Equity in the distribution of values of outputs from exclosures in Tigray, Ethiopia

- Measures to restore degraded environments have social and economic implications.
- Establishment of exclosures is not a pro-poor measure.
- Households' efforts to maintain exclosures do not influence their share of outputs.
- Distribution of outputs is more even in villages adjacent to old exclosures.
- Distribution of values of outputs from exclosures is more even in more populated villages.

Land degradation is a widespread problem throughout the Tigray Region in Ethiopia, and establishing exclosures to restore degraded land has been in practice for many years. The authors examine how outputs obtained from exclosures are distributed among households adjacent to the exclosures and identify factors that influence the distribution of values of outputs. Data were collected from 446 households living next to nine exclosures in Tigray. The Gini coefficient, probit regression, and multiple linear regression were applied to the data sets. The results revealed that the distribution of values of outputs varied from fairly equal to quite unequal, depending on the exclosures' attributes and the appropriators' attributes. A more equal distribution values of outputs from exclosures was found where the density of appropriators was higher or/and in villages next to exclosures that were protected for longer periods. Wealthier households with larger herd sizes obtained a larger share of outputs from the exclosures, while households in the lowest income quantile received almost nothing. This may raise concerns among those interested in pro-poor measures. The authors did not find any evidence that household responsibility for managing and protecting exclosures had significant impacts on the distribution of values of outputs.