The impacts of hydropower dam construction on the adjacent rural households’ food insecurity in Northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

This study examines the impact of two hydropower dam reservoirs, Amerti and Neshe, on the adjacent rural household food insecurity in the Abay Chome district, northwestern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional method was employed to collect data from 485 households (268 affected and 217 non-affected households) following a probability proportional to the size sampling procedure. Households’ food insecurity access scale (HFIAS) and households’ dietary diversity score (HDDS) were used to examine households’ food insecurity status in the study area. The Endogenous Switching Regression model was employed to identify the impact of the dam construction on household food insecurity. The results revealed that the average HDDS and HFIAS in the study area were 5.1 and 10.29, respectively. The study also demonstrated that the affected household’s average HDDS and HFIAS were 4.48 and 10.98, respectively. The study results further revealed that the construction of dams has significantly increased the HFIAS of displaced households by 14.6% while reducing HDDS by 24%. This study found a negative relationship between dam construction and food security, although dam construction is supposed to increase food security by increasing access to water. Thus, we recommend that hydropower reservoirs be effectively designed to reduce the impacts on adjacent communities.

Keywords:

• development
• food insecurity
• hydropower dams
• households
• landlessness

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

Hydropower dam construction has several positive outcomes; however, it always has drawbacks with far-reaching consequences for adjacent local communities. The construction of reservoir dams usually results in significant land inundation. This can result in the loss of people’s homes, valuable agricultural lands, and significant environmental change, as well as an increase in food insecurity among affected households. This study examines the impact of two hydropower dam reservoirs, Amerti and Neshe, on adjacent rural household food insecurity in northwestern Ethiopia. The study findings revealed that dam construction increased household food insecurity by 14.6% and decreased dietary diversity by 24%. As a result, we recommend that future hydropower dam construction be carefully planned to reduce the negative effects on adjacent communities and the environment.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude to Hailu Biru, Hussien Ali, Ifa Duguma Egnuni, Mebratu Negera, Dessalegn Nugusa, and Shemelis Kebede Hundie for their assistance in data collection. We are also thankful and appreciate the valuable comments from the two the anonymous reviewers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability

The corresponding author can provide the data used in this work upon reasonable request.

Notes

1. This measurement is based on the Penman-Monteith scale.

2. See, Di Falco et al., 2011.

Additional information

Funding

This study received funding from the Addis Ababa University.

Notes on contributors

Yeshi Jima

Yeshi Jima holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Adama University and a Master of Arts in Environment and Development from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. She is currently pursuing her PhD studies in Environment and Development at the College of Development Studies of Addis Ababa University. She is currently a lecturer at the Department of Environment and Climate Change of Ethiopian Civil Service University. She has spent the last four years studying the effects of development projects on the welfare of adjacent rural households in North-western Ethiopia. This article is part of a research project focusing on the impact of hydropower dam construction on nearby household food insecurity.