Assessment of Rural Land Conflict Management: In the case of werdea Naeder

Abstract

The study has attempted to assesse rural land Conflict Management. The general objective of this study was to assessed rural land conflict management. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used.By using 136 households. Five Kebeles with high prevalence of rural land conflicts were purposively selected from the total of13Kebeles of Naeder wereda. Moreover, focus group discussion and interview were also employed to collect the qualitative data. It was found that most of the rural land conflicts cases were managed formally even though the preference of the litigants was the informal. The study also showed that unclear land provision scheme was the main sources of conflicts. Boundary conflict was found as the main type which was occurred frequently. Transparency and accountability were used to measure the rural land conflicts management as indicators, and it was found that both indicators were at their minimal level. Rural land conflicts management structures and institutions at local level are not supportive enough to the rural community in terms of reaching the poor and the marginalized group. Gap in enforcement of land laws, unclear land provision schemes by the government, unclear land entitlement procedures, and low coverage of the land governance structures and institutions were the major challenges of the rural land conflict management that possibly could result in rural land conflicts. Hence, to minimize problems related to rural land conflict management the government's structures and institutions should increase their coverage besides to equipping it with educated, capable, experienced and motivated manpower through providing trainings and other motivating factors like allowances, salary increments, recognition etc. Customary way of conflict management should be considered in the legal conflict management systems.to easily manage conflicts before cases are filed in the legal systems. Hence, the livelihood of the rural community will be enhanced to a better level.