An example of wood production and usage by small-scale farmer in highland, northern Ethiopia
2015
Takenaka, K. (Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (Japan)) | Kimura, K.
The impetus of why Eucalyptus plantation has been managed by a dense planting method in the highlands of Northern Ethiopia is not completely understood. Through the use of an example of a small-scale Eucalyptus plantation managed by a farmer, the present report describes how Eucalyptus plantations are implemented and benefit people in rural areas. Small-scale plantations are typically located on steep or rocky terrain within the limited land of the village and close to water currents. The small-scale Eucalyptus plantation described in this study had a total of 255 Eucalypts trees planted in approximately 237 square meters. The calculated tree density was approximately 10740 trees per hectare. Long and thin Eucalyptus logs were often utilized within the village, standardized in sizes of 10 to 12 cm in diameter to the bottom side, and 10 to 12 m in length. Logs were mainly used for personal construction. Eucalyptus trees had rapid growth, which was dependent on moisture conditions in the culture media. The dense planting method was adapted to the actual demand for long and thin logs, within village land constraints. Shortage of utilizable land has recently become a problem in this area. The state government started an allocation program for land-use rights in the Youth group. The group and its members can obtain land-use rights in an extremely narrow region, and approximately 80% of the people certified for the program indicate their plans for plantation activity. From this investigation, it can be inferred that small-scale Eucalyptus plantation is a sustainable activity benefiting a certain number of villagers despite of land constraints.
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