Drivers of land degradation :

Abstract

Despite the importance of Ugandan wetlands in sustaining rural livelihoods, widespread drainage and habitat degradation has occurred. In rural areas where majority of the population rely on wetlands for both direct consumption and ecological functions, wetlands face great threats of degradation as the population increases. In the study to determine the drivers of wetland degradation wetlands in Namasagali sub county where considered covering four neighboring villages with objectives of determining activities carried out in the wetlands, state, of wetlands, responses to wetland degradation and obtaining the peoples opinion on what can be done to reduce the degradation, data was obtained through questionnaire interviews observations and references to. available information and analyzed with statistical packages. The study revealed that there are high levels of degradation due to increased clearance of natural vegetation for mainly agricultural activities like crop growing and cattle grazing, brickmaking, charcoal burning and such activities are major driving forces behind land degradation due to increased levels of soil erosion, there are low levels of responses to wetland degradation and limited awareness towards sustainable use and. management of wetland resources, gender and age are relevant factors in determining the nature of activities carried out in wetlands with the male and age group of 30-39 taking a great percentage of participants. Activities in wetlands are independent of whether one owns land or not. Based on the study, the following recommendations were made; need to sensitize and change attitude of community towards environment and natural resource management, there is need for proper coordination and involvement of stakeholders at various levels in management of natural resources, carry out research activities to provide information on the, state of wetland resources in order to develop appropriate and efficient mechanisms to overcome the challenges at hand, forming of associations for farmers at local levels for easy monitoring of their activities and implementation of government programmes like NAADS and provision of assistance to farmers inform of relief for controlling pests and diseases, consider gender equality in use and management of natural resources to avoid gender conflicts.