This study is about land degradation and rcsculcrncm in Ethiopia. The overall aim of the study was to identify the possible factors contributing to land degradation in resettlement areas of Ethiopia, with parttcular emphasis to Qeto resettlement area of Kellem wollega zone. Oromia regional slate. As a response to the chronic food insecurity in the country, the Ethiopian governments have moved peasants from areas with land scarcity to areas where land is available. One of the areas assumed to have fertile land and consequently received large number of resettlers was 'Qeto resettlement area, which is the focus of the study. Although the objective of reseulcmcm program is mainly to reduce environmental degradation in areas of origin by transferring drought affected people to more fertile and less populated areas. the direct physical conditions and the indirect indications suggested that land degradation is increasing in the study area. • The results revealed that while the proximate causes of land degradation in Qcto r;sett.lement area are the indiscriminate clearance of vegetation, poor agricultural practices & minimum conservation efforts, the root cause of the problem lies on the planning and unplcrnentanon of the reseulemern programs. Because the main derivers of the change were population pressure and shortage of agricultural land which caused vegetation clearance and elimination of fallow period. +urthermore, the resettlement programs in both regimes (Dergue and bl'RDF) were implemented as a solution lo enduring problems such as food insecurity & land degradation by the transfer of farmers from the highland areas 10 new resettlement. sites without changing their agricultural practices, habits. attitudes & environmental knowledge .. As a result, ieseulers continued to undertake their unsound agricultural & en vironmenral practices in the resettlement area. Abstract It was recommended that govemment should reconsider the resettlement progr<1ms to such fragile area and conservation and rehabilitation measures have to be integrated to restore the degrading natural resources. In addition, government and all concerned bodies should work together for the development of non-farm activities in the resettlement area in order 10 reduce the pressure on the available farmland.