Land Degradation in the Ethiopian Highlands

The high soil erosion rates in the Ethiopian highlands find their causes in the combination of erosive rains, steep slopes due to the rapid tectonic uplift during the Pliocene and Pleistocene, and human impact by deforestation, overgrazing, agricultural systems where the open field dominates, impoverishment of the farmers, and stagnation of agricultural techniques. Travelling in the Ethiopian highlands, one can see many soil and water conservation structures. Indigenous knowledge and farmers’ initiatives are integrated with these introduced technologies at various degrees. This chapter addresses the status and drivers of land degradation in northern Ethiopia, including changes over the last century.