A crisis of the green gold: A case study of large scale Agricultural Investment in Gambella Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

This article examines trends, size, governance, and the perceived benefits of large-scale agricultural investment in Gambella region. Primary and secondary data were collected from diverse sources through survey questionnaire, interview and focus group discussion checklists, and review of related documents. Data analysis was carried out by using descriptive statistics and content analysis. Systematic and purposive sampling techniques were employed to select 237 households and 31 key informants, respectively. The article finds that the investment flow started to amplify in the region in 2008/9 and reached its peak in 2014/15. The evidence shows that more than 650, 000 ha of land was transferred to several investors in the region. Land and project governance system is found as unresponsive, non-transparent, non-participatory, and corrupted. The result also revealed that perceived benefits of the investment such as employment, infrastructure, and technological transfers were not materialized. The article concludes that despite an extensive investment in the region, the ambition of the government to modernize agriculture sector and improve livelihoods of the local people through large-scale farming is failed. The government is, therefore, urged to revise its policies and adopt a holistic and an integrated approach that balance the market interest, natural environment, and societal priorities.

Key words: Large-scale agricultural investment; trends; land governance system; benefits; Gambella; Ethiopia