Jimma Arjo

Jimma Arjo is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone, Jimma Arjo is bordered on the southwest by the Didessa River which separates it from the Illubabor Zone, on the northwest by Diga Leka, on the northeast by Guto Wayu, and on the southeast by Nunu Kumba.

The administrative center of this woreda is Arjo. Local landmarks include the Gambela Cave.

Except for the Didessa River valley, this woreda is considered highland. Other rivers include the Chancho and Horo Rivers. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 59.8% is arable or cultivable, 9.6% pasture, 8.4% forest, and the remaining 22.2% is considered swampy, mountainous or otherwise unusable. [http://oromiagov.org/Socio%20Economic%20Profile/East%20Wellega/East%20Wellega.pdf "Socio-economic profile of the East Wellega Zone"] Government of Oromia Region (last accessed 1 August 2006).] Coffee is an important cash crop of this woreda, and over 50 km² is planted in this crop. [ [http://www.oromiacoffeeunion.org/production.htm "Coffee Production"] Oromia Coffee Cooperative Union website]

Industry in the woreda includes 27 grain mills. There were 13 Farmers Associations with 10,567 members and 9 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 7634 members. Jimma Arjo has 8 kilometers of dry weather road and 30 all-weather road, for an average of road density of 51.2 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 17.5% of the total population has access to drinking water.

Demographics

Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 93,459, of whom 48,553 were males and 44,906 were females; 11,684 or 12.50% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 13.9%. With an estimated area of 741.41 square kilometers, Jimma Arjo has an estimated population density of 126.1 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 81.4. [ [http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics] , Tables B.3 and B.4]

This woreda was selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2003 as an area for voluntary resettlement for farmers from overpopulated areas. While the majority were resettled in Jimma Arjo, including Gida Kiremu and Guto Wayu a total of 8435 heads of households and 31,781 total family members were resettled in Misraq Welega that year. [ [http://www.dppc.gov.et/downloadable/map/Thematic%20maps/resettlement/Resettlement%202003.pdf "Resettlement 2003"] , Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (DPPA) (accessed 26 November 2006)] Hawa Welele was selected again the next year and along with Amuru Jarte, Bila Seyo, Gida Kiremu, Ibantu, Limmu and Nunu Kumba, Gida Kiremu became the new home of another 22,462 heads of households and 112,310 total family members. [ [http://www.dppc.gov.et/downloadable/map/Thematic%20maps/resettlement/Resettlement%202004.pdf "Resettlement 2004"] , DPPA (accessed 26 November 2006)]

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