LAND RESOURCES INVENTORY. Environmental changes analysis and their application to agriculture in Teh Abaya Lake region (Ethiopia)

Objective

The research is concerned with the general evaluation of the natural resou rces of an undeveloped area, centred on a two lake system (Abaya and Chamo, Southern Ethiopia Rift Valley), where the population growth has not been matched by a consistent increase of food production. The main aim of the project is to collect reliable data from which to get information about the dynamics of the major constraints to be considered in future developing plans.This will be achieved through the description of the present environ mental resources, the recognition of past climatic and environmental situation and the study of the lakes hydrology and the sediment dynamics. The data collection will be carried out by using both well established methodologies, including the installation of standard agro-hydro-meteorological gauges, and properly developed procedures. The former consist in sample laboratory analysis, remote sensing and photointerpretation, computer data processing and field surveys for soil description and classification, vegetation classification and inventory, description of erosional and degradational processes, delineation and mapping of land units, lake bathymetry, lake sediment coring and analysis, measurement of the main chemical and physical parameters of the lake water, river sediment survey and sampling. New investigation methods deals with: application of particular remote sensing procedures, distributed model for watershed geomorphic analysis and sediment yield assessment,assessment of local and traditional pratices mor suitable for soil conservation and water storage. The proposal includes also the training and updating of undergraduate, postgraduate and Young Ethiopian scientists. These will benefit from guided field work and from research visits and stages in european laboratories and institutions. The field research activities qill also involve the local population.

Fields of science

• natural sciences › earth and related environmental sciences › hydrology
• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › remote sensing
• agricultural sciences › agriculture, forestry, and fisheries › agriculture
• natural sciences › computer and information sciences › data science › data processing

Programme(s)

• FP3-STD 3 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of the life sciences and technologies for developing countries, 1990-1994

Topic(s)

Data not available

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF FLORENCE

Address

Via G. La Pira 4
50121 Firenze
Italy

Participants (5)

Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia

Address

2003 Addis-abeba

Addis Abeba University

Ethiopia

Address

2003 Addis-abeba

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF WALES ABERYSTWYTH

United Kingdom

Address

Penglais Campus
SA23 2DB Aberystwyth

UNIVERSITY OF FLORENCE

Italy

Address

Via Santa Marta 3
50139 Firenze

Università degli Studi di Firenze

Italy

Address

Piazzale Delle Cascine 15
50144 Firenze