Inmpact of free grazing and open access to communal lands on natural resources: The case of Tigray regional state in Ethiopia.
2004
Gebrekidan Teklu
The landscape of Tigray is practically devoid of vegetation cover and hence, exposed to soil erosion. Still, although there is little or no vegetation to graze and browse, the catchments are desperately trampled upon by grazing animals. Similarly the pressure on the remnant vegetation by the inhabitants for immediate wood use and for sale is extremely high. The cumulative effect of these factors is changing the region into an irreversible social, economic and environmental nuisance. This study was, therefore, conducted to assess the impact of both uncontrolled grazing and communal land management on the natural resource development efforts. Using stratified random sampling method, individual interviews were held with respondents in the selected peasant associations (PAs) of the study area. Results of the study showed grazing areas in the region in relation to standards of the Tropical Livestock Unit, to be too small to host the existing livestock population. Similarly, the existing communal land-use practice was too poor to manage natural resources therein. Thus, to reverse the situation, a strategy that encourages private grazing of livestock and distribution of the communal lands among the farmers for individual management is recommended.
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Эту запись предоставил Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research