Local People’s Attitude and the Impact of Community-based Conservation Practice at Menz-Guassa Community Conservation Area, Ethiopia

A study on local people’s attitude and the impact of community-based conservation system at Menz-Guassa Community Conservation Area (MGCCA), Ethiopia, was conducted using questionnaire survey, in-depth and key informant interview methods. All of the respondents practiced mixed farming as their primary source of livelihood and few (17%) were engaged in off-farming activities. The majority (93.8%) reported annual grain production of <10 quintals while the remaining had 15-20 quintals. All of the respondents expressed positive attitude towards conservation of MGCCA. Most of the respondents obtained benefits from the area such as animal fodder, firewood, water for livestock and irrigation. The data obtained from in-depth and key informant interviews showed the major role of governmental and nongovernmental organizations were to create awareness about the importance of the natural vegetation in Guassa and offer alternative income sources such as horticulture, apiculture, handcrafts manufacturing and marketing, energy saving stove production, guarding, and tourist services. The respondents also pointed out that the major challenges faced at MGCCA were human population increase, intermittent drought, and poverty. The conservation system at MGCCA appears to have a positive impact on the conservation and sustainable use of the local resources and it should be further strengthened. Keywords: conservation, CBNRM, natural resources, Guassa, local people, attitud