Resistance as agency: Reimagining participation in forest landscape restoration in Tigray, Ethiopia
2025
Matiwos Bekele
Forest landscape restoration programs play a vital role in addressing environmental degradation; however, when implemented through top-down approaches, they may encounter resistance from local communities, reflecting complex social dynamics that shape both ecological and social outcomes. This qualitative study explores participation and resistance dynamics in Tigray, Ethiopia, through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and participatory observations. Integrating James Scott’s theory of everyday resistance with the ABC framework (Avoidance, Breaking, Constructive), the research uncovers a spectrum of resistance strategies shaped by socio-economic disparities and power dynamics. Findings reveal that, while some farmers initially welcomed short-term employment and environmental improvements, many later expressed frustrations over restricted access to land, top-down planning, and unmet promises. Resistance strategies varied significantly based on socioeconomic status and gender, reflecting internal power disparities. Acts of resistance ranged from covert non-compliance and symbolic disengagement to overt protest and the development of local governance alternatives. Rather than dismissing resistance as obstruction, I argue it offers critical insights into community priorities, political agency, and the failures of participatory rhetoric. This study contributes to broader debates on restoration justice by foregrounding resistance as a legitimate and strategic response, essential for reimagining equitable and inclusive ecological restoration under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
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