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Irrigation is one way of utilizing the land resources to enhance agricultural production. Irrigation crop production is crucial in the present study area due to its arid and semi-arid climatic characteristics. However, little is known about the influence of different cropping and land management practices on soil quality (SQ). This study aimed to determine the effects of different cropping systems and land management practices on variability of SQ indicators in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia (CRVE). To this end, 45 disturbed surface (0‒20 cm) and 24 undisturbed (upper 7 cm) soil samples were collected from four adjacent farms: large-scale perennial farms (LSPF), large-scale annual farms (LSAF), smallholder subsistence annual farms (SHAF), and non-cultivated lands (NCL). Soil analyses were made for selected SQ indicators – particle size analysis, bulk density, soil water content, organic matter, pH, total nitrogen, available potassium and phosphorus, exchangeable bases, and cation exchange capacity. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson correlation coefficient (r) were computed. Key informants’ interview was conducted to substantiate the data obtained from soil laboratory analyses. As the results confirmed, different cropping and land management practices had significant effects on some SQ indicators. Soil organic matter, total nitrogen, available P, and available K declined significantly (P < 0.05) in the soils of LSAF and SHAF. This is attributed to land management-induced problems such as frequent tillage practice of mono-cropping, high level of mechanization, removal of crop residues/above-ground biomass in LSAF, and use of low external inputs and overcultivation without appropriate land management practices in SHAF. However, LSPF practice resulted in the improvement of key SQ indicators, next to NCL. Therefore, LSPF can be an alternative cropping and land management practice to achieve sustainable agricultural production and land management in semi-arid irrigated lands of CRVE and in places with similar environments.

Climate information service (CIS) is a key component of a climate adaptation strategy that is expected to lessen climate risk. Access to and use of CIS among the local community are limited and constrained by various factors and are not supported by empirical research evidence. Therefore, this article analyzed CIS access and use determinants among smallholder farmers in Bereh woreda. The study applied a cross‐sectional design with a mixed methodological approach. Data were collected through a survey of 219 smallholder farmer households, three focused‐group discussions, and six key informant interviews. The collected survey data were analyzed using the heckprobit model to determine factors influencing smallholder farmers' access to and use of CIS. The heckprobit model results revealed that the determinants of CIS access and use had a statistical significance of log‐likelihood of 1% (Wald χ2 = 45.2, p = 0.001), indicating a strong explanatory power. The selection model revealed that age and off‐farm income significantly reduced the likelihood of accessing CIS, whereas mobile‐phone ownership and male‐headed households increased the likelihood of accessing it. Age, female‐headed households, and farm size decreased the likelihood of using CIS, whereas mixed farming, radio ownership, and access to herbicide enhanced the likelihood of using it. This study, therefore, recommends intensive awareness creation and improving the delivery of diverse and reliable CIS to enhance agricultural productivity and smallholder farmers' resilience to the impacts of climate change. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:794–804. © 2023 SETAC Key Points: Climate information service (CIS) is a key component of a climate adaptation strategy, which is expected to lessen climate risk.Access and use of CIS among the local community are limited and constrained by various factors.Age, female‐headed households, and farm size decreased the likelihood of CIS use.Service delivery of diverse and reliable CIS must be improved to enhance agricultural productivity and smallholder farmers' resilience to the impacts of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use and land cover (LULC) is a major concern of global environmental change, particularly the case, in developing countries. In the Central Ethiopian Rift Valley (CRV), unprecedented changes in LULC have been observed over the last decades. This study aims to scrutinize the dynamics of the CRV over a timespan of three decades (1984–2013). Satellite imageries were acquired from Multispectral Scanner System, Thematic Mapper, and Enhanced Thematic mapper for the years 1984, 1995, and 2013 respectively. The data were obtained from the United States Geological Survey and Ethiopian Geospatial Information Institute. In addition, Focus Group Discussions and Key Informants Interviews were undertaken to support analysis and interpretation of LULC anomalies, identify drivers, and associated impacts. Geospatial technologies were used to analyze the extent of LULC change across the study period. An object-oriented supervised classification and a change detection technique were applied to compartmentalize the change into six LULC classes. Results revealed that farmlands and built-up areas have shown continuous progressive expansion at the expense of bareland and forestland. Farmland and built-up area in 1984 were expanded from 33.3% and 2.6% to 40.6% and 8.2% in 2013, respectively. In contrast, forestland and bareland coverages in 1984 were dwindled from 11.7% and 17.7% to 4.2% and 10.1% in 2013, respectively. Comparatively, shrubland and waterbody were also slightly augmented by 1.9% and 0.2% from 1984 to 2013. Therefore, the result suggested that policymakers and development actors must take appropriate actions to minimize the progressive decline of forest cover in the milieu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]