Agricultural system is defined in terms of similar resource basis, enterprise

patterns, household
livelihood and constraint; and thus, could have similar development strategies and
interventions.
Thus, an agricultural system is a practice and a way of life carried by rural
people who are
confined to relatively similar agro-physical resource basis and share more related
socio-cultural,
economic and livelihood structures and patterns.

Ethiopia has contrasted (diverse) climatic and soil types which created an ideal
condition for the
cultivation of different corps and rearing of animals. The farmers have developed
complex
farming systems and cropping patterns in response to the diversified physical
environment.
The agricultural systems of Ethiopia can be classified based on:
 The Agro-ecological patterns to which the practices have been confined.
 Dominant types of crops or animals reared or combinations.
 Farming methods and tools used for cultivation, which are a reflection of
topographic
and climatic influence.
 Level of technological input and the disposal of output.
Ethiopia is basically an agricultural and pastoral country. Agriculture dominates
the Ethiopian life
to the extent that little progress can be made unless agriculture is attacked
directly.
Ethiopia is a country of peasants with primitive agriculture. The physical
potential for sharply increased agriculture
is high but the obstacles for development are immense still, despite recent
government attempts.
major farming systems in Ethiopia are-
-the mixed agriculture of the highlands
-the mixed agriculture of the lowlands
-pastoralism
-shifting cultivation
-commercial cultivation
-mixed agricuture is one of the old methods of agricuture which is still found
in ethiopian highlands and lowland

-in ethiopia mixed agriculture of highland area over 1500m.a.s.1 are

characterized by „dega‟ and „woina dega‟ agro-ecological zone

Sub components of the system include:

Grain-plough complex
It is practiced in the central and northern parts of the country. Farmers mainly
depend on cereals
for subsistence which are grown along with pulses and oil corps for some commercial
purposes.
Barley and wheat dominate in the grain-plough complex of Arsi and Bale, while
„teff‟ is the
most important crop in the central and northern highlands of Shoa and Gojjam.
Harvesting is
done using family labor or contributed labor from neighborhoods. Crop cultivation
is mainly
based on crop rotation. The plough is the main agricultural implement; and oxen are
principal
means of draft power and equines provide the means of transport.
Ploughing is practiced many times (2-6) before planting. Seeds are mainly broadcast
on the soil
surface and then ploughed in. Livestock rearing is based on unimproved native
pasture
supplemented by crop residue
The Horticulture-Hoe complex
This agricultural system is primarily found in the high rainfall humid regions of
southern and
southwestern parts of the country
-The major crops grown include „enset‟ (false banana), coffee, chat and
various other horticultural corps. In the „enset‟ growing areas, farmers make
intensive use of
dung. Horticulture crops such as sweet potatoes/sugar beet, lemon, banana, mango,
and avocados
are widely grown. In some areas draft animals are also used and cereals, pulses are
cultivated
This is a farming system whereby both crops and livestock or different crop species
or livestock species
are raised on the same farm. In a mixed farming practice, the farmer may keep cows
for milk, chickens for eggs,
and also grow maize and hay and various other food crops to feed his animals.
Maize is the major cereal crop of the region grown.

In large parts of the Horticulture – hoe complex areas an Agro-forestry farming

system using multiple cropping methods composed of coffee, Chat, Enset,
with some tree plants consisting both wood and fruit- trees which are grown inter –
mixed on
small farm plots. The eastern highlands of Hararghe are also classified as part of
the horticulture#hoe complex
and sorghum (staple food crop) is often intercropped with corps such as chat and
sweet potatoes
mixed agricuture in lowland
Lowland agriculture is practiced in the mountain foothills and the lower
valleys below
1500m.a.s.1. The region is characterized by hot and dry conditions (450-800mm of
rainfall) and
shallow soils with poor water retention.
Lowland agriculture is common in the Rift Valley and northern areas of Awash River.
Drought#tolerant varieties of sorghum, maize, wheat, teff, oil corps and lowland
pulses are grown.
Livestock are also raised on common grazing land and crop residues.

Advantages of Mixed Farming

• It leads to land maximization where there is limited farmland

• It allows for diversification and risk management. Risk of total loss is reduced,
as it is unlikely that both the farm animals and crops will fail.

• Animal manure can be added to the soil to increase soil nutrients and improve
soil fertility.

• Unwanted crops produce can be used to feed the livestock.

• It leads to more efficient use of farm labour

• Total yield is often increased

• It leads to production of various food items and essential nutrients in one
place at same time.

• Leads to increased revenue for the farmer, and the national economy at large

Disadvantages of Mixed Farming

• The capital investment is high in terms of buildings and equipment, and to buy
the livestock.

• Maintaining animals can be expensive in terms of vaccination and treatment for

diseases.

• Maintenance costs are spread out and tend to be much higher.

• If animals break loose, they may get into the crops and destroy them.

• It discourages specialization and expertise.

-pastoralism

. Pastoral complex
This type of agriculture is practiced in the arid and semiarid lowlands of Ethiopia
where average
annual rainfall is less than 500mm by nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples of Afar,
Somali and
Borena zone of Oromia and lowlands of the Southern Region of southern Omo and Lake
Turkana area. Livestock rearing is the main economic activity in these sparsely
populated dry
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and vast areas. Cattle, camels, sheep and goats are important animals forming the
livelihood of
the population. In some lowlands, crops are produced along flood plains and river
banks.
Almost all the camels, about ¾ of the goats, ¼ of the sheep and about 20% of the
cattle are raised
by pastoral communities. About 90% of the live animals exported

Shifting cultivation
This is the cut-and- burn cultivation system whereby a given plot of land is
cultivated after
clearing until its natural fertility is exhausted to a level it cannot support
plant life any longer and
then abandoned for another clearing. In Ethiopia shifting cultivation is practiced
by some ethnic
groups living in western and south western fringes of the Ethiopian highlands and
lowlands or
Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambella and Southern Regions where population density is low
and
livestock rearing is limited in some areas due to tsetsefly infestation
(trypanosomiasis)

5. Commercial agriculture
Commercial agriculture is a modern farming practice involving the production of
crops or animal
products for market by using some degree of mechanization and hired laborers.
It was introduced in the 1960s when the government decided to produce more
commercial corps
to meet the growing demand for food in the urban areas and agricultural raw
materials for
industries. Mechanized farms were concentrated in the Awash valley, Arsi, southern
Shoa, and
Humera-Metema by the time many of which were nationalized (1975) and converted into
state
farms. New coffee and tea farms were also created during the Dergue. The incumbent
government also introduced large-scale sugarcane plantations for the sugar
industries