ABSTRACT
Watershed degradation in Ethiopia has been intensified by a combination of factors such as improper agricultural practices on steep slopes, indiscriminate cutting of trees and the illegal/improper construction of houses and roads. It is essential to have a thorough understanding of the technical, social and economic constraints of traditional farming. The socio-economic characterization report is intended to provide baseline information for measuring the impacts of the project 'Unlocking the potential of rain fed agriculture in Ethiopia for improved rural livelihoods'. It helps to describe and understand the farming system of the Gumara-Maksegnit watershed community. The Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) technique was used to facilitate informal discussions among the sample farmers. This presents the causes and effects and solutions to the core problems in the Gumara-Maksegnit watershed, as stated by the farmers. The survey results revealed that the production system in the watershed is a mixed crop-livestock farming system with more emphasis on crop production.
