Seasonal Migration and Rural Livelihoods:The Case of Bahir Dar Town and Three Rural Kebeles in Amhara Region.
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Date
2007-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Seasonal migration of labour to Bahir Down Town and other rural areas is found to be
an imporrant component of the livelihood strategies of people living in the study area.
This srudy aimed at examining the opportunities and challenges of seasonal migration of
labour on the livelihoods of migrant people. To generate the necessOlY data, both
qualitative and quantitative techniques were employed.Seasona! - out-migration of labour in the study area is undertaken by many rural
households so as to diversify households' portfolios, save and invest in rural areas, and
reduce risk and vulnerability. The remittances obtainedfrom this type of migration have
served rural households to supplement their income .from agriculture and alleviate the
problem of land shortage and landlessness. In addition to the remittances, labour
migrants bring back home some kind of items such as household utensils, consumable
goods, clothes and educational materials. They are positively contributing to the
development of the recipient area by supplying cheap labour power. On the other hand,
they exert pressure on social services in the town, increase unemployment, and pollute
the environment. The major factors that drive rural people to migrate for seasonal wage
earning employment are attributed to economic, social and cultural factors. The
availability of employment opportunities at destination and the attractiveness of the
payment appear to be another major pull factor of seasonal out-migration of labour. The
stream of seasonal out-migration of labour is.predominantly carried out to rural areas of
other region. AI[ost of them have earlier experiences of out-migration either to the same
place or in other areas and they prefer rural to urban areas for their future out-migration
and permanent residence. Migrants usually stay at destination .from ]-5 months and the
majority migrate in September as this time is the peak labour demanding time at the
destination. Because of their short stay at the destination, the skill acquired by migrants
is negligible. The major problems in which labour migrants often face during their
j ourney and at the destination are inability to get social services, social discrimination,
labour exploitation, exposure to illnesses, misleading information, shortage of
transportation, and robbery.By considering the positive contribution of off-farm seasonal wage employment towards
improving the livelihoods of the rural poor, the rural development strategy should be
directed towards promoting a policy that maximizes the benefits incurred ji-om labour
migration and minimizes the risks and challenges associated with it. There is also a need
(0 consider labour migration as an alternative livelihood option for the poor rural
households in increasing assets, reducing poverty and alleviqting the problem of
farmland IJnd landlessness
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Keywords
Migration and Rural Livelihoods