The Contribution of Rehabilitation Program on the Livelihood of Displaced Households in Norther Ethiopia: The Case of Belese Sugar Development Project Jawi District Amhara Region

Abstract

The study examines the contribution of rehabilitation program to the livelihoods of settlers due to expropriation of landholdings for sugar development project in resettlement areas Alikurand and Kumber kebeles of Jawi woreda in Amhara region.Random sampling technique was employed to select 127sample survey household heads. Data was collected using key informant interview, interview schedule and focus group discussion. Analytical tools used include Descriptive and Logistic Regression. The finding of the study  identify challenges experienced by resettlers such as reduction of farm land size, the increase distance from farm land to homesteads, and the reduction and no grazing land for cattle were perceived to be a major threat that were preventing them from achieving their livelihoods objective. The logit model result for factors determine livelihood strategies settlers revealed that out of the 15 explanatory variables, 10 variables were found to affect the livelihood strategies of settlers. age, family size, distance from farm land to homesteads, frequency of extension contact and social network affect significantly and negatively at less than 5% significance level and ethnic group, education level, size of landholdings, fertility level of farm land, membership in cooperative affect significantly and positively at less than 5 % level of significance. And it also shows 4 variables affect the estimated annual income of the displaced households. .compensation affect positively and significantly at less than one % level of significance, size of landholding, distance from farm land to homesteads and membership in cooperative affect negatively and significantly at less than 5% significant level. The resettlement and the Livelihood restoration programs have the potential to strengthen local capacities. This is particularly through increased access to social services, infrastructure and administrative service such as school, health center, roods, extension service  and communication and access employment and the finical compensation create household’s asset.

Keywords: livelihoods restoration, resettlement, logit model, determinate, livelihoods, compensation