Abstract:
This study was aimed at analysing communal land use management practices and
policies towards sustainability and climate resilience. The objectives of this study
were to assess rainfall variability, climate change impact, adaptation practices and
impediment factors for adaptation on the one hand and, on the other, analysing the
pressure, scrutinising the sustainability of institutional practices, and assessing
policy setting and its application status in managing communal lands. To conduct
the study, a household survey, key informant interviews and group discussions
were used. It employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. For analysis,
rainfall variability trend analysis, different empirical formulas, Principal Component
Analysis and analysis of variance were used. In addition, Qualitative Content
Analysis technique and descriptive statistical tools were also used. The study found
that there was spatiotemporal rainfall variability. About 18 extreme wet and 8
extreme dry events were depicted out of 194 frequencies of events. The most
outstanding manifestations of climate change/variability impacts identified were:
water scarcity, migration, severe erosion and feed scarcity. Applying biophysical
measures on communal lands, practicing area enclosure and constraction of feeder
road were moderately excersised adaptation and mitigation practices while, low
level community awareness was the most outstanding barrier for community
adaptation. Besides, feed source and fuel biomass energy did not satisfy
community demand. Government recognition to support community user groups,
the existence of community labour contribution and congruence between
government legislation and community by-laws were found moderately strong.
Besides, communal land administration and use of legislative setting and
instruments to govern land administration were adequately in place to implement
communal land use and management. However, workability of by-laws in applying them at the ground was a major weakness. In conclusion, the study revealed that
there exist generally a weak communal land use management practices and policy
implementation towards enhancing sustainability and climate resilience.
Hence, the following recommendations were forwarded: enhancing community
awareness, encouraging communities to establish their own private woodlots and
grazing areas to reduce the pressure on communal land, applying proper
communal land resource use and management plans and certifying communal
lands with demarcation and maps should be given due emphasis to enhance
sustainability. Moreover, policy and legislation evaluation and revision to improve its
application at the ground is fundamental. On top of this, further research endeavour
is still paramount important to scrutinize the integral effects of the biophysical,
social, cultural and legislative dimensions for better sustainable and climate resilient
communal land use management practices and policy implementation
