IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/agecon/v51y2020i4p491-504.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Rural in‐migration and agricultural development: Evidence from Zambia

Author

Listed:
  • Jordan Chamberlin
  • T. S. Jayne
  • Nicholas J. Sitko

Abstract

While a considerable body of literature has developed in recent years around the drivers and consequences of rural out‐migration in sub‐Saharan Africa, relatively little work has been done to understand the impacts of migration into rural areas. We use nationally representative household survey data from Zambia to explore the relationship between rural in‐migration and agricultural productivity outcomes in receiving communities. We document high levels of rural in‐migration throughout Zambia—12% of rural household heads having moved from elsewhere within the previous 10 years—with two‐thirds of rural in‐migrants originating from other rural areas. Migrants are, on average, better endowed with capital resources than their nonmigrant neighbors and are more engaged with input and output markets. After controlling for other factors, we find that higher rates of rural in‐migration are associated with greater agricultural productivity outcomes in receiving communities. These positive associations are particularly pronounced in more remote rural areas, and where in‐migration originates from other rural areas. Taken together, our results suggest that rural in‐migrants play an important role in the rural transformation processes underway in Zambia.

Suggested Citation

  • Jordan Chamberlin & T. S. Jayne & Nicholas J. Sitko, 2020. "Rural in‐migration and agricultural development: Evidence from Zambia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(4), pages 491-504, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:51:y:2020:i:4:p:491-504
    DOI: 10.1111/agec.12567
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.12567
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/agec.12567?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paul A. Lewin & Monica Fisher & Bruce Weber, 2012. "Do rainfall conditions push or pull rural migrants: evidence from Malawi," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 43(2), pages 191-204, March.
    2. Francis Mwesigye & Tomoya Matsumoto & Keijiro Otsuka, 2014. "Population Pressure, Rural-to-Rural Migration and Evolution of Land Tenure Institutions: The Case of Uganda," GRIPS Discussion Papers 14-09, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies.
    3. Ayala Wineman & Lenis Saweda Liverpool‐Tasie, 2018. "Land markets and migration trends in Tanzania: A qualitative‐quantitative analysis," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S2), pages 831-856, September.
    4. de Brauw, Alan & Mueller, Valerie & Lee, Hak Lim, 2014. "The Role of Rural–Urban Migration in the Structural Transformation of Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 33-42.
    5. Foster, Andrew D & Rosenzweig, Mark R, 1995. "Learning by Doing and Learning from Others: Human Capital and Technical Change in Agriculture," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 103(6), pages 1176-1209, December.
    6. Kudo, Yuya, 2015. "Female Migration for Marriage: Implications from the Land Reform in Rural Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 41-61.
    7. Hirvonen, Kalle & Lilleør, Helene Bie, 2015. "Going Back Home: Internal Return Migration in Rural Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 186-202.
    8. Kalle Hirvonen, 2016. "Temperature Changes, Household Consumption, and Internal Migration: Evidence from Tanzania," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 98(4), pages 1230-1249.
    9. Ingelaere, Bert & Christiaensen, Luc & De Weerdt, Joachim & Kanbur, Ravi, 2017. "Why Secondary Towns can be important for poverty reduction," Jobs Group Papers, Notes, and Guides 27976895, The World Bank.
    10. Kashi Kafle & Rui Benfica & Paul Winters, 2020. "Does relative deprivation induce migration? Evidence from Sub‐Saharan Africa," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 102(3), pages 999-1019, May.
    11. Luc Christiaensen & Joachim De Weerdt & Bert Ingelaere & Ravi Kanbur, 2018. "Migrants, towns, poverty and jobs: insights from Tanzania," Working Papers of LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance 619269, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance.
    12. Kathleen Beegle & Joachim De Weerdt & Stefan Dercon, 2011. "Migration and Economic Mobility in Tanzania: Evidence from a Tracking Survey," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 93(3), pages 1010-1033, August.
    13. Ingelaere, Bert & Christiaensen, Luc & De Weerdt, Joachim & Kanbur, Ravi, 2018. "Why secondary towns can be important for poverty reduction – A migrant perspective," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 273-282.
    14. Mwesigye, Francis & Matsumoto, Tomoya, 2016. "The Effect of Population Pressure and Internal Migration on Land Conflicts: Implications for Agricultural Productivity in Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 25-39.
    15. Jeffrey M Wooldridge, 2010. "Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 2, volume 1, number 0262232588, December.
    16. Felix Kwame Yeboah & Thomas S. Jayne, 2018. "Africa’s Evolving Employment Trends," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(5), pages 803-832, May.
    17. Nicholas J. SITKO & William J. BURKE & T. S. Jayne, 2018. "The Quiet Rise of Large-Scale Trading Firms in East and Southern Africa," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(5), pages 895-914, May.
    18. Chamberlin, Jordan & Jayne, T.S., 2013. "Unpacking the Meaning of ‘Market Access’: Evidence from Rural Kenya," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 245-264.
    19. Julia Garlick & Murray Leibbrandt & James Levinsohn, 2016. "Individual Migration and Household Incomes," NBER Working Papers 22326, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    20. Nicholas Sitko & Jordan Chamberlin, 2015. "The Anatomy of Medium-Scale Farm Growth in Zambia: What Are the Implications for the Future of Smallholder Agriculture?," Land, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-19, September.
    21. Kanbur, Ravi & Christiaensen, Luc & Ingelaere, Bert & De Weerdt, Joachim, 2017. "Why Secondary Towns Can Be Important for Poverty Reduction – A Migrant’s Perspective," CEPR Discussion Papers 12193, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    22. T.S. Jayne & Jordan Chamberlin & Lulama Traub & Nicholas Sitko & Milu Muyanga & Felix K. Yeboah & Ward Anseeuw & Antony Chapoto & Ayala Wineman & Chewe Nkonde & Richard Kachule, 2016. "Africa's changing farm size distribution patterns: the rise of medium-scale farms," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 47(S1), pages 197-214, November.
    23. Unknown, 1961. "The Role of Agriculture in Economic Development," International Journal of Agrarian Affairs, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 3(2), pages 1-1, April.
    24. Jordan Chamberlin & Jacob Ricker-Gilbert, 2016. "Participation in Rural Land Rental Markets in Sub-Saharan Africa: Who Benefits and by How Much? Evidence from Malawi and Zambia," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 98(5), pages 1507-1528.
    25. Sitko, Nicholas J. & Chamberlin, Jordan & Mulenga, Brian, 2015. "Unpacking the Growth of Medium-scale Farms Zambia: What Are the Implications for the Future of Smallholder Agriculture?," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 212901, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    26. T. S. Jayne & Jordan Chamberlin & Rui Benfica, 2018. "Africa’s Unfolding Economic Transformation," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(5), pages 777-787, May.
    27. Wineman, Ayala & Jayne, Thomas S., 2017. "Intra-Rural Migration And Pathways To Greater Well-Being: Evidence From Tanzania," Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Papers 261669, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security (FSP).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kapoor, Rajni & Das, Nimai, 2021. "A Pragmatic Study for Enhancing Agricultural Efficiency Through Labor Freedom," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, Asian Economic and Social Society (AESS), vol. 11(04), January.
    2. Lay, Jann & Nolte, Kerstin & Sipangule, Kacana, 2021. "Large-scale farms in Zambia: Locational patterns and spillovers to smallholder agriculture," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    3. Zhe Chen & Apurbo Sarkar & Md. Shakhawat Hossain & Xiaojing Li & Xianli Xia, 2021. "Household Labour Migration and Farmers’ Access to Productive Agricultural Services: A Case Study from Chinese Provinces," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-20, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jordan Chamberlin & Cristina Ramos & Kibrom Abay, 2021. "Do more Vibrant Rural Areas have Lower Rates of Youth Out-Migration? Evidence from Zambia," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(4), pages 951-979, August.
    2. Chamberlin, Jordan & Jayne, T.S., 2020. "Does farm structure affect rural household incomes? Evidence from Tanzania," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    3. repec:lic:licosd:41119 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. De Weerdt,Joachim & Christiaensen,Luc & Kanbur,Ravi, 2021. "When Distance Drives Destination, Towns Can Stimulate Development," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9622, The World Bank.
    5. Wineman, Ayala & Jayne, Thomas S., 2017. "Intra-Rural Migration And Pathways To Greater Well-Being: Evidence From Tanzania," Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Papers 261669, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security (FSP).
    6. Zaneta Kubik, 2017. "Climatic variation as a determinant of rural-to-rural migration destination choice:Evidence from Tanzania," Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne 17037, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne.
    7. Mueller, Valerie & Sheriff, Glenn & Dou, Xiaoya & Gray, Clark, 2020. "Temporary migration and climate variation in eastern Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    8. Ayala Wineman & Lenis Saweda Liverpool‐Tasie, 2018. "Land markets and migration trends in Tanzania: A qualitative‐quantitative analysis," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S2), pages 831-856, September.
    9. repec:lic:licosd:42321 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Zaneta Kubik, 2017. "Climatic variation as a determinant of rural-to-rural migration destination choice: Evidence from Tanzania," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-01599362, HAL.
    11. Zaneta Kubik, 2017. "Climatic variation as a determinant of rural-to-rural migration destination choice: Evidence from Tanzania," Post-Print halshs-01599362, HAL.
    12. Wineman, Ayala & Jayne, Thomas S., 2016. "Intra-Rural Migration in Tanzania and Pathways of Welfare Change," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 235957, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    13. Ricker-Gilbert, Jacob & Lunduka, Rodney W. & Kanyamuka, Joseph Samuel & Jumbe, Charles & Kaiyatsa, Stevier & Chamberlin, Jordan, 2017. "Do Farm Land Rental Markets Really Promote Efficiency, Equity and Investment in Smallholder African Agriculture? Evidence from a Matched Tenant-Landlord Survey in Malawi," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258391, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    14. Sarah E. Tione & Stein T. Holden, 2021. "Can rainfall shocks enhance access to rented land? Evidence from Malawi," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 52(6), pages 1013-1028, November.
    15. Barbora Šedová & Lucia Čizmaziová & Athene Cook, 2021. "A meta-analysis of climate migration literature," CEPA Discussion Papers 29, Center for Economic Policy Analysis.
    16. Abay, Kibrom A. & Chamberlin, Jordan & Berhane, Guush, 2021. "Are land rental markets responding to rising population pressures and land scarcity in sub-Saharan Africa?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    17. Ayala Wineman & Thomas S. Jayne & Emma Isinika Modamba & Holger Kray, 2020. "The changing face of agriculture in Tanzania: Indicators of transformation," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 38(6), pages 685-709, November.
    18. Yeboah, F. Kwame & Jayne, T.S., 2016. "Africa’s Evolving Employment Structure," Food Security International Development Working Papers 246956, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    19. Julia Brewer & Ashley Larsen & Frederik Noack, 2024. "The land use consequences of rural to urban migration," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 106(1), pages 177-205, January.
    20. Hirvonen, Kalle & Lilleør, Helene Bie, 2015. "Going Back Home: Internal Return Migration in Rural Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 186-202.
    21. Sarah Ephrida Tione, 2020. "Agricultural Resources and Trade Strategies: Response to Falling Land-to-Labor Ratios in Malawi," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-32, December.
    22. Jayne, T. S. & Holtzman, John S. & Yeboah, Felix Kwame & Anderson, Jock R. & Oehmke, James F., 2016. "Agri-Food Systems and Youth Livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa," Food Security International Development Working Papers 249276, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:51:y:2020:i:4:p:491-504. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iaaeeea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.
    pFad - Phonifier reborn

    Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

    Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


    Alternative Proxies:

    Alternative Proxy

    pFad Proxy

    pFad v3 Proxy

    pFad v4 Proxy