The effect of attitudinal, social, and demographic factors on perceived participation in land expropriation: Evidence from peri-urban communities in Bahir Dar

Effective land expropriation relies on the affected community’s perception of adequate participation. This study investigates the factors influencing this perception among peri-urban farmers in Bahir Dar, a rapidly expanding city in Ethiopia with extensive land expropriation experience. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a representative sample of 335 peri-urban farmers whose land was expropriated between 2012 and 2022. Participants were selected using a systematic random sampling technique to ensure an unbiased and proportional sample. Data was collected via a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics (mean and percentage) were used for demographic data, while ordinal logistic regression (OLR) was used to determine the effect of various independent variables on the perceived level of participation. Model assumptions, including multicollinearity, were confirmed to be met through various tests. The regression results revealed that several factors were significant predictors of perceived participation. Educational level, meeting attendance, expected compensation level, and the perceived timeliness of meeting calls were all negative predictors, suggesting that higher levels in these areas correlated with lower perceived participation. Conversely, a farmer’s perceived impact of expropriation on their livelihood and their attitudes towards the legal framework were found to be positive predictors of perceived participation. Based on these findings, we recommend that Bahir Dar city government prioritize developing laws and regulations that build trust and transparency, in addition to being legally sound. It’s crucial to establish ongoing systems to monitor and respond to farmers’ perceptions and expectations. These actions, such as public orientation and training, are essential for fostering the legitimacy of the entire expropriation system. This study acknowledges potential response bias and the limitation of a cross-sectional design, recommending future longitudinal research to capture the dynamic evolution of public perception.