https://ejol.aau.edu.et/index.php/JIKDS <p>JIKDS is an open-access, double-blind peer-reviewed journal that issues a call for papers twice a year through various online platforms, in January and July, and publishes manuscripts in June and December. It serves as a platform for exchanging information and research results that highlight significant advances in the relationship between indigenous knowledge and development studies. JIKDS is dedicated to publishing high-quality works and acts as a communication platform for professionals, researchers, practitioners, and other interested scholars. Furthermore, it encourages researchers and publishers to focus on community-oriented issues that contribute to link development and indigenous knowledge.</p> Bule Hora University en-US Journal of Indigenous Knowledge and Development Studies 2707-7640 https://ejol.aau.edu.et/index.php/JIKDS/article/view/12163 <p align="justfy"><em>One of the primary challenges in addressing land-related conflicts is the divergent notions of land held by various actors. In the modern urban context, land is valued as a crucial economic resource, serving as capital to invest in or as a commodity to buy and sell for profit. Most existing studies and discussions on land also view it as a resource for the economy, overlooking its social, cultural, political, and religious values. This paper explores the notions of land among Indigenous farmers in Addis Ababa peri-urban areas (AAPUA) and their implications for land-related conflicts. The study employed a qualitative approach and used key informant interviews and focus group discussions to generate data from the participants. The findings show that for the indigenous farmers in AAPUA, land is categorized into five types based on the notions and values attached to it as “qe’ee” (homestead), “maasaa” (farming land), “tifkata” (grazing land), “abdaari” (sacred land), and “bakka-awwala” (graveyards). As part of the larger Oromo culture, land is considerably more than just an asset, source of income, and commodities for the indigenous farmers in the study areas rather they have profound ties to their lands as sites of social, cultural, and religious significance; they also serve as repositories for ancestral spirits, sites for sacred rituals, and historical landmarks that bind an individual to a specific location. Land is a status symbol that goes much beyond its economic value for farmers. In the study area and beyond, the land is an instrument of political power and control for the government, while it’s just capital and commodity for private business. Thus, the divergent notions of land amongst the key actors have caused and perpetuated land-related conflicts in the study area.&nbsp; The paper recommends that the appeal to end land grabbing and the displacement of farmers in AAPUA should go beyond ensuring the evicted farmers receive financial compensation. The government must enact a law that protects the indigenous farmers’ rights while appropriating land for development projects and urbanization.</em></p> Berhanu Alemu Copyright (c) 2025 Bule Hora University https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 2025-07-31 2025-07-31 7 01 1 18 https://ejol.aau.edu.et/index.php/JIKDS/article/view/12165 <p><em>This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of students with physical impairments (SWPI) in grades 5-8 at primary schools in Ambo Town, Ethiopia. A phenomenological approach involved in-depth interviews with seven purposively selected students. The qualitative analysis yielded four overarching themes: support services, challenges, strategies for overcoming challenges, and coping mechanisms. Participants reported receiving support from home and school; however, it was often not systematic or institutionalized. Among the challenges faced by SWPI were an unfavorable physical setting, feelings of loneliness, and insufficient support for educational activities requiring movement. To cope with these challenges, students employed various strategies, with resilience, adaptation to the system, and assertiveness being the most frequently mentioned. The findings underscore the necessity for comprehensive implementation of inclusive educational practices in and out of school to empower SWPI. To promote equal educational opportunities for all students in Ambo Town, it is essential to ensure the effective execution of inclusive policies and to provide capacity-building for SWPI, their families, and schools.</em></p> Hanchalu Geleta Adula Bekele Copyright (c) 2025 Bule Hora University https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 2025-06-30 2025-06-30 7 01 19 35