Environmental Degradation, Population Density and Government Policy in Ethiopia

Tsegaye Tegenu, PhD
2024-08-28

This Kiremt, Ethiopia’s main rainy season from mid-June to mid-September, which contributes 50–80% of the country’s annual rainfall, has triggered landslides across many districts in northern and southern Ethiopia. Recently, a landslide in the northern Gondar zone of the Amhara region resulted in the deaths of 23 people and left eight others injured. This tragedy follows another landslide on August 24, 2024, in the Tselemti district of the North Western Tigray zone, where 10 people died and six remain missing. Additionally, last month, consecutive landslides in the Gofa zone of Ethiopia’s southern region claimed nearly 260 lives and displaced over 15,000 people.

Experts identify soft earth materials, high rainfall, elevation and slope angle, poor land use, and lack of vegetation as major factors contributing to landslides. However, the underlying causes are tied to high population density and the agricultural practices of densely populated, child-rich and labor-rich households.

In the country over 15 million rural households are engaged in extensive and intensive agriculture to ensure food security, create jobs, and generate income. These households rely on small-scale agriculture for their livelihood. As population density has increased, forest lands have been cleared for expansion, and further fragmentation has occurred as the labor force has grown. Land-use changes and unsustainable land management practices are direct human causes of land degradation in the country, with subsistence agriculture being a key driver of this degradation.

Landslides, deforestation, flooding, and other signs of environmental degradation what we observe now in the country underscore the stress that high population density places on the environment’s capacity to sustain livelihoods. The government’s initiative to plant billions of trees aims to combat deforestation and soil erosion, helping to restore and preserve biodiversity, which is vital for a resilient ecosystem.

While tree planting is an effective measure, it is not a panacea. It cannot fully address the root causes of environmental degradation, which stem from high population density and dependence on extensive and intensive agriculture. Even where reforestation efforts are made, the pressure from high population density and the agricultural practices of rural households can lead to the conversion of newly planted areas back to agricultural use, potentially undermining these efforts.

I therefore advocate the following rural development strategies and economic policies:

1. Rural industrialization to absorb the growing rural surplus labor in its own proximate location. A policy of rural industrialization is a viable solution to the challenges faced by subsistence and smallholder agriculture. Rural industrialization involves developing industries and economic activities in rural areas, which can lead to diversified economic opportunities, job creation, reduce pressure on agricultural land, and ultimately contribute to the modernization of agriculture.

By diversifying the rural economy, creating jobs, and improving infrastructure, rural industrialization can reduce the pressure on agriculture, encourage more sustainable farming practices, and contribute to overall economic development. However, for this strategy to be effective, it must be supported by policies that promote investment, provide education and training, among others.

2. Strategy of modernizing small-scale subsistence farming through policies of land consolidation, introduction of high-yielding crops and irrigation systems. Modernization of agriculture increases agricultural productivity, enhances food security and reduces environmental degradation.

There are over 15 million agricultural households cultivating more than 20 million hectares of land. The growth in subsistence households has increased consumption needs, land demand, and the number of agricultural laborers. This rising demand and resource need over time have led to deforestation, fragmentation and intensified labor requirements. In other countries, rising population pressures have typically led to greater labor division, specialization, technological adoption, and increased productivity. However, in rural Ethiopia, the situation is the opposite. The Ethiopian government investment nearly 20 billion Birr in supporting smallholder agriculture has exacerbated the fragmentation. It is time to reconsider policies that promote further fragmentation.

The strategy of transforming small-scale subsistence farming to large-scale, modern agriculture, needs the following policies: land consolidation, secure funding for modern equipment, technology, and infrastructure, implementation of modern farming techniques, irrigation system, establishing robust supply chains for inputs and for selling produce, among others.

3. Strategy of clustering small and medium-sized towns. Since the early 1990s, there is an increase in the total number of towns and faster growth rate in the middle-class towns, with a population between 10,000-100,000. It is necessary to group these towns into interconnected networks and regions to enhance their economic, social, and infrastructural development. Clustering reduces costs through shared services, infrastructure, and facilities, benefiting from economies of scale that individual towns might not achieve on their own. By creating larger, integrated markets, cluster towns can attract businesses, investment, and tourism. The strategy boosts the local economies by creating job opportunities, absorbing the rural surplus labor and subsequentlyrelieving the burden on the carrying capacity of the environment.

Clustering towns leads to more efficient land use by concentrating development in specific areas. This prevents urban sprawl and reduces the conversion of natural landscapes into developed areas, thus preserving ecosystems and biodiversity. By focusing development in clusters, more land can be allocated to green spaces, agriculture, and natural habitats, which helps maintain ecological balance and reduces environmental impact.

Combining these three strategies and policies creates a balance that addresses various aspects of environmental and economic challenges facing rural Ethiopia. Modernizing farming practices and promoting rural industrialization provide the necessary economic alternatives to reduce pressure on land and the environment, while clustering towns can facilitate better infrastructure and services and absorption of rural surplus labor.