Social impact and impoverishment risks of the Koga irrigation scheme, Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia

Abstract

The Koga project is the first new large-scale irrigation scheme in the Blue Nile river basin since the 1970s and may thus serve as an example of the tremendous changes of landscape and livelihood that are accompanying current water development projects in Ethiopia. This article analyzes the impoverishment risks arising out of the development-induced relocation of households in Koga. Following the Impoverishment Risk and Reconstruction model, seven of eight impoverishment risks could be identified, namely temporal landlessness, homelessness, joblessness, social marginalization, loss of household assets, social disarticulation and food insecurity, though the majority of relocated households succeeded in moving to other rural areas and did not face the challenges caused by urbanization. The Koga project and the local municipality undertook activities to reverse the impoverishment risk for the relocated households, but focused on the reconstruction of material livelihood assets (land, houses and compensation). The extent of rural-urban migration as a result of the project was underestimated. Proactive activities by the affected households succeeded in reducing their risk of impoverishment if they were informed early enough about the irrigation project.

The dynamics of farmer migration and resettlement in the Dhidhessa River Basin, Ethiopia

“…Climate change, population growth and deforestation have significantly affected water resources management and the development of the country (Tena et al 2015). Studies in Ethiopia, Mexico's Pacific coasts and elsewhere in the world have shown that large-scale dam and irrigation projects usually cause serious environmental and social consequences (Tilt et al 2009, Eguavoen and Tesfai 2012, Ezcurra et al 2019. Though such water resource development schemes are intended to bring economic and social benefits, their construction and operation are usually followed by flooding, degradation, environmental change, loss of land and economic instability to the communities living, for example, around the Arjo-Dhidhessa large-scale dam in the Dhidhessa River Basin (DRB) (Tena et al 2015).…”

Systematic Literature Review (SLR) Dinamika Perencanaan Pembangunan Infrastruktur Berkelanjutan

“…Selanjutnya pembangunan infrastruktur memiliki risiko dalam keadaan darurat seperti terjadinya bencana alam (Fisch-Romito & Guivarch, 2019). Pembangunan infrastruktur juga menyebabkan risiko kemiskinan bagi masyarakat di sekitar pembangunan infrastruktur seperti pembangunan jalan tol yang dapat membuat kondisi masyarakat setempat menjadi lebih buruk secara ekonomi (Eguavoen & Tesfai, 2012). Kemudian risiko lain adalah masyarakat dirugikan secara ekonomi atas pemindahan secara…”

“…Sementara itu pembangunan infrastruktur juga menimbulkan permasalahan social bagi masyarakat. Pembangunan infrastruktur jalan tol dapat mengubah pola interaksi social masyarakat, terjadi disartikulasi komunitas social yang dapat membahayakan struktur social budaya masyarakat yang terdampak pembangunan infrastruktur, kebiasaan hidup yang dilakukan masyarakat cenderung hilang termasuk juga resiko kehilangan pekerjaan dan mata pencaharian (Cernea, 2004;Eguavoen & Tesfai, 2012).…”

Relocating Households to Unaccustomed Livelihood: The Impacts of Development-Induced Displacement in Urban Vicinity of Dukem Town, Central Ethiopia

“…In the Ethiopian context, displacement is common in development projects and investments aimed at economic growth and social transformation. Recent studies have indicated that development-induced displacement in Ethiopia has become the most significant type of movement replacing earlier concerns with resettlement, refugees, returnees and demobilization (Pankhurst and Piguet in Eguavoen and Tesfai, 2012). Recent studies (Yintso, 2008;Tadele, 2009;Zinawi;2012;Kassahun, 2011;Berhanu, 2006;Nebiyu, 2000;Obsa, 2013) indicated that development projects such as dam constructions, urban renewal, agricultural investments, and infrastructures expansions have been caused displacement of thousands of people in rural and urban areas of Ethiopia.…”