Resettlement Revisited: The Post-Resettlement Assessment in Biftu Jalala Resettlement Site

Abstract

Ethiopia had been facing a series of food shortages in history. In addressing
this problem, the country has developed and been exercising arrays of
development polices and strategies, among which resettlement is one to be
mentioned. Resettlement programmes undertaken by different regimes of
Ethiopia, therefore, have a declared objective of improving the life of the rural
people affected by drought-induced famines, land degradation, among others
by taking them into unutilized but potentially productive and risk free lands.
The general objective of this paper was to examine the post resettlement socioeconomic
and environmental situation at Biftu Jalala Settlement site. Mixed
research methodology, with both primary and secondary data sources, was
employed. The study brought to light that the resettlement site that was
identified as idle and unutilized spot was found not to be as such and it has
been used by small number of farmers who still are called the ‘old settlers’.
The promise to provide re-settlers with sufficient amount of cleared farmland
was not realized because of the scarcity of farm land available at the
destination. There were huge losses of forest and other natural resources
compared with the pre resettlement time. The re-settlers were provided with no
education and advice about environmental degradation. It was observed that
collective facilities were put in place by the government for use by re-settlers
but the majority was found with limited capacity. The shared agreement among
all the respondents was that their current livelihood situation is by far better
than the former one and they do not dream to return to their origin. It is
recommended that where resettlement is inevitable, detailed research,
imaginative planning, concerned institutional building, participation of resettlers
and receiving communities, and proper preparation should be made.