Lim'at

Lim’at is a tabia or municipality in the Dogu'a Tembien district of the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. The tabia centre is in Maygwa village, located approximately 8 km to the southwest of the woreda town Hagere Selam.

Lim’at

Maygwa
Farmlands in Lim'at
Lim’at
Location within Ethiopia
Coordinates: 13°37′N 39°8′E
CountryEthiopia
RegionTigray
ZoneDebub Misraqawi (Southeastern)
WoredaDogu'a Tembien
Area
 • Total17.90 km2 (6.91 sq mi)
Elevation
2,620 m (8,600 ft)
Population
 (2007)
 • Total5,362
 • Density299/km2 (770/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)

Geography

The tabia stretches down from the Tsatsen plateau (2810 m a.s.l.), across the main road towards Zeleqwa (Upper Tanqwa) river (2270 m a.s.l.).

Geology

From the higher to the lower locations, the following geological formations are present:[1]

Geomorphology and soils

The main geomorphic unit is the Hagere Selam Highlands. Corresponding soil types are:[3]

  • Associated soil types
  • Inclusions
    • Rock outcrops and very shallow soils (Lithic Leptosol)
    • Rock outcrops and very shallow soils on limestone (Calcaric Leptosol)
    • Deep dark cracking clays with very good natural fertility, waterlogged during the wet season (Chromic Vertisol, Pellic Vertisol)
    • Shallow stony dark loams on calcaric material (Calcaric Regosol, Calcaric Cambisol)
    • Brown loamy soils on basalt with good natural fertility (Luvisol)
See also: Soil in Dogu'a Tembien

Climate and meteorology

The rainfall pattern shows a very high seasonality with 70 to 80% of the annual rain falling in July and August. Mean temperature in Maygwa is 17 °C, oscillating between average daily minimum of 9.4 °C and maximum of 24.4 °C. The contrasts between day and night air temperatures are much larger than seasonal contrasts.[4]

May Qoqah

Rivers

The Giba River's tributary, the Tanqwa is the most important river in the surroundings of the tabia. It flows towards Tekezze River and further on to the Nile. The rivers have incised deep gorges which characterise the landscape.[5] The drainage network of the tabia is organised as follows:[6]

Whereas they are (nearly) dry during most of the year, during the main rainy season, these rivers carry high runoff discharges, sometimes in the form of flash floods. Especially at the begin of the rainy season they are brown-coloured, evidencing high soil erosion rates.

Springs

As there are no permanent rivers, the presence of springs is of utmost importance for the local people. The main springs in the tabia are:[7]

  • Mhtsab Alabu in Adawro
  • Hamute

Water harvesting

In this area with rains that last only for a couple of months per year, reservoirs of different sizes allow harvesting runoff from the rainy season for further use in the dry season.

  • Traditional surface water harvesting ponds, particularly in places without permanent springs, called rahaya
  • Horoyo, household ponds, recently constructed through campaigns[8]

Settlements

The tabia centre Maygwa holds a few administrative offices, a health post, a primary school, and some small shops. Saturday is the market day.[7] There are a few more primary schools across the tabia. The main other populated places are:[6]

  • Addi Gerahti
  • Hahawti
  • Agerbi’a
  • Adawro
  • Ksad Adawro
Homestead in Adawro

Vegetation and exclosures

The tabia holds several exclosures, areas that are set aside for regreening,[9] such as Adawro exclosure. Wood harvesting and livestock range are not allowed there. Besides effects on biodiversity,[10][11][12] water infiltration, protection from flooding, sediment deposition,[13] carbon sequestration,[14] people commonly have economic benefits from these exclosures through grass harvesting, beekeeping and other non-timber forest products.[15] The local inhabitants also consider it as “land set aside for future generations”.[16]

Agriculture and livelihood

The population lives essentially from crop farming, supplemented with off-season work in nearby towns. The land is dominated by farmlands which are clearly demarcated and are cropped every year. Hence the agricultural system is a permanent upland farming system.[17] The farmers have adapted their cropping systems to the spatio-temporal variability in rainfall.[18]

History and culture

History

The history of the tabia is strongly confounded with the history of Tembien.

Religion

Most inhabitants are Orthodox Christians.

Inda Siwa, the local beer houses

In the main villages, there are traditional beer houses (Inda Siwa), often in unique settings, where people socialise. Well known in the tabia are[7]

  • Amete Kiros at Agerbi’a
  • Tekien Gebresellasie at Maygua
  • Tekien Alemayehu at Maygua

Roads and communication

The main road Mekelle – Hagere Selam – Abiy Addi runs across the tabia. There are regular bus services to these towns.

Tourism

Its mountainous nature and proximity to Mekelle make the tabia fit for tourism.[19] As compared to many other mountain areas in Ethiopia the villages are quite accessible, and during walks visitors may be invited for coffee, lunch or even for an overnight stay in a rural homestead.[20]

Geotouristic sites

The high variability of geological formations and the rugged topography invite for geological and geographic tourism or "geotourism".[21] Geosites in the tabia include:

  • May Qoqah river with permanent baseflow and gully control structures (log dams and check dams)
  • Views on Melfa, with debris flows
  • Adawro Ch’erkos church forest, dominated by Euphorbia candelabra
  • Views from Tsatsen plateau to the wider surroundings

Trekking routes

Trekking routes have been established in this tabia.[22] The tracks are not marked on the ground but can be followed using downloaded .GPX files.[23]

  • Trek 7, across the tabia to Debre Sema'it rock church, and on to Abiy Addi
  • Trek 8, at the southeastern edge of the tabia over the Tsatsen plateau through Inda Maryam Qorar to Zeyi cave and on the Giba River gorge
  • Trek 20 follows May Qoqah River and then the deep Zeleqwa gorge
Along trek 8 on Tsatsen plateau

See also

References
  1. Sembroni, A.; Molin, P.; Dramis, F. (2019). Regional geology of the Dogu'a Tembien massif. In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains — The Dogu'a Tembien District. SpringerNature. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6.
  2. Moeyersons, J. and colleagues (2006). "Age and backfill/overfill stratigraphy of two tufa dams, Tigray Highlands, Ethiopia: Evidence for Late Pleistocene and Holocene wet conditions". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 230 (1–2): 162–178. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2005.07.013.
  3. Nyssen, Jan; Tielens, Sander; Gebreyohannes, Tesfamichael; Araya, Tigist; Teka, Kassa; Van De Wauw, Johan; Degeyndt, Karen; Descheemaeker, Katrien; Amare, Kassa; Haile, Mitiku; Zenebe, Amanuel; Munro, Neil; Walraevens, Kristine; Gebrehiwot, Kindeya; Poesen, Jean; Frankl, Amaury; Tsegay, Alemtsehay; Deckers, Jozef (2019). "Understanding spatial patterns of soils for sustainable agriculture in northern Ethiopia's tropical mountains". PLOS ONE. 14 (10): e0224041. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0224041. PMC 6804989. PMID 31639144.
  4. Jacob, M. and colleagues (2019). Dogu'a Tembien's Tropical Mountain Climate. In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains — The Dogu'a Tembien District. SpringerNature. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_3. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6.
  5. Amanuel Zenebe, and colleagues (2019). The Giba, Tanqwa and Tsaliet rivers in the headwaters of the Tekezze basin. In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains — The Dogu'a Tembien District. SpringerNature. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_14. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6.
  6. Jacob, M. and colleagues (2019). Geo-trekking map of Dogu'a Tembien (1:50,000). In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains — The Dogu'a Tembien District. SpringerNature. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6.
  7. What do we hear from the farmers in Dogu'a Tembien? [in Tigrinya]. Hagere Selam, Ethiopia. 2016. p. 100.
  8. Developers and farmers intertwining interventions: the case of rainwater harvesting and food-for-work in Degua Temben, Tigray, Ethiopia
  9. Aerts, R; Nyssen, J; Mitiku Haile (2009). "On the difference between "exclosures" and "enclosures" in ecology and the environment". Journal of Arid Environments. 73 (8): 762–763. doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2009.01.006.
  10. Aerts, R.; Lerouge, F.; November, E. (2019). Birds of forests and open woodlands in the highlands of Dogu'a Tembien. In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains - The Dogu'a Tembien District. SpringerNature. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6.
  11. Mastewal Yami, and colleagues (2007). "Impact of Area Enclosures on Density and Diversity of Large Wild Mammals: The Case of May Ba'ati, Douga Tembien Woreda, Central Tigray, Ethiopia". East African Journal of Sciences. 1: 1–14.
  12. Aerts, R; Lerouge, F; November, E; Lens, L; Hermy, M; Muys, B (2008). "Land rehabilitation and the conservation of birds in a degraded Afromontane landscape in northern Ethiopia". Biodiversity and Conservation. 17: 53–69. doi:10.1007/s10531-007-9230-2.
  13. Descheemaeker, K. and colleagues (2006). "Sediment deposition and pedogenesis in exclosures in the Tigray Highlands, Ethiopia". Geoderma. 132 (3–4): 291–314. doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2005.04.027.
  14. Wolde Mekuria, and colleagues (2011). "Restoration of Ecosystem Carbon Stocks Following Exclosure Establishment in Communal Grazing Lands in Tigray, Ethiopia". Soil Science Society of America Journal. 75 (1): 246–256. doi:10.2136/sssaj2010.0176.
  15. Bedru Babulo, and colleagues (2006). "Economic valuation methods of forest rehabilitation in exclosures". Journal of the Drylands. 1: 165–170.
  16. Jacob, M. and colleagues (2019). Exclosures as Primary Option for Reforestation in Dogu'a Tembien. In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains - The Dogu'a Tembien District. SpringerNature. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6.
  17. Nyssen, J.; Naudts, J.; De Geyndt, K.; Haile, Mitiku; Poesen, J.; Moeyersons, J.; Deckers, J. (2008). "Soils and land use in the Tigray highlands (Northern Ethiopia)". Land Degradation and Development. 19 (3): 257–274. doi:10.1002/ldr.840.
  18. Frankl, A. and colleagues (2013). "The effect of rainfall on spatio‐temporal variability in cropping systems and duration of crop cover in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands". Soil Use and Management. 29 (3): 374–383. doi:10.1111/sum.12041.
  19. Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains — The Dogu'a Tembien District. SpringerNature. 2019. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6.
  20. Nyssen, Jan (2019). "Logistics for the Trekker in a Rural Mountain District of Northern Ethiopia". Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains. GeoGuide. Springer-Nature. pp. 537–556. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_37. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6.
  21. Miruts Hagos and colleagues (2019). Geosites, Geoheritage, Human-Environment Interactions, and Sustainable Geotourism in Dogu'a Tembien. In: Geo-Trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains, the Dogu'a Tembien District. SpringerNature. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_1. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6.
  22. Nyssen, Jan (2019). Description of Trekking Routes in Dogu'a Tembien. GeoGuide. Springer-Nature. pp. 557–675. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_38. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6.
  23. "Public GPS traces tagged with nyssen-jacob-frankl". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
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