Community-Based Watershed Development Processes and Extent of Community Participation in the Northwestern Highlands of Ethiopia

Abstract

This study describes processes followed and involvement of community members in implementation of community-based watershed development (CBWD) projects in three micro-watersheds (Adef Wuha, Guansa and Tija Baji) in northwest Ethiopia. Data was collected through household survey from systematically selected 114 household heads that possessed farmlands in the study watersheds. Focus group discussion and key informant interviews were also conducted to collect supplementary qualitative information. Participation index (PI) was used to measure the extent of community participation in the different activities of watershed development. The results showed that the extent of community participation could be rated as moderate, with a PI score of about 63%. The communities had actively participated in the selection of members of Community Watershed Planning Teams (CWPT) and in discussions on watershed development plans subsequently developed, identifying problems and prioritizing local needs and in preparations of conservation bylaws. They also actively participated in the implementation of physical soil and water conservation (SWC) (terraces, cutoff drains, water ways, check-dams, hand-dug well and spring development) and biological measures (afforestation, planting trees and grasses, and nursery development). The households received food and hand tools (e.g. spade) in return for their participation. Dependency to food and material support, high expert turnover, low level and partiality of bylaws implementation, shortage of grazing land and fuel wood were the main challenges that affect the sustainability of the watershed development outcomes. In other words, these should be addressed to ensure sustainability of the achievements. Keywords: Land degradation; community watershed conservation; participation index; Ethiopia DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/87-02 Publication date: September 30 th 2022