PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN POPULATION, FARMLAND SIZE AND FOREST COVER IN SIGMO DISTRICT OF OROMIA REGION, ETHIOPIA

The world population is exceeding seven billion at the same time when resource limits and environmental degradation are becoming more apparent every day. This paper analyzes the nexus between population dynamics and forest degradation. The study quantified the effect of human population growth on rates of deforestation using GIS based information taken for 30 years (1985-2015) in Sigmo district, South Western Ethiopia. A mixed approach, comprising of both quantitative and qualitative methods, is used for the study. Descriptive statistical techniques such as frequencies and percentages are employed and presented in tables, graphs, charts, and satellite image maps. Inferential statistics such as, Pearson correlation coefficient are implemented to demonstrate the degree of association between the dependent (forest area and farmland size) and independent variables (population growth). The findings of the study revealed that the population of the study area has grown very rapidly (2.9% /year). The rapidly growing population adversely impacted the forest resource of the area in a way of agricultural land expansion, fuel wood consumption, settlement expansion, timber harvest for construction and commercial logging. Thus, between 1985 and 2015, forest cover of the study area got reduced nearly by half (48.8%) while farm lands expanded by about 124%. These, in turn, have resulted in soil erosion and loss of soil fertility, depletion of biodiversity, interruption of water flows, and the spread of desertification