Land use/cover dynamics and their effects in the Gerado catchment, northeastern Ethiopia

Abstract

This paper analyses the land use/cover dynamics of land degradation through the interpretation of aerial photographs (1958 and 1980) and 2006 SPOT-5 satellite image of the Gerado catchment. Other, non-visual data were gathered from personal interview and focus group discussions conducted in 2010 and 2011 with local elders, farmers and development (agricultural extension) agents. The results identified the presence of cultivated and rural settlement land, shrubland, woodland, bare land, grassland, urban built up area and forest. Throughout the period 1958–2006, urban built-up area, forest and cultivated and rural settlement land expanded at an average rate of 6.85%, 1.85% and 0.14% per year at the expense of shrub, wood and grasslands, which declined by 0.77%, 0.21%, 0.65% per year, respectively. The land use/cover dynamics of 1958–2006 resulted in the reduction/loss of biodiversity, occurrence of high soil erosion and ramification of gullies. The triggers for these changes were population growth, land cultivation, expansion of farmland, inappropriate land management, civil war and fuel wood demand. These led to further land degradation and more food insecurity among many farming households. Land resources have to be used according to their suitability. Thus, the exposed and steep mountains of the area have to be protected from cultivation and should be re-afforested. The paper discusses other implications for management and policy formulation also.

Keywords:

• biodiversity
• land dynamics
• degradation
• land management

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Steven Pragua for his comments, and are deeply grateful to Ezana Dagnew for his help with language editing. Many thanks also to the four referees for their invaluable comments and suggestions; and to Dr Michael Brett-Crowther for editing the language of the paper to the required standard. The authors are extremely grateful for the financial contribution of the Office of Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research (OVPGSR), Addis Ababa University (AAU), Ethiopia. We are also grateful to the staff of OVPGSR and finance office of AAU who facilitated the release of the research fund. We deeply thank the people of Gerado area, South Wello, Ethiopia who kindly provided the relevant data with no reservation.