The Urban Built-Up Area Expansion and Its Impacts on the Livelihoods of Farm House Holds in Peri-Urban Areas of Atsbi Town, Tigray Region, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Urbanization is an increasing of population living in cities. This causes loss of agricultural farmlands and challenged for livelihood of peri-urban areas. Built-up area expansion of Atsbi is characterized by horizontal growth. This causes social, environmental and economic impacts to peri-urban communities. Similar studies relating to this topic clearly stated impacts urban expansion but they do not display the urban expansion land cover changes. Other studies, clearly displays horizontal expansions change using geospatial technologies, but they do not assess the socio-economic impacts of the expansion. Therefore, this research filled the above gaps. This study was conducted with the main objective of ‘to assess the expansion and impact of built-up area on the livelihood of farm households in the peri-urban areas Atsbi town Tigray region’. In order to address the stated objective, the researcher used both qualitative and quantitative data types. The researcher was taken 113 sample sizes through purposive sampling methods for interview. Data was collected through questionnaires, interviews, observation, and satellite images and analysed using SPSS and geospatial software’s. In the study area, the built-up expansions cause decreased the average annual income production and livestock holdings. But it increases the housing rooms, job opportunities and enhancing the quality of life the peri-urban communities. The magnitude of urban built-up area expansion was increased from 72.5hac (2006) to 197.4hac 2020. Therefore, the concerned bodies should review and update the amount of compensation to be paid for the displaced farmers and should co-operate in order to create alternative sources of livelihood farmers.