Perceptions on Impacts of Competition of Eucalypt Plantations with Other Land Uses on the Rural Livelihood in the Western Gurage Watersheds, Central-South Ethiopia

Abstract Since recent years, conversions of croplands, grasslands or cash crop fields to eucalypt plantations are becoming common trends in Ethiopia. Reasons for the conversions are better return from eucalypt than crop farming. This study tried to assess the land use competition impacts of eucalypt plantations with other land uses in the Western Gurage Watersheds, Central-south Ethiopia. The specific objectives were to investigate households’ and experts’ perceptions on land use competition of eucalypt plantations; and to assess perceptions on impacts of eucalypt plantation and copping strategies. Samples from three woredas (districts) namely Cheha, Enemorna Ener, and Eza located in the Watersheds were used. These woredas were purposefully selected due to large coverage of the watersheds, extensive expansion of eucalypts farming and thereby high eucalypts pole production, incidences of serious competition of eucalypts with other uses, and the presences of road accessibility for data collection. To get detail information on perception of the households and experts, in-depth discussions with focus groups and key informant were employed. Individual farm households whose age were greater than 70 years old and knowledgeable persons to discuss on the issue of eucalypt plantations were selected purposefully with the guidance of each kebele (sub-district) chairpersons and district experts. Thereafter, three focus group discussions with farm households were conducted in the three districts. Key informant interviews were conducted with purposefully selected and well experienced individual farm households and experts in each district. The result showed that young farmers planted from 1000 to 5000 eucalypt seedlings on lands previously covered with crops. The young people resisted advice from elders and converted farmlands to eucalypt plantations. Previous practitioners (adoptees) who benefitted much from eucalypt products tended for further expansion. This, in turn, resulted in serious land use competition with farmland and grasslands. To mitigate such serious competition with food crops and grasslands, and to sustain the livelihood and environment, appropriate management, e.g. site selection and substitutions by horticultural and cash crops using micro irrigation schemes for market needs are recommended. Conducting in-depth participatory research and specific policy ratification and promulgation on eucalypt plantations will curb its serious land use competition with farm and grazing lands.