The Socio-Economic and Environmental Impacts of Large Scale Land Transfer on Local Livelihoods: a Case Study from Itang Wereda of Gambella Region, Southwest Ethiopia
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Date
2015-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study attempts to examine local perception of the socio-economic and environmental impacts of large scale land transfer on local people’s livelihoods in Itang Wereda of Gambella Peoples National Regional State, Ethiopia. The analysis of this study followed descriptive qualitative Approach. The primary data was collected through key informant interviews, focus group discussions and direct observation. To complement the primary data, secondary data which the researcher found from various published and unpublished sources were used. After analyzing the data collected, the study found that the transfer of land to domestic and foreign investors have brought no significant social benefits to the local communities, as measured by the level and type of technological transfer, creation of employment opportunities and level of food crop production. However, some LSLT to investors has helped improve infrastructure. The study also found that the investment has negative impacts on the local subsistence economies economy in terms of loss of crop land, grazing land, grass land, firewood and water resources; these have negatively affected local agrarian and animal rearing livelihoods. Moreover, the investments have negative environmental effects on the biodiversity resource as observed by the scale of clearing of the indigenous vegetation cover, damage on wildlife, depletion of water resources, exposed the land to soil erosion and soil degradation. Besides these issues, this study identified the coping strategies pursued by local communities in response to the impacts of the transfer of their land and natural resources ownership to the investors. These strategies include changing land use, sharecropping, tenant farming, changing occupation and mobility or migration patterns. Lastly, the study suggests some ideas for policy makers which emerged from the field study. They include suggestions for the government, investors and civic societies
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Keywords
Large scale land transfer (LSLT), Local Community, agribusiness Investment, Socio-economic Impacts, Environmental Impacts, Coping Strategy