Sustainable Land Management (SLM): A compilation of SLM technologies and approaches to enhance Integrated Soil Fertility Management in Ethiopia

The Integrated Soil Fertility Management Project (ISFM+) is part of the Global Programme Soil Protection and Rehabilitation for Food Security and supports the Ethiopian Government in promoting Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) technologies and approaches. Improving soil fertility is an essential pre-requisite for achieving the targets set out in the Ethiopian national development agenda for both increasing agricultural productivity on a sustainable basis and improving human health and food security. Therefore, the ISFM+ project has built the capacity of land users and decision-makers through the promotion of Integrated Soil Fertility Management practices in the regions of Amhara, Oromia, Tigray, Sidama, Southern Ethiopia, and Central Ethiopia. These include the judicious use of inorganic fertilizer, organic manure, and, on acidic soils, the application of lime. ISFM builds on locally adapted technologies, thereby improving soil health, productivity, and biodiversity. It also enhances climate resilience by increasing carbon stocks in soils.

Fourteen selected SLM practices under the ISFM+ project were documented by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and published on the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) global database for scaling out. By documenting and disseminating these ISFM technologies, this compilation aims to support the efforts of policymakers, practitioners, and communities working to safeguard Ethiopia’s soil health and agricultural productivity. It is our hope that this resource will contribute to informed decision-making, foster knowledge exchange, and ultimately help build a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector in Ethiopia.