Review on Contribution of GIS and RS for Soil Degradation Assessment in Ethiopia

Abstract

GIS and RS are an advanced tools and playing a great role in natural resource management, particularly for assessing soil degradation. Soil degradation is the chronic problem in the world including Ethiopia. To review the contribution of GIS and RS, data collected from secondary data sources then discussion made based on their key findings.Accordingly, a few authors have assessed soil degradation by using GIS and RS integrated with USLE in Ethiopia. According to their findings, land degradation in the form of soil erosion is a critical issue. It is triggering by water soil erosion. Because of soil erosion, the potential capacity of the soil highly deteriorated. The amount of soil loss estimated in a different place all above the maximum (22t ha−1 year−1) soil loss tolerant considered for Ethiopia. Consequently, it threatens economic growth, environmental resource, and social assets. Moreover, its severity is uneven in all parts of the country. Even though the study conducted on soil degradation by using GIS and RS technique, its contribution is yet not pronounced to government organizations, NGOs, policymakers, and decision-makers, environmentalist and researchers in reviewed form. This will be reducing the attention that could be given to it. Therefore, to tackle this issue, this paper aimed to review the GIS and RS contribution for soil degradation assessment in Ethiopia.

Keywords: GIS, RS, Soil degradation, Soil loss, and effects

DOI: 10.7176/JEES/9-12-01

Publication date: December 31^st 2019