Effects of Urban Expansion on Community Based Organizations and Economic Conditions of the Per-Urban Communities: The Case of durame Town, Kambatta Tembaro Zone, Snnpr Ethiopia

Abstract

Urban expansion may involve both horizontal and vertical expansion of the physical structure of urban areas which result in loss of peri urban agricultural lands all over the world. Urban development in Ethiopia led to several socio-economic impacts and the basic problem is that urban growth causes displacement and loss of agricultural farmlands. The objective of this study, therefore, was to examine the impacts of urban expansion on the community based organization and economic conditions of peri-urban communities in Durame town with specific objectives of identifying factors that cause urban expansion in the peri-urban communities, the consequence of urban expansion on the social and economic conditions, effects of urban expansion on employment and identifying the role of governmental institutions on the provision of rehabilitation support and post-expropriation follow up of the expropriated farmers. In order to attain these objectives, 230 sample households were selected using simple random sampling method from two (Lalo and Zeraro) kebeles of the study town. Primary data was collected from the sample households using survey questionnaire, Key informant interview and FGD were also conducted as planned and these data were used qualitatively to substantiate the findings. Furthermore, quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as Tables, frequency and percentage; qualitative data were analyzed by using narrative analysis.The results of the study indicated that the expansion of Durame town brought significant impacts on the peri urban community in their socio-economic life like unemployment and disintegration of social organization. Expropriated and dislocated peri-urban land holding communities faced a number of social and economic problems in the post expropriation time due to inefficient and inadequate compensation. There was no post expropriation follow-up and rehabilitation support for expropriated peri-urban households. Te town administration should facilitate an opportunity for the peri-urban land holding community to participate on the process of decision making during expropriation, compensation, and resettlement. Generally, urban expansion, expropriation and compensation program that may be proposed in the future needs policy directions about post expropriation rehabilitation and continuous support for dislocated peri urban households which adequately involve the peri-urban community