Academic literature on the topic 'Transportation geography – Ethiopia – Case studies'

Following global trends, Multi-Stakeholder Forums (MSFs) have received attention as mechanisms for addressing deforestation and forest degradation in Ethiopia. However, little is understood on their influence on governance of forests. Based on qualitative research conducted in MSFs organized at Bale and Jamma-Urji in Oromia, Ethiopia, this paper examines how MSFs may influence the governance of communal forests. Results indicate that the majority of informants believe that MSFs improve participation, facilitate collaboration across sectors, and have potential to address power imbalances among stakeholders. Yet, failing to substantially engage the government in MSFs could either lower the success of the MSFs in bringing change in the governance of communal forests or limit the changes to the local community level. Embedding MSFs in government structures could increase the enforcement of MSF outcomes and enable resource mobilization. However, caution is required to prevent the government's control over MSF processes and outcomes.

The opening of a new metro station, as a mode of the transportation corridor, potentially could have different effects on housing prices. We have investigated its effect on the value of residential properties around those stations, using data from large expansions of the metro network in Tehran, Iran. In the period of our study (April 2010 to December 2018), forty-five metro stations were inaugurated in Tehran. We use a difference-in-difference regression method to identify the causal effect of interest, where adjacent properties are used as the treatment group and similar but distant properties as the control group. The results indicate that, on average, the adjacent properties are affected by a 3.7 percent increase in price relative to distant properties. We also extend our study by categorizing new metro stations according to the extent of ex-ante access to other modes of public transportation such as bus rapid transit (BRT). We find 2 to 11 percent positive effect of new metro stations in regions with lower public transport, while in regions with ex-ante extensive public transportation system, we find less than 2 percent positive effect.

Like many other economic and social activities that are infrastructure-intensive, the transport sector is an important component of the economy impacting on national, regional and local development as well as the welfare of citizens. An efficient transport infrastructure provides a multitude of socioeconomic opportunities and benefits with positive multiplier effects such as better accessibility to markets, employment, education and health. If it is well managed, transport infrastructure transforms the quality of life of residents through dynamic externalities it generates. But when infrastructure is deficient in terms of capacity, efficiency or reliability, it can have unwarranted economic costs due to reduced or missed opportunities. Despite its central role in rural development, little is known about the extent and impact of the various benefits that arise from the development of roads, particularly in developing countries. A large body of literature exists documenting the spatial patterns of socioeconomic development which can be induced by road infrastructure development processes and are in most cases dynamic and temporal. The impacts of a given road infrastructure development can also be analysed at the local, regional or national perspectives. The local impact is expected to be limited to the immediate neighbourhoods of the highway including tukuls, towns and villages to be found on both sides of the road within a distance of 5kms defining the influence zone. Based on this, the main objective of this research is to assess socioeconomic impacts of road infrastructure development of three newly developed highways on their respective surrounding communities 5-10 years after the interventions. Two of the highways are gravel surfaced and one is paved type. The respective study names are: Gendewuha – Gelago road (Corridor 1), Mile – Weldiya road (Corridor 2) and Ginchi – Kachisi road (Corridor 3). Their respective lengths are 165; 125; and 105 kilometres, while the study refers 10 kilometres on both sides of the roads. The study had focused on primary data on selected variables that describe socioeconomic conditions both before and after the intervention by using mixed methods of data collection considering quasi experimental design (QED). The main methods of analysis employed are descriptive and inferential statistics. Models such as: Random model approach and double-difference regression were used. The research had utilized two types of impact analyses (temporal and spatial) for comparison and also tested by using paired sample t tests: First: for each of the three corridors, comparisons between current conditions and the situation before the road intervention and, second: comparing conditions in the zone of influence (ZOI) situated within 5kms with control zone (COZ) situated beyond 5kms which are considered not to benefit much from road improvements during the period covered by the study. The research is based on data collected from 392 household heads, 77 key informants, 69 FGD participants from seven different localities, traffic counts from seven points, physical observations, outputs of GIS analysis utilizing satellite imageries and vast secondary data. The findings show that there are more positive and less negative temporal and spatial socioeconomic impacts generated by the three corridors notwithstanding disparities among the different locations. Accordingly, the paved highway is found to have more powerful positive impacts than the gravel roads, which are of low standards and functioning poorly. The status of truck and bus terminals which should have been integrated in the highway development projects are still underdeveloped with obvious effects on the sustainability of their socioeconomic impacts in the study areas. Furthermore, certain natural and more importantly manmade factors are found to have pre-empted the realization of certain positive socioeconomic impacts to be obtained from road interventions. In a nutshell, the dissertation had proofed the importance of conducting impact evaluation in the study areas by answering the questions of ‘what works and what doesn’t? and what is the extent of the impact?; measuring the impacts and relating the changes in the dependent variables to developmental policies; investigating the positive and negative effects of road development interventions and their sustainability; producing information that is relevant from transparency and accountability perspective; and finally contributing to individual and organizational level learning that can be inspired by conducting impact evaluations from the perspectives of change theory, programme theory and central place theory. These also offer possibilities of informing decision makers as to whether to expand, or improve road development related interventions by way of programmes, projects and policies. Therefore, from the perspective of Transport Geography, it is the primary interest of the researcher to contribute towards filling the aforementioned gaps in the existing body of the knowledge in Ethiopia and elsewhere.
Geography
D. Litt. et Phil. (Geography)

My dissertation address is to describe the long distance bus (LDB) transport, its structure, service adequacy and the role it plays in linking the core to the periphery of Ethiopia. The study applied both qualitative and quantitative data analyses. The quantitative data was mainly collected by using questionnaires, from the selected passengers and operators by longitudinal survey, 384 passengers, or 10 %, from each bus took part in the survey. Of these, only 241 questionnaires (63%) were fully completed and used for this analysis. And 6 % of buses or operators (64) were selected by systematic sampling. The routes and towns were also selected by lottery method. The qualitative data was mainly collected by interview. Among these, 5 % (twenty-five) of experts from the City Transport Bureau; the heads of LDB Associations; the owners of LDB; the Federal Transport bureau; and the Mercato Bus terminal. An interview was analyzed based on their own explanations. FGDs were carried out with passengers awaiting departure in the terminal (off-journey). The secondary sources were taken from both the EFTA and Mercato bus terminal dispatch report. The analysis was made mostly by integrating method, and in some cases with separate analysis. Beside with other inferential statistical, Pearson correlation was also applied. The growth rate for level one and level two buses had risen more than 100 % per annum, whereas level three buses showed a decline of 18 % per year. The whole sector shows a 6.6 % growth rate, which is double that of the population growth (2.6 %). The rate of bus dispatch is very high, approximately 38 per day, on the Dessie and Mojo route. The average bus dispatch in all directions is about 32. In terms of service provision and area coverage, level one buses interlink about 23 major towns. Level two buses service more than 70 major towns, and level three more than 110. The highest record of both area and service coverage was occupied by first level buses servicing Dessie, Mekele, Shashemene, Hawassa, and Jimma. On average, the majority of towns are being serviced by one bus, irrespective of their levels. The area and service coverage is thus very high for level three buses, compared with levels two and one. The Dessie and Mojo lines enjoy the highest bus coverage. LDBs typically provide transport for distances of less than 400 kilometres. They contribute towards core to peripheral ties of the nation. This result is expressed by Krugman’s (1991) core-periphery theory. The service adequacy of the industry indicates that above half of the operators would have to wait approximately one hour to pick up passengers and 1 or 2 days per week to get the turn too. This reveals that Levels one, two and three operators are dormant for 1 or 2 days per week. Supply is thus greater than demand, causing the emergence of an informal LDB service. The fact that about 60 % of passengers have to wait for approximately an hour to catch a bus, after collecting tickets, indicates the demand. The buses’ downtimes in order to secure a full load on each departure are positively correlated with bus levels. The LDB provide more for mobility of goods and peoples that can be shape land use and development patterns, and it generate jobs. This enable more for economic growth. Thus, level one is more attractive than other levels. The study identifies the major challenges facing LDB transport. Integration within stakeholders, both internally and externally, is crucial to satisfy the passenger.
Geography
D. Phil. (Geography)