Investigating City Growth Parameters For Emerging Towns In Ethiopia: The Case of adadi Mariam, Bishan Guracha, and Ginchi Towns In oromia Regional State.
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Date
2023-11-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Urbanization is a burning issue in developing countries like Ethiopia. However, the process does not happen all at once; rather, factors that occur gradually determine a city's spatial growth to attain its full capacity for expansion. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate growth-driving parameters and indicate ways of managing urban spatial growth in the emerging towns of Adadi Mariam, Bishan Guracha, and Ginchi in Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia. The methods applied for the study were a cross-sectional study using descriptive and explanatory research approaches to identify parameters contributing to spatial growth in these towns. Thirteen (13) parameters were developed and ranked using snowball sampling techniques. Eighty (80) questionnaires for Ginchi town, seventy-five (75) for Bishan Guracha, and sixty-five (65) for Adadi Mariam were used for each town. Then detailed interviews were conducted with six (6) key informants from each town to understand the top-five ranked parameters' level of influence over the last 20 years. The result showed that the top-five
growth parameters of the towns vary. The existence of a tourist attraction center, the provision of market service, proximity to major towns, the addition of new education services, and a specialty in agricultural productivity were the top-five ranked parameters for Adadi Mariam, respectively. Land and housing rent value, political decision influence, proximity to major towns, proximity to industries, and land topography ranked 1-4, while climate condition and the existence of a tourism attraction center ranked 5th for Bishan Guracha. Similarly, transportation accessibility, provision of market service, location on the national road, provision of administrative services, and addition of new educational services are the top five identified growth parameters for Ginchi town. Generally, Adadi Mariam town is mainly a religious event and tourism-dependent town. Whereas, land value and politics due to its location between Hawassa and Shashemene towns influenced Bishan Guracha highly. Ginchi town mainly developed due to its transportation connectivity with many woredas and other towns. Thus, techniques and strategies based on an understanding of the potentials of each town and development gaps that strengthen growth parameters should be applied to help the growth of emerging towns.
Keywords: emerging towns; growth parameters; spatial growth; top-five ranked parameters