The effect of land degradation and deforestation in the SNNPRS

Even though the SNNPRS is endowed with numerous perennial and seasonal rivers, with different water potential and length of water course, the lower levels of infiltration and water storage in soils has led to higher peak flows in streams and rivers. This has consequently resulted in greater flood damage and water flow from the fertile and productive highlands to the lowland areas where the deposited alluvial soil is silted in and around the rift valley lakes. The combined effects of this course of river flow, high intensity of rain storms, deforestation, extensive cultivation, over grazing and soils with depleted organic matter has led to severe soil erosion and land degradation of the Regional State. Accordingly 200 million tons of soils per year are estimated to be eroded from the highlands of the SNNPRS. The implications/effects of this on the life sustenance of the population, on bio diversity, on the climatic change and global warming of the Regional State are being felt and witnessed. Since 95% of the regional population depend on agricultural production and since the soil fertility of most parts of region have been severely eroded by man made and natural factors, the agricultural productivity of crops have severely declined. This has led to the inability of the regional population to feed itself and depend on food-handouts of donors. The recent famine and drought in many parts of Konso, Wolaita, Alaba-Kambata-Tibaro, Hadiya, Derashe and parts of South Omo are evidence that suggest the effects of deforestation and land degradation on the life of the regional population. The effect of forest loss on biodiversity and genetic resources is highly felt in the SNNPRS. This is because among the different regions of the country this region is the habitat for most of the natural resources, especially the high natural forests, woodland vegetation, Savannah grassland, unique traditional agroforestry practices, wild life resources, variability of ecosystems and species. Furthermore, the effect of forest loss on the ecology and the general climatic change of some parts of the region are also being experienced and there are indications that there is a general rise in the temperature of the traditional climatic ecological classifications hither to known. the purpose of this paper is to elaborate this issues taking the SNNPRS as a case study and a reference spatial unit of analysis.