Development and environmental policies of Ethiopia: Policy review from view point of development-environment sustainability linkage

Ethiopia is rich in a wide range of agro-ecological zones in which a variety of agricultural activities and farming systems operate. These agricultural activities and farming systems affect the quality of the environment and sustainability of natural resources in different ways, which should be one of the prime concerns of national development policies. The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which Ethiopia's national development, environmental policies, and strategic plans consider the interrelationship between farming systems and environmental sustainability. The second objective was to determine the extent to which the policies and strategies integrate economic growth and environmental sustainability. Accordingly, different national development policies, strategies, and programs of Ethiopia were reviewed. The results reveal that these policies and strategies fundamentally focus on economic growth. Policymakers did not pay adequate attention to the environmental effects of farming systems in national development policies and strategic plans. Policies do not consider the integration of development and environmental sustainability. Simply put, the multidimensional links between economic growth and environmental sustainability have not been adequately articulated in development policies and programs. Therefore, both economic and environmental effects of the farming systems should be well-addressed during the preparation of development policies and strategic plans.