Assessment of Pastorals’ Perceptions of Lake Basaka's Water Quality Concerning Its Impact on Sheep and Goat Production in Mid Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Dereje Tulu

doi:10.7176/jbah/11-17-02

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess pastoral perceptions of lake Basaka saline water concerning the effects on sheep and goat production in great Ethiopia's mid-rift valley. Fourteen focus group discussions with livestock owners and 15 key informant interviews were done in selected areas, and both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using a questionnaire guide. The survey study report showed that pastoral and agropastoral were common production systems with diverse species of livestock with goat and sheep in dominance. Feed scarcity, drought, and water problems were the major constraints to sheep and goat production and productivity. While lake Basaka water is not good for the drinking of sheep and goats because of its salinity content, it was a major water source for their animals, especially during dry seasons. Seasons and climate conditions were varied the salinity contents of lake Basaka water and had negative effects on livestock production and health. However, goats are more tolerant of the drinking lake Basaka than sheep in the study area. Based on the pastoral perceptions, in dry regions including the study area, where feed is scarce both in quantity, long-term drinking naturally saline water of lake Basaka is not safe for livestock species, especially during dry seasons. These findings are useful for policymakers and organizations working on projects aimed at increasing the resilience of pastoralists, while future research could identify appropriate technologies to help alleviate these impacts. Keywords: Water scarcity; poor water quality; small ruminants DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/11-17-02 Publication date: September 30 th 2021

Highlights

The production of small ruminants contributes to the livelihood of pastoral communities, it is constrained by many factors (Abdilatif et al, 2018)
Lake Basaka is located in Ethiopia's Mid Rift Valley, where water scarcity and low quality are common, and it serves as a supply of domestic water, during the dry seasons (Ayenew, 2007; Dinka, 2017)
Sheep and goats are predominantly kept by smallholder farmers and most pastoralists and agropastoral, especially in semiarid and arid areas, where natural freshwater is limited, animals are forced to drink saline water

Summary

Introduction

The production of small ruminants contributes to the livelihood of pastoral communities, it is constrained by many factors (Abdilatif et al, 2018). Lake Basaka is located in Ethiopia's Mid Rift Valley, where water scarcity and low quality are common, and it serves as a supply of domestic water, during the dry seasons (Ayenew, 2007; Dinka, 2017). It is expanding at a rapid and dramatic rate with its poor water quality (EC 6.3dSm-1, SAR 300, and pH = 9.6) is expected to have a variety of negative effects on the region's surface- and groundwater dynamics and soil properties, which is especially dangerous for the sustainability of agricultural development.

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