Resettlement- Induced Land Use Change and its Impacts

As per the result of historical trend analysis, the high forest cover of the study area dwindled as a result of repeatedly implemented resettlement programs of the Derg and the current government (EPDRF) of Ethiopia. The overall 14% of forest land was cleared off to suit agricultural and settlement uses during the Derg regime alone so that these land uses had increased from 11% of the Imperial Regime to about 26% during the down fall of the Derg government. However, the current government resettlement schemes continuously launched to the study area along with the land grabbing by self-sponsored resettlers has increased the 26% agriculture and settlement land uses in to about 31% while the forest land declined by about 36% since 1991 onwards