Large-scale land investments and land-use conflicts in the agro-pastoral areas of Ethiopia

Abstract

We examined the determinants of conflict among agro-pastoral households in areas affected by large-scale land investments in Ethiopia. We combined household and community surveys to collect data and used descriptive statistics and a binary logit model to analyze them. The results indicated that, in the last decade, land conflicts were prevalent in more than a quarter of the studied communities and that they increased since the establishment of large-scale land investments. The scarcity of pastureland and tenure insecurity are the key drivers of land conflict. We conclude that the state appropriation of traditional pastures for industrial plantations and a lack of property rights for the commons exacerbate land conflicts.