dc.description.abstract |
This research was aimed at examining the practices of development communication for
sustainability of natural resource conservations in Gonji Qolela woreda. To this end, the study used
qualitative research approach. The study employed focus group discussion, in-depth interview,
document analysis and field observation as research tools to collect relevant data to the study. The
collected data were organized and analyzed in the form of thematic analysis. The study was framed
by the theoretical lenses of participatory communication. The results of the study showed that there
are no proper communication practices and methods that led people to protect degradation of
SNRC. Accordingly, the occurrence of soil and water, and other natural resource degradation in the
studied area is increasing and it is suffering economy of the communities. Both monological and
dialogical communications were found to be the communication approaches being employed.
However, the major communications practices of the study area were also found to be a one-way,
top down approach which chained with matters in recording the expected results. Poor participation
of local community, nonexistence of communication trained specialists and absence of sense of
ownership by stakeholders were best described as the problem for scored and grasped effective
change in the study area. The sustainability of NRC was not also found to be practiced well to attain
its aim. The results of study further pointed out that development communication practices were not
used as a means of solution to eradicate the issue of SNRC. The local development structures and
woreda stakeholders used SNRC practices for the consumption of paper rather than genuinely
involving the people and succeed the goal. Based on the findings, the study recommended
examining the participation and perception of the local community and concerned bodies in
practicing the development communication for better achievement and sustainability of NRC in the
study area. |
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