Socio-Economic Characterization of Community in Watershed Management: Case of Abaya- Chamo Sub-Basin Project Districts of Southern Ethiopia.

Abstract Background Watershed management is being recognized as a suitable alternative intervention in managing natural resources. Characterizations of watershed management project in terms of socio-economic baseline study helps to evaluate whether a change making a difference. It is used during the project to indicate progress toward the objectives, and after the project to measure the amount of the change. This study aimed at baseline characterization with special reference to socio-economic aspects to suggest appropriate policy directions for enhancing watersheds programs towards achieving integrated Water Resource Management. The study area was in the Abaya-Chamo sub-basin of Rift Valley Lakes Basin of southern Ethiopia. To record benchmarks of socio-economic characteristics, the study was carried out in Amaro, Chencha, Humbo, Lokabaya, Mirababaya, Arbaminch city administration, and Abaya districts covering 7 Kebeles and 7 villages that were accessible for data collection. Results The major objective of the study was a socio-economic characterization of community in watershed management programs in seven watershed management districts of the Abaya-Chamo sub-basin of southern Ethiopia. The study was carried out using secondary raw data collected by Rift Valley Lakes Basin Authority (RVLBA). StataMP 13 and MS Excel were used for the analysis of the data. The major income sources of the farmers in the study area were crop production, animal husbandry, and tree land. Lack of educational institutions, poor economic conditions, and lack of access to the far located institutions was observed to be the conspicuous reason for the low literacy rate in the study area. Typhoid, typhus, Mosquitoes, Diarrhea, tuberculosis, and other water-borne disease were the major disease found in the study area. Conclusions Demographic characteristics, Income status, and social status were the major components of the socio-economy focused in this study. Agriculture in the area is the major source of income basically of a subsistence nature - characterized by low input – low output. Therefore, socio-economic improvement depends upon resource mapping very crucial for planning appropriate intervention. Access to education should be improved and children's attendance at school should be encouraged and facilitated.