Abstract:
The main aim of this study was to assess effects of horizontal urban expansion on rural
households in Sebeta town. In the study area an expansion of the town has been made at
the expense of conversion of rural households‟ productive land locating on the
peripheries of the town that result in livelihood insecurity. The research was descriptive
design in nature. To meet the objective both qualitative and quantitative approaches of
research design were employed. A household survey was conducted with 123 households
sampled using systematic random sampling technique. Primary data had been collected
through questionnaire, interview and focus group discussion while the secondary one
was from different written and documented sources. Collected data were analyzed using
SPSS v 20 software to obtain findings of the study and arrive on related conclusions. The
result of the study reveals that urban expansion was increasing in the area continuously
at the expense of peripheral farmers‟ productivity that impacts their livelihood in turn.
Rural households were not getting awareness on urbanization in advance, not participate
in decision making, not getting sufficient compensation in response to their productive
land that enforces them to change sustenance in the area. Most of them are getting
temporary jobs and getting low income. Furthermore, these rural households were
commonly lost farm land, grazing land, houses, their identity, social bond, trees,
vegetables and fruits and livestock assets that insecure their livelihood. They were not
getting important supports from the municipality and they are much concerned about
their future life. It is recommended that, rural households, government bodies and
stakeholders to work on management of urban expansion cooperatively to overcome the
challenges. It is important to properly implement related policies and regulation toward
the issue. Providing awareness on advance, training on entrepreneurship skills and
closely follow up of these rural households impacted as a result of urbanization was
great assignment of the municipality.
