Land readjustment as an alternative land development tool for peri-urban areas of Ethiopia

Abstract

Purpose – The rapid urban population growth in Ethiopia is causing an increasing demand for urban land, which primarily tends to be supplied by expropriation of peri-urban land. The process of urban development in Ethiopia is largely criticized for forced displacement and disruption of the peri-urban local community. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to introduce how Ethiopia’s urban development system could be built on the participatory and inclusive approaches of land acquisition. Design/methodology/approach – The study has employed questionnaire survey results, focus group discussion with panel of experts and previous research reports to examine the peri-urban situations and then to show why an alternative land development approach is needed to be introduced in the urban land development system of Ethiopia. Desk review on land readjustment was also made to explore best lessons from other countries applicable to the peri-urban contexts of Ethiopia. Findings – This study has explored that land readjustment is potentially an appropriate land development tool to alleviate peri-urban land development limitations in Ethiopia. Practical implications – Researchers, policy makers and government bodies that are interested in peri-urban land would appreciate and consider implementing the adapted land readjustment model as an alternative land development tool. Consequently, the local peri-urban landholders’ rights would be protected and maintained in the process of urbanization. Originality/value – Although land readjustment has the potential to achieve participatory peri-urban land development, awareness of the method in the Ethiopian urban land development system is inadequate. This study contributes to fill this gap and create an insight into the basic conditions for the adaption of the tool.

Volume 17 : 2019 Issue 1

“…Tables 8, 9 and 10 further indicate that there exists a significant long run relationship between government efforts, financial institutions and Islamic home financing and home ownership in Malaysia. These results lend support to studies across countries on the effects of land supply and housing stocks on homeownership in Hong Kong and China (Lee, 2009;Hui, 2004), Ethiopia (Adam, 2015); UK, Australia, Ukraine (Ayoade & Ahmad, 2014;Costello, 2014;Kryvobokov, 2004). Furthermore, our findings that there exists a long run relationship between financial institutions and homeownership concur with the results of Garriga, Gavin and Schalgenhauf (2006), which also allude that innovations in financial markets, access to mortgage finance and reducing payment constraints can allow consumers to purchase homes.…”

“…The significant relationship between land price, the dynamics of land supply, land tenure and the allocation of land (i.e. land market), determine the influence on urban structuring and the general functioning of a city (Kasanga, 1995;Hui, 2004;Adam, 2015;Irumba, 2015). We therefore postulate that there is a significant positive relationship between total land supply and homeownership.…”

Urban Built-Up Property Formation Process in the Peri-Urban Areas of Ethiopia

“…Experiences show that expropriation decisions made by municipal authorities are most commonly top-down without considering the interests of the peri-urban communities including the preferences in the type of compensation. For instance, the great majority of the local landholders (91%) in the peri-urban areas prefer to have either land-to-land compensation from other areas or preserving reasonable portion of land within the urban boundary [21]. Therefore, the landholders in the area would like to preserve their land use rights and stay in farming activities.…”

Ethiopia’s Justice System Reform at Crossroads: Impediments relating to Institutional Continuity, Ethnic Politics and the Land Regime

“…It is awkward that Ethiopia (as a primarily rural smallholder farmer economy) turns a deaf-ear to the volumes of academic literature on rural and urban land tenure security that can enhance economic efficiency, social wellbeing and environmental sustainability. For example, the scheme of land readjustment 91 accommodates urban redevelopment or urban expansion without evicting urban or peri-urban landholders because the landholdings can be contributed as stock (share) in new investments to the mutual benefit of all parties, i.e. former landholders and investors.…”