List of Tables
List of Annexes
Introduction

The Many Faces of Rural Poverty
Introduction

The Facts of Rural Poverty
The Realities of Poverty
The Impact of Chronic Food Shortage
Poverty and Ill-Health
Conclusion

The Erosion of the Rural Production System

Introduction
The Diversity of Rural Production Systems and Indigenous Technologies
Systems of Subsistence Production in Ethiopia
Physical and Biotic Problems of Production
The Struggle for Survival
The Impact of Socio-Political Forces
The Burden of Tribute and Taxation
The Impacts of the Scramble for Power
Conclusion

Aspects of Modernization Policy and its Impact on the Rural Society
The Origin and Evolution of Modernization in Ethiopia
Aspects of Ethiopia's Modernization Policy
The Impact of Modernization Policy
External Economic Dependency
Deepening Exploitation of the Rural Producers
The Impact of Urbanization
Conclusion

Toward a Policy of Agricultural Modernization 1967-1975
Introduction
The Regional Projects of Food-Grain Production
The Chilalo Agricultural Development Project
Other Projects
The National Scheme of Agricultural Modernization
An Assessment of the Impact of the Policy of Agricultural Modernization
Conclusion

The Policy of Revolutionary Transformation of Agriculture
Introduction
The 1975 Rural Lands Proclamation
The Process of Land Distribution
The Creation of Rural Mass Organizations
The Transitional Rural Institutions -The Peasant Associations and Service Cooperatives
The Plan for the Development of Agricultural Producers' Cooperatives
The Creation of State Farms
Agricultural Production Strategy Since 1975
Agriculture in the Six-Years Campaign
Agriculture in the Ten-Year Perspective Plan
Conclusion

The Outcomes of the Revolutionary Agrarian Policy
Introduction
The Impact of the 1975 Agrarian Reform
The Peasant Sector
The state sector in Agriculture
The State Farms
Agricultural Marketing Corporation
Overall Impact of Agricultural Production Policies
The Impact of Other Policies and Practices on the Rural Population
Taxes and Other Levies
The Population Resettlement and Villagization Policies
Bureaucracy Malaise and Campaign-Mania
Conclusion

The Undercurrents of Demographic and Ecological Changes and their Economic Consequences
Introduction
The Pressure of Population Growth
Population Growth
The Growth Potential of Ethiopia’s Population
The Extent of Land Degradation and Its Economic Consequences
The Economic Consequences of Recurrent Drought and Famine
Impact on Agricultural and Livestock
Overall Economic Impact
The Cumulative Effects of Drought
Conclusion

Challenges of the 1990s and the New Century: Conclusions
Introduction
The Dilemma of Poverty Amidst Potential Plenty
The Challenge of Development in Perspective
The Scope of Rural Development
Leading Issues of Rural Development
Food and Development
Means of Empowerment of Rural People
Strategies Required to Suit Diverse Conditions of Production
Utilization of Human and Physical Resources
Research and Development of Appropriate Technology
Concluding Remarks

Index

Abstract:

Describes and analyses the historical processes; nature of national policies that have been adopted; the underlying economic, social and political processes that have been at work and that have led to the adoption of these policies, as well as the effects of these policies and processes on the rural society as causes of the subsistence crisis in Ethiopia whereby an increasing number of rural producers have found it more and more difficult to meet their minimum subsistence requirements. These are the food shortage, health hazard and other facets of rural poverty in the country; physical and biotic constraints, subsistence survival strategy, burden of tributes and taxation, and military campaigns in the scramble for state power that have caused the erosion of rural production systems and continue to do so; the increased dependence on the external economy, the deepening exploitation of rural producers and the negative consequences of urbanization which resulted from the initial modernization efforts; the Chilalo and other agricultural development projects and the national scheme of agricultural modernization adopt~ from 1967 to 1975; the land reform proclamation, creation of rural mass organizations, establishment of state farms and the agricultural production strategy that was operational in the period of revolutionary transformation after 1975 along with consequences of this agrarian policy with regard to peasant life, state farms, agricultural marketing corporations, taxation and other levies, population resettlement and villagisation; and demographic and ecological undercurrents such as population pressure, land degradation, and recurrent drought and famine. Concludes by highlighting several challenges that need to be addressed urgently, viz., resolution of the dilemma of poverty amidst potential plenty, scope of and leading issues of rural development such as food supply and empowerments of the rural people, devising strategies appropriate for the diverse production systems found in different agro economic zones, efficient utilization of human and physical resources, and research and development of appropriate technologies.