Abstract:
Resettlement programs undertaken by different regimes of Ethiopia have a declared objective of
improving the life of the rural people affected by drought-induced famines, land degradation,
among others by taking them into unutilized but potentially productive and risk free lands. The
general objective of this paper is to assess the challenges and opportunities of resettlement on
livelihood, in Gawo Kebe District Settlement site. Mixed research methodology, with both primary
and secondary data sources, was employed. Hence, in this study, it was attempted to analyze the
livelihoods of the settlers in terms of the key livelihood assets as well as the main challenges. The
researcher was used simple random sampling techniques& select 71 house hold head from four
kebeles and collected the data, through questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions.
The analyses of quantitative data were by the help of SPSS, mean, percentage and frequency. The
data collected through semi-structured interview, open-ended question and FGD were organized
qualitatively to triangulate the quantitative data. The findings of the study revealed that the plot
size owned by the re-settlers is becoming smaller and smaller as new families emerged in re settlers. The resettlers could produce more crops than ever before. They also benefited by fattening
oxen and increased their income; they have got more chance both formal and informal education.
In addition majority of them built better house which is made from tin. However, the provision of
infrastructure such as safe drinking water, transportation services, and health services were
deteriorated; Conflict with wild animals increased after resettlement.Based on the findings, it was
recommended that, the Oromia Regional State and other concerned bodies should:aware the
resettlers about limiting the family size to achieve sustainable livelihood; expand relevant
agricultural technologies;install important infrastructures,install standardized veterinary clinics
to control animal diseases; the saving and credit department should encourage farmers to develop
saving methods; aware the re-settlers along the forest edges as not to reach the habitat of wild
animals ; Finally, this research is limited to the assessment of the challenges and opportunities of
resettlement on the resettlers’ livelihood in terms of the key livelihood assets. Hence, the study
calls for further research in the area of other social, cultural, economic, political and poverty
alleviation areas in the Woreda especially for the settlers.
