Assessment of farmers’ perception and forage species diversity of grazing lands in area enclosures and non-enclosures in the Highlands of Ethiopia

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess farmers’ perception and forage species composition of area enclosures and free grazing lands in Farta District, Ethiopia. The study area was classified into three altitudinal zones, and within each altitude, one kebele was purposively selected. A total of 150 households (40 in the mid-altitude, 60 in the high altitude, and 50 in the very high altitude) were randomly selected and interviewed. For the assessment of species composition, richness, diversity, and evenness of forages, three area enclosures and one free grazing land were purposively selected. Within each site, five 1 m × 1 m (a total of 60) quadrats were established. Data from farmers’ perceptions were analysed using SPSS, version 23. Forage species composition data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the general linear model (GLM) procedure of SAS (2002) version 9.0. Of the respondents, 60% in the mid-altitude, 96.27% in the high altitude, and 54% in the very high altitude areas reported that the establishment of area enclosures in the communal grazing lands is a very important and effective land management option. Overall, the majority (72.7%) of the respondents had a positive attitude towards the availability of better quality and more abundant feed sources for their livestock. The main benefit identified by all respondents (100%) of the three sites in the area enclosures is that they can harvest  feed for animal and help them to follow a feeding system such as cut and carry system and making hay. The forage diversity assessment showed that a total of 18 (28.6%), 10 (15.9%), 29 (46%), and 6 (9.5%) grass, legume, forb, and sedge species, respectively, and 15 woody species were identified in the study area. Of the total herbaceous species,according to respondents, 22.2, 19.0, 39.7, and 19.0% were classed as highly palatable, palatable, less palatable, and unpalatable, respectively. The highest species richness (22.75) at very high altitude and diversity (2.26) and evenness (0.82) in mid-altitude were recorded in the area enclosures. Overall, it can be concluded that the establishment of area enclosures provides socioeconomic and environmental benefits, including better availability of grass for animal feed, improved forage composition, control of soil erosion, and increased productivity of adjacent farmlands.