Soil Degradation in Magude District: Case of Mahel Administrative Post – Headquarters from 2020 to 2023

Abstract

Soil is a natural resource that plays a vital role in the life of rural communities, from food production, environmental sustainability, promotion of resilient local economies, cultural identity, and the history of these local communities. This study analyses the community's contribution to soil protection and conservation in the Magude District. To achieve this objective, fieldwork was conducted between September 20 and 27, 2020, in the Mahel Administrative Post, based on interviews with three technicians and a survey of twenty farmers, using convenience sampling, in a mixed (qualitative-quantitative) approach, focusing on the case study. The results obtained were analyzed using the SPSS Version 21 statistical package. Descriptive statistics were used, and the data were organized into tables and graphs. Of the responses received, 10 (43.58%) of the respondents were male, and 13 (56.42%) were female. Of the 23 respondents, 13 (56.5%) stated that they engage in farming, and 7 (30.4%) said that, in addition to farming, they also engage in charcoal production for sale. Meanwhile, 3 (13.1%) stated that they do not practice farming and are technicians from the Mahel Administrative Post.