Land Grabs, Control, and Agricultural Policy-Making in Ethiopia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62327/cuvxxjz5zjKeywords:
agriculture, Ethiopia, Policy, environmentAbstract
The agricultural sector in Ethiopia has been a cornerstone of the nation’s economy. This paper examines the expansion of foreign agricultural investments after the Great Recession and its implications for the federal motivations behind shifts in agricultural policymaking and governance. To investigate this problem, the paper draws on existing literature on Ethiopian land regimes and agricultural investment, as well as case studies on flagship agricultural projects and labor conditions in the floriculture sector. I argue that while foreign agricultural investment may theoretically aid the larger macroeconomic needs of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian government has unduly prioritized political consolidation of regional governance as well as bolstering the export economy. In practice, state-led promotion of foreign investment has marginalized regional autonomy, weakened smallholder land security, and contributed to labor precarity and livelihood insecurity in affected communities.
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