Peasant farmers in Ethiopia make decisions about how to use their land and conserve soil based on both their need to produce crops and their need to feed their families. A study used a model to look at how farmers decide whether to conserve soil or not. The results show that farmers are more likely to conserve soil if it helps them grow more crops in the short term. If conserving soil doesn't lead to higher crop yields, farmers are less likely to choose conservation. This suggests that conservation methods that improve crop yields quickly are important for small farmers in Ethiopia.