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COMMUNITY CASE STUDY article

Front. Sustain. Resour. Manag.
Sec. Natural Resources
Volume 3 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fsrma.2024.1484298

Socio-economic characterization, identification and prioritization of major constraints in Dhumuga learning Watershed, Ambo Ethiopia

Provisionally accepted
Diriba Megersa Soboka Diriba Megersa Soboka 1*Regasa Dibaba Regasa Dibaba 1,2
  • 1 Natural Resource, Ambo Plant Protection Research Center, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Dessie, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  • 2 Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Dessie, Ethiopia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Understanding the socioeconomic profile of a particular watershed is essential for effective project planning prior to intervention. This study aimed to gather baseline information, record the existing socioeconomic conditions, and identify key constraints within the Dhumuga Watershed. The information was collected through a household survey and focus group discussions. Through focused group discussions, issues like deforestation, water erosion, restricted access to enhanced crop varieties, insufficient irrigation water, and the decline in soil fertility were recognized and prioritized. The survey findings revealed that 82% of households were headed by males, with 40% of household heads possessing basic literacy skills (able to read and write), while 54% were enrolled in primary school (Grades 1-8).Crop production generated 912.08 US per household per year on average dollar as of 2023 Ethiopia foreign exchange rates USD, while livestock production generated2612.39 US dollar USDper household per year. In relation to food security, 36% of households have occasionally faced food shortages caused by natural issues during the kiremt season. The research also highlighted challenges such as land degradation from water erosion (46%), improper tillage practices (34%), and deforestation (20%). Additionally, 78% of households rely on firewood for cooking, with 98% of this firewood sourced from local forests and trees, posing a significant threat to forest resources and their sustainable management. For effective management and oversight of the Dhumuga learning watershed, it is recommended to implement forest resource conservation initiatives, promote the use of energy-efficient stoves, enhance soil fertility strategies, establish soil erosion control methods, and introduce innovations for community livelihood improvement, along with raising awareness about various natural resource management activities.

    Keywords: baseline, Dhumuga watershed, socioeconomic, Survey, West shewa

    Received: 21 Aug 2024; Accepted: 13 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Soboka and Dibaba. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Diriba Megersa Soboka, Natural Resource, Ambo Plant Protection Research Center, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Dessie, 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.