Tola Bedru
Displacement can wipe out a
community’s previous means of livelihood and introduce a new way of life that
in most cases is less supportive than the previous. The problems faced by Addis
Ababa in its horizontal growth or expansion have been recognized by the government
of Ethiopia since 1991. However, the urban growth is occurring mainly by
horizontal expansion in Addis Ababa. The urban expansion program implemented
until now in and around Addis Ababa did not involve the community located in
the periphery in general, and the dislocated farming community in particular.
It was felt that the horizontal
expansion was to be limited and due attention be given to vertical growth (defined
as the development of multi storey buildings to save land and service costs).
This was not, however, the case since acquiring space is considered to be an
important element in the overall strategy of the expansion and development of
the inner city that accompanied the displacement of the occupants and their
relocation to the peripheral agricultural and forest lands, which in turn resulted
in the dispossession and displacement of farmers. This ongoing expansion process,
nevertheless, failed to capture the needs and aspirations of farmers who were
forced to leave their land and property.
Although Addis Ababa City
Administration has put in place some benefit packages, little is known how
displacement and relocation activities are mediated, how the livelihood of the
displaced people is protected and how the nature of the relationship between
urban expansion and the periphery is to be handled. In fact, this requires an
assessment of the existing social, economic, institutional and organizational structures
and displacement procedures that dealt with people with a view to identify gaps
and areas for improvement. Assessments of the effect of urban expansion on the
livelihood of the displaced farming community are expected to play an important
role in designing a sound strategy for expansion programs of urban areas.
The level of urbanization of
Ethiopia, where only 16% live in urban areas, is comparatively low given the
global scale, and even by African standards. Despite this low level, Ethiopia
has recorded a relatively high growth rate of urban population (4% annually),
double that of rural areas. However, such high growth rate is not often
accompanied by development in socioeconomic services and infrastructure, and by
economic and employment capacity of the urban centers to support the growing
population.
Addis Ababa is among the most
physically expansive cities in Africa. It was established in 1886 as a military
settlement with a “large number of tents”. It has since been transformed into
large metropolitan city covering about 54,000 ha of land. Throughout its
history, however, Addis Ababa City is characterized by unplanned settlement and
spontaneous horizontal expansion pattern. The combined effects of being the
seat of the administration of the country, head offices of different institutions,
and diplomatic machines and residences have brought a significant change on the
expansion of the city.
The population of the city was only
65,000 in 1910, increased to 100,000 with an average annual growth rate of 2.1
per annum by 1935, and reached 327,000 with a growth rate of 13.4 in 1952
(Solomon, 1985: 36). The first census result of the city held in 1961 indicates
that the city had a population of 443,728, with an average annual growth rate
of 4.0. Data from CSA indicate that the city had a population of 683,530 with
an average growth rate of 7.1 in 1967; a population of 1,167,315 with an
average growth rate of 7.6 in 1978.
Addis Ababa attracts a large number
of migrants from all regions of the country. According to CSA permanent
migrants (i.e. not born in Addis Ababa) accounted for about 46% of the
population in the city in 1994. Of these, a relatively large proportion (42%)
came from other urban areas, while 58% came from rural areas. Drought and
famine, demobilization of soldiers (after the fall of the Derg regime in 1991
and the Ethio-Eritrea conflict during 1998–2000) and displacement of people due
to other localized conflicts may have contributed to migration in Addis Ababa.
Addis Ababa and its periphery
There is strong linkage between
Addis Ababa and its periphery, where there is a steady flow of a variety of
materials/products and labor resources taking place. However, the ideal linkage
is such that reciprocity exists and both sides of the linkage are beneficial.
Existing evidence attest to the fact that the linkage is incomplete, due to
inaccessibility and absence of public services at the peripheries. Indeed,
rural communities around Addis Ababa have poor access to social services, and
are victims of the negative effects of urbanization seen from the point of
environmental security since the time Addis was established. It is noted that
lack of appropriate policy, institutional set up and planning resulted in weak
urban network, uncoordinated periphery development, environmental degradation
and poor communication with the periphery.
This complex situation requires a
clear understanding of the forces involved in its make-up, the effects created
on peoples’ livelihoods and the generation of sound mechanism to deal with
future planning exercises in Addis Ababa or elsewhere in the country.
The expansion of urban to the
periphery is derived from two sources, namely, urban development and urban
population increase. The first source of urban expansion to the periphery is
engendered by the “economic development projects” or “urban clearance” or
“industrialization”. Space is needed for industry, socioeconomic infrastructure,
communication and road networks that require reorganization and redevelopment
of the space already inhabited by people. The second reason for urban expansion
to the periphery is mainly due to natural population growth, but rural–urban
migration contributes even more in many developing countries. Of developing regions,
Africa shows the highest urban population growth with faster urbanization. In
both cases of urban expansion, “the poor farmers are the net losers while
largely better off urban settlers get the benefit of obtaining land at
subsidized prices”. As indicated above, Addis Ababa is expanding in both
population and area encroachment.
Urban expansion causes displacement,
dislocation and segregation that result in the disorder of the social fabric.
People in the extended urban areas “live still partly rural and where many of
the residents live in the country but are not socially and economically of it”.
Since social infrastructure is concentrated in the center, people in the
extended area rely on proximity to facilities. This involves long commute for
work, market and other basic social needs. There is also a possibility of
isolation from the city development, and being sandwiched between the rich,
creating class difference. Thus, the community in the periphery could face
problems of survival strategies, solidarity network, and systems of power to
which the social and economic activities are linked to their original location.
A more comprehensive economic
development approach should be implemented in the periphery; where non-farm
activities will be promoted; infrastructure development will be enhanced; and
favorable conditions will be created. There must be an integrated participatory
approach for the better integration of the dislocated farmers into the new way
of life in urban settlement. The dislocated farming communities are now engaged
in casual activities, which generate low income. This underlines the need for
support in terms of education and training, access to credit facilities, better
infrastructure and market information, access to land and intensive urban
agricultural production and improved productivity. Addis Ababa has been
exercising horizontal growth since its establishment. This trend has brought
social, economic and environmental problems that often outweigh the advantages.
It is necessary to change this trend and induce the policies that implement vertical
growth of the city, with more attention to create and improve human capital –
mainly work opportunity for women and children.
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