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Agrofestry systems in the Ethiopian highlands and valleys are growing fruits, vegetables, corn, tree crops, fodder with animals like chickens roaming in between. In contrast to monocultures in conventional agriculture, the combination of crops with trees in agroforestry systems provides an array of positive effects, especially in regard to soil protection, erosion prevention and biodiversity. These systems show that the combination of agriculture and forestry can provide farmers with yields from ample sources whilst maintaining the land with a sustainable practice.
The following images show examples of agroforestry systems in practice in different locations in Ethiopia. These pictures were taken during a research stay at the Slope Farming Project in Arba Minch. Click on the hotspots to learn more about the synergies in this agroforestry system!
A garden lot with a variety of fruits and vegetables in the Catholic Mission of Arba Minch, Ethiopia.
Agroforestry fruit trees Arba Minch, Ethiopia by Stefan Hügel and Ruth Schaldach is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Moringa trees and Mango trees are incorporated into a banana plantation in the rural area around Arba Minch, Ethiopia.
Agroforestry banana farm with fruit trees, Ethiopia by Stefan Hügel and Ruth Schaldach is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Subsistence farmers are growing corn in the highlands around Arba Minch, Ethiopia.
Agroforestry mountain landscape, Ethiopia by Stefan Hügel and Ruth Schaldach is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
A silk factory, which is producing its own silkform fodder intercropped with some fruit trees in Arba Minch, Ethiopia.
Agroforestry silkworm farm Arba Minch, Ethiopia by Stefan Hügel and Ruth Schaldach is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
A backyard of a family house producing some crops together with chickens in the highlands, Chencha, Ethiopia.
Agroforestry backyard Chencha, Ethiopia by Stefan Hügel and Ruth Schaldach is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
A small mountain village named Koira, Ethiopia, where all crops are grown in diverse multi-species systems including trees.
Agroforestry corn with trees mountain village, Ethiopia by Stefan Hügel and Ruth Schaldach is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Vegetables and apple trees are grown together in a small farming plot in the highlands of Chencha, Ethiopia.
Agroforestry apple trees with vegetables Chencha, Arba Mich by Stefan Hügel and Ruth Schaldach is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Recommended further reading:
- RUVIVAL Book Series: Productive Ponds as Part of Rainwater Harvesting Systems in the Context of the Slope Farming Project Arba Minch, Ethiopia
- A Review of Agroforestry Practices with an Introduction to the Arba Minch Slope Farming Project
- A Review of Land-Based Rainwater Harvesting Systems for Micro and Macro-Catchments
