Soil erosion in Ethiopia costing farmers thousands in lost nutrients annually.
Soil erosion is a big problem in Ethiopia, especially in farmlands. This study looked at how much soil and nutrients are lost due to rill erosion in North Ethiopia. They measured the size of rills and took soil samples to estimate the amount of soil and nutrients lost. The results showed that 3.17 tons of soil per hectare are lost each year due to rill erosion. Additionally, nutrients like soil organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and exchangeable potassium are also lost. The cost of replacing these lost nutrients with fertilizers was estimated to be $1341 per year. This erosion is harming soil fertility and crop production, so better land management practices are needed to prevent further damage.