URBAN EXPANSION AND ITS IMPACTS ON THE PERIURBAN AGRI CULTURAL LANDS:THECASE OF HAIK TOWN;AMHARA NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE; ETHIOP

Abstract

This study has been conducted to investigate urban expansion and its impact on the periurban agricultural lands in the case of Haik town;Amhara national regional state, Ethiopia.The main ef ects contributing to rapid urban expansion in Ethiopia are higher natural population growth,rural urban migration and spatial urban development. This is highly aggravated with the high displacement of rural peoples and advancement in the economy both by the government and private sectors than the past decades in urban centers. This has an impact on loss of agricultural land, decline of productivity, displacement of long living farmers and occurrences of unsustainable livelihood. It is a tragedy event for most farmers living around the town because the movement which was carried out with high land consumption rate of land use reclassification from the surrounding agricultural land to variety of non agricultural activities. This study has employed mixed research design and it has applied both quantitative and qualitative approaches.From a total 306 HHS,122 sample sizes were taken by Yemane 1967 sampling determination techniques. The data collection tools, questionnaire, key informant interview,Focus group discussion, and observation conducted by preparing checklist Moreover, the secondary data was collected from dif erent written and unwritten document sources..The land holders were displaced from their land involuntarily and they did not participate in the town urban development program, it does not given awareness and the displaced HHS did not have opportunities to bargain in the determination of the amount and they did not decide the kind of compensation and calculate the value of asset. The compensation and property value for the af ected farmers was not fair is the reply of all the respondents. Many farmers faced the risk of displacement and had a firm negative attitude on the compensation and displacement process. Even the concerned bodies did not provide with necessary supportive program and follow-up for the af ected land holders.The finding of this study indicates that Agricultural land, forest lands decreased in the study periods.Built up area increased during this periods. The study findings suggested that creating awareness a mung the society concerning the the land use change type, urbanization and the compensation type including population pressure and their respective benefits its vital for sustainable land resource management.Therefore, the local managers and responsible sectors in the study area (Haik town administrator should give emphasis in participation of local communities in urban expansion activities and decision making need to be give due to attention.