ECOTOURISM POTENTIALS OF OMO BIOSPHERE RESERVE (OBR) AND ITS ENVIRONS

Abstract

Ecotourism offers a great opportunity for African countries and their protected areas hosting a variety of ecosystems and traditional cultures that are major attractions to nature-oriented tourism for their economic development using sustainable tourism development. The potentials of Omo Biosphere Reserve and its environs for ecotourism development were conducted between 2012 and 2013. This was achieved through the determination of the conservation status of the flora and fauna resources of Omo Biosphere Reserve, identification of the cultural heritages of the host communities and the environs as well as ecotourism support facilities in OBR communities and its environs and determination of the perception of the host communities on ecotourism development in the Reserve Desk review method and market survey were used to determine the conservation status of flora, fauna and avifauna resources of OBR. Oral interview was conducted to identify the cultural heritages of the host communities and the environs. Direct observation method was used to identify the ecotourism support facilities in OBR host communities and the environs. A total of 319 structured questionnaire were administered on the 10 randomly selected communities of OBR to collect information on their perception of ecotourism development in the reserve. The government staff, NGO and community leaders were interviewed on the potential challenges to ecotourism development in OBR. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, mean/mode, and standard deviation while inferential statistics; one-way analysis of variance was used to test for significant differences in the cultural resources and Chi-square was used to determine the level of association between the present study and previous studies in OBR on flora, fauna and avifauna resources. There were no significant differences in flora and avifauna but there was significant difference in fauna species. A total of 26 flora species were identified which include economic trees such as: Terminalia superba, Ceiba pentandra, Strombosia pustulata, Nauclea diderrichii and Milicia excelsa. A total of 27 fauna species belonging to four families were identified some of which includes Cercocebus torquatus, Cercopithecus mona, Potamochoerus porcus, Cephalophus silvicultor, and Loxodonta africana cyclotis, with 36 species of avifauna including Tockus nasutus, Guttera pucherani, Nectorinia reicheniwi, Elanus axillaris, and Bubo leucostictus. Some of the identified cultural heritages of OBR environs include Ojude-Oba and Okosi festivals, Agemo masquerade and Sungbo Eredo. OBR environs have ecotourism support facilities like hotels, health facilities and adequate security to accommodate ecotourists. The overall perceptual statement of local communities showed that 88.2% and 11.8% agreed and disagreed respectively on positive impacts of ecotourism development in Omo Biosphere Reserve while 37.23% and 62.77% agree and disagree respectively on the negative. Potential challenges that could affect ecotourism development in OBR and its environs identified by the host communities were poor power supply, bad road networks, poor water supply, low awareness, and poor communication. However, the observed challenges were: poaching, logging and farming. The study recommends that there is a need for a community based ecotourism development that will include all stakeholders of OBR and environs that will ensure sustainability. Cultural resources in OBR environs should be harmonised with the natural resources in OBR. More ecolodges should be established in OBR since reliable and efficient accommodation services and tourist facilities are far from OBR (in the range of 40km-80km). The State Government and other stakeholders should assist in providing portable water, regular electricity, good roads and communication facilities for OBR host communities.