Land Degradation and Options for SLM

A study was conducted in the Lake Tana Basin of the highlands of Ethiopia on analysis of degradation of the land resources by looking into land use and cover changes(LUCCs), changes on hydrological, soil, and climate resources. As a result there were hotspot and brighter spot areas, which topographically steeply sloping areas where used for traditional agriculture are found to be hotspots of land degradation. The causes of land degradation, in the LTB, were expansion of crop cultivation, loss of vegetation along fragile places, and outfarm disposal of the biomass. Other causes of land degradation include overstocking of grasslands, poor management of lands, poor cropping practices. Societal responses in the form of adoption of improved practices, policy and institutional adaptations, research and training were also found to be inadequate compared to the declining rate of land resources and the ever-intensifying driver factors. Thus, any measure in the process of combating land degradation and ensuring SLM need to take into account on the changing land resources and the pressure factors.

Autorentext

Birru Yitaferu (PhD) Director of Soil and Water Research Directorate of the Amhara Region Agricultural Research Institute (ARARI), Ethiopia. He studied his PhD degree at the University of Berne, Switzerland. .