LARGE SCALE COMMERCIAL FARMING AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN ETHIOPIA: THE CASE OF GAMBELLA REGIONAL STATE

Abstract

Abstract The global food crisis of 2007/8 and fuel crisis of 2007/9 led many, including the Gulf States and several East Asian countries, to re-evaluate their strategies and secure land and water elsewhere, essentially to produce food and fuel and to supply their growing populations. Consequently, in Ethiopia, more than three million hectares of land has been leased to investors for large scale commercial farming, out of which, the total land area of 524,202.58 hectare hasbeen distributed to both local and foreign investors in Gambella Regional State. Hence, the main purpose of the study was to assess the nature of large scale commercial farming in Gambella Regional State with respect to the processes adopted, and its environmental implications. In spite of the fact thatthe contribution of large scale commercial farming is undeniably significant to the local and national economy, the procedure pursuedin allocating land to investors has not been environmentally friendly. Though local communities' tie with their natural environment is very strong, the establishment of large scale commercial farming in the region is disconnecting the environment from its dependants, therural population, and putting the sustainability of the environment in question unless it is managed with immediate interventions of the concerned bodies.