Large-scale land acquisition

The Ethiopian government has been leasing huge tracts of land to foreign and domestic companies to attract agricultural investment. Borras et.al (2012: 847) argued that ¿land grabbing has resulted in the expulsion of people from their lands ¿but not everywhere and not always¿. LSLAs are likely to cause the displacement of indigenous poor people, the loss of livelihood and the destruction of environment which are threats for human security. The foreign and domestic companies operating in Gambella have been grabbing land since 2008. I will discuss whether or not the land grab brings economic development or impoverishment and human insecurity-led conflict in the region. LSLAs-induced displacements are likely to cause the local poor people lose their land and land-related resources, employment, socio-cultural heritages, economic status, mental well-being and so on. Thus, they tend to make indigenous poor small-scale farmers powerless and reliant on foreign food aid.