Environmental Degradation and Management in Ethiopian Highlands: Review of Lessons Learned

Adugnaw Birhanu

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14

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Environmental Degradation and Management in Ethiopian Highlands: Review of Lessons Learned

Adugnaw Birhanu

Published in International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy (Volume 2, Issue 1)

Received: Accepted: Published: 28 February 2014

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Abstract

About 50 percent of Ethiopia can be defined as mountainous, be it because of altitude above about 1500m, or because of steep slopes. The country’s highland areas include about 90% of its arable lands and are occupied by 90 percent of the human population and 60 percent of all livestock (Hurni, et al., 2010). Since 150,000 years ago population has expanded all over the highland parts of Ethiopia as they are very suitable places for living and agriculture than the malaria-infested harsh lowland areas surrounding the highlands. The Ethiopian Highlands, once endowed with rich natural resources, are agriculturally used since millennia and now heavily degraded (Gete, 2010). The interplay between the physical environment and population distribution in Ethiopia explains, to a great extent, the ever worsening problem of environmental degradation (Aklilu, 2001). Environmental management in Ethiopian highlands is therefore not only closely related to the improvement and conservation of ecological environment, but also to the sustainable development of Ethiopia’s agricultural sector and its economy at large. In Ethiopia, efforts towards this conservation goal were started since the mid-1970s and 80s (Aklilu, 2006; Wogayehu and Drake, 2001; Bekele and Holden, 1998). However, some of the management approaches were successful and other not. Therefore, the paper identifies opportunities to promote and scales up the successful best management practices and identifies challenges to put into practice different management practices which give preparation for environmental managers.

Published in	International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy (Volume 2, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14
Page(s)	24-34
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Environmental Degradation, Environmental Management, Ethiopian Highlands

References

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Adugnaw Birhanu. (2014). Environmental Degradation and Management in Ethiopian Highlands: Review of Lessons Learned. International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy, 2(1), 24-34. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14

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Adugnaw Birhanu. Environmental Degradation and Management in Ethiopian Highlands: Review of Lessons Learned. Int. J. Environ. Prot. Policy 2014, 2(1), 24-34. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14

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AMA Style

Adugnaw Birhanu. Environmental Degradation and Management in Ethiopian Highlands: Review of Lessons Learned. Int J Environ Prot Policy. 2014;2(1):24-34. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14

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@article{10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14,
  author = {Adugnaw Birhanu},
  title = {Environmental Degradation and Management in Ethiopian Highlands: Review of Lessons Learned},
  journal = {International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy},
  volume = {2},
  number = {1},
  pages = {24-34},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijepp.20140201.14},
  abstract = {About 50 percent of Ethiopia can be defined as mountainous, be it because of altitude above about 1500m, or because of steep slopes. The country’s highland areas include about 90% of its arable lands and are occupied by 90 percent of the human population and 60 percent of all livestock (Hurni, et al., 2010). Since 150,000 years ago population has expanded all over the highland parts of Ethiopia as they are very suitable places for living and agriculture than the malaria-infested harsh lowland areas surrounding the highlands. The Ethiopian Highlands, once endowed with rich natural resources, are agriculturally used since millennia and now heavily degraded (Gete, 2010). The interplay between the physical environment and population distribution in Ethiopia explains, to a great extent, the ever worsening problem of environmental degradation (Aklilu, 2001). Environmental management in Ethiopian highlands is therefore not only closely related to the improvement and conservation of ecological environment, but also to the sustainable development of Ethiopia’s agricultural sector and its economy at large. In Ethiopia, efforts towards this conservation goal were started since the mid-1970s and 80s (Aklilu, 2006; Wogayehu and Drake, 2001; Bekele and Holden, 1998). However, some of the management approaches were successful and other not. Therefore, the paper identifies opportunities to promote and scales up the successful best management practices and identifies challenges to put into practice different management practices which give preparation for environmental managers.},
 year = {2014}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Environmental Degradation and Management in Ethiopian Highlands: Review of Lessons Learned
AU  - Adugnaw Birhanu
Y1  - 2014/02/28
PY  - 2014
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14
T2  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
JO  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
SP  - 24
EP  - 34
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-7536
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14
AB  - About 50 percent of Ethiopia can be defined as mountainous, be it because of altitude above about 1500m, or because of steep slopes. The country’s highland areas include about 90% of its arable lands and are occupied by 90 percent of the human population and 60 percent of all livestock (Hurni, et al., 2010). Since 150,000 years ago population has expanded all over the highland parts of Ethiopia as they are very suitable places for living and agriculture than the malaria-infested harsh lowland areas surrounding the highlands. The Ethiopian Highlands, once endowed with rich natural resources, are agriculturally used since millennia and now heavily degraded (Gete, 2010). The interplay between the physical environment and population distribution in Ethiopia explains, to a great extent, the ever worsening problem of environmental degradation (Aklilu, 2001). Environmental management in Ethiopian highlands is therefore not only closely related to the improvement and conservation of ecological environment, but also to the sustainable development of Ethiopia’s agricultural sector and its economy at large. In Ethiopia, efforts towards this conservation goal were started since the mid-1970s and 80s (Aklilu, 2006; Wogayehu and Drake, 2001; Bekele and Holden, 1998). However, some of the management approaches were successful and other not. Therefore, the paper identifies opportunities to promote and scales up the successful best management practices and identifies challenges to put into practice different management practices which give preparation for environmental managers.
VL  - 2
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Adugnaw Birhanu

Debre Tabor University, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia

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APA Style

Adugnaw Birhanu. (2014). Environmental Degradation and Management in Ethiopian Highlands: Review of Lessons Learned. International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy, 2(1), 24-34. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14

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ACS Style

Adugnaw Birhanu. Environmental Degradation and Management in Ethiopian Highlands: Review of Lessons Learned. Int. J. Environ. Prot. Policy 2014, 2(1), 24-34. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14

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AMA Style

Adugnaw Birhanu. Environmental Degradation and Management in Ethiopian Highlands: Review of Lessons Learned. Int J Environ Prot Policy. 2014;2(1):24-34. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14

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@article{10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14,
  author = {Adugnaw Birhanu},
  title = {Environmental Degradation and Management in Ethiopian Highlands: Review of Lessons Learned},
  journal = {International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy},
  volume = {2},
  number = {1},
  pages = {24-34},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijepp.20140201.14},
  abstract = {About 50 percent of Ethiopia can be defined as mountainous, be it because of altitude above about 1500m, or because of steep slopes. The country’s highland areas include about 90% of its arable lands and are occupied by 90 percent of the human population and 60 percent of all livestock (Hurni, et al., 2010). Since 150,000 years ago population has expanded all over the highland parts of Ethiopia as they are very suitable places for living and agriculture than the malaria-infested harsh lowland areas surrounding the highlands. The Ethiopian Highlands, once endowed with rich natural resources, are agriculturally used since millennia and now heavily degraded (Gete, 2010). The interplay between the physical environment and population distribution in Ethiopia explains, to a great extent, the ever worsening problem of environmental degradation (Aklilu, 2001). Environmental management in Ethiopian highlands is therefore not only closely related to the improvement and conservation of ecological environment, but also to the sustainable development of Ethiopia’s agricultural sector and its economy at large. In Ethiopia, efforts towards this conservation goal were started since the mid-1970s and 80s (Aklilu, 2006; Wogayehu and Drake, 2001; Bekele and Holden, 1998). However, some of the management approaches were successful and other not. Therefore, the paper identifies opportunities to promote and scales up the successful best management practices and identifies challenges to put into practice different management practices which give preparation for environmental managers.},
 year = {2014}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Environmental Degradation and Management in Ethiopian Highlands: Review of Lessons Learned
AU  - Adugnaw Birhanu
Y1  - 2014/02/28
PY  - 2014
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14
T2  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
JO  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
SP  - 24
EP  - 34
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-7536
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20140201.14
AB  - About 50 percent of Ethiopia can be defined as mountainous, be it because of altitude above about 1500m, or because of steep slopes. The country’s highland areas include about 90% of its arable lands and are occupied by 90 percent of the human population and 60 percent of all livestock (Hurni, et al., 2010). Since 150,000 years ago population has expanded all over the highland parts of Ethiopia as they are very suitable places for living and agriculture than the malaria-infested harsh lowland areas surrounding the highlands. The Ethiopian Highlands, once endowed with rich natural resources, are agriculturally used since millennia and now heavily degraded (Gete, 2010). The interplay between the physical environment and population distribution in Ethiopia explains, to a great extent, the ever worsening problem of environmental degradation (Aklilu, 2001). Environmental management in Ethiopian highlands is therefore not only closely related to the improvement and conservation of ecological environment, but also to the sustainable development of Ethiopia’s agricultural sector and its economy at large. In Ethiopia, efforts towards this conservation goal were started since the mid-1970s and 80s (Aklilu, 2006; Wogayehu and Drake, 2001; Bekele and Holden, 1998). However, some of the management approaches were successful and other not. Therefore, the paper identifies opportunities to promote and scales up the successful best management practices and identifies challenges to put into practice different management practices which give preparation for environmental managers.
VL  - 2
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download