Abstract Miyo-Hadi watershed in the northeast dry highland of Ethiopia is known for the excessive degradation of natural resources and recurrent drought. To avert the problem soil and water conservation practices (SWCPs) were exhaustively implemented by governmental and non-governmental organizations based on the integrated watershed management approach. Although many studies have been conducted in the wet highlands of Ethiopia to assess the role of SWCPs on soil physical and chemical properties, carbon stock and grain yield, studies in the dry highlands of northeast Ethiopia are limited. Thus, this research is aimed to (i) investigate the impacts of SWCPs on soil physical and chemical properties, (ii) quantify the carbon stock trapped by the SWCPs, (iii) assess barley grain yield and (iv) evaluate farmers' perception on climate change adaptive strategies. Field experiment, observation, socio-economic survey were conducted for data collection. SPSS was used for data analysis. The result shows that soil and water conservation practices positively influenced the physico-chemical properties of the soil and barley grain yield. The quality of soil physico-chemical properties and barley grain yield in the treated farms/fields were better than the untreated farms. Similarly, the quality of soil physico-chemical properties and barley grain yield were found to be high in farms with lower slope gradients than the higher slope gradients. Almost all of the interviewed households (93%) perceived the existence of climate change in the area; and recurrent drought, pest and disease were among the events. About 65% of the households perceived that the implemented strategies (SWCPs, infrastructure, credit & saving, and capacity building) were helpful to adapt climate related shocks. Therefore, it can be concluded that integrated watershed management as a holistic approach, and SWCPs as specific technologies have meaningful roles in terms of minimizing land degradation, improving soil quality, increasing barley yield, and reducing climate change.

中文翻译：

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埃塞俄比亚东北部干旱高地土壤质量、作物生产力和气候变化适应的综合流域管理

摘要 埃塞俄比亚东北部干旱高地的米尤哈迪流域以自然资源过度退化和旱灾频发而著称。为了避免这个问题，政府和非政府组织基于综合流域管理方法全面实施了水土保持实践 (SWCP)。尽管已经在埃塞俄比亚潮湿的高地进行了许多研究来评估 SWCPs 对土壤物理和化学特性、碳储量和粮食产量的作用，但在埃塞俄比亚东北部干旱高地的研究是有限的。因此，本研究旨在 (i) 调查 SWCPs 对土壤物理和化学性质的影响，(ii) 量化 SWCPs 捕获的碳库，(iii) 评估大麦粮食产量和 (iv) 评估农民的 对气候变化适应战略的看法。进行了田间试验、观察、社会经济调查，收集资料。使用SPSS进行数据分析。结果表明，水土保持措施对土壤理化性质和大麦产量产生积极影响。处理后的农田土壤理化性质质量和大麦籽粒产量均优于未处理农田。同样，发现坡度较低的农场的土壤理化特性质量和大麦产量高于坡度较高的农场。几乎所有受访家庭（93%）都认为该地区存在气候变化；经常发生的干旱、病虫害等事件也包括在内。大约 65% 的家庭认为实施的战略（SWCP、基础设施、信贷和储蓄以及能力建设）有助于适应气候相关的冲击。因此，可以得出结论，作为整体方法的综合流域管理和作为特定技术的 SWCPs 在最大限度地减少土地退化、改善土壤质量、增加大麦产量和减少气候变化方面具有有意义的作用。