Diagnosing the Urban Expansion-Land Conflict Nexus in Bamenda II, Cameroon

Abstract

Urban growth in the context of sub-Saharan Africa generally introduces attendant effects. Some of these include land use conflicts, pressure on municipal services and the challenges of urban poverty. While these issues have received significant attention, an issue which seemed to have eluded geographical literature, at least in the context of Bamenda, centres on the extent to which urban expansion triggers land conflicts. This paper analyses the trend of urban expansion in Bamenda II, and explores the relationship between urban expansion and land conflicts. A total of 80 households were randomly sampled, complemented by participant observation and focus group discussions. The Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient revealed a positive correlation between urban expansion and land conflicts. It is therefore necessary for policy interventions to regulate the pace of urban expansion with a view to preserving the last vestiges of natural and agricultural space. Further conflicts could be avoided through a clear demarcation of boundaries, including the facilitation of the process of acquiring land titles.  This will reduce the cases of land conflict and haphazard urban expansion.