FARMERS‟ PERCEPTION OF LAND DEGRADATION: THE CASE OF DOYOGENA WOREDA KAMBATA TEMBARO ZONE OF SOUTH NATION, NATIONALITY AND PEOPLE REGION

Abstract

Land degradation has been the most serious problem that has treated the life of millions of people in Ethiopia. The causes of land degradation are complex and diverse. Although influenced by natural and socio-economic factors, land degradation in Ethiopia is mainly a function of growing population exploitative substance agriculture and rudimentary production methods but the problem is not noticed and perceived by all farmers at the same fashion and level. Thus, the study is aimed to evaluate the status of farmers‟ perception of land degradation and management practices in doyogena woreda. A three-stage systematic sampling procedure was employed to select three sample kebeles and 129 sample household heads to collect primary data. Interview and observation were also used to collect the relevant data. Descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis and Likert scale were employed to show the frequency and percentage distribution of respondents. As the study has been shown the farmers‟ perception of steep slope , human population pressure, soil erosion, deforestation, over cultivation, planting eucalyptus tree, lack of fertilizers, overgrazing, poor farming practice and absence of crop rotation as the cause of land degradation were found relatively reported by majority of the respondents except few educated farmers. For many farmers reported that difficulty for farming increased of requirements of fertilizers, loss of agricultural production, poverty and economic backwardness, landlessness and migration as consequence of land degradation in study area. Concerning the perception to land management practices, closure of grazing land, terracing and tree planting are said to have been the least perceived as management practices used by farmers except those who attached their life with in education. On the other hand, organic manure, mulching, crop rotation, and tree planting were indicated as the frequently used soil management practices by large house hold size. Pertaining the sources of information for farmers‟ friends and relatives were found as the most important one. As the chi-square analysis has been shown age, education and household size were major factors that influence perception of farmers. Therefore, continuous education, training and disseminating information is very important to arouse farmers‟ perception of land degradation and management practices by considering their current perception level in the study area.