- Title
- Sustainable conservation practices in Tigray, Ethiopia
- Creator
- Assefa, Mulat Zinabu
- Subject
- Nature conservation -- Economic aspects
- Subject
- Biodiversity conservation -- Economic aspects
- Subject
- Sustainable development -- Ethiopia
- Date Issued
- 2023-12
- Date
- 2023-12
- Type
- Doctoral theses
- Type
- text
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65532
- Identifier
- vital:74185
- Description
- After the short-lived Derg regime's land reform in 1975, Ethiopia's smallholder farmers were granted equitable tenure and ownership rights for the first time in history. Furthermore, since 1991 there was a growing desire for better living conditions among smallholder farmers. As a result of the involvement of smallholder farmers, Sustainable Conservation Practices (SCP) was regarded as an effective symbol of government land and rural development policy in Ethiopia in the last two decades. SCP in Tigray, Ethiopia has been hailed as a model of conservation practices impacting the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and sustainable development. It has, however, been accompanied by both criticism and acclaim. Contrary to the success narratives of the SCP, Tigray's smallholder farmers continue to face livelihood challenges and climate threats. The primary aim of this study was to critically assess and explain the livelihood impact of SCPs and ongoing participation in soil and water conservation practices (SWCPs) among Tigrayan smallholder farmers. Previously, studies on the issue have focused on SWC techniques or local watershed management. There has been a lack of adequate research on the historical and political interactions between smallholder farmers and the state regarding land conservation in the past two decades. A mixed method approach was used to address this knowledge gap in four tabiyas through multiple sampling methods, using purposive sampling methods to select two reported models of conservation and random sampling methods to select two average tabiyas, in three different woredas. Mixed methods research was used to combine quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques. The study revealed that Ethiopia's land use laws and policies under previous regimes have led to current challenges in sustainable land conservation and poverty reduction. As a result of land tenure laws and rights imposed by previous regimes, the challenges for the sustainable land use rights and land conservation practices continue to impact the livelihood of smallholder farmers. To demonstrate the success of land reform and conservation efforts, the government has been promoting the continued use of SWC practices by smallholder farmers in the last two decades. As part of SWC practices, political mobilisation and incentives such as safety-net programmes and agricultural inputs are used to encourage participation. Despite admirable advances in land degradation management, there were no appreciable differences between the results from the model and the average tabiya categories in terms of livelihood improvements. The success of the model tabiyas has proven difficult to replicate and it is still too early to judge whether the success of model tabiyas will be sustainable if they do not continue to receive extensive support from government and external stakeholders. The integration of local knowledge is crucial for the success of SCP, and the cumulative effect of the ‗one size fits all‘ approach in Tigray contributed to the failure to see substantial changes in the rural households. Thus, this study recommends the transformation of the rural and agricultural sector requires comprehensive, reliable, indigenous, and scientific paths that are informed by the local and lived experience of the rural households, rather than telling the success stories of conservation over again.
- Description
- Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Economics, Development and Tourism, 2023
- Format
- computer
- Format
- online resource
- Format
- application/pdf
- Format
- 1 online resource (xxiv, 255 pages)
- Format
- Publisher
- Nelson Mandela University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Nelson Mandela University
- Rights
- All Rights Reserved
- Rights
- Open Access
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | Assefa, M.pdf | 6 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |