Evaluating watershed management activities of campaign work in Southern nations, nationalities and peoples' regional state of Ethiopia

Abstract

Background

The Ethiopian government has been implementing watershed management mainly through public campaign work. However, its effects have not been evaluated in many micro-watersheds. This study evaluates watershed management activities and its socio-economic and biophysical role.

Results

Each kebele has institutional arrangements such as development teams comprising 3-35 households, and 5-person labor groups, which mobilize people and penalize absentees (if any). The survey indicated that common lands, subject to free resource exploitation such as grazing, were typically severely degraded. The majority of respondents wait for development agents and campaign work before repairing the conservation structures. Tree species selection was found to be appropriate in most areas. However, poor seedling survival (<5%) was observed in some micro-watersheds. In most micro-watersheds, structure selection, design, construction and spacing was appropriate.

Conclusions

Achievement in rehabilitating degraded lands was seen as excellent lessons for future efforts. The following issues need to be addressed in future watershed management campaign work: poor structure maintenance, low seedling survival, creating defined land user/owner for common land rehabilitated collectively, crop and cattle damage by wildlife residing in rehabilitated micro-watershed, incentivizing development agents, periodic auditing and repairing of built structures and seedling replacement.