Geography and Environmental Studies

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Browsing Geography and Environmental Studies by Author "Abate, Zelalem"

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    Impacts of Stone Quarrying on Environment and Livelihood of Local Community in Addis Ababa Peri-Urban Areas: The Case of Hana Mariam Cobble Stone Quarry Site
    (Addis Ababa University, 2016-11) Abate, Zelalem; Woldesadik, Muluneh (PhD)
    Although quarrying is economically lucrative business, it is an extractive and exploitive industry which inevitably and irreplaceably depletes natural resources. It is true in the study area in which the destructive nature of quarrying together with poor management of quarry sites, constitute a major threat to the environmental degradation and socio-economic activities of people. Therefore, the study was undertaken to assess environmental and socio-economic impacts of quarrying. It also endeavors to explore the livelihood outcomes realized by the stone workers and local community as a result of stone quarrying activities. The study was a descriptive type of research, which collected the required information through structured and unstructured questionnaires and field observations. In addition, documented data from published and unpublished articles, reports and different map, were used and analyzed. As the research result indicated, quarrying has a significant importance on job creation and better income generation to household’s of stone workers to reduce poverty. The findings further showed that the quarrying activities in the study area helps the development of other informal business activities such as petty trading, house renting and small scale transport service provision which support the local community as alternative means of livelihood strategies and to transform from rural to urban activities. Regarding to the environment the bulk excavation pits, overburden wastes together with poor management of quarries resulted inland use- land cover and landscape changes, and caused land degradation and water resource depletion. Furthermore, the respondents explained that un rehabilitated open pits and hip cliff of waste materials causes insecurity which the quarry pits collect water in rainy season and caused to accidents while youths and children swim in the accumulated stagnant water. In view of this, the study recommends effective collaboration among key stakeholders in the sector such as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Cobble Stone Project Offices, Local Governments, Quarry Worker Enterprise and local communities is needed to enhance the utilization of resources and minimize the externalities of quarrying on the natural environment through awareness creation, proper management and rehabilitation of abounded quarry pits for other functions and sustainable environment. Key words: Quarrying, Cobble Stone production, Environmental degradation