LAND USE/LAND COVER DYNAMICS AND FLOOD-INDUCED EFFECTS ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC OF HOUSEHOLDS IN DAWO DISTRICT, SOUTHWEST SHEWA ZONE, OROMIA, ETHIOPIA

Undesirable conversion of land from natural to human-induced landscape has been increasing in this century because of many interrelated factors thereby increasing the frequency and intensity of flooding. Thus, this study aimed at examining land use/cover dynamics and effects of flooding on socio-economic conditions of households in Dawo District for the past three decades. Data collection techniques employed in this study were questionnaire, key informant interviews, group discussions and personal observation. Sample sizes of 310 households were contacted for questionnaire survey using systematic sampling techniques while purposive sampling technique was applied for identifying participants of group discussions and interviews. Landsat imageries of 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2020 were utilized for studying land cover dynamics and the classification was done by using supervised maximum likelihood classifier algorithm. The results of the study demonstrated that in the past three decades (1991 – 2020), vegetation and grass land have been severely diminished aggravating the severity of flooding on livelihoods of the local communities. Thus, the results obtained from the image reveal that settlement and cultivation land of the study area have been reduced by 202.15 and 640.22 ha respectively. The collapse of grass and vegetation have been documented mainly because of absence of integrated land use planning in the country. The results of the study also show that standing crop, livestock production, grazing land, housing conditions, sources of drinking water and school attendance have been adversely affected by flooding events leading to the disturbance of livelihoods of the households. Therefore, the study recommended the development of integrated land use planning and locally applied flood controlling measures.