Urban sprawl and its implications on the livelihoods of Agricultural Communities in the vicinities of Dire Dawa city, eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

The study aimed at analysing the impacts of urban expansion on the livelihoods of farming communities adjoining Dire Dawa City, Ethiopia. Data were generated from key informants and heads of households that were dispossessed of their agricultural land and displaced due to urban  expansion, 1985 to 2015. The findings revealed that built-up area of the city increased by 5.7-fold from 1985 to 2015, and much of that increase was induced by population growth and the associated proliferation of informal settlements. This resulted in reduction of size of per capital landholdings and livestock of agricultural households. The expansion led 92.8 per cent of the agricultural households to turn to non-farm activities, casual labour or joblessness. Drawing on the findings, the authors recommend the urgent need of regulating informal settlements and supporting affected residents to intensify and diversify agricultural pursuits.

Keywords: Urban sprawl, livelihoods, displaced/dispossessed persons, informal settlement, Ethiopia