Agriculture is a major contributor to Ethiopia’s economy, supporting the livelihoods of over 80% of the population and contributing about a third of the national gross domestic product. Despite this central role, crop productivity remains constrained by climate variability, soil degradation, suboptimal agronomic practices, emerging pests, and limited extension services. This overview examines key opportunities and challenges for sustainable intensification of Ethiopia’s rainfed cropping systems, which cover about 60% of the country’s land area but are only cultivated at 33% of its potential capacity. The main opportunities stem from several factors. First, agroecological diversity supports a wide variety of crops. Second, there is consensus on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Third, sustainable farming practices have been introduced. Before applying any fertilizer, a comprehensive soil test and analysis are crucial to determine site-specific nutrient requirements, which guide appropriate application according to the 4R (right amount, right product, right time, and right place) principles. Therefore, combining organic and mineral fertilizers in nutrient management is important for enhancing crop yield and quality, improving soil health, reducing fertilizer costs, and minimizing environmental pollution. Such measures are also key to improving nitrogen use efficiency. Further research should focus on both mineral and organic fertilizers in nutrient management to increase crop productivity, improve soil health, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and use water and nutrient resources sustainably.
Hinsermu et al. (Thu,) studied this question.