Abstract:
The study assessed the drought hazard vulnerability assessment and community response at
Dabat woreda. This study employed a mixed approach using both the qualitative and
quantitative methods and data was collected through questionnaire, interview, focus group
discussion, observation, and using satellite data image. The study used both primary and
secondary data sources. The researcher used purposive or judgmental sampling techniques from
the non probability sampling categories and selected four kebeles; these are Defiya, Kareha,
Tenseye and Janbelew. The sample size was determined by using Simple random Sampling
techniques in the total households of the selected kebeles. The researcher used three hundred
sixty-six respondents in the selected kebeles as a sample and collected qualitative and
quantitative data in this study. Finally the quantitative data was analyzed in this study by using
simple descriptive data analysis through percentage, frequency and tables and the qualitative
data were simply presented with interpretations of their meaning, reflections, and providing
direct quotes from the speakers. The result of the study showed that, the environmental society’s
participation to overcome the problem was not effective. Rapid population growth, lack of
cultivated land, interference of human beings in the forest cover for the purpose of charcoal and
grazing by animals were the basic causes for drought hazard vulnerability of the selected
kebeles. In addition to this the population in the selected kebeles has no a good understanding
about the negative impact of drought hazard and there was no continuous technical support from
the government to improve the forest cover and to decline the vulnerability of the selected
kebeles to drought hazard .According to the satellite image data of the selected kebeles the
forest cover in the year 2000 was not damaged ,but the satellite image data of 2010 and 2020
indicated that the forest cover of these kebeles became highly decline. The community response
to prevent drought hazard was not the same from one selected kebele to the other because the
researcher observed different level of plant cover during the field work and natural resource
experts also told to the researcher the variation of community response to decline drought the
vulnerability of the environment. As a result the vulnerability of the selected kebeles to drought
hazard was aggravated due to the above causes. At the end of this paper some recommendations
are forwarded by the researcher as a solution to minimize drought hazard. For example, control
population growth rate, create awareness to the society, and keep the forests from destruction.
