Impacts of Condominium Housing Development (CHD) on the property rights and tenure security of smallholder farmers in peri-urban area of Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa City Administration is implementing various Condominium Housing Development (CHD) projects in its outskirt peri-urban area. Nevertheless, so far there has been no study conducted to specifically explain impacts of CHD on the property right and tenure security of smallholder farmers in the study area. The study explains the impacts of CHD on the property right and tenure security of smallholder farmers in the peri-urban area of Addis Ababa taking Koye Fache and Bole Arabsa localities as the case study. The study used a qualitative approach to collect the required data and, hence, both secondary and primary methods of data collection were employed. The secondary method used includes desk review of the relevant secondary, as well as analysis of unpublished primary documents, was conducted. The primary data collection methods employed are in-depth interviews and FGDs. In-depth interview and focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted displaced smallholder farmers. A total of 22 in-depth interviews with affected farmers and officers working in government agency and two (2) FDG were conducted with affected farmers. The finding of the study was analysed using qualitative methods of analysis. The study found out that, expropriation of agricultural land in the peri-urban area for CHD caused the transformation of landholding system from unlimited freeholding rights to public land leasing system in the study area. As a result, the smallholder farmers in the peri-urban area were forcefully displaced from their property they held for generations and lose their use rights and tenure security in the study area. The study also reveals that the expropriation of land for CHD in the peri-urban area was implemented without informed consent and genuine participation of smallholder farmers in the study area. The study revealed that there was a high prevalence of the problem of governance expressed regarding forced land acquisition without smallholder farmers consent and participation for CHD. Also, unfair compensation was provided for displaced smallholder farmers not based objectively on available legal frameworks rather official’s judgments and goodwill in the study area. Thus, the government did not neither protect their property rights and tenure security nor provide fair compensation for their expropriated properties. The study revealed that there is no separate legal framework governs acquisition of land for CHD in the peri-urban area. Farmers residing in urban and rural areas are guided by the same existing legal frameworks regarding the land acquisition for development endeavours. The study also found out that, lack of single responsible organization for managing land acquisition for CHD, but the existing agencies accountable for availing land for other development activities are undertaking are shouldering the task with dual responsibility leading lack of concern for the displaced farmers for CHD projects. Also, the low commitment of government officials to implement the existing laws and regulations for land acquisition and lack of organized community organization within displaced smallholder farmers aggravated effects of CHD on the property right and tenure security of displaced smallholder farmers in the study area. The study found that the deterioration and reduction of smallholder farmers property rights was not as a result of change in tenure system rather change in landholding system from freeholding to public leasing due to CHD in the study area.