Monitoring Rangeland Degradation and Its Dynamism in Pastoral Areas of Afar Region, Ethiopia by Using Earth Observation Data

Abstract

Rangelands cover a significant portion of the world's land area, particularly in Africa, where they support the livelihoods of communities and contribute to national economies. However, rangeland degradation poses a significant environmental challenge globally, threatening ecosystem services and impacting food security, water availability, and resilience to climate change. In Ethiopia, rangeland degradation is a pressing issue, driven by factors such as overgrazing, deforestation, soil erosion, and climate change, which in turn affect vegetation cover, soil fertility, and biodiversity. This study analyzes Rangeland cover changes in Afar pastoralist systems using Landsat satellite images from 2000 to 2020. A supervised classification approach identified five land-use/cover classes, and results show significant changes in forest, grassland, bareland, cropland, and wetland areas over the two-decade period. Grassland areas declined drastically. The findings underscore the complexity of land use dynamics in the Afar region and highlight the need for holistic approaches integrating ecological conservation, sustainable land management, and community engagement to mitigate further degradation and preserve vital ecosystems.
Key Words: Rangeland degradation, Land-use/cover, GIS, Remote sensing, Sustainable land management.
DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/17-1-01
Publication date: February 28th 2025