Urban Expansion and Its Impact on the Livelihood of Peri-Urban Communities: A Case Study of Bishoftu Town, Ethiopia

Abstract

Urban expansion is a global phenomenon that is rapidly transforming peri-urban areas. While urban expansion can bring some benefits to peri-urban communities, it has also a significant negative impact on their livelihoods. Many studies have been done on urban expansion in recent decades, but the effects of this rapid growth have not been fully understood. In many developing countries, such as Ethiopia, there is a growing awareness of the need to understand the relationship between urban expansion and the livelihoods of farmers. Hence, the aim of the study is to assess the impact of urban expansion on the livelihoods of peri-urban community in Bishoftu town. The study uses a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. The quantitative data was collected from a survey of 280 peri-urban communities, while the qualitative data was collected from focus group discussions and key informant interviews. GIS and remote sensing were used to analyse the phenomena of agricultural land transformation into urban land use. In order to achieve these, satellite data of Landsat TM for 1991, ETM for 2002, 2013 and 2023 have been obtained and processed. The Maximum Likelihood Algorithm of Supervised Classification has been used to generate land use/land cover maps. The findings of the study revealed that built-up area increased by 35.4km2 within 32 years. In Bishoftu town built-up land was increased from 7.6 km2 in 1991 to 43.3 km2 in 2023. The change matrix shows that built-up areas expanded at the expense of grasslands (9.9 km²), forest land (2.8 km²), bare land (6.34 km²), swampy (1.9 km2 ) and farm land (14.4 km²). This implies the city’s built-up area expansion is characterized by horizontal growth, leaving the peri-urban environment and livelihoods at risk. The study found that urban expansion in Bishoftu town was mainly driven by population growth, infrastructure accessibility, reclassification of former rural settlements into new urban settlements, the town's topography, its proximity to Addis Ababa, and land speculation. The findings of the study show that urban expansion has had a negative impact on the livelihood of peri-urban communities in Bishoftu town. The study found that urban expansion has led to the loss of agricultural land, displacement of farmers, and disruption of livelihoods. A survey of residents in Kurkura Denbi and Kajima Kebele found that 35% of respondents had lost 1 to 2 hectares of land due to urban expansion, followed by 29% (0.5 to 1 hectare) and 14% (2 to 3 hectares). Agricultural land was the most commonly lost type of land, accounting for 49%, followed by grassland (36%). This loss of land has led to a loss of income for peri-urban farmers. The study also found that compensation for lost land was not made on time for the affected farmers and was not fair or adequate to sustain the livelihoods of the affected households. To mitigate the negative impacts of urban expansion on peri-urban communities and make urban expansion orderly and sustainable, it is essential to develop and implement comprehensive land use plans that take into account the needs of peri-urban communities, provide training and support to peri-urban farmers to help them adapt to the changing environment, and invest in infrastructure and services in peri-urban areas.. The findings of this study have important implications for policymakers and planners in Ethiopia and other developing countries. The study highlights the need to carefully consider the impact of urban expansion on peri-urban communities and to develop strategies to mitigate the negative impacts.