The role of rural-urban migration on livelihood in Bugesera district, Rwanda
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Date
2008
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
In 1994, the genocide had a devastating effect in Rwanda and particularly, for this study, It
had worsened in Bugesera District by the exploding number of single-parent families (38%
of women and several young orphans now head families). Worse still, the District has had
to face prolonged and repeated drought since 1998, the direct consequences of which have
been food insecurity and massive population movements. People are pursuing internal
migration as a way of survival strategy. The general objective of this study was to
determine the role of rural-urban in livelihood; specifically the study discussed the
determinants of migration at the household level, the household wealth by migration status
and the influence of rural-urban migration in development on the place of origin. The
determinants of migration at household level provide a better understanding as to why
some families participate in the migration process while others do not. The findings
indicate that all the variables included in the analysis; age and the size of household have
had significant relative risk on rural out-migration. Migration theories and livelihood
approach were adopted to get insights on how poor migrants are making a living and how
they have changed the access to assets as compared to the non-migrants’ households.
These issues were explained on the basis of Principal Component Analysis, which was
developed to construct wealth index by migration status according to the reported level of
assets ownership and living conditions. The study found that migrants’ household were
better off than non-migrants’ household. In this study, rural-urban migration influences the
development of the place of origin through remittances, which contributes simultaneously
to the growth processes of the economy and improves the livelihood security of those who
remain resident in rural areas. In relation to migration of the poor, government policy
should build on knowledge about the transfer mechanisms and uses of remittances to
support community-based credit, savings, and transfer and investment initiatives.
Description
Master of Arts Dissertation in Rural Development
Keywords
Single-parent families, Rural-urban migration, Livelihood, Rwanda, Bugesera district