19 Abyss. J. Bus. Soc. Sci. Vol. 7, No. 1, 2022, 19-27 ISSN 2707-1340 (Online); 2707-1332 (Print) © 2022 Wollo University Ecology of Disease: Trypanosomiasis and Malaria in Metekel, Northwestern Ethiopia Ayenew Fenta Alem* Department of History and Heritage Management, InjibaraUniversity, Injibara, Ethiopia ABSTRACT Disease is one of the environmental factors that affected human settlement patterns as well as agricultural and livestock economies. Lowland parts of Metekel were highly infested with malaria and trypanosomiasis. Thus, the vast lowlands of Metekel remained uninhabited except some sparsely populated Gumuz communities who were not plow agriculturalists or cattle herders. They were hoe cultivators because plow-oxen could not survive in the region due to the prevalence of trypanosomiasis. The Gumuz also had a traditional system of treating malaria in addition to their natural resistance developed due to long years of their dwelling in the region. Highlanders’ settlement in the lowland parts of the region and government intervention to control the problems of Malaria and trypanosomiasis were recent developments. The Imperial regime attempted to eradicate Malaria beginning from the early 1960s but it failed. Thus, efforts of eradication turned to control program. However, Malaria remained number one killer of people in the region. The Problem of trypanosomiasis was also deep-rooted in the region of Metekel. Efforts to control the problem of trypanosomiasis began in the region during the Derg period In line with the implementation of the 1985/6 conventional settlement program. To organize this paper, the researcher used primary and secondary documents. Furthermore, the researcher collected oral Sources from districts of Metekel during my fieldwork. These sources were cross-checked and critically analyzed to organize the paper. Keywords: Metekel, Disease, Ecology, Malaria, Trypanosomiasis INTRODUCTION Metekel constitutes highland and lowland ecological zones: the eastern highlands and the western lowlands. Massifs are the dominant topographical features of the eastern part of the region, characterized by mountains, deep river gorges, and irregular broken surfaces that became one of the challenges to infrastructural development. The plateaus, with an average elevation of 1500 to 2500 meters above sea level, occupy the central and eastern parts of the region. The climate of the plateaus is suitable for settlement (Getachew , 1987: 224). The vast region of Metekel lays in hot lowland climatic zone in an elevation below 1500 meters above sea level. The western lowland has flat feature that makes this region ideal for the development of mechanized farming. However, because of low rainfall, high temperature and prevalence of pests and diseases, plow agriculture was less developed in western lowlands of Metekel (Ibid; Tsega ,2006: 1- 2). Warm and humid climate of lowland Metekel served as breeding ground for different kinds of human and animal diseases. For this reason highlanders shunned off the region for long to use it for settlement and plow agriculture (Getachew, 1989: 363). Thus, disease is one of environmental factors that affected human settlement pattern as well as farm and livestock economies vast environs of Africa are suitable for the proliferation of insects that serve as vectors of diseases. Natural factors like altitude, temperature, rainfall and humidity largely determine prevalence of disease in specific environments. These factors helped favorable conditions for the Abyssinia Journal of Business and Social Sciences * Corresponding Author’s Email: ayenewfenta@gmail.com