A Political Ecology Perspective of Land Degradation in the North Ethiopian Highlands

Severe environmental degradation in the north Ethiopian Highlands is among others the result of mismanagement, overpopulation and droughts. However, here, we investigate the linkages of land degradation with the historical dynamics of the political-ecological system and regional land policies. We performed semi-structured interviews with 93 farmers in eight villages in the Tigray region (north Ethiopia) and conceptualised a political-ecological model of land tenure and degradation changes for the region. Results show that different land policies caused and still cause land degradation in several ways. Interviews reveal that the unequal character of land rights during feudal times played an important role in 19th and 20th century land degradation. In particular, poor farmers were forced to construct their farms on marginal terrains, such as steep slopes in dry areas and marshes in cold and humid areas, increasing the catchment water runoff and degradation. The interviews further suggest that after the Derg regime (1974-1991), environmental conservation strategies were successfully implemented at larger scales. Overall, feudal, Derg and contemporary land policies have all had impacts on environmental degradation and have left their fingerprints on the physical landscape of northern Ethiopia. Copyright (c) 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.