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Farmers Willingness to Participate In Voluntary Land Consolidation in Gozamin District, Ethiopia

Author

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  • Abebaw Andarge Gedefaw

    (Institute of Surveying, Remote Sensing and Land Information, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Peter-Jordan-Strasse 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria
    Institute of Land Administration, Debre Markos University, 269 Debre Markos, Ethiopia)

  • Clement Atzberger

    (Institute of Surveying, Remote Sensing and Land Information, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Peter-Jordan-Strasse 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria)

  • Walter Seher

    (Institute of Spatial Planning, Environmental Planning and Land Rearrangement, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Peter-Jordan-Strasse 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria)

  • Reinfried Mansberger

    (Institute of Surveying, Remote Sensing and Land Information, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Peter-Jordan-Strasse 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria)

Abstract

In many African countries and especially in the highlands of Ethiopia—the investigation site of this paper—agricultural land is highly fragmented. Small and scattered parcels impede a necessary increase in agricultural efficiency. Land consolidation is a proper tool to solve inefficiencies in agricultural production, as it enables consolidating plots based on the consent of landholders. Its major benefits are that individual farms get larger, more compact, contiguous parcels, resulting in lower cultivation efforts. This paper investigates the determinants influencing the willingness of landholder farmers to participate in voluntary land consolidation processes. The study was conducted in Gozamin District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. The study was mainly based on survey data collected from 343 randomly selected landholder farmers. In addition, structured interviews and focus group discussions with farmers were held. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively mainly by using a logistic regression model and qualitatively by using focus group discussions and expert panels. According to the results, landholder farmers are predominantly willing to participate in voluntary land consolidation (66.8%), while a substantive fraction of farmers express unease with voluntary land consolidation. The study highlighted the following four determinants to be significant in influencing the willingness of farmers for voluntary land consolidation: (1) the exchange should preferably happen with parcels of neighbors, (2) land consolidation should lead to better arranged parcels, (3) nearness of plots to the farmstead, and (4) an expected improvement in productivity. Interestingly, the majority of farmers believes that land consolidation could reduce land use conflicts. The study provides evidence that policymakers should consider these socio-economic, legal, cultural, infrastructural, and land-related factors when designing and implementing voluntary land consolidation policies and programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Abebaw Andarge Gedefaw & Clement Atzberger & Walter Seher & Reinfried Mansberger, 2019. "Farmers Willingness to Participate In Voluntary Land Consolidation in Gozamin District, Ethiopia," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-21, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:8:y:2019:i:10:p:148-:d:275626
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Abebaw Andarge Gedefaw & Clement Atzberger & Thomas Bauer & Sayeh Kassaw Agegnehu & Reinfried Mansberger, 2020. "Analysis of Land Cover Change Detection in Gozamin District, Ethiopia: From Remote Sensing and DPSIR Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-25, June.
    4. Bahar, Sevgi Kesici & Kirmikil, Müge, 2021. "The evaluation of agricultural landowner inputs before and after land consolidation: The Kesik Village example," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    5. Abebaw Andarge Gedefaw & Clement Atzberger & Walter Seher & Sayeh Kassaw Agegnehu & Reinfried Mansberger, 2020. "Effects of Land Certification for Rural Farm Households in Ethiopia: Evidence from Gozamin District, Ethiopia," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-23, October.
    6. Żanna Stręk & Przemysław Leń & Justyna Wójcik-Leń & Paweł Postek & Monika Mika & Leszek Dawid, 2021. "A Proposed Land Exchange Algorithm for Eliminating the External Plot Patchwork," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-15, January.
    7. Asiama, Kwabena Obeng & Voss, Winrich & Bennett, Rohan & Rubanje, Innocent, 2021. "Land consolidation activities in Sub-Saharan Africa towards the agenda 2030: A tale of three countries," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    8. Uchendu Eugene Chigbu, 2020. "Land, Women, Youths, and Land Tools or Methods: Emerging Lessons for Governance and Policy," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-6, December.
    9. Fan Yang & Guangqing Chi & Ge Wang & Shirui Tang & Yunting Li & Cong Ju, 2020. "Untangle the Complex Stakeholder Relationships in Rural Settlement Consolidation in China: A Social Network Approach," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-19, June.
    10. Lei Yan & Xubin Lei & Kairong Hong & Hui Li & Mengyuan Chen, 2022. "Improving Farmer Willingness to Participate in the Transfer of Land Rights in Rural China: A Preference-Based Income Distribution Scheme," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-22, March.

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