Household level determinants of agroforestry practices adoption in rural Legambo district of northcentral Ethiopia

The unsustainable and intensive use of land resources driven by growing populations has accelerated land degradation and reduced agricultural productivity in developing countries, particularly in Ethiopia. Agroforestry practices (AFPs) have the potential to mitigate these challenges, yet their adopt...

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Main Authors: Jemal Ali Mohammed, Zinet Alye Yimam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-02-01
Series:Heliyon
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025011466
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author Jemal Ali Mohammed
Zinet Alye Yimam
author_facet Jemal Ali Mohammed
Zinet Alye Yimam
author_sort Jemal Ali Mohammed
collection DOAJ
description The unsustainable and intensive use of land resources driven by growing populations has accelerated land degradation and reduced agricultural productivity in developing countries, particularly in Ethiopia. Agroforestry practices (AFPs) have the potential to mitigate these challenges, yet their adoption by smallholder farmers remains limited. This study aimed to assess farmer perceptions, identify existing and adopted AFPs, and analyze the socio-economic factors influencing AFPs adoption in the Legambo district of northcentral Ethiopia. A mixed-methods approach was employed, utilizing structured questionnaires for household heads (HHs) and semi-structured questionnaires for key informant (KI) interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression model for quantitative analysis, while qualitative data from KIs, FGDs were qualitatively narrated. The results revealed that while farmers had positive perceptions of AFPs, adoption rates varied across practices. Scattered trees on cropland, home gardens, and boundary plantations were the most widely adopted, while alley cropping had the lowest adoption. Socio-economic factors such as gender and livestock ownership significantly promoted AFP adoption (p < 0.05), while smaller land sizes, higher education levels, and young age groups posed challenges. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address barriers to adoption, focusing on enhancing access to resources and knowledge for smallholder farmers. Policymakers and development agents should prioritize tailored support for vulnerable groups to expand AFP adoption, contributing to sustainable land management and agricultural resilience.
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spelling doaj-art-d6c553343ea846f9928e972ca834e6de2025-08-20T03:04:40ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402025-02-01114e4276510.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42765Household level determinants of agroforestry practices adoption in rural Legambo district of northcentral EthiopiaJemal Ali Mohammed0Zinet Alye Yimam1Department of Forestry, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mekdela Amba University, Tulu Awuliya, Ethiopia; Corresponding author.Department of Forestry, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mekdela Amba University, Tulu Awuliya, Ethiopia; Department of Natural Resource Management, College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Bahir Dar University, EthiopiaThe unsustainable and intensive use of land resources driven by growing populations has accelerated land degradation and reduced agricultural productivity in developing countries, particularly in Ethiopia. Agroforestry practices (AFPs) have the potential to mitigate these challenges, yet their adoption by smallholder farmers remains limited. This study aimed to assess farmer perceptions, identify existing and adopted AFPs, and analyze the socio-economic factors influencing AFPs adoption in the Legambo district of northcentral Ethiopia. A mixed-methods approach was employed, utilizing structured questionnaires for household heads (HHs) and semi-structured questionnaires for key informant (KI) interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression model for quantitative analysis, while qualitative data from KIs, FGDs were qualitatively narrated. The results revealed that while farmers had positive perceptions of AFPs, adoption rates varied across practices. Scattered trees on cropland, home gardens, and boundary plantations were the most widely adopted, while alley cropping had the lowest adoption. Socio-economic factors such as gender and livestock ownership significantly promoted AFP adoption (p < 0.05), while smaller land sizes, higher education levels, and young age groups posed challenges. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address barriers to adoption, focusing on enhancing access to resources and knowledge for smallholder farmers. Policymakers and development agents should prioritize tailored support for vulnerable groups to expand AFP adoption, contributing to sustainable land management and agricultural resilience.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025011466Agroforestry benefitsSocio-economic variablesLogit modelHome gardenFarmers perceptions
spellingShingle Jemal Ali Mohammed
Zinet Alye Yimam
Household level determinants of agroforestry practices adoption in rural Legambo district of northcentral Ethiopia
Heliyon
Agroforestry benefits
Socio-economic variables
Logit model
Home garden
Farmers perceptions
title Household level determinants of agroforestry practices adoption in rural Legambo district of northcentral Ethiopia
title_full Household level determinants of agroforestry practices adoption in rural Legambo district of northcentral Ethiopia
title_fullStr Household level determinants of agroforestry practices adoption in rural Legambo district of northcentral Ethiopia
title_full_unstemmed Household level determinants of agroforestry practices adoption in rural Legambo district of northcentral Ethiopia
title_short Household level determinants of agroforestry practices adoption in rural Legambo district of northcentral Ethiopia
title_sort household level determinants of agroforestry practices adoption in rural legambo district of northcentral ethiopia
topic Agroforestry benefits
Socio-economic variables
Logit model
Home garden
Farmers perceptions
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025011466
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