Highland region of Lake Tana
The Lake Tana basin is the headwaters of the Blue Nile River located in the north-western highlands of Ethiopia
Agriculture is the primary livelihood, which immediately supports the cities of Bahir Dar and Gondar. The area is a typical example of a smallholder highland farming system where farmers operate on highly fragmented fields of < 1ha fields. The agroecosystem traditionally consisted of staple crops such as tef, maize, wheat, mixed with animal production. New cropping systems are emerging, including flooded rice and eucalyptus plantations.
The Lake Tana Basin is a major freshwater resource for crop irrigation, livestock production, and hydroelectric power generation. It is also a silt refinery and biodiversity hotspot for the Blue Nile River. The wetlands of Lake Tana area are an integral part of the lake and play a significant role in sediment retention, flood protection, purification of the landscape, important breeding grounds for birds identified by IUCN as an important bird area.
Comparison of cropping systems
Increased demand for biomass must be met, for example by increasing yields. The HANPP framework enables the monitoring of changes in biomass production over time and space, providing an effective policy-making tool for this ever-changing basin. This case study region therefore focuses on monitoring cropland yields, specifically for maize and rice.
- Productivity can be assessed by monitoring harvest levels in relation to harvest potential as well as the identification of inefficient agricultural plots using the HANPPefficiency ratio (HANPPharv:HANPP)
- The comparison of productivity of different cultivars or crops can be applied using crop specific or cultivar specific HANPPharv estimates
- To evaluate the pressure of cropping on the environment, NPP that remains in the ecosystem after harvest can be monitored, namely NPPeco.
References
- Grabher, H. (2021). HANPP trajectories for Ethiopia reveal recent agricultural efficiency gains but high grazing intensity. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 23(4), 5277–5296.DOI
