Development through the Lense of Dessalegn Rahmato's Research: The Case of Ethiopia

Ethiopia has experienced significant economic growth over the past two decades. Yet it remains one of the world’s least developed countries despite the government’s efforts to achieve sustainable development through the implementation of key economic reforms. As a predominantly agrarian community and agriculture-dependent economy, development policies and strategies implemented over the past five decades have primarily centered on transforming the agricultural sector with the main objective of eradicating poverty, ensuring food security, and enhancing the capacity and efficiency of governing structures. Focusing on three research papers authored by the prominent Ethiopian development researcher, Dessalegn Rahmato, this paper examines land tenure and governance systems and its impact on agricultural productivity as a fundamental points for development discourse in Ethiopia. Dessalegn’s research on land tenure in Ethiopia highlights the centrality of land not just as an economic asset but as a nexus of power, identity, and social relations. His work, which is deeply rooted in historical analysis, traces contemporary inequalities to feudal legacies, state policies, and global economic forces, providing a crucial lens for understanding the complexities of rural development. Dessalegn’s research further represents a vital corrective to Eurocentric biases, offering grounded theories rooted in the lived realities of rural communities in the Global South.