Community perceptions on the effect of land degradation to water recourses at bolahla- mphosong in leribe district

Author: 
Mphonyane H. Ntlele (MSc), Makoala V. Marake (PhD), Francis T. Mugabe (PhD), Sebolelo F. Molete (PhD), Botle E. Mapeshoane(PhD), Tumelo Nkheloane (MSc) , Joseph Patrick Mensah (MSc) and Tebello A. Sekhobe (MSc)

In Lesotho, the alpine wetlands and sponges are the sources of drinking water for humans and livestock and environmentally critical for sustainable perennial flow of our streams. However, these environments are some of the most threatened ecosystems in Lesotho. Both ground and surface water are exposed to increasing and unprecedented threats from anthropogenic stressors that degrade water quality, reduce water quantity and availability. The net effects are compounded by the climate change impacts creating extreme precipitation conditions of drought and floods, both of which collude to destroy habitat and harm aquatic life. Climate change is the compounding factor, the effects of which are exacerbated by anthropogenic activities which cause land degradation. Since the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the people to a large extend influence how they manage the environment, the purpose of the study was to assess the land users’ perceptions on their water quality, availability and distribution. A structured open-ended questionnaire was used to illicit information from focus group discussions with community groups and interviews with key informants. The questions were based on LADA framework of Driving Forces, Pressures, State, Impacts and Responses (DPSIR), which sought to assess the state (S) of the water resources, the driving forces and pressure factors (DP) bearing on water resources, the impacts (I) impacts of the anthropogenic factors on the ecosystem as well as to the households and then the response (R) surface of the community and policy makers. The status of the water resources were found to have decreased due to lack of proper management of the resources, high population caused water shortage and infrastructures decrease water sources as result, the water becomes low both in quality and quantity and their crop production decreased. In respone, the community had started making dams and covering their wells. However, no policies were made regarding water resources management.

Paper No: 
2823