Land Degradation and Community Response to Environmental Management: The Case of Wayu Tuka Woreda, East Wollega Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

Land Degradation and Community Response to Environmental Management: The Case of Wayu Tuka Woreda, East Wollega Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia
Tasfaye Fayera1, Gadisa Teshome 2
1 Centre for studies of Environment and Society, College of Natural and Computational Science, Department of Environmental Science, Wallaga University, Ethiopia ET flag
2 Department of Public Administration and Development management, Collage of Business and Economics, Wallaga University, Ethiopia ET flag
DOI: 10.70110/osse.v3i2.35
Issue Vol. 3 No. 2 (2025): Open Soil Science and Environment
Published 2025-12-27

Keywords:

Community Response East Wollega Zone Environmental Management Land Degradation
PDF Download PDF: 62 times
Views: 118

Abstract

Background: In Ethiopia, land degradation is a common environmental problem. Land Degradation is a critical issue resulting from prolonged soil erosion, deforestation, and farmers’ lack of awareness of its impacts and of environmental management. With a growing population and global climate change, the problem is exacerbated, and communities are suffering from food shortages and famine. There is limited information on the impact of land degradation and the Community Response to Environmental Management in Wayu Tuka Woreda, in general, and in Kebele in particular.
Aims: The study aimed to examine land degradation and community responses to environmental management in the Wayu Tuka district of the Oromia region.
Methods: Primary data were collected using a household survey. Secondary data was collected from materials like published books and unpublished books. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, such as means, frequencies, and percentages, and qualitative data were analysed using narrative and explanatory methods. The survey data were collected from 350 sample respondents through interviews. The study identified the following as the main causes of land degradation: deforestation, population growth, overgrazing, and lack of awareness.
Result & Conclusion: The respondents pointed out that lack of awareness and knowledge of land degradation and Causes of Land Degradation deals more deforestation; overgrazing, population increase and lack of awareness are the major causes for land degradation. And the soil conservation mechanism that is available in study area was traditional method of soil erosion mitigation which is filling the sack with soil or crop residue to protect the soil erosion in bar and step slop farmland. Generally, findings from the study recommended that the government should introduce an effective forest conservation mechanism through public participation to inform everyone about the effectiveness of conserving the forest and to design appropriate land use policy and strategy to protect the land from degradation and community response to environmental management, to recommend to farmers and local government agents how to curb the problems.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Authors

1
Tasfaye Fayera Centre for studies of Environment and Society, College of Natural and Computational Science, Department of Environmental Science, Wallaga University, Ethiopia

ETHIOPIA

2
Gadisa Teshome Department of Public Administration and Development management, Collage of Business and Economics, Wallaga University, Ethiopia

ETHIOPIA

How to Cite

Fayera, T., & Teshome , G. (2025). Land Degradation and Community Response to Environmental Management: The Case of Wayu Tuka Woreda, East Wollega Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. Open Soil Science and Environment, 3(2), 64–82. https://doi.org/10.70110/osse.v3i2.35

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Copyright (c) 2025 Tasfaye Fayera, Gadisa Teshome

References

1.
Assefa, D., Rewald, B., Sandén, H., Rosinger, C., Abiyu, A., Yitaferu, B., & Godbold, D. L. (2017). Deforestation and land use strongly effect soil organic carbon and nitrogen stock in Northwest Ethiopia. CATENA, 153, 89–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2017.02.003
2.
Baylis, K., Jolejole, M., & Lipper, L. (2012, August 18–24). Land degradation's implications on agricultural value of production in Ethiopia: Look inside the bowl [Conference presentation]. International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE) Triennial Conference, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.
3.
Bekele, W., & Drake, L. (2003). Soil and water conservation discussion behavior of subsistence farmers in the eastern highlands of Ethiopia: A case study of the Hunde Lafto area. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
4.
Berry, L. (2003). Land degradation in Ethiopia: Its impact and extent. In L. Berry, J. Olson, & D. Campbell (Eds.), Assessing the extent, cost and impact of land degradation at the national level: Findings and lessons learned from seven pilot case studies. Global Mechanism/World Bank.
5.
Berry, L. (2009). Land degradation in Ethiopia: Its extent and impact. Global Mechanism and World Bank.
6.
Blaikie, P., & Brookfield, H. (1987). Land degradation and society. Methuen.
7.
Constable, M. (1986). Ethiopian highlands reclamation study: Development strategies (Working Paper No. 24). Land Use Planning and Regulatory Department, Ministry of Agriculture.
8.
Demel, T., Fetene, M., & Abate, A. (2003). The state of the environment in Ethiopia: Past, present, and future prospects. Environmental Change in Ethiopia.
9.
Dessalegn, R. (1996). Land, population and environment: What is the issue? Institute of Development Research, Addis Ababa University.
10.
Dregne, H. E. (1991). Human activities and soil degradation. In J. Skujins (Ed.), Semiarid lands and deserts: Soil resource and reclamation (pp. 335–354). Marcel Dekker.
11.
Environmental Protection Authority. (1997). The conservation strategy of Ethiopia, Volume I: The resource base, its utilization and planning for sustainability. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
12.
Eswaran, H., Lal, R., & Reich, P. F. (2001). Land degradation: An overview. In E. M. Bridges, I. D. Hannam, L. R. Oldeman, F. W. T. Pening de Vries, S. J. Scherr, & S. Sompatpanit (Eds.), Responses to land degradation: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Land Degradation and Desertification, Khon Kaen, Thailand. Oxford Press.
13.
Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation. (2002). Koka dam sedimentation study: Recommendations report. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
14.
Eyasu, E. (2003). National assessment on environmental roles of agriculture in Ethiopia [Unpublished research report]. Ethiopian Economics Association.
15.
Fitsum, H., Pender, J., & Nega, G. (1999). Land degradation in the highlands of Tigray and strategies for sustainable land management (Socioeconomics and Policy Research Working Paper No. 25). International Livestock Research Institute.
16.
Gebremariam, A. (2010). Farmers' awareness about land degradation and their attitude towards land management practices: A case of Sidama Zone, Aleta Wondo Woreda, Southern Ethiopia [Unpublished master's thesis]. Addis Ababa University.
17.
Gebreyesus, B., & Kirubel, M. (2009). Estimating soil loss using Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) for soil conservation planning at Medego Watershed, Northern Ethiopia. Journal of American Science, 5(1), 58–69.
18.
Hurni, H. (1996). Land degradation, famine and land resource scenarios in Ethiopia highlands. In Mountain Research and Development (pp. 27–62). Cambridge University Press.
19.
International Food Policy Research Institute. (2005). Poverty and land degradation in Ethiopia. IFPRI.
20.
Johnson, D. L., & Lewis, L. A. (2007). Land degradation: Creation and destruction (2nd ed.). Rowman and Littlefield.
21.
Kirui, O. K., & Mirzabaev, A. (2014). Economics of land degradation in Eastern Africa (ZEF Working Paper No. 128). Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn.
22.
Ludi, E. (2002). Economic analysis of soil and water conservation: Case studies for the highlands of Amhara Region, Ethiopia (African Studies Series A18). University of Berne.
23.
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. (2007). Thematic papers on land degradation in Ethiopia. World Bank.
24.
Morgan, R. P. C. (1995). Soil erosion and conservation (2nd ed.). Longman Group.
25.
Morgan, R. P. C. (2005). Soil erosion and conservation (3rd ed.). National Soil Resources Institute, Cranfield University.
26.
Mulugeta, L. (2004). Effects of land use change on soil quality and native flora degradation and restoration in the highlands of Ethiopia: Implications for sustainable land management [Doctoral dissertation, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences].
27.
National Review Report. (2002). National review report. Government of Ethiopia.
28.
Nkonya, E., Gerber, N., Baumgartner, P., von Braun, J., De Pinto, A., Graw, V., Kato, E., Kloos, J., & Walter, T. (2011). The economics of land degradation: Toward an integrated global assessment. In F. Heidhues, J. von Braun, & M. Zeller (Eds.), Development economics and policy series (Vol. 66). Peter Lang GmbH.
29.
Olsson, L., Eklundh, L., & Ardö, J. (2005). A recent greening of the Sahel: Trends, patterns and potential causes. Journal of Arid Environments, 63(3), 556–566. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2005.03.008
30.
Sonneveld, B. G. J. S. (2002). Land under pressure: The impact of water erosion on food production in Ethiopia. Shaker Publishing.
31.
Teferra, R. (1999). Environmental problems and policies in Ethiopia: A survey. In G. E. Tegegne et al. (Eds.), IDR 25th anniversary proceedings. Institute of Development Research, Addis Ababa University.
32.
Teketay, D. (2001). Deforestation, wood famine, and environmental degradation in Ethiopia's highland ecosystems: Urgent need for action. Northeast African Studies, 8(1), 53–76. https://doi.org/10.1353/nas.2005.0020
33.
Temesgen, G., Amare, B., & Mahari, A. (2014). Population dynamics and land use/land cover changes in Dera District, Ethiopia. Global Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Health Sciences, 3(1), 137–140.
34.
Tesfaye, B. (2003). Understanding farmers: Explaining soil and water conservation in Konso, Woliata and Wello, Ethiopia [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Wageningen University and Research Centre.
35.
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. (2013). Economic assessment of desertification, sustainable land management and resilience of arid, semi-arid and dry subhumid areas. UNCCD.
36.
United Nations Environment Programme/Global Resource Information Database. (1992). World desertification. Edward Arnold.
37.
World Meteorological Organization. (2005). Climate and land degradation. http://www.wmo.int/web/wcp/agm/agmp
38.
Yamane, T. (1967). Statistics: An introductory analysis (2nd ed.). Harper and Row.
39.
Yeraswork, A. (1985). Food-for-work in Ethiopia: A socio-economic survey. Institute of Development Research, Addis Ababa University.
40.
Yesuf, M., Mekonnen, A., Kassie, M., & Pender, J. (2005). Cost of land degradation in Ethiopia: A critical review of past studies. International Food Policy Research Institute.