Author(s)

Endale Weldeamanuel, Shuiping Cheng^*

UNEP-TONGJ Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD), College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.

Community participation has become widely incorporated into policies of many soil and water conservation organizations. The purpose of this study was to assess the community participation in the rehabilitation of degraded land. In order to achieve the objective of the study, both primary and secondary data were generated by employing qualitative and quantitative data. Purposive sampling was employed to select three study kebeles (the smallest administrative structure of the country) from 16 rural kebeles in Angecha District. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 183 household heads from the lists of farmers in the selected kebeles for detailed household survey. In addition to household survey, field observation and key informant interview were also conducted to collect the necessary data. The data were presented using descriptive statistic such as percentage, frequency, tables and figure. The data collected through the use of household survey questionnaires were analyzed using logit regression while data collected through field observation and key informant interview were analyzed and interpreted using qualitative description. The findings of the present study revealed that population pressure, soil erosion, deforestation, overgrazing, and over cultivation were the major causes for land degradation. Moreover, the results of this study indicated that the main causes of the low productivity of farmland were farmers’ involvement in off-farm activities, increase in size of human population, lack of full cooperation of family members to involve in land rehabilitation practices. Households participated in rehabilitation practices at different levels, with 43.7% respondents showing intermediate participation. However, 22.4% of the farm households clarified that there is low experience sharing and motivation to participate in the process of implementation of rehabilitation programs. It is recommended that, continuous training and experience sharing program, immediate action to increase the number of literate persons, to practicing compatible practices for the agro climatic zone such as soil bund, Fanyaaju, stone bunds, and tree planting, extending effective practices, create opportunities for alternative means of livelihood and promoting NGOs effort to involve in land rehabilitation practices in the highly degraded area.

Community Participation, Rehabilitation and Degradation

Weldeamanuel, E. and Cheng, S. (2024) Participatory Land Rehabilitation Strategies in Angacha District, Kembata Zone, Central Ethiopia Region. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 12, 71-94. doi: 10.4236/gep.2024.122005.