Analyzing Urban Land Acquisition for Housing In Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia
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Date
2024-11-01
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Addis Ababab University
Abstract
This dissertation examines urban land acquisition for housing in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia, focusing on its processes, challenges, and policy implications. The study investigates urbanization trends, land expropriation, formal cooperative housing schemes, informal land acquisition practices, and administrative and policy barriers affecting urban land supply. A mixed methods approach was employed, incorporating key informant interviews, focus group discussions, field observations, and Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis to track peri-urban land conversion from 2011 to 2021. Findings reveal that rapid urban expansion, driven by a 7% annual population growth rate, has resulted in an 8% conversion of peri-urban land, often displacing farmers with inadequate compensation and disrupting livelihoods. While cooperative housing schemes have allocated over 35,000 certified land plots to low- and middle-income residents, only 7,000 members have completed construction due to high costs, administrative inefficiencies, and prolonged land servicing. Meanwhile, informal land transactions have flourished due to inefficiencies in formal land allocation and inadequate compensation for expropriated farmers, with brokers and local administrators facilitating these transactions. To address these challenges, the study recommends policy reforms aimed at improving formal land supply mechanisms, streamlining cooperative housing processes, strengthening land registration and banking systems, and enhancing institutional coordination. Additionally, alternative funding mechanisms, such as an urban land development fund, are proposed to support affordable housing initiatives. Overall, the research underscores the urgent need for comprehensive policy interventions to promote sustainable urban development and equitable access to housing in Bahir Dar City.