Abstract
The general purpose of this study was to organize psycho-social information pertaining to some issues. These include: Local peoples’ awareness and perception of risk of ecological problems associated with Lake Ziway/Dembel; the issues of community participation and mobilization in resource conservation, preservation and sustainable use; psycho-social consequences of the adverse climatic happenings in the lake area; and impacts of eco-systemic changes of the Lake on local livelihoods. Besides, this study was undertaken so as to suggest further research and facilitate academic discussion, thereby contributing for national environmental policy consideration and mechanisms of intervention. The main tools of primary data collection used in this study include; in-depth interviews, Focus Group Discussions, direct observations and questionnaire. Questionnaire items were administered to members of the local community with varying socio-demographic composition, teachers and high school students and local governmental officials. The results indicated that people as well as other stakeholders in the Lake area are familiar with eco-systemic changes involving the Lake. This indicates that there is an already existing perception of the risk on behalf the community in Lake Ziway area. It was possible to infer that people who have based their livelihood on the Lake are in a vulnerable context. The study indicates that there are some psycho-social impacts of the environmental troubles associated with Ziway/Dembel lake. Key words: Lake Ziway/Dembel, Risk perception, local community, sustainable utilization, conservation, psycho-social impacts, community mobilization, participation.
Highlights
Addressing climate change is arguably one of the most pressing tasks facing our planet and its inhabitants
It has been noted that lake Ziway has long been used as source of recreational activities such as bathing, fishery and eco-tourism
In addition to the above psycho-social impacts, as the lake has been the source of agricultural, fisher and drinking water, the many changes occurring in the water volume of the lake affected the local people livelihood
Summary
Addressing climate change is arguably one of the most pressing tasks facing our planet and its inhabitants. Lake Ziway is one of the four large lakes found in Ethiopian Central Rift Valley (CRV). The lakes are highly productive, harboring an indigenous population of edible fish and support a wide variety of other aquatic and wild life. They are globally significant freshwater ecosystems containing important areas of both terrestrial and aquatic biological diversity, and most are becoming degraded as a result of human activities (Lake Ziway and their influent rivers are used for irrigation, flower industry, soda abstraction, fish farming, domestic use and recreation) (Ayenew, 2004; 2007). Urbanization, industry, agriculture, and deforestation are the major anthropogenic drivers of many more specific processes and outputs which degrade lake water quality in Ethiopia. Poverty and underdevelopment in Ethiopia underlie the anthropogenic forces that degrade lakes (Graichen, 2011)
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