Migration and Rural-Urban Linkages in Ethiopia

elated to marriage, notably moving to join their spouses. There are also young femalemigrants who came from these districts as well as from other business towns such asAgaro, Awassa, Debre Zeit, Dilla, Nazret, Hagere Selam, Jimma, Yirgalem and AddisAbaba for short seasons. Most of these categories of female, young and seasonal migrantstend to be divorced or single, and are engaged in domestic labour work, small businesses,production of local drinks and commercial sex work. As the informants elucidate, themigration of commercial sex workers to Bishate Sefer increased since the Socialist Dergperiod due to the establishment of a military base.Shashemene: Out-migration trendsDifferent categories of migrants from the various ethnic groups have experiencedmigration out of their respective sefer. Most of the female migrants who engaged incommercial sex work in Bishate Sefer often migrate out of the neighbourhood to look forbetter opportunities in other urban destinations.Most of the long-term male migrants engaged in daily labour in Kuyisa Sefer and theseasonal migrants who briefly stay in the neighbourhood tend to go to the south-westernregions such as Jimma, Agaro and Illu Aba Bor during the coffee-picking season. Theyalso travel to the Awash Valley for sowing, around Arba Minch for cotton harvesting,Shekiso for gold mining, and Woito for mango harvesting. In addition to such longdistancedestinations, seasonal migrants travel to the surrounding rural areas ofShashemene to be hired in potato planting and harvesting as well as in tef harvesting.Most of the long-term migrants, who are engaged in small business activities, also go outof Serategna Sefer to adjacent towns such as Awassa, Negele, and Kofele for shortperiods to carry out trading activities. For instance, the small traders buy second-handclothes from Awassa, food grains and Areke from Negele, butter and cheese from Kofele,and maize, charcoal and wood from Aje to sell in Shashemene market. In return, trademigrants buy shiro, pepper, and biqil from Shashemene to sell in these destinations.Some long-term male migrants who left their spouses behind often return to theirhomelands twice a year to cultivate their farms and harvest their produce.Short visits and seasonal migration out of the area happen during the celebration ofMeskel and on wedding occasions. Crisis times such as the death of people from the sameareas of origin, family disputes or ethnic clashes are also reasons for temporary outmigration.Data from the Resources and Needs Survey (RANS) provides some more evidence aboutmigration on the basis of three questions: 1) the number of members not present; 2) visitsaway from the site for more than a month; and 3) interest in working away from thecommunity.Table 1: Household members away from the community in July 2005Male Female TotalFrequency Percentage Frequency Percentage Frequency Percentage23