
fixation Rotation effects
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2008 Horse bean variety screening trial near Dedo
town (Amsalu Nebiyu)
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P fertilizer beyond reach of the farmers?
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Capacity building
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Equipment procurement for soil and plant analysis
purchased on AP2007
Lab equipment on World Bank grant 92,000
(133,000)
Lab equipment on Soil Fertility project 37,000
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Short term training

• Endelkachew Kissi Followed course on free and
  open source geomatics tools (KULeuven, 1 Month,
  August 2008)
• Tsega Sime being trained in soil and plant
  analysis methods (KULeuven, 3 Months,
  September-November 2008)
• Abraham Bantirgu being trained in use of
  geomatics tools (KULeuven, 3 Months,
  August-October 2008)

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Candidates selected for MSc/PhD fellowship
Abebayehu Aticho (MSc Hawassa University starts
in October 2008) Thesis research on soil nutrient
balances?
Not selected
Amsalu Nebiyi Cereal-grain legume systems, NP
management (Predoc UGent starts 8 October 2008)
Endelkachew Kissi Sediment sources in Gilgel
Gibe catchment (Predoc KULeuven starts 13 October
2008)
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Ongoing MSc thesis research (students UGent)
Niels Jacob (promoter Pascal Boeckx, Ugent)
Aleyamehu Regassa (promoter Erik Van Ranst, Ugent)
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Are we on track?
Literature review, soil survey, soil quality
assessment started, sediment monitoring (PhD
Endelkachew) will soon start other activities
yet to start
Grain Legume screening trial started further
research covered in PhD research Amsalu
On track (short term training MSc PhD
equipment)
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
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SWOT analysis and suggestions
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Strengths

• Strong motivation of MSc and PhD candidates
• Most Jimma team members already have an MSc
• Strong involvement of Flemish team members
• Multidisciplinary teams (Jimma and Flemish side)
• Integration of research activities (project
  concept)
• No conflicts in Jimma team so far

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Weaknesses

• Lack of local ownership of project objectives and
  concept project is rather seen as funding
  mechanism for equipment and fellowships
• Lack of commitment for research activities that
  do not fit into MSc/PhD programme
• Lack of lab space in Jimma, no lab technician, no
  experience with lab management and procurement of
  chemicals/glassware
• Poor team work and project coordination in Jimma
  so far

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Opportunities

• Scope for large impact (human capacity building
  at JU beneficiaries in Gilgel Gibe catchment)
• MSc thesis students from Flemish universities
  support PhD research in Jimma
• Soil lab equipment being purchased on World Bank
  grant (133,000.- USD)
• Links with Land project of Mekelle-IUC (sediment
  monitoring, procurement of chemicals, NIR
  spectrometry)
• Links with Child Health and Nutrition
  (introduction of grain legumes), Environmental
  Health and Ecology (land use changes), Research
  Coordination (GIS), and Animal Nutrition
  (diagnostic surveys, fodder from legumes)

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Threats

• Team members may leave JU after obtaining
  short-term or MSc/PhD training
• Team members who are not selected for PhD grant
  may leave the project
• Lack of local project management capacity
  (project planning, budget planning and
  monitoring)
• Lack of good communication skills
• Logistic constraints (local procurement, cars for
  field work)

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Suggestions towards Jimma-IUC programme
management

• Purchase at least 2 additional cars (pick-up,
  4WD)
• Organize training in project management in Jimma
  (budget planning and expenditure monitoring
  project planning)
• Engage in discussion with JU management on
• strategy for retaining staff after they received
  training
• how do team members get credit for their
  achievements other than through academic degrees
  (reports and publications, impact in project
  area, creation of lab facilities, )
• Establish Jimma-IUC report series
• Look into local procurement of chemicals,
  glassware, small equipment, with Mr. Jemal and
  Dr. Kora
• First invest in very basic lab facilities and
  skills before aiming at more advanced things
• Organize similar meeting of local team members in
  Jimma (project presentations by local PLs
  discussions on collaboration between projects)

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Thanks .