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Vaguely Right or Exactly Wrong: Measuring the (Spatial) Distribution of Land Resources, Income and Wealth in Rural Ethiopia

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  • Crelis F. Rammelt

    (Human Geography & Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3508TC, The Netherlands)

  • Maarten Van Schie

    (Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, The Hague 2500GH, The Netherlands)

  • Fredu Nega Tegabu

    (The Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute, Kirkos Sub City 1250, Ethiopia)

  • Maggi Leung

    (Human Geography & Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3508TC, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Land ties people to specific localities featuring different levels of accessibility and natural endowments; it is therefore related in various ways to matters of inequality. Drawing from economics and human geography, we explore the multifaceted and complex nature of inequality. Our case study takes place in rural Tigray, Ethiopia. Quantitative data analysis is used to reveal (spatial) income distribution patterns between statistically representative population groups. Qualitative data are then used to describe the productive activities of these groups, their respective processes of material asset accumulation or losses, and how their economic activities are affected by location. The paper concludes that, where measures of the distribution of income falls short, we require other tools that will help us reveal patterns: (1) of material wealth distribution; (2) of control over production; and (3) of the unaccounted value created within the household or derived from the natural environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Crelis F. Rammelt & Maarten Van Schie & Fredu Nega Tegabu & Maggi Leung, 2017. "Vaguely Right or Exactly Wrong: Measuring the (Spatial) Distribution of Land Resources, Income and Wealth in Rural Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-19, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:6:p:962-:d:100649
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Logan Cochrane & Yeshtila W. Bekele, 2018. "Contextualizing Narratives of Economic Growth and Navigating Problematic Data: Economic Trends in Ethiopia (1999–2017)," Economies, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-16, December.
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    5. Crelis Rammelt, 2018. "Infrastructures as Catalysts: Precipitating Uneven Patterns of Development from Large-Scale Infrastructure Investments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-15, April.
    6. Jing Gong & Hongyan Du & Zhi Wang, 2022. "Analysis of the Influences of Ecological Compensation Projects on Transfer Employment of Rural Labor from the Perspective of Capability," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-14, September.

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