Land use and land cover dynamics in Ethiopia: a review

Abstract: 
The objective of this review paper is to examine time series land use land cover change in Ethiopia. In the country, most Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) change studies have conducted at catchment level less than 43810 ha. It is thus difficult to understand national level LULC dynamics and its associate environmental impacts. The review result indicated that dramatic land use and land cover change trajectory has occurred in different parts of Ethiopia, resulting in the decline in forest, protected area, and grasslands, whereas cropland has increased. In the northern, northeast and central highlands of the country, LULC change was noticed since early1860s as the photographs indicated agricultural land expansion, fuelwood collection and grazing pressure which have been practiced for more than three millennia. Although forest clearance leading LULC change started since about 1850, it has recently been accelerating in southwestern Ethiopia following immigration and settlement. New causes of LULC change have appeared in southwest lowlands as a result of population growth driven agricultural land expansion, government initiated medium to large scale agricultural investment, fuelwood and charcoal production for selling and settlement. Consequently, the conversion of LULC has had several impacts on the environment; particularly land conversion from forest to agricultural land has contributed to emission of C, loss of biodiversity and land degradation. In conclusion, proper interventions are needed to reduce these adverse effects of trade-off between natural resources base and economic development strategies, particularly agricultural investment.
Language: 
English
Date of publication: 
2019
Author/Editor(s): 
Volume: 
18
Pagination: 
291-305
Collection: 
RUFORUM Working document series
Form: 
ISSN: 
1607-9345
E_ISSN: 
Edition: