Ecological Benefits of Participatory Watershed Management Practice in the Case of Chenetaly Watershed, Guagusa Shikudad <i>Woreda</i>, Ethiopia

Abstract

The rapid global population growth and increasing impacts of climate change have resulted water and food shortage. Due to the increasing pressure from anthropogenic activities the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and their interrelation are largely disrupted. As the result, the benefit we get from the ecosystem has reduced, this calls for a shift in the management of ecosystems and the use of water for food security. The objective of this study was focus Ecological Benefits of Participatory Watershed Management Practice; Case Study of Chenetaly Watershed, Guagusa Shikudad Woreda, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. The data were collected from 84 randomly selected households through household survey. In addition to household survey, focus group discussion, key informant interview and observation were used to collect additional data and used for triangulation and present detail explanations. Relevant information was also gathered from secondary sources (e.g., watershed management planning and implementation documents and annual reports) available in Guagusa Shiudad Woreda Agricultural Office. Based on the result Chenetaly watershed was severely degraded due to inappropriate cultivation, over grazing, gully formation and deforestation factors before the implementation of watershed management practices. Due to presence of high watershed degradation, there was high ecological high decline of ecological balance like soil formation and gully formation. To overcome this problem, watershed management program was introduced in Chenetaly Watershed and many physical and biological conservation measures were highly practiced to reduce soil erosion, rehabilitate gully formation and decrease loss of soil fertility. The finding of this study confirmed that the introduction of watershed management has been brought some important changes in local ecosystem. Some of the major ecological changes include decrease in soil degradation, increase soil capability and agricultural productivity, increase forest rehabilitation and firewood availability; increase the availability of grass and other livestock fodder. Based on the finding of study the following conclusion has made participatory watershed management can play significant role to improve the ecological condition of the area. Based on foundation of study I recommend that effective watershed management intervention has been undertaken in Chenetaly Watershed such best practices should extend to neighboring watersheds.