Migration and Rural-Urban Linkages in Ethiopia

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een made on the basis of population size and type of public infrastructures. There hasbeen growing literature on rural and urban linkages in Ethiopia since the late 1960s. 3Mesfin (1970) stated that the development of many Ethiopian towns passed through threehistorical stages. First, towns emerged around rural markets and the push factor waseconomic. Second, towns mushroomed to make rural administration effective and smoothso that politics played a significant role in their development. Third, towns were the resultof the introduction of technology that was characterised by complex and advancedeconomic systems. We challenge this argument since the development of urban areas andtheir relationships with rural areas involve multiple dimensions and cannot be explainedin a simple linear–evolutionary form. In his previous work, Mesfin (1968) also revealedthat all components of the urban hierarchy contribute to the diversion of resources fromrural areas. Thus, he suggested that the differences between urban and rural populationscontinue to increase. However, he concluded that rural life is unchanging and stagnant,and he viewed urban and rural societies as dichotomous entities. Again this showsMesfin’s bias about rural life and how he overlooks the importance of diffusions andexchange of information that contribute to changes in rural life. A more recent work byMesfin (1995) focused on market linkages in West Shewa zone and reported that there ispoor integration between rural and urban areas, and a lack of proper infrastructure forenhancing linkages. This study, however, is limited only to an aspect of market linkages.Fassika (1998) argues that it is very difficult to divide African countries into neatcategories of rural-urban. The two milieus must not be considered as ‘closed spaces’rather they must be viewed as ‘open spaces’.Akalu (1973) attributed the emergence of Ethiopian towns to the political situation in thenineteenth century. In his view, the emergence of Ethiopian towns was triggered by boththe geographical expansion of Ethiopia under Menelik II and the construction of theEthio-Djibouti railway. He argued that several towns in Ethiopia served as special centresfor urban-rural interactions since urban areas are the seats of government officials whohave control over the countryside.Markakis (1973) argues that social stratification in Ethiopia has emanated from theurban-rural dichotomy. Hence, the social classes in Ethiopia are bisected into rural andurban areas, and generate socio-economic and cultural variables that have led to thesocial stratifications.In his extensive works on rural-urban linkages/dichotomy, Baker (1968; 1996) studiedthe cases of two northern Ethiopian towns. He found that small towns in northernEthiopia served only as markets. In assessing the growth and functions of small urbancentres in Ethiopia, he noted that they provide important ranges of economic and socialservices, although the utilisation of services was found to be problematic due to pooraccessibility. He also discussed the significance of rural-urban interactions in economicdevelopment and stated that Ethiopian farmers in the north are active with multiple tasksand they straddle rural-urban spheres to take opportunities provided by both.3 See Akalu (1973); Baker (1968); Fassika (1998); Feleke (1999); Markakis (1973); Mesfin (1968, 1970).20
OSSREA (1995) presents the findings from two small towns and indicated that exceptfor trade linkages, rural-urban linkages are minimal or non-existent. The study is highlyaggregate in its approach without considering household patterns of linkages.Tekalegn (1995) emphasised the role of rural areas in shaping Ethiopia towns,particularly the capital Addis Ababa. He showed that the relationships of Addis Ababa tothe surrounding rural area from 1988-1974 clearly depicted the impact of governmentpolicy upon peasant agriculture. He further stated that urban dwellers in feudal Ethiopiahave greatly influenced the terms of production in rural areas through control over landand labour. He also dealt with the impact of the evolution of rural land tenure andtaxation system on the dynamics of the urbanisation process.Feleke (1999) explored the situations under which urban development planning and landmanagement in Addis Ababa led to displacement and impoverished the rural livelihoodsin the vicinity of the capital city of Ethiopia.As the foregoing review shows, the available studies on rural-urban linkages in Ethiopiahave been instrumental in providing mainly anecdotal experiences about the trends andpatterns of relationships that exist between urban and rural Ethiopia. However, they arenot easily comparable and therefore cannot not serve to make generalisations about ruralurbanlinkages throughout the country.2. Empirical findings of the WeD research programme and emerging issues2.1. Reasons for migration2.1.1. Reasons for in- and out-migration: urban sitesReasons for migration are often multiple, complex and difficult to comprehend as a chainof events and circumstances can lead someone to make the decision to move from oneplace to another. Understanding the reasons for migration in the context of communitysocial structure, household livelihood patterns and individual circumstances can provide aknowledge base that could be useful to develop effective migration policies. This sectionexamines the reasons for the migration of people in the WeD urban research sites ofShashemene and Kolfe.Shashemene: In-migration trendsThe WeD research programme examined the context and the reasons behind themigration of people to Kebele 08/09 of the Shashemene site. The FGDs held in the fourneighbourhood areas (see Annex 1) of the Shashemene site indicated that the urbancommunities have been hosting both seasonal, short-term and permanent, long-termmigrants mainly belonging to ethnic groups from the south that include Wolayita,Kembata, Hadiya, Dawro, Gamo, Gofa, Sidama as well as Gurage and Oromo. Unlike21
Page 1 and 2: Migration and Rural-Urban Linkages
Page 3 and 4: ABSTRACTThe paper examines key issu
Page 5 and 6: LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES AND MAPSTab
Page 7 and 8: Executive SummaryThis study attempt
Page 9 and 10: of development structure can serve
Page 11 and 12: The paper examines key issues affec
Page 13 and 14: functions. The improvement of physi
Page 15 and 16: agriculture, de-prioritisation of u
Page 17 and 18: The promulgation of ethnic-based fe
Page 19 and 20: including development policies and
Page 21 and 22: Proponents also argue that forms of
Page 23 and 24: Figure 2: Positive Links between Mi
Page 25: and voluntary associations as a mec
Page 29 and 30: elated to marriage, notably moving
Page 31 and 32: Table 2: Reason for absenceFrequenc
Page 33 and 34: as well as Tigray, the following as
Page 35 and 36: Table 6: Location where household m
Page 37 and 38: survey in May 2004. Most of these,
Page 39 and 40: Table 9: Location where household m
Page 41 and 42: Table 11: Reason for absenceFrequen
Page 43 and 44: Dinki, Amhara: Out-migration trends
Page 45 and 46: Table 13: Household members away fr
Page 47 and 48: There are still considerable number
Page 49 and 50: 2.2.Type of work and livelihoods of
Page 51 and 52: Migrants work on different terms th
Page 53 and 54: technology and lifestyles. Furtherm
Page 55 and 56: false banana) and maize. Similarly,
Page 57 and 58: sell the alcoholic drink, areke, wh
Page 59 and 60: where there is a sugar plantation,
Page 61 and 62: Table 23: Type of support received
Page 63 and 64: 2.4. Preferences regarding urban ce
Page 65 and 66: urban sites, Kolfe and Shashemene,
Page 67 and 68: 2.6. Labour force and employment op
Page 69 and 70: egion was high and was not impeded
Page 71 and 72: LBox 2: List of migration experienc
Page 73 and 74: Case 5: ES, male, poor, seasonal /s
Page 75 and 76: Case 11: AD, female, Oromia migrant
Page 77 and 78:
alleviated by appropriate rural dev
Page 79 and 80:
Successive Ethiopian governments to
Page 81 and 82:
in providing information about jobs
Page 83 and 84:
this recommendation but its impleme
Page 85 and 86:
Carney, D., 1998, Sustainable Rural
Page 87 and 88:
Kloos, H. (1988). "Ethiopia's Econo
Page 89 and 90:
Annex 1: The WeD-Research SitesMap
Page 91 and 92:
Map 4:Sketch map of Imdibir85
Page 93 and 94:
Map 6:Sketch map of Shashemene87
Page 95 and 96:
Map 8:Sketch map of Korodegaga89
Page 97:
Table 33: National Rural Migrants P
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