1. WOLLO UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITY
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
AN ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION EFFECT
ON FOOD SECURITY: THE CASE OF SOUTH
WOLLO , MEKEDELA WOREDA.
A SENIOR RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED FOR THE PARTIAL
FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF BACHELOR OF ART
DEGREE IN SOCIOLOGY
SUBMITTED BY:
TESFAHUN ZEWDIE
ID. No: 075/05
SUBMITTED TO:
METADEL F.{M.A}

2. January , 2016
Dessie
Acknowledgment
First of all I would like to thanks the creator of the world/God to give me the chance to come to
the earth and staying to my position ,then after I would like to express my deep gratitude for my
advisor Ato Metadel F, for his valuable advising and assisting me to be effective on the
preparation of my research without any hesitation giving basic knowledge, awareness and
guidance scarifying his time with deep patience and politeness about how I conduct such kinds
of research and also I need to appreciate my family and the Ethiopian Red Cross Society South
Wollo Branch staff for their contribution in providing information and support to establish this
Research.

3. List of Acronyms
ANRS- Amhara National Regional State.
CSA- Central Statistic Authority.
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization.
FDRE-Federal Democratic Republic Ethiopia.
FGD - Focus Group Discussion
FTC-Farmer Field School
GV- Government.
Ha- hectare.
KM- kilometer.
Masl-Meter above sea level.
NGO-Non Governmental Organization.
NR- Natural Resource.
PA's- Peasant Associations.
UNEP- United Nation Environmental Program.

4. Contents page
Acknowledgments -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------i
List of Acronyms-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ii
Table of Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ iii
List of Tables ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- v
List of pictures----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------vi
Abstract------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------vi
Chapter One
1. Introduction------------------------------------------------------------------------1
1.1 .Background ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
1.2 .Statement of the Problem---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
1.3 .Objective- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4
1.3.1 .General Objective--------------------------------------------------------------------------4
1.3.2 .Specific Objectives-------------------------------------------------------------------------5
1.4 .Research Question--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5
1.5 .Significance of the Research --------------------------------------------------------------------------5
1.6 .Scope of the Study --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6
1.7 .Definition of the Study---------------------------------------------------------------------------------7
Chapter Two
2. Literature review-----------------------------------------------------8
2.1. Meaning of Environmental Degradation---------------------------------------------------------8
2.2. Causes of Environmental Degradation ----------------------------------------------------------9
2.3. Impacts on Environmental Degradation-------------------------------------------------------9
2.4. Environmental degradation and Food security in Ethiopia----------------------------------11
2.5. The Role of the Environment in Food Production--------------------------------------------13
2.6. Prevention Mechanism for Environmental Degradation-------------------------------------14
2.7. Food Security and Food Insecurity--------------------------------------------------------------14
2.7.1.The Four Dimensions of Food Security--------------------------------------------------14

5. 2.7.2. The Duration of Food Insecurity---------------------------------------------------------15
Chapter Three
3. Research Methodology and Design --------------------------------------------------16
3.1. Description of the Study Area-------------------------------------------------------------------16
3.2. Methodology-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------17
3.3. Research Design------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------17
3.4. Target Population-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------17
3.5. Sample and Sampling Techniques---------------------------------------------------------------18
3.6. Data Collection Method--------------------------------------------------------------------------18
3.7. Data Analysis --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------19
3.8. Data Quality Assurance----------------------------------------------------------------------------------19
3.9. Ethical Issue------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------19
Chapter Four
4. Result and Discussion-------------------------------------------------------------20
4.1.Couse and Consequence of Environmental Degradation in Mekedela Woreda-----------20
4.1.1.The Current Environmental Degradation in Mekedela Woreda-------------------21
4.1.1.1.Recurrent Drought and Flooding/Land slide---------------------------------------------21
4.1.1.2.Farmer Perception of Soil Erosion and Flooding----------------------------------------23
4.2. The Current Situation of Food Security in Mekedela Woreda------------------------------24
4.3. Community Awareness on Environmental Degradation and Food Security---------------25
4.5.Suggested Solution for Environmental Degradation and Its Effect in Food Security-----29
5. Conclusion and Recommendations---------------------------------------------30
5.1. Conclusion -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------30
5.2. Recommendation------------------------------------------------------------------------------31
Reference----------------------------------------------------------------------------32
Appendices--------------------------------------------------------------------------38

6. LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1 Population Affected by Drought /Disaster in Ethiopia ------------------------------11
Table 2.2: Chronic Food Insecurity and Transitory Food Insecurity---------------------------15
Table 4.1- The Main Cause of Environmental Degradation-----------------------------------------21
Table 4.2:- The Main Factors for Decreasing of Crop Production and Productivity------------21
Table 4.3:- The Main Reason for Decline of Soil Fertility ----------------------------------------23
Table 4.4:- Main Problems Related to the Food Security in the Kebeles 03 and 06-----------26
Table 4.5:- Food Consumption Situation in Mekedela Woreda House Hold--------------------27
Table 4.6. Indicators of the Presence of Soil Erosion as Perceived by Farmers------------------28

7. List of pictures
Picture 1:- Panoramic View of Mash a capital of Mekedela -------------------------------------16
Picture 2: Location of study areas in Amhara National Regional State--------------------------17
Picture 3:- Land Slide Effect on Grazing Land Leading to Arable Land in "Genatite"
Kebele and Unwise Use of Backyard Manure------------------------------------------24
Picture 4:- Conservation Measures by ERCS South Wollo Branch/Gully Control
Using Gabion and Rehabilitated Gully------------------------------------------------30
Picture 5. Focus Group Discussion in the Study Areas and Participant Observation -----------31

8. ABSTRACT
Food security in Ethiopia in general and Mekedela woreda in particular is hampered by many
factors among which land degradation in the form of soil erosion, gully formation, land slid ,
deforestation and nutrient depletion is the major one, and it is threatening the overall
sustainable production of the woreda. Land degradation in the form of soil erosion, gully
formation, land slid , deforestation and nutrient depletion in "Genatite" and" Kebetya" kebeles
of Mekedela has reached the point where it will became increasingly difficult even to maintain
the present level of production of basic food which is already insufficient in the area. Therefore,
the major objective of this study is to identity the causes and impacts of environmental
degradation, assess the current situation of food security, find out the community awareness to
mitigate environmental degradation with their daily livelihood practice and contribute possible
solution for the mechanism of reducing food insecurity focusing on environmental degradation
in the study area. Moreover the characteristics of agricultural production, the rural population
growth and its’ resultant effect on land resource and the change land use/land cover and
community mitigation mechanism of the study area also analyzed. Both primary and secondary
data were collected for this purpose. The primary data were collected from 40 sample
households and two Focus group discussion from 2 kebeles in "Genatite" and" Kebetya".
Descriptive statistics such as mean and percentage were used to describe sample respondents in
terms of descriptive variables land-use/land cover and population growth. In both rural
population grow at a very high rate, cultivated land increases at very low rate and at the expense
of other land use type, the per household head holding of cultivated land declined and land
use/land cover change through time. In recent years total cultivated land decline due to land
degradation and increase in rural settlement. Detailed analysis was used to determine the effect
of socio- economic, biophysical and institutional factors that determine land degradation.
The study findings suggest that scientific technological and physical intervention is important in
areas for the rehabilitation of land degradation strategy should considered.Accordingly, to cope
up the food insecurity of the study area appropriate interventions soil and water conservation,
afforestataion and reforestation, proper land use/land cover, allowing and motivating the
farmers to exchange for consolidation of fragmented and dispersed farm land , generation of

9. other means of income, establishing means to raising environmental awareness and appropriate
cultural practices need to be given due attention.