Conceptual Framework for Evaluating the Impact of Flower Farm Development

To address multidimensional development issues and identify the key links between flower farm development and its human impacts, a conceptual framework shown in Figure 2.3 is developed. The framework is drawing on key concepts of rural livelihoods (Ellis, 2000; Reardon et al., 2007), decent work (ILO, 1999), impacts of displacement (Cernea, 1997; Cernea and Mathur, 2008), conflict, environment and development (Brauch et al., 2009; Homer-Dixon, 2010), environmental impact assessment (Glasson et al., 2005) and social impact assessment (Becker and Vanclay, 2003).

The framework presented in Figure 2.3 show the linkages between flower farm development projects and their impacts on human’s society. It also identifies real and perceived impacts experienced by people as a result of the introduction of flower farms to the Ethiopian Rift Valley Region. The main components of this framework are i) transforming structures; ii) social change caused by the interventions that invoked changes in livelihood strategies and assets; iii), economic change; and iv) biophysical change.

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Figure 2.4: Conceptual Framework for Evaluating Impacts of Flower Farm Development

The starting point of this framework, as indicated by the box at the top in Figure 2.4, is the transforming structures. Therefore, in this study, the main transforming structures are the introduction of flower farms following the Ethiopian government’s development strategies.

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Before the flower farms were introduced, the local community was dependent on and had access to, environmental resources such as land and water. However, this development intervention triggered a cascade of changes through direct or indirect pathways. Impacts originating from the introduction of flower farms that directly affect people or their animals are called direct impacts. They could be either positive or negative. The indirect impacts are the impact on humans as a result of the effects of the flower industry on the bio-physical, social and economic environments.

The box in the left labelled as social change (Figure 2.4), includes a number of social changes that directly originate from the introduction of flower farms to the Ethiopia Rift Valley region. Since the majority of displaced people depend on land for living, the study assumes displaced farmers directly experience impacts during or shortly after, the introduction of flower farms. A major impact may be a change in welfare following displacement.

Under such circumstances, households are expected to adopt other livelihood strategies as coping mechanisms. Individual households may shift from dependence on natural capital to human capital, may increase the number of working days, or migrate to other areas to cope with the change. Each outcome can be measured objectively. Therefore, to assess the impact of flower farms on the livelihood of land dispossessed people, concepts of rural livelihoods in developing countries are employed.

Initially, introduction of flower farms into the Rift Valley region was perceived (by the Ethiopian government and the general public) to have a positive and direct human impact. The box in the middle labelled as economical change (Figure 2.4), indicates the perceived economic impacts of flower farms. Flower farms are expected to create employment opportunities, rural stability through the provision of permanent employment, improvements in living standards through better wages, provision of basic social services to the local community. To assess the contribution of flower farms in these regards, the concepts of decent work is employed.

The bio-physical impact refers to changes that directly resulted from the flower farms effects on the biophysical environment. As indicated by the box at the right which is labelled as Bio- physical change (Figure 2.4), shows the biophysical changes caused by introduction of flower farms. This includes water depletion, water pollution, soil erosion, and diminishing of biodiversity. Changes in the bio-physical environment, such as diminished water levels or

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pollution of water sources, will eventually have negative impacts on society. They may cause critical water shortages for livestock and human consumption and, thus, women and livestock would have to travel long distances every day to get water. In addition, pollution of water sources also has human and livestock health impacts.

Although the study of environmental pollution is important in a holistic assessment, it was not possible to carry out a direct environmental sample measurement in this study. Nevertheless, since poor handling of farm waste leads to the degradation of the environment, this study mainly focused on the handling and management of wastes that have public health impacts, and on conflicts caused by pollution, and scarcity or use of vital environmental resources (land and water) among different economic groups.

Flower farm development may offer the potential for complementary gains in raising agricultural productivity and alleviating poverty through the provision of jobs. On the other hand as shown in the conceptual framework, it could negatively affect income, food security, cause pollution and scarcity of resources, and may induce social instability and conflict. Since the Rift Valley of Ethiopia is ecologically fragile and is a home to hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers and is a sanctuary for birds, such rapid expansion of large scale commercial farms can present many unintended social, economic and environmental challenges. Therefore, the impacts of the expansion of flower farms in this region need to be thoroughly studied.

The framework presented above is used as a basis for data collection and analysis to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of flower farms in the Ethiopian Rift Valley region. Based on the framework, the researcher surveyed and analysed data collected from flower growers (investors), flower farm employees, people displaced by flower farms, local farmers who reside close to the flower farms, but were not displaced, and also conducted an environmental risk assessment. The next two chapters describe the study area and the research methodology used.

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