A large amount of Nile water originates in Ethiopia. However, large uncertainty arises concerning whether land degradation or climate change is the cause for the observed increase in discharge along downstream countries. Previous studies showed increases in discharge at Kessie, Bahir Dar and El Diem over the past four decades with no increase in basin-average rainfall. They cite changes in landscapes or soil coverage as a potential reason for this change. However, the study in this thesis shows that the change in discharge could also be explained in part by spatial changes in precipitation. This thesis investigates trends in rainfall within the Blue Nile River Basin f rom 1963 to 2003. For this study total monthly and daily precipitation data were collected from across the Blue Nile River Basin and analyzed statistically. The results indicate spatial variability in the rainfall observed. The general long-term trends in annual as well as in seasonal precipitation show a general decreasing trend along southwest regions of the study area. However, an increasing  trend was encountered along northeast and southeast region of the Basin (3 of 9 selected stations). Rainfall-runoff modelling was performed to estimate the required precipitation increase to produce the increase in discharge observed in the Blue Nile River Basin. Precipitation needed to increase between 10 % and 25 % to account for the increased discharge. This increase is similar to that observed for some of the precipitation stations showing that increase in discharge seen in the Blue Nile River Basin may in part be due to changes in precipitation.

No description available.

Thesis (M.Sc.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009. / Full text also available online. Scroll down for electronic link.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1997. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Dec. 13, 2005). Includes bibliographical references.

The evaluation of the state of grass species composition was conducted as an attempt to confirm the survey conducted by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), where the Zeerust District was identified as an area with serious degradation problems. Quantitative data was obtained through botanical surveys (April 2001-February 2002) and verified by household surveys (March 2001-April 2002). Study sites included Braklaagte, Dinokana, Doomlaagte, Serake and Supingstad, with benchmark sites in Madikwe Grune Reserve. Between 6-12 survey points per site were selected after consultation with local Agricultural Extension Officers and communities. Survey points included the range of veld condition between bush encroached and severely denuded and eroded areas. The results indicate 12.3 % to 45.1 % loss of vegetal cover. Resistance above 2 000 ohms, base saturation exceeding 100 % and pH values below 5.5 are evidence of soil degradation. The general profile of the fanning household is that of an aging adult community, with however, a relatively good knowledge of fanning practices. 52 % of the respondents depend on the government pension fund as a source of income. 60 % of the respondents use crop fanning products strictly for household purposes. Poor economic return from fanning activities has resulted in overutilization of the herbaceous layer with consequent changes of grass species composition towards retrogression and the establishment of woody species. This environmental degradation is a serious risk to long-term sustainable development. It is therefore, recommended that environmental education programmes and ecological restoration projects be started in degraded areas. The government should set up and enforce land-use policies. Community participation should be encouraged in all land care activities. Land degradation is a real social problem that must be tackled before many people's aspirations of a better life are met. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Biology) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2003

The Role of Planning in mediating conflicts involving tourism development and land access by local communities in the Matutuine district, south of Mozambique, is the theme of this research report. The aim of the study was to analyse and understand how tourism development in a particular context, the Matutuine district, has impacted on the life of the local communities. Access to land and to the other natural resources as well as associated socio-economic aspects was explored. Present and proposed planning approaches and their role in minimising land use conflicts were also investigated. In order to address the research problem, the following research question has been proposed: Are the problems arising from the conflict of interest that involve tourism development and land access by local communities responsible for land degradation in the district? The following subsidiary questions have been proposed to assist in answering the main question: What type of land use conflicts exist in the district of Matutuine and how has tourism affected the local communities? Has tourism been beneficial to local communities in terms of land access, participation and tourism spin-offs? To what extent do land use conflicts influence land degradation and how does planning respond to this? After developing the theoretical and conceptual framework of the study, a combination of methods such as documentary analysis, sampling and interviews, participant observation and spatial observation was used to collect primary and secondary data under analysis. Data collection mainly focused on the main land use types and land use conflicts, participation of local communities in tourism development, socio-economic benefits that accrue from tourism development, land degradation and planning and management of tourism, land and the other natural resources. The resulting data and information were organised and analysed through out the chapters in order to answer the research questions. The research revealed that tourism development has not been beneficial to the local communities. Institutional fragmentation and overlapping of mandates, a lack of common understanding and enforcement of legislation, corruption, and a lack of capacity building and legal status of the local communities are the main reasons for a dysfunctional tourism system in the study area. In order to contribute for the management and resolution of land use conflicts in the study area, it is recommended that planning and planners should introduce new planning processes such as collaborative and communicative approaches, facilitation and mediation techniques as well adaptive processes to address power relations among stakeholders.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Western Australia, 2007.

The aim of this study was to explore how land degradation influences the living conditions of a farming community in Kenya. Investigation method used was qualitative research and data collection through semi -structured interviews with chosen farmers, interview with a professional in the relevant profession, and field observation within a farming community in central province of Kenya. In developing countries many families live in rural areas and depend on small scale farming for livelihood. These communities are however faced with poverty from degraded lands as is indicated by the interviews conducted in this rural community where farming activities has resulted in degradation of land. Unhealthy agricultural practices threaten human survival by not only eating innutritious food, but reduction in economic capability, as well as causing loss of biodiversity which is indispensable for environmental sustainability.

The goal of this study was two fold. First, to investigate the determinants of soil fertility management and conservation practices in Uganda, with particular interest in the role of poverty, social capital and land tenure. Secondly, to provide an understanding of the causal relationships between social capital and household poverty in Uganda. To achieve the above goals, econometric approaches were employed using a data set collected by IFPRI, the World Bank, and Uganda Bureau of Statistics from a survey that covered eight districts in Uganda. First to investigate the impact of poverty, land tenure and social capital on adoption of SFM and conservation technologies, a multinomial logit (MNL) model was used. Choice of the MNL model was motivated by the need to address the interdependent and joint nature of the adoption decision making. Secondly to understand the influence of social capital and other determinants on poverty in Uganda, a linear regression model was used while a probit model was used to capture the determinants of group participation our measure of social capital. The results show that participation in social institutions generally tends to increase the probability of adopting most SFM and conservation practices and reducing non-adoption. Social capital also reduces household poverty. The study further shows that poverty increases the probability of non-adoption. Also, land tenure security was found to be positively correlated with adoption of fallowing and organic fertilizer use and reducing the probability of non-adoption. Other key factors that affect adoption of SFM and conservation technologies, poverty and group participation include education, road infrastructure, agro-climatic differences, and household size among others. From a policy perspective, the significance of social capital in both technology adoption and the poverty models, suggests that public investment in social capital through: capacity building programs for local groups, infrastructure support, enabling environment for their functioning (legal framework) among others would lead to poverty reduction and improved investments in SFM and conservation technologies. This can be done by incorporating social capital in key government policies such as the poverty eradication action plan and program for modernisation of agriculture. The results also suggest that poverty reduction would increase adoption of SFM and conservation technologies. Copyright 2007, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Birungi, EM 2007, The linkages between land degradation, poverty and social capital in Uganda, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-01252008-173216 / > / Thesis (PhD(Environmental Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

Markförstöring är idag ett utbrett problem som till stor del är orsakat av konventionellt jordbruk och ohållbar markanvändning. Traditionella jordbrukslandskap har i många områden bedrivits under lång tid utan att uppvisa samma problem samtidigt som de haft hög artmångfald. Denna litteraturstudie studerar dessa landskap med inriktning på Europa och Ostasien. Resultatet visar att det är flera faktorer som är viktiga i deras bevarande av artmångfald såsom heterogenitet, konnektivitet och intermediära störningar. Utöver detta så är effektiv återvinning av näringsämnen, användning av poly-kulturer och jordbrukslandskapens låga intensitet, viktiga faktorer som skyddat dem från överexploatering. Problemet med traditionella jordbrukslandskap är att de inte är ekonomiskt hållbara. Även om restaurering av ekosystem är ett av FN:s mål det kommande decenniet så sker det inte om det inte finns ett incitament att restaurera. Genom att bättre förstå hållbara jordbrukslandskap kan vi i framtiden skapa både ekologiskt resilienta och ekonomiskt stabila produktionslandskap som inte bara gynnar samhället utan även artmångfalden.