Assessing the implications of wetland degradation on livelihoods in Murora and Nyakabande sub-counties in Kisoro district south western Uganda

Abstract

Wetlands are the world’s ecologically useful ecosystems providing a variety of sustainable livelihood services. Globally wetlands are drastically decreasing. For instance, it is estimated that 50% of wetlands have been lost through degradation leading to changes in sustainable livelihoods. Wetland degradation is mainly a result of human influence such as agriculture, fish farming, brick making and others. The study was carried out in Nyakabande and Murora sub counties in Kisoro district South Western Uganda under the main objective “to analyze the drivers of wetland degradation”. The specific objectives of the study included; to identify the drivers of wetland degradation, to identify the implications of wetland degradation on livelihoods of the communities and to identify the strategies to avert wetland degradation. The study used a cross-sectional design while deploying a mixed methods approach and was conducted using survey questionnaires. A sample size of 96 respondents’ particularly household heads was selected. The researcher used cluster sampling in which the researcher divided a population into smaller groups known as clusters, then randomly selected among these clusters to form a sample. Primary and secondary data was used and was descriptively analyzed using SPSS and Excel software. From the findings of the study, female was 56.2%, male was 43.7%. 91.7% had attended school and 8.3% of the respondents never had a chance of schooling. Cultivation close to wetlands, brick making and overharvesting of vegetation for art and craft were the major drivers of wetland degradation. Loss of art and craft materials and reduced building materials were among the common implications of wetland degradation on the livelihoods of the communities. Controlled grazing and garden work, education and sensitization, were the major strategies used to avert wetland degradation. There is need for the government to implement strict laws governing the wetlands in the area and also to put the wetland conservation plan for the stakeholders to follow. There is need to support local wetlands and watershed protection initiatives by donating materials, time or money.