Asian Journal of Research and Review in Agriculture

The rehabilitation of degraded lands can be successful and sustainable when localised evidence on the performance and effect of different soil moisture techniques is investigated. Even though national and regional conservation efforts in soil and water conservation continue, the degradation of mountainous lands continues, partly due to the lack of localised evidence on the effect and performance of different soil moisture conserving techniques. The study aims to evaluate the effects of selected physical soil moisture conservation techniques on improving soil moisture, reducing soil erosion, and enhancing the rehabilitation of degraded mountainous lands in the soil erosion-prone highland areas of the Sidama Region, Ethiopia. This experiment was conducted in Hulla District of Sidama Region by considering four physical moisture conserving structures (outward bench terrace, fanyajuu, stone-faced soil bund, and soil bund with three replications for three years. The study findings showed that the four experimental physical structures improved soil moisture, soil properties, and vegetation growth. The trial was conducted over three years. Each treatment was replicated three times using RCBD (Randomised Complete Block Design). Comparably highest soil moisture content of 18.04 and 13.95 % was recorded on the fields treated with outward bench terrace and stone-faced soil bund, respectively. However, the lowest percentage soil moisture content of 10.76 and 12.76 % was recorded on the field treated with soil bund and fanyajuu, respectively. Correspondingly, the highest improvement of organic carbon, organic matter, and total nitrogen per cent was observed on the outward bench terrace, followed by stone faced soil bund. Furthermore, the highest tree height was observed on the Gravelia Robusta tree planted on the field treated by the outward bench terrace. But there was no significant difference among treatments with respect to the collar diameter of the tree. Farmers perceive that the outward bench terrace and stone-faced soil bund better rehabilitate the degraded land, even though the construction of the outward bench terrace requires more labour and effort than other treatments. Thus, the outward bench terrace and stone-faced soil bunds as the best techniques for degraded mountainous land rehabilitation. In conclusion, the study strongly recommends the outward bench terrace and stone-faced soil bunds as the best techniques for degraded mountainous lands.