Degradation of Wetlands and Livelihood Dependence on Lake Abaya-Chamo Wetland, Southern Ethiopia.

Abstract Abaya-Chamo and other wetlands of Ethiopia provide multiple ecosystem services, they are extremely affected by various anthropogenic factors. The unsustainable use of wetlands stems from the negligence of the users about the wetland degradation and the limited policy attention by decision-makers. This study was aimed at analyzing the livelihood benefits of Abaya-chamo lake-wetland and the driving forces of its degradation. Data were gathered using questionnaire survey of 384 households (selected via systematic random sampling), focus group discussion, interview and field observation. Percent, regression, etc., were used for data analysis. It was found that Abaya-chamo lake-wetland offers fish, timber, firewood, fodder, irrigation water, farmland, rainfall, recreation, tourism, aesthetic, carbon sink, air quality and climate regulation, etc., services to local people. Farm expansion, sedimentation, irrigation, invasive plants (e.g. emboch), open access and overuse of resources, lack of legal framework and rapid population growth were the main causes of the wetland degradation. Applying the lakes’ salty-water for irrigation is expected to lead to chemical land degradation in the next few decades. The invasive emboch-plant results in dwindling aquatic resources (e.g. fish), loss of economic and tour benefits, and change in local climate thereby depleting the lake water, and the dissolved O2 and CO2 storage capacity of the lake-wetland rapidly. The lakes’ salty-water based irrigation is expected to result in chemical land degradation to the extent of abandoning crop farming in the next few decades unless some actions are taken. Thus, the government should formulate clear policy and legal framework about sustainable management of wetland resources.