Impact of Rice Expansion on Traditional Wetland Management in the Tropical Highlands of Ethiopia

Despite the fact that rice was only recently brought to Ethiopia, the Ethiopian government has dubbed it the “millennium crop” because of its importance as a food security crop, as well as a source of revenue and job possibilities. Rice production is being practiced on wetland areas and floodplains; however, no attention has been given to the sustainability of these wetlands, or to the integration of different previous indigenous activities, such as livestock rearing and farming of different crops in the area. This study aims to investigate the impact of rice expansion on traditional wetland management in the Fogera floodplain wetlands of the Lake Tana basin. Data were generated via interviews and the application of GIS and remote sensing. The survey questionnaire was administered to 385 rice-producing farmers. The respondents (87%) confirmed that increases in the price of rice encouraged them to shift from the cultivation of conventional crops to rice farming. Subsequently, between the years 1973 and 2014, wetland areas have been reduced from 3114 ha to 1060 ha, accompanied by a high rate of expansion in rice production in the area. Major activities being pursued in the wetlands of the study area do not consider environmental impacts. As a result, the diverse ecosystem services available in the past have been compromised through time. Sense of ownership of wetland resources and their benefit shall be communicated to reduce abusive utilization. Therefore, the policies, strategies, and development activities implementation need to consider environmental issues in rice production enhancement endeavors.