A Socio-Spatial Analysis of Land Use Dynamics and Process of Land Intervention in the Peri-Urban Areas of Bahir Dar City

Dynamics of urban landscape nexus spatial dependence of ecosystem services in rapid agglomerate cities of Ethiopia

Understanding the dependence of ecosystem services (ESs) on the dynamics of human-semi nature-coupled ecosystems is crucial for urban ecosystem resilience. In the present study, the responses of ESs to land use land cover transitions were explored and compared, selecting Addis Ababa, Adama, Hawassa, and Bahir Dar cities in Ethiopia. The geospatial data and benefit transfer approach was used to estimate the nexus over a three-decade period (1990-2020). Moreover, the bivariate Moran's I and spatial regression models were employed to analyze the spatial dependence of ESV on urbanization. The findings showed that the built-up increased by 17,341.0 ha (32.2%), 2151.3 ha (19.6%), 2715.2 ha (12.2%), and 2599.7 ha (15.7%) for Addis Ababa, Adama, Bahir Dar, and Hawassa cities, respectively over the investigated periods. Besides, the total ESV weighed by 24.8%, 8.9%, 0.7%, and 3.9% from the US$ 277.9, 55.5, 100.3, and 90.9 million for Addis Ababa, Adama, Bahir Dar, and Hawassa cities, respectively from1990 to 2020. Synergies occurred among local climate regulation and recreation services, and trade-offs existed among other services. A persistent rising trend in the ESVt was found for all cities the upsurge in Addis Ababa being much sturdier than in others. However, the elasticity of ecosystem of land use (EEL) showed that 1% of the LULC transformation was caused by 8.9% changes in ESV. Besides, the results from the global bivariate Moran's I show substantial positive spatial correlations between ESV, and Integrated Land use Dynamic Degree (ILUDD), Land-Use Intensity (LUI), and Land Use Diversity (LUD) (p < 0.001). Spatial lag model and special error model were shown to be fitting more than the Ordinary Least Square in establishing relationships among the spatial dependence of ESV on urbanization. In contrast, the aggregated ESV is significantly influenced not only by LULC dynamics but also by the spatial spillover effect. Thus, overall findings suggested an antagonistic nexus between the aggregated ESV and ESVf, since 98% of individual ESs were negatively declined as the built-up ecosystem expanded.

Policy Strategies to Revive Rural Land in Peri-Metropolitan Towns: Resource Identification, Capitalization, and Financialization

Previous planning for rural revival in towns has emphasized construction and government-led policies. However, we argue that the dilemmas of peri-metropolitan rural areas, such as Desakota in China, are far more complex faced with rural super village and hollowed village transformations. Rural revival planning needs to coordinate with the development of urbanized and rural areas towards multifunctional goals and plans as a whole. Therefore, we selected the town master plan of Lijia, a typical peri-metropolitan village in China, as a case study. Through a historical–interpretative approach involving analysis of planning policies, questionnaires, and in-depth interviews with the key stakeholders involved, we structured the process and mechanism of rural revival in Lijia into three phases: resource identification, capitalization, and financialization. In different phases, different stakeholders adopt different roles. The government takes a leading role in resource identification and capitalization, while firms take a leading role in the process of financialization. “Market-dominant and government-guided” planning stimulates villagers to participate in rural revival. We highlight the importance of multifunctional land-use in terms of rural revival in the master planning of peri-metropolitan villages and provide a practical reference for uniting multiple stakeholders, including governments, firms, and villagers.

Evaluating the Quality of Land Information for Peri-Urban Land-Related Decision-Making: An Empirical Analysis from Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

Proper functioning land information (LI) plays an indispensable role in supporting land-related decision-making processes. In recognition to this, substantial efforts have been made in Ethiopia to develop and modernize land information both in urban and rural land administration sectors. However, in Ethiopia, the quality of the current land information (completeness, appropriateness, time, cost, development, governance, sharing, and so on) needed for making decision is scantly evidenced, whilst the particular aspects of how the current urban and rural land information systems are functioning in view of the needs of peri-urban land governance are rarely studied. Thus, the main objective of this paper is to evaluate the quality of the current land information sources for supporting peri-urban land-related decision-making. The research relied on both quantitative and qualitative data. Primary data were collected using questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGD), and interviews. The data collected using a closed-ended questionnaire was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The validity and consistency of the data were tested using Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient. The result signals that the quality of land information in the study area lacks responsiveness to support land-related decisions such as land use intervention and spatial management of peri-urban areas. The inefficiencies in the governance of land information and weak institutional efficiency prevailing in the different tiers of land administration institutions are the main causes. Furthermore, the variations in the governance of land information between urban and rural tiers of land administration institutions hamper data sharing, and it derives information redundancies and contradictions, which combined lead to ambiguous information use and reliance. The results further imply that the recordation of LI alone does not mean that it always supports decision making. When reasoning from the perspectives of the 8R framework of responsible land management, we conclude that the existing LI does not support many of the 8Rs. The researchers thus advocate responsive governance of land information and an alternative framework to embed effective land information for any peri-urban land decision making process.