Gete Zeleke (PhD)Mare Addis Desta2024-04-042024-04-042023-12-01https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/2708Rice (Oryzae sativa) is one of the leading food crops in the world. It is one of the most important sources of food for the world population. Most wetland areas in the world have been developed for rice-based production systems. Lake Tana area, including the Fogra Flood Plain, has been chosen by the UNESCO founded ‘Man and the Biosphere (MAB)’ Programme (1971) as a potential biosphere reserve in Ethiopia. The wetlands of Fogera are affirmed to be under threat by human activities such as unsustainable rice cultivation, sand mining, and natural threats such as the deposition of sediment with different chemicals eroded from upland agriculture areas. The present study was conducted in the Fogera wetland areas of, Amhara National Regional State (ANRS). There was a knowledge gap on the environmental trade-offs of rice intensification and mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of ecosystem functions of the wetland of Fogera Plain. Motivated to fill some of the knowledge, and research gaps, the current study investigated the environmental trade-offs of rice intensification in the Fogera Wetlands and mechanisms of sustaining Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve. The study employed a mixed research approach combining qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection, and analysis. The findings of the study indicated that the majority of the farmers (87%) had not abandoned alternative crops to produce more rice. However, normalized difference vegetation index results indicated that the area cultivated for rice is increasing while the area of other crops is decreasing. Agricultural inputs are used in rice systems but were not used before the introduction of rice. Recession farming activities have also diminished wetland areas. Water flow showed a decrease, whereas Nitrogen and Phosphorus showed an increase with Pearson’s correlation values of −0.069 and −0.072, respectively. Flow of water was negatively correlated with Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorous (P) water concentration; whereas N and P contents were positively correlated. Following the expansion of rice cultivation in Fogera wetlands, the study revealed that during the 20 years preceding 2014, the area under rice cultivation increased from 182 ha in 1995 to 9499 ha in 2014 and the amount of rice produce increased from 6701 qt in 1995 to 714,013 in 2015. The size of grazing lands was reduced from 8550ha in 1973 to 126.93 ha in 2021; wetlands from 3114 ha in 1973 to 1245.52ha in 2021; and forests from 1542 ha in 1973 to 1567.93ha in 2021. In the same period, land use/land cover changes showed a negative balance of 40% dry matter, requiring cattle feed to be increasingly supplemented through purchases, or reducing herd number. The study also indicated that the land-use changes were brought at the expense of traditional cattle production systems. Concerning the impact of rice expansion on traditional wetland management in the Fogera floodplain wetlands, the vast majority (87%) of the respondents confirmed that increases in the price of rice encouraged them to shift from cultivating conventional crops to rice farming. Major activities being pursued in the wetlands of the study area do not consider environmental tradeoffs. In conclusion, growth of intensive rice systems has had negative environmental consequences on wetland ecology. Hence, proper management is required to maintain these valuable resources and keep their role in socioeconomic development of the area. Moreover, sense of ownership of wetland resources and their benefit should be revitalized to reduce abusive utilization. Furthermore, there is a need for better education, sustainable tourism and training for green jobs, good leadership, and sustainable development policies and strategies to regulate and manage wetland uses. Above all, rice intensification strategies and other development activities in the study area need to consider environmental tradeoffs which underpins the conservation and wise utilization of wetlands. Keywords: Environmental trade-offs, Fogera wetlands, Rice intensification, Lake Tana, biosphere reserve, institutional linkage, common-pool resource management, Soil and water assessment tool, Fogera livestock breedenThesis