Abstract:
Ethiopia has been experiencing resettlement programs primarily as a response to
environmental-induced displacement. In the program, however, some of the resettlement
schemes in Ethiopian regimes failed, while others were successful. The main objective of this
study is to investigate the practices, challenges, and opportunities of the rural resettlement
program in improving the livelihoods of resettled households, in Nono district, West Shoa Zone.
To carry out this study mixed research methods were employed. The study is based on primary
data collected from129 household heads that were selected for the survey by using simple
random sampling techniques from two villages that were chosen purposively. Additional
information was also obtained from focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and
personal observations of resettled households. The data has been analyzed by descriptive
statistics and a multiple linear regression model using SPSS software. The study shows that the
resettlement program helped the resettlers to practices diversify their livelihood strategies in
addition to their main income source, which is agriculture, and also to participate in economic,
social, political, and environmental activities. The result shows that the major challenges faced
by resettled households to improve their livelihoods are economic, social challenges, political
challenges, and environmental challenges are the main challenges in the study area. The study
also asserts that the opportunities in the study area were available efforts to improve existing
resettled households’ economic, political, social, and environmental opportunities were there
when we see from the finding results. Multiple linear regression model results revealed that
method production, access to market, farmland size, land productivity, access to credit, access to
technologies, and education level were the determinants of income of rural resettlers, which
have a positive relationship and are statistically significant. From this, it was concluded that
even if the variation has been observed in the livelihood outcomes among households, it is
evident that most of the households under the study have changed their livelihoods positively.
Finally, the policy implication of the study is that required an urgent and well-coordinated
intervention of government and non-government organizations to mitigate challenges and
income sources diversification of resettled households.
