RRI | 24 May 2017
Gendered impacts of large-scale land acquisitions in Western Ethiopia
by Forests and Livelihoods: Assessment, Research and Engagement (FLARE)
Gendered impacts of large-scale land acquisitions in Western Ethiopia
by Forests and Livelihoods: Assessment, Research and Engagement (FLARE)
This study presents the results of a comparative assessment of the effects of four cases of land transactions in western Ethiopia in the states of Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz. The study contributes to the larger body of research on large-scale land transactions. It does so through a particular focus on how these transactions are affecting women and women’s livelihoods in comparison to those of men.
The study identifies four consistent outcomes across the studied cases:
(1) They reduced available land and parcel sizes for agricultural households;
(2) They reduced available grazing area, livestock holdings, milk consumption/sale, and availability of other livestock products;
(3) They prompted out-migration and increased labor requirements from women who came to manage both their normal domestic chores but also had to take address new tasks outside the home;
(4) Finally, they reduced available forest area and forest products such as firewood and non-timber goods, again increasing the labor burden of women. Preliminary evidence of changes in nutrition and diets point to an important avenue for future research.