ZEF Public Lecture: Transitions in Rural-Urban Interfaces: Urbanization, land governance and livelihood in Ethiopia

March 3, 2022 | 13:30 h - 14:30 h

ZEF Public Lecture

Topic: Transitions in Rural-Urban Interfaces: Urbanization, land governance and livelihood in Ethiopia

Speaker: Girma Kelboro (ZEF Senior Researcher)

Abstract:  Studying land use and livelihood transitions in rural-urban interfaces increasingly becomes a major concern in development sciences. Currently, middle-sized cities are places where land governance and livelihood changes are taking place very fast, often faster than in the bigger cities. It is often expected that urbanization brings income generation opportunities and improved livelihoods through markets, jobs, and businesses. However, what happens in reality to smallholder farmers needs an answer. Land is the basis for their livelihoods. Therefore, taking the case of Hawassa in Ethiopia, this research project will address the issues of urbanization, land governance and livelihood with three objectives: (1) explore the process of land governance and livelihood transitions in rural-urban interfaces with emphasis on smallholder farmers; (2) identify opportunities and challenges for adaptation of smallholder farmers to these transitions; and (3) describe and analyze actors and institutions in the process of rural-urban transition with a particular focus on the role of the state.

Girma Kelboro is Senior Researcher at ZEFa. His current research interests include forest/nature conservation governance, landscape heritages, land use and livelihood/food security transitions.

Registration: https://uni-bonn.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0pcuyhqTorHdas2cDdRTcdfrESMVALG2bi