Evaluating Technical Standards of Implemented Soil and Water Conservation Technologies in Jimma Zone, South-Western Ethiopia Gizaw Tesfaye 1 *, Kalkidan Fikirie 2 , Yalemtsehay Debebe 1 and Leta Hailu 1 1 Jimma Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia 2 Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia Submission: December 21, 2018, Published: January 25, 2019 * Corresponding author: Gizaw Tesfaye, Jimma Agricultural Research Center, P. O. box 192, Jimma, Ethiopia Agri Res & Tech: Open Access J 19(4): ARTOAJ.MS.ID.5560100 (2019) 00167 Research Article Volume 19 Issue 4 - January 2019 DOI: 10.19080/ARTOAJ.2019.19.556100 Agri Res & Tech: Open Access J Copyright © All rights are reserved by Gizaw Tesfaye Introduction The problem of soil and water degradation and derived effects are increasing throughout the world., this is due to a lack of appro- priate identification and evaluation of the degradation process- es and of the relations cause-effects of soil degradation for each specific situation and the generalized use of empirical approaches to select and apply soil and water conservation (SWC) practices. Sometimes, wrong selection and implementation of soil and water conservation practices and structures may increase land degrada- tion processes and derived environmental impacts [1]. Soil and water conservation technologies are activities that maintain or enhance the productive capacity of land in areas af- fected by or prone to soil erosion. It includes the prevention, re- duction and control of soil erosion alongside proper management of the land and water resources. Effective erosion management includes reduction of the amounts and velocity of surface runoff, maintaining good soil cover through mulching and canopy cover, conservation and retention of soil moisture, Prevention or mini mizing the effects of raindrop impact on the soil, maintaining fa- vorable soil structure for reducing crusting, re-shaping the slope to reduce its steepness and slope length so as to minimize runoff flows, maintenance or improvement of soil fertility, and removal of unwanted excessive runoff safely [2]. There are a number of technical mistakes committed by ex- perts and farmers in almost all kinds of soil and water conserva- tion measures. These problems become worse when it comes to drainage control structures such as graded bunds, cutoff drain and waterways. Since the design and dimensions of these structures are very much dependent on runoff rate to be generated from a particular area/watershed [3]. Proper design of SWC structures is important for their effectiveness in protecting the soil from raindrop impact and hydraulic forces of runoff. The design of SWC structures considers severity and extent of erosion damage or risks, the factors causing erosion, as well as the suitability of land to the identified intervention. Planning and implementing land use properly lead to fewer degradation problems, achieving both Abstract The problems of land degradation is increasing throughout the world due to the generalized use of empirical approaches to select and apply soil and water conservation (SWC) practices. The design of SWC structures considers the extent of erosion, cause of erosion and suitability of land. The study was carried out in three selected districts (Sekoru, Gomma, and Manna) of the Jimma Zone, South Western Ethiopia, with the objective of evaluating technical standards of implemented soil and water conservation technologies. A total of 270 household heads were selected for the study using, 90 households from each district. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire; focus group discussion and measurements of implemented structures. In addition, secondary data were used and analyzed with the help of SPSS version 16 and rational formulas for SWC design. The result of this study revealed SWC embankment and channel dimensions implemented didn’t follow the standards given. These dimensions were found less than the standard given while greater than the standard in some areas. Percentage of area lost per hectare due to the structure also depends on the structure dimensions. Live fence, bund stabilization grasses and shrubs were common biological measures in the area. Sekoru and Mana districts perform well by structural maintenance than Gomma district. Lack of training, extension service, lack of farm tools and skilled manpower are the major problems during SCW structures implementation. Therefore, the study suggests training and continuous follow up during and after implementation should be given by government and non-governmental organization. Keywords: Soil erosion; Soil and water conservation; Technical standard Abbreviations: SWC: Soil and Water Conservation; PAs: Peasant Associations; KIs: Key Informants; TLU: Tropical Livestock Unit; NGOs: Non- Governmental Organizations; FGD: Focus Group Discussion; Tc: Time of Concentration