Application of GIS in Assessing Land Degradation and Livestock Feed Availability in the Blue Nile basin

The Blue Nile is one of the most poorly planned and managed sub basins of the Nile River, making poverty alleviation and food security an intimidating challenge. Mixed crop-livestock production system is dominant in the basin. Livestock is an important economic source and pathway out of poverty in the Basin. Thus this study focused in quantifying spatially distributed soil loss and biophysical changes. The change was determined using SPOT NDVI long term remote sensing time series data and universal soil loss equation (USLE). The result showed that the actual erosion in the study area ranges between less than 1 to 20 tons ha-1 yr -1 with an average of value of 1.74 tons ha-1 yr -1. Relatively small amount of soil loss per hectare of land is recorded around the lower altitude. The NDVI time series relationship showed a negative trend (Y = 0.0119X + 24.297), possibly indicating a decrease in overall productivity in recent years. As the start of rainfall initiates the growth of green vegetation the NDVI curve also starts ascending with the availability of feed for livestock. The extent of land degradation, soil loss and the NDVI and livestock population over the study area showed positive correlation indicating significant influence on the rate and extent of soil loss