Mekele needs to learn from Addis Ababa, NOT Repeat its mistakes: Urgent Need for a Comprehensive Policy on Sustainable Compensation to Farmers Giving their Land for Investment

By Gebreselasie Gebru
Melbourne, Australia
awonta5@gmail.com
Tigrai Online 9/1/2023

A Briefing Paper

Objective
The purpose of this briefing paper is to suggest the need for a kind of sustainable compensation policy to farmers giving their land for development.

Background
It is to be noted that Sur Construction is planning to build residential houses in Tigray. The planned scheme will obviously need huge land, and the natural question that comes is where does the land come from? The main purpose of this briefing paper is to draw attention to the need for comprehensive policy on sustainable compensation for those farmers giving their land for investment or construction of residential houses.

The experience in the development and expansion of Addis Ababa had shown that lack of such comprehensive policy or problems with its implementation had resulted in huge number of farmers having not been properly compensated that resulted in political turmoil and upheaval. Whether the issue had to do with comprehensiveness and detail of the policy or problems with its implementation, the farmers were not getting required compensation. The gap in such policy had apparently enabled middlemen and some greedy politicians to benefit more than the farmers themselves. Lack of such a comprehensive and detailed policy including transparent and efficient system of its implementation in Tigray will have complicated social, economic, and political repercussions. Hence, there is apparent need for a kind sustainable compensation policy more than "here is your money, goodbye".

Issues

1. The experience in relation to the development and expansion of Addis Ababa showed a gap in comprehensive policy that properly compensate farmers that have to give their land for development. For reasons related to the comprehensiveness and detail of the policy or issues in relation to its implementation, the farmers were not getting the desired compensation. Rather it was middlemen and some greedy politicians who were making the most more than the farmers themselves.
2. The gap in such policy and/or its implementation had significant social, economic and political repercussions in the country to the extent of jeopardizing its stability. The planned residential apartments project by Sur Construction in Mekele signifies the need to learn from the experience of Addis Ababa and urgently develop a comprehensive policy more than "here is your money, goodbye" including transparent and efficient system of implementation. Failure to develop a comprehensive compensation policy will have far-reaching political, social and economic repercussions.

Recommendation

1. The Interim Regional Administration (IRA) of Tigray Region, in collaboration with relevant authorities and educational institutions in the region, or by hiring consultants as appropriate, should sponsor research in the area and document the prevailing practice and experiences on compensation and its repercussions as baseline information.
2. On the basis of the information pertaining to the practices and experiences on compensation and its repercussions, the Interim Regional Administration (IRA) of Tigray Region should develop a comprehensive compensation policy to those farmers who have to give their land for development, much more than "here is your money, goodbye". The policy should cover aspects of housing such as condos, livelihood programs such vocational skills training based on their interests and potentials, and follow-up financial and technical support as appropriate.
3. The Interim Regional Administration (IRA) of Tigray Region should create a specialized unit/office, or a department within the existing structure such as the Bureau of Agriculture that will be directly accountable to the president and oversee the implementation of the policy in a transparent and efficient manner.