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“ALMOST URBAN” Crossed Perspectives from the Peripheries of Bamako, Dakar and Nairobi on Urban Sprawl and Land use Transitions.

Land conversion for urban uses in distant peripheries represents a major societal and environmental turning point. At varying distances from already urbanized areas, we observe the subdivision of rural land into individual plots ready for construction. These plots are either developed through self-build initiatives or real estate promotion, or they remain undeveloped over extended periods. Although this popular phenomenon is widespread, it has received far less scholarly attention than land conversions associated with large-scale real estate projects, infrastructure developments, and industrial parks. The main objective of this workshop is to foster discussion on this topic by sharing our methodological approaches and access to sources in contrasting political contexts in the peripheries of Bamako, Dakar and Nairobi.

9 am: Welcome Remarks and Workshop
Introduction; Laji Adoyo, Kenyatta University ; Godwin Opinde, Kenyatta University ; Bérénice Bon, IRD.

9.30am – 12pm : Land markets, land subdivisions and economies of money. We will look at the functioning of land markets in these rural-urban interfaces, which are subject to strong land pressure and the intense flows of financial capital from urban economies. We will question the intensive practices of land subdivision, the economic anticipations of the actors, and the diverse land uses (real estate development and self-build, speculative practices, land hoarding without construction, and the continued (or not) investment in agriculture). Edwin Wamukaya Okonyo, Kenyatta University ; Monique Bertrand, IRD ; Fatoumata Camara, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technology of Bamako ; Hannah Kinuthia, Kirinyaga University ; Bérénice Bon, IRD ; Carol Kiarie, Kenyatta University.

12 pm – 1pm Lunch
1pm – 3pm: Land tenure insecurity, land conflicts and land digitalization. We will examine land conflicts and social mobilization in these urbanizing areas and how they are rooted in experiences of land tenure insecurity. Our focus will include identifying the authorities and repertoire of norms invoked by various groups of actors to resolve these conflicts. We will also analyze recent processes of digitizing land management and information systems, exploring the potentially conflicting expectations they reveal in terms of land policies and management tools. Dennis Muthama, BIEA – University of Nairobi ; Lahat Serigne Ndiaye, IRD ; Mamadou Kouma, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technology of Bamako ; Philippe Lavigne-Delville, IRD.

3pm – 5pm: Living and Co-existng in Metropolitan Peripheries
We will explore the needs and expectations of new residents concerning public services and infrastructure. This includes examining to what extent land operators and real estate developers ensure the viability of their subdivisions and housing projects. Additionally, we will investigate the daily mobility patterns that connect these metropolitan peripheries to places of employment, education, healthcare, and social interaction. Land-use changes are shaping new environments in fragile ecological settings. Armelle Choplin, University of Geneva ; Claire Simonneau, Gustave Eiffel University, Paris ; Momar Diongue, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar ; Jackson Kago, Kenyatta University ; Eric Kioko, BIEA, Kenyatta University, tbc.


OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
IFRA Nairobi (January 13, 2025). “ALMOST URBAN” Crossed Perspectives from the Peripheries of Bamako, Dakar and Nairobi on Urban Sprawl and Land use Transitions. IFRA Nairobi. Retrieved April 21, 2025 from https://doi.org/10.58079/132gc