Production practices and agronomic approaches of Khat (Catha edulis Forsk) in eastern Ethiopia

Khat ( Catha edulis Forsk) cultivation in Ethiopia lacks a comprehensive framework integrating the environmental and agronomic aspects. This study addresses these gaps by documenting production practices and cultivation approaches in in eastern Ethiopia through a mixed approach - household surveys (238), focus groups, and interviews with key informants and field observation. Statistical analysis (SPSS v26, MS Excel 2010) showed that the most popular cultivars are Dalacha and Hamercot (grey) while Dima (red) is less popular. Intercropping has emerged as the dominant expansion strategy, with cultivation increasing by 37.7% in East Hararghe and 63.6% in West Hararghe. Irrigation practices relied on boreholes and rivers, while propagation was mainly based on cuttings (59.2%) and suckers (32.8). The use of fertilizer was mostly organic, 73.5% of farmers using fertilizer during the dry season. The findings indicate that the use of the standard practice of four planting materials per hole optimizes the yield. By systematically analyzing ecological conditions and agronomic techniques, the research provides a rigorous account of prevailing agricultural practices and contributes to the design of sustainable management strategies for khat production in Ethiopia.