IMPACTS OF LAND USE/ COVER CHANGE ON LAND DEGRADATION IN SODDOZURIA WOREDA, SOUTHWESTERN ETHIOIPIA

Abstract

Land use change has profound impacts on ecosystem service, food production and environment balance (Huimin, 2009). Ingeneral it was concluded that land use changes take place rapidly, mostly due to population increase, and the rate of deforestation has been high when compared to other wereda is true in case of sodozuria (WZAO, 2017). The general objective of the study was to assess the Impacts of Land Use Change on Land Degradation. this research is, therefore followed a cross-sectional study type involving the investigation of a one-time socioeconomic profile of the respondents and as well as land use change and land degradation pattern of the study area . The data analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (spss). The socio-economic data obtained from the questionnaires, KII and FGD would explain qualitatively in the form of statement. LULC change analysis as well as land cover mapping would do using remote sensing and GIS approaches. The findings of study on the pattern of land use land cover indicated that the LULC for the year 1985 up to 2015 maximum area agriculture land and minimum is grazing land. farm expansion, land fragment, DA support and natural hazard were as the most important determinant factors of soil and water conservation practice. As result showed from the total respondent majority of respondent answered there was land degradation in the study area. As majority of respondents answered natural hazard is a case for land degradation. As respondent answered planting tree is major degradation control Measures in the area. Key words: Land use land cover change, land degradation, land use,