The Right to Self Rule and Large Scale of Agricultural Investment in Gambella Peoples National Regional State
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Date
2017-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study attempts to examine/asses the right to self-rule and large scale of agriculture
investment in Gambella National Regional State western Ethiopia, based on the assessment on
the self-rule, socio-economic and environmental effects of large scale agriculture land
investment/transfer on local people’s livelihoods. The analysis of this research followed
descriptive qualitative research approach. The primary data was collected through key informant
interviews, focus group discussions and direct observation by the author. To complement the
primary data, secondary data which the researcher found from government legal documents and
various published and unpublished sources were used. After analyzing the data collected, the
study found that the transfer of large scale agriculture investment on land to domestic and
foreign investors have brought no significant social benefits to the local communities, political
economic as measured by the level and type of technological transfer, creation of employment
opportunities and level of food crop production. However, some Large Scale Agricultural
Investment to investors has helped improve infrastructure. The study also found that the
investment has negative effects on the self-rule, local small scale farming or economies in terms
of loss of crop land, grazing land, grass land, firewood and water resources; these have
negatively affected local agrarian economies 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 effects of the
transfer of the large scale agriculture 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 research suggests/recommend some
ideas for policy makers which emerged from the field study. They include suggestions for the
government, investors, stakeholders and civic societies.
Key Terms: self-rule, Large Scale of Agriculture Investment (LSAI), Local Community,
agribusiness Investment, Socio-economic effects, constitution, Coping Strategy
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Keywords
self-rule, Large Scale of Agriculture Investment, LSAI, Local Community, agribusiness Investment, Socio-economic effects, constitution, Coping Strategy