On the brink of famine: Ch'orisa, Qalu, 2002
2003
S. Ege | H. Aspen
Peasants in the Ch’orisa district of Ethiopia are living under near-famine conditions even in normal years: famine is very much part of their consciousness. In the literature, it has been argued that famine stimulates class formation by providing increased opportunities for catching the poor. The Ch’orisa case rather indicates the opposite.Due to limited local opportunities, there are strong mechanisms of exclusion; youngsters are more or less forced to move to town or plantation areas in search of work. But within the limits possible, Ch’orisa society is basically very inclusive and egalitarian, with strong support mechanisms for the less fortunate. Some are more successful farmers than others, or they may have alternative sources of income. The evidence does not support the argument that their wealth is built on exploiting their poorer fellows. Ox and land rentals, which are usually interpreted as relations of dependence, are the inevitable outcome of small farm size. Practically all households have to top up income from their own farm by various low-income activities, either renting in additional land at a high cost or engaging in off-farm activities like petty trading, selling firewood, or casual work. This report presents different perspectives on the situation of Ch’orisa peasants: by qualitative fieldwork with a few families, statistical analysis of key parameters, historical reconstruction of land tenure history, and mapping of land resources. [author]
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