Browsing by Author "Ararso, Mosisa"

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    Impacts of Forest Degradation on Rural Livelihoods and Food Security, East Wollega, Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2015-11) Ararso, Mosisa; Legas, Asmamaw (PhD)
    This thesis examines impacts of forest degradation on rural livelihoods and insurance of food security at the community level of East Wollega, Ethiopia. Furthermore, the research is also aimed at assessing of the uses and abuses of forest resources, causes of forest degradation and its impacts, indigenous forest and other natural resource management approaches used for sustaining ecological services and forest based livelihoods of the local communities. The theory of the tragedy of commons, the livelihood perspectives and empirical forest degradation wave model were used for assessment of forest degradation and its impacts. Both quantitative and qualitative methods and different data collection tools (questionnaire survey, key informant interview, FGD, PRA, case studies, transects and observations) were used. Satellite image analysis, descriptive statistics, cross tabulation, chai square, AGETHIM, content analysis and different PRA analytical tools were for analysis of data. Then, forest degradation is found to be negatively impacting the livelihoods of the local communities and other environmental resources of the study area. Shortage of forest timber and non-timber product; reduction of fuel wood, constructional materials, forest species of diverse ecological, reduced forest species of socio-economic values, change in farming system, e.g. intensification of cash crops, reduced agricultural productivity (crop and livestock and bee keeping) were some of the on-site- impacts of forest degradation identified so far. Accordingly, the following recommendations are also made. In order to minimize and mitigate the continuing forest degradation, intensification of farming and creating diverse livelihoods options have to be the critical objective of forest management attempts. Forest friendly farming systems have to be appreciated through introduction and creating of new forest based livelihood activities. To overcome fuel wood shortage, substitute energy sources have to be accessed by stakeholders. Watershed development program and integrated forest resource management has to be implemented according to indigenous knowledge of the communities. Overall, participatory forest and Eco theological management approach that sustains the livelihoods of the local communities have to be appreciated. Key words: Forest Degradation, forest Based Livelihoods, Food Security, forest and other natural resources