A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES ARBA MINCH UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTANABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This study was carried out in Boreda woreda, which is frequently food insecure area that has affected the rural livelihood of watershed community. It attempts to assess the impact of the integrated watershed management practice on improving rural livelihood in the Chilame watershed. The watershed based program impact is assessed in terms of the status of watershed management, the challenges of watershed management, the contribution of watershed management on rural livelihood of household income, agricultural productivity, environmental rehabilitations, water availability and related indicators. The data sources for research were used from primary and secondary source. A combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods was employed. As part of quantitative and qualitative research methods, primary data were collected by means of survey questionnaire from systematically random sample selected respondent groups, interview and focus group discussions respectively. As a tool of analysis descriptive statistical analysis, such as frequency, percentage and SPSS used for management were used to check the significant impact of water shed management on rural livelihood. A total Sample of 145 respondents were systematic randomly selected from the total house hold head of the sample frame 3915. The study finding show that the watershed management practice in the study area had brought progressive impacts in terms of improving livelihood of rural household through improved Agricultural activity, the practice had brought visible vegetation cover and water discharge in downstream of watershed. However, institutionalizing the structure of watershed managing body at grass root level had serious challenge in the study watershed. In addition to this the study results shows stockholder cooperation, policy issue and its proper implementation has serious problem for sustainable watershed management. The youth and women were less benefited from integrated watershed management than men in the study watershed. However, the results of the study showed that watershed management program has brought positive impact on the level of productivity, environmental improvement and water availability in the area. Therefore, for the sustainability of these impacts needs proper policy and institutional set up of the watershed approach should be devised to ensure the livelihood rural household.