IMPACTS OF RANGELAND DEGRADATION ON THE LIVELIHOOD OF SEMIPASTORAL COMMUNITY IN MALLE WOREDA, SOUTH OMO ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Ethiopia is one of the most severely affected country in the Eastern Africa particularly in rangeland degradation. The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of rangeland degradation on the livelihood of semi-pastoral community of Malle Woreda, South Ethiopia. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used. Data was collected from two kebeles, namely Goloberendo and Kenbabobo. The main source of data for the study were 169 households, 20 FGD participants and 10 interviewers. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaires, interview, focus group discussions and GIS and remote sensing. The data obtained from questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, percentage, frequency and inferential statistics, like independent t-test and chisquare test were employed with the help of SPSS version 20. Similarly, multiple linear regression model and satellite image was used through STATA version 13 and GIS and RS, respectively. In the current study, finding from satellite image indicated that, rangeland is highly degraded. The result showed that the area before three decades were under a good rangeland resources are changed in to new condition of degradation. Livestock population, lack of diversified income, human population growth, encroachment of shrub, overgrazing, traditional herding, variability of rainfall and temperature and expansion of farm land were found statistically significant causes of rangeland degradation. Besides, the multiple linear regression model analysis showed that, impact of rangeland degradation on semi-pastoral livelihood determined by age of households head, family size, access to market, access to pasture, drought, households head education, livestock holding size, households annual income, veterinary service and households mobility. On the other hand, the semi-pastoral households develop strategies, like mobility, selling of livestock, distribution of their livestock to other closet households resides in different kebele, used as rangeland trees as feed resources for their livestock, communal and private water harvest and private pasture for their milky livestock during shortage of forage and water. In addition, non-pastoral and off-farm activities were statistically significant relationship with effects of rangeland degradation. In order to alleviate these problems the government, other concerned bodies, NGOs and community should work jointly to rangeland development and management with the diversification of semipastoral livelihood of the study area.