Destitution in the North-Eastern Highlands of Ethiopia

Community and Household Studies in Wag Hamra and South Wello

Rural destitution is a growing phenomenon in Ethiopia, closely associated with population growth, resource scarcity, crop failure and famine. Conducted in a woina dega community in the Wag Hamra zone and a kola community in South Wello in the Ethiopian highlands, this research paper attempts to further understanding about destitution.

The author identifies the important causes of rural destitution as: the occurrence of droughts, the impact of land redistribution, declining trends in resource availability, and ecological conditions. Finally, he argues that the struggle against destitution and poverty in the Ethiopian highlands must incorporate four vital strategies: an anti-drought/famine strategy; an agricultural strategy; an income diversification strategy; and a demographic strategy.

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