The soils of the Ethiopian Highlands and aspects of their degradation
1996
Kefeni Kejela (MNRDEP, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia))
In Ethiopia, 88% of the human population, 60% of the livestock,a and 90% of the agriculturally suitable area is concentrated in the highlands above 1500 m.a.s.l. It is well-known that land degradation in these highlands is extremely serious and widespread. Ethiopians in the past, still threatens them today and if it continues at the present pace, it will threaten even more millions of Ethiopians yet unborn. Land degradation poses the greatest long term threat to human survival in Ethiopia and also poses one of the greatest challenges facing the Ethiopian people. At present the estimates of the extent, severity and distribution of land degradation in Ethiopia are only general and usually rather qualitative. The purpose of this work is therefore, to consolidate the qualitative view on the soils of the highlands (their spatial are areal distribution) and their degradation aspects, to demarcate their extent and severity, as to identify the areas most seriously affected and threatened by accelerated erosion. The paper also provides tentative estimates of the rates of degradations due to interactions of socio-economic factors, land use, physical and ecological conditions, identifies the areas where degradation is costing most and finally evaluated how degradation is being tackled by soil conservation are reclamation efforts underway.
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