COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS

The Causes and Effects of Youth Rural - Urban Migration on Socio

Economic: The Case of Sodo Town, Ethiopia

BSc. Research Report

By

Yordanos Enchalew

ID AGR/R/129/09

A Senior Research Report Submitted to the College of Agriculture,

Department of Agricultural Economics,
WOLAITA SODO UNIVERSITY

IN Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree OF BACHELOR

OF SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS

Advisor: Lemi Gonfa (MSc.)

May, 2019

Sodo, Ethiopia
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

My first heart full gratitude is to my God, who cared and helped me to accomplish this task and
also helped me from the very beginning of my step to this destination. Surely, I can say if he had
not been for his generous help I could not have reached to this final goal. Secondly, I would like
to express my sincere thanks and indebtedness to my advisor Lemi Gonfa (MSc.) his
constructive, valuable and untiring comment and genuine effort in guiding the completion of this
paper. I am also providing warmest thanks to my family for their deep affection and unlimited
moral and financial support. Finally, I would thank all the participants of this study for this
willingness to give all the required data without which study has not been possible.

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 ACRONYMS

DCs Developed Countries

EEA Ethiopia Economic Association

FAO Food and Agricultural Organization

IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development

ILO International Labor Organization

MDG Millennium Development Goals

MYSC Ministry of Youth Sport and Culture

NGO Non-Governmental Organization

PLWHA People Living With HIV/AIDS

SSA Sub- Saharan Africa

UN United Nations

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENT..................................................................................................................i
ACRONYMS..................................................................................................................................ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS...............................................................................................................iii
LIST OF TABLES...........................................................................................................................v
ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................................vi
1. INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................1
1.1. Background of the Study.......................................................................................................1
1.2. Statement of the problem......................................................................................................2
1.3. Objectives of the Study.........................................................................................................4
1.3.1 General objective.............................................................................................................4
1.3.2 Specific objectives...........................................................................................................4
1.4. Research Questions...............................................................................................................4
1.5. Significance of the Study......................................................................................................4
1.6. Scope of the Study................................................................................................................5
1.7. Limitation of the Study.........................................................................................................5
2. LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................................6
2.1. Theoretical Literature Review..............................................................................................6
2.1.1. Concepts and Definitions of Migration..........................................................................6
2.1.2. Types of Migration.........................................................................................................7
2.1.3. Theories and Models of Migration.................................................................................7
2.2. Conceptual Framework.......................................................................................................10
2.3. Empirical literature review..................................................................................................11
3. METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY.......................................................................................14
3.1 Description of the Study Area..............................................................................................14
3.2. Types and Sources of Data..................................................................................................14
3.3. Sampling Techniques..........................................................................................................14
3.4. Method of data collection...................................................................................................15

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 3.5. Method of Data Analysis....................................................................................................15
4. DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION...........................................................................16
4.1. Demographic Characteristics of Respondents....................................................................16
4.2. Socio-economic condition of youth migration in Sodo Town............................................18
4.3. Causes of Youth Rural-Urban Migration............................................................................19
4.4. The Effects of Youth Migrants in Sodo Town....................................................................22
4.5. Perception of Youth Migrants Regarding the Consequence of Migrants of their Life.......22
5. CONCLUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION......................................................................23
5.1. Conclusion..........................................................................................................................23
5.2. Recommendation................................................................................................................24
6. REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................25
7. APPENDIXES...........................................................................................................................26

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 LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 Sample size of respondent migrants............................................................................15

Table 2 sex of the respondents..............................................................................................16
Table 3 Age structure of respondents....................................................................................16
Table 4 Marital status of respondents....................................................................................17
Table 5 Occupation and monthly income for migrants...........................................................22
Table 6 process of migration…...............................................................................................20
Table 7 Socio-economic status of respondents……………………...…………………………21
Table 8 Reasons for migration of youth in Sodo town………………………………………...19
Table 9 Problems migrants faced during arrival……………………………………………….22

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 ABSTRACT

Change in population size, composition and distribution over time and space is the function of
migration, fertility and mortality. Therefore, migration is one of the components of population
Change. Migration can be divided in to two broad group’s i.e. international and internal
migration. Internal migration consists of rural to rural, rural to urban; urban to urban; and
urban to rural migration. The migration type which this paper addressed was youth rural to
urban migration. Information on migration of population was direct interest to planning and
implementing agencies as well as academic institutions because migration had direct effect on
the geographic distribution of the population. This paper represented the causes and effects of
youth rural to urban migration on socio economic development. Both primary and secondary
data were used to conduct the research. The data was gathered from a sample of 55 respondents.
Interview schedule was used as the main data collection instrument. The major findings of the
paper indicated that most of migrants were male, productive age group (i.e.in age bracket of
(16-35), unmarried and primary and secondary school students. Further, the study showed that,
an economic condition was the primary causes for migration; it was also more likely that
migrants were satisfied with their socio-economic conditions in urban areas as compared to
their original place. Finally, the researcher recommended that the government should provide
fertilizer, improved seed, irrigation mechanism, pest sides, insect, food storage and so forth to
increase the agricultural productivity to sustain life in rural areas and to reduce youth rural to
urban migration.

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 1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of the Study

Migration is a movement in humans usually refers to a permanent change of residence. It can

also, however be applied more widely to include temporary changes involving seasonal and daily
movements. It includes movements both between countries and within countries. Recent
estimates shows nearly 200 million people live outside their countries of birth. According to UN,
estimate between 1960 and 2005 the number of international migrants was more than an
estimated 75 million in 1960 to almost 191 million in 2005. Migration is the movement of people
from one geographical location to another that involves permanent or temporary settlement.
Human being migrates, for political, social, and economic as well psychological reasons. It is
also believed to be the main cause for the fast growth of urban population that has reached
highest proportion in the world (EEA, 2013).

It is estimated that in 2015, more than 10 percent of global migrants will hail from Africa
(UNDP, 2015). Only three percent of the world migrates, and around 1.9 percent of Africa’s
population engages in international migration (UNDP, 2015). This is not surprising, however, as
it is well documented in migration studies that the “poorest of the poor” do not migrate, and Sub-
Saharan Africa is the poorest region in the world. Migration flows from Sub-Saharan Africa are
thus occurring within a context of extreme poverty, conflict, and the HIV/AIDs pandemic, all of
which impact migration dynamics (Gashaw, 2008).

Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world and in 2015 had registered an emigration
rate of 0.6 percent. Ethiopia faces complex challenges of food insecurity, overpopulation,
drought, political instability, and ethnic conflict. In addition to these issues, Ethiopia faces large
challenges with respect to migration flows (World Bank, 2015).

Migration worsens rural-urban structural imbalances on supply sides and demand sides. On the
supply side, migration disproportionately increases the growth rate of urban job seekers relative
to urban population growth which by itself historically is at unprecedented levels. This may be
due to high proportion of well-educated young people with such migrant’s labor force increases
while the economic absorption capacity of such young people has increased. On the demand
side, job creation is generally more difficult and costly to accomplish. This may be due to the

1
need for substantial complementary resource inputs for most labor jobs in the industrial sectors.
Moreover, the pressure of rising urban wage and compulsory employee fringe benefits in
combination with the unavailability of appropriate, more labor intensive production technologies.
This means that raising share of modern sector output growth is accounted for the increment of
labor productivity. Together with this rapid supply increase and lagging demand growth tends to
convert a short run problem of resource imbalances in to long run situation of chronic and rising
urban surplus labor (Todaro, 2009).

In Ethiopia rural–urban migration has been the basic factor for population growth of urban
centers. The country’s rates for rural to urban migration have shown a linear increasing trend
from time to time particularly since the 20th century. Consequence urban population in absence
of corresponding has already become a great problem in Ethiopia (Gebregzihabher, 2007).

The youth rural-urban migration is one form of migration often viewed as the main causes of
urban population. When population grow rapidly in the urban area of Ethiopia, it becomes
difficult to accommodate the over increasing urban population. This requires in depth studying of
the effect and cause analysis of young rural-urban migration on the development of the economy
and to address the related problem with youth rural-urban migration (Muluken, 2006).

1.2. Statement of the problem

A large number of social scientists, politicians, journalists, and other educationalists have
concentrated and have shown their interest on the phenomenon of migration. Here are some
literatures on migration. Ravenstein(2006, 2009) carried out the study on the area of migration.
He identified several laws, among that some are put together on the following:
 “The great body of our migrants’ only proceeds a short distance” and “migrants enumerated
in a certain center of absorption will grow less as distance from the center increase.”
 “He takes consequently a universal shifting or displacement of the population, which
produces current of migration setting in the direction of the great centers of commerce and
industry which absorb the migrants.”

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 “Each main current of migration produces a compensation counter current.” In modern
terminology stream and counter-stream have been substituted for Ravenstein’s current and
counter current.
The youth migration from rural to urban area has been an occurring demographic change on
most LDCS. Sodo is one of the towns in the Southern Nation Nationality of Ethiopia facing the
problem of high rural-urban migration. According to the report of Sodo Development
Association, migration to the town is alarmingly increasing from time to time (SDA 2004-2007).
Literatures show that internal migration in Africa is highest in age groups of 20 to 29
(Freshenkushminder, 2009, as cited by G/ Egzihabher 2007). According to UN (2008) report
children and youth migration combined account for more than 70% of total net-migration in
developing countries. Researches in sub-Saharan African are pointing the vulnerability of
migrants to adverse living condition in their urban destination. The rapid urbanization in Sub-
Saharan Africa creates unpredicted growth in the size of the population of young people, and the
declining economic performance of the most African countries have been linked to a new face of
poverty, with the significant proportion of population living below the poverty line in
overcrowded slums and sprawling shanty towns around major cities (Bahitat 2002; Maxplank
Institute, 2006). The World Bank’s 2015 report stated that continued flow of migration without
reform in residence requirements will result in a creation of new poor citizens with the limited
access to urban services. A study conducted by Alula and Feleke (2005) showed that rural-urban
migration is increasing pressure on urban infrastructure and provision of services, increasing rate
of unemployment, commercial sex work and number of beggars in big cities.

In contrary to the increasing trend of urban migration in these areas have not enough
employment opportunities to absorb the migrants. Abebaw(2006) has pointed out the cause of
unemployment in Hawassa city. The unemployment rate in the age group between 15-24 years
are equal to or more than double the rate for the population as a whole, whose unemployment
rate already considerably influenced by the rate for young people ( ILO, 2002; Richard Layard et
al., 2007as cited by Muluken, 2014). Due to lack of formal and safe jobs most of rural migrants
are engaged in informal sectors. In the recent reports of ILO and FAO it is estimated that 93% of
jobs currently available to young people in developing countries are engaged in informal sector
economy where wage are low, working conditions are unsafe, and there is little or no access to

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social protection in case of sudden natural disasters or more gradual distractions of physical
environment faces human movement.

However, these studies missed critical points such as the basic determinants of youth rural -
urban migration, the present socio-economic condition of youth migrants, the future plan of
migrants on the life of youth migrants. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to fill the above
gaps that are not emphasized, analyzed and interpreted by previous researches.

1.3. Objectives of the Study

1.3.1 General objective

The general objective of this study was to investigate the causes and effects analysis of youth
rural-urban migration on socio-economic.

1.3.2 Specific objectives

The specific objectives of this research were to:
 Causes of youth rural - urban migration in the study area were identified.
 Effects of migration on the present socio-economic conditions of youth migrant were
identified.

1.4. Research Questions

 What were the basic causes of youth rural-urban migration in sodo Town?
 What were the effects of youth rural-urban migration in the study area?

1.5. Significance of the Study

This study was provides information for any concerned body that seeks to address the factors
that are responsible for youth rural - urban migration on socio economic, thereby to reduce its
trend by rural development activities, especially in the study area, Sodo. It also creates awareness
how youth rural to urban migration affects in socio economic in rural areas as well as urban areas
to the society. Additionally it will help all other concerned bodies whose effects directed toward
minimizing the problems of youth rural to urban migration.

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1.6. Scope of the Study
In this study the researcher was investigate the causes and effects of youth rural - urban migration.
Despite the availability of many issues related to youth migration, this research limited itself only to find
out causes of youth rural - urban migration and its effects on the migrants themselves. The subjects of the
study was youth migration in Sodo town per Ethiopia youth policy which defines youth as to includes
those parts of society who were between the ages of 15-29 years (MYSC, 2015). Therefore, the scope of
the study was limited to those migrants aged 15-29 and have stayed in the town for not more 29 years
those youth who came to Sodo town for educational purpose (for example, youth who came to Sodo to
attend secondary schools) did not included in this study.

1.7. Limitation of the Study

In the study, there were different constraints that depend on the availability of resources and the
area that the study was taken. Due to time and cost constraint the study was limited to conduct
only in Sodo town causes and effects of rural-urban youth migration. Up-to-date statistical data
related to youth migrants were hardly available in social affairs department and offices of the
town.

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 2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1. Theoretical Literature Review

There is no full information in these issue, therefore it cannot be said with real or true what
where prehistoric migratory movement could be. But, it sure and certain that people in
prehistoric used to migrate from one area to another area. Three factors probably determined in
largely measure of the prehistoric distribution of population in the world: the first is the nature of
physical environment; the second, the techniques and tools used in particular environment and
the third is the composition of climate, fertility, flora and fauna of environment (Freshen
kukshinder, 2009). It also appears that different type of migration at different times and in
different regions. During prehistoric time, since river valley had a better transport facility,
therefore, the people left their place and migrate to places which were near to river or lake
(Bahitat, 1992).
2.1.1. Concepts and Definitions of Migration
Several schools have to attempt to define migration. Most of their definition stresses on a change
of environment (space) and degree of permanency (time). The main problem however is that
these concepts are not standardized and objectively defined. In relation to these points the Black
Well Encyclopedia states, migration is the term used to define the movements of people from
one place to another who then take up residence in that new administrative areas. Rural to urban
migration is one type of internal migration that has attracted the attention of many people due to
its selective nature. As many empirical studies indicate, rural to urban migration is an age
selective process. The over whelming majority of rural to urban migrants in both developed and
developing countries are youth population due to one or another reason. In order to understand
the causes and effects of youth rural to urban migration, it is important to review the relevant
theoretical and empirical aspects of migration. To this end, theoretical and empirical studies on
migration in general and youth rural to urban migration in particular are taken in to account
(Todaro, 2009).

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2.1.2. Types of Migration

Migration is a complex phenomenon it takes various form across space and time. The two main
classification of migration according to Todaro (2009) are the following:
 International migration
 Internal migration
International migration –refers to the movement of people across national boundaries. It could
further be divided in to two these are emigration and immigration. The former, depicts
movement of people out of the country of original residence, the later, provides for the
movement in to the countries of destination. In this kind of human mobility, complex patterns of
movement involving people of varying nationality raised and have been going on throughout
history effecting all parts of the world in terms of gains or losses of population number
(Maxplank, 2006).
Internal migration- refers migration which occurs within the boundary of the same country, it
could be also, out migration or in migration. Four types of internal population movements are
generally identified in terms of place of origin and destination of migration patterns. These are;
rural-rural, rural- urban, urban –rural, urban-urban (Maxplank, 2006). The study will have to
focus on causes and consequences of rural to urban migration, as far as, a due emphasis of
review concerning rural to urban migration is important rather than the rest of all.

2.1.3. Theories and Models of Migration

There are some theories that view the cause of migration from different angles. In this two
articles entitled the law of migration published in 2001 and 2002 Ravenestion suggest that all
migration emanates from low productivity areas and proceeds towards high. Some of the relevant
theories are discussed as follows:
 Sajastad’s capital theory
This theory is also called cost benefit model. According to this theory individual rational factors
decide to migrate because a cost benefit calculation leads them to expect a positive net return,
usually measured by earning and job mobility Dessie, 2001). Returns compromise both monetary
and non-monetary components. The later includes changes in psychological benefits as a result

7
of location preferences Sajastad approach assumes that people will migrate when the net benefit
exceed the cost of migration ( Dessie, 2001). According to this model rural development activity
decreases the benefit of rural-urban migration by increasing income and other opportunities in
rural ( Gashaw, 2002).
 Todaro Expected Income model
According to Todaro, migration is direct function of rural to urban income differential (the sense
in which it was understands by Bahitat, 1992). In other words, the propensity to migrate is a
response to the difference between the expected urban wage and prevail rural income. This
model also suggested that rural development activities and rural to urban migration have
negative relationship (Todaro, 1969 cited by Gashw, 2002). Therefore most and frequently
mentioned weakness of Todaro’s model is its ignorance of non- economic factors such as rural
social pressure, the role of contacts, relatives and friends in urban areas providing information
inspiration and security in initial phase of migration, in developing countries as there are many
social factors that are responsible for rural to urban migration.

2.1.4. Effect of rural-urban migration on urban employment

The major consequence of the rapid urbanization, process has been the increasing supply of job
seeker into the informal and formal sector of the urban economy. In many developing countries,
the supply of workers exceed for demand, the result being extremely high rate of unemployment
and under employment in the urban areas. Internal migration was thought to be a natural process
in which surplus of labor was gradually withdraw from the rural sector to provide needed
manpower for urban industrial growth. It is also now clear from recent studies that less
developed countries experience high the rate of rural – urban migration and continued to exceed
the rate of urban job creation (Todaro, 2009).

Migration exacerbate these rural to urban imbalance into two ways, first, the supply side, internal
migration disproportionately increase the growth of urban job seekers relative to urban
population growth which itself is at historical unprecedented level, because of high proportion of
well-educated young people in migrant system. Their presence tends to swell the urban labor
supply while depleting the rural country side of valuable human capital, second, on the demand
side, urban job creation is generally more difficult and costly to accomplish than rural job

8
creation because of the need for the substantial complimentary input for most jobs in the
industrial sector. Moreover, the presence of rising urban wage and compulsory employee fringe
benefit in combination with availability of appropriate labor intensive production technologies
means that arising share of modern output growth is accounted for by increased in labor
production (Belete, 2006).

2.1.5 The cause of youth rural to urban migration

Migration of people from the rural to urban area has been on issue and a problem in Ethiopia for
long people move to urban area for varies reason but in most developing countries, the reasons
are well patterned and lined up from one direction-poverty. There cause of migration of people
from the rural areas to urban areas. There are also effects of this kind of migration to both the
rural and the urban areas.

 Employment

People move from the rural to urban areas in search for jobs. It is beloved that good jobs are in
the urban areas and indeed most of industries are in the urban areas and indeed most of industries
are in the urban areas. This migration of people from the rural areas to the urban areas in search
of jobs always and in joblessness since many jobs is already occupied.

 Better living standards

Another reason that drives people away from the rural areas is the bad living standards in the
rural areas. People therefore migrate to the urban areas where they expect their living standard to
be improved. Poverty level in the rural areas is also higher than in the urban areas. People move
to the urban areas with this mind that life in the towns is better.

 Better services

The infrastructure and services in the urban areas are better as compared with those on the rural
areas. People migration to the urban areas where there are good roads, good hospitals, and good
houses among others which is believed to attract people to the urban areas.

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 Opportunities

People also migrate to the urban areas where they believe there are possibilities of expanding and
graining new experience and ideas. For instance, starting a business in the urban areas may be
easy since the needed resources and services are in the urban areas as compared to the rural
areas.

War famine and disasters in the rural areas people also away from the rural areas because of war
famine and disasters that mostly it rural areas. Move away to safer location which mostly
happens to be urban areas.

2.2. Conceptual Framework

Migration is a multi-facetted and complex global issue which today involves every country in the
world (Crush, 2006). In spite of its complexity, the factors of migration decision are generally
grouped into “push” or “pull” factors. The “pull” and “push” factors of migration can be
economic or non-economic (i.e. demographic, social, natural and political). Push factors are
associated with the conditions in the place of origin of migrants and seem to be more important
in the developing world whereas pull factors are factors which attract people at the destination
countries like job opportunities, political stability, better life and the like (Geldons, 2007)

Source: (Geldons, 2007)

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2.3. Empirical literature review
Abebaw (2006) has pointed out the cause of the unemployment in Bahirdar city. According to
these finding, the rapid urban population growth (change) aggravated the urban –urban
unemployment problem by creating sustainable job opportunities and the numbers of economic
opportunities established are too few to support the large portions of economically active
population. Furthermore, rural-urban migration is one of the components of population change; it
is making the urban employment problem more serious because of migration and additional
number of the active on the existing labor force. In the Bahirdar city individual migrate from the
surrounding woreda, therefore, it will be harder for the existing sector to afford all labor force.
Rural to urban migration is the most important movement that contributes to urbanization. The
relative importance of rural-urban migration and urban-urban migration in the urban
concentration vary from region to region and from country to country. In Latin America, people
move directly from rural area to urban center represented a small fraction of that total migration;
on the other hand rural-urban migration is the most preponderance type of migration responsible
for the growth of cities in sub-Sahara Africa (Bahitat, 1992).

During the last decades, Ethiopia’s economy went through deep economic crisis, which had
adverse impact on the urban employment opportunities and living standard of the urban people.
The high urban unemployment is manifestation of an ineffective utilization of the availability of
manpower, slow economic growth and poor education system. Currently there is high and over
growing demands for the urban employment opportunities in the country that for exceeds the
supply (Abebaw, 2006).

The past few decades have wetness a rapid pace of urban population concentration in developing
countries of Africa. For example, in Ghana, the urban population in the 1960 was 23% of total
population. The concern have emanated from that bulk of the urban population is constructed
migrate from the rural area in the country side. The loss of rural population to urban center is
often be moaned for its implied adverse effect on rural development. The consequence of rural-
urban migration have been noted with demand for urban socio- economic amenities exceeding
supply , the urban area problem such as overcrowding , congestion, in adequate house supply
and, high rate of urban unemployment (Bahitat, 1992).

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Nigeria has been a major international migration destination in the past although this flow was
affected by civil strife in the 1970s, and was dramatically reveled with the expulsion of about
million chthonian and other foreign workers in 1963. Since that time, migration in Nigeria has
been characteristic by emigration as well as substantial amount of internal migration. As
elsewhere in the region, this has involved considerable rural urban migration, including both
permanent and temporary moves for work, education and escape drought conditions in the not
those Sahel areas in the early 1970 and again in the early 1980s. World Bank report in 1996
suggested that the pace of urbanization in such that 60 percent of the population will be urban by
2010. A recent report by an Abuja Triples every year in the fastest process of urbanization in
West Africa. In contrast, unlike many other countries of the region there has been relatively little
circular migration between rural areas as Nigeria has a relatively under developed plantation
economy.

Suggested possible solution to improve the serious rural to urban migration and situation in less
developed countries (by, muluken 2004)

1. Creating an appropriate rural-urban economic balance: more appropriate balance between

rural and urban economic opportunities appears to be indispensable to reduce both rural and
urban unemployment problems and to slow rural to urban migration. The trust of his activity
should integrated development of rural sector, the spread of small scale industries throughout the
country side and the reorientation of the economic activity and social investment toward the rural
area.
2. Expansion of small scale and labor intensive industries: the composition of the output has
obvious effect on the magnitude of urban employment opportunities because some product
requires more labor per unit output and per unit of capital than other. Expansion of these mostly
small scale and labor intensive industries in the rural and urban areas can be accomplished in to
two ways: directly through government investment and indirectly, through income redistribution
to the rural poor.
3. Eliminating of factor price distribution : there is simple evidence to demonstrate that
correcting factor price distortion primary by eliminating various capital subsides and curtaining
the growth of urban wage through market based pricing would increase employment
opportunities and make better use of scare capital resource .

12
4. Choose the appropriate labor intensive technology of production: one of the principal
factors in habiting the success of any Long run program of employment creation both in urban
industries and rural infrastructure is the most complete technological dependence developing
nation on imported machinery and equipment from the developed countries. .
5. Reducing population growth: it can be done through reduction absolute poverty and
inequality, particularly for women, along with the expanded provision of family planning and
rural health services.

In the Ethiopia youth are defines as these people in range ET 15-29 Year (Ministry of youth
sport and culture, 2004) according to the annual statically magazine (2004). The Ethiopia year
population compromised 21.6 million. That is to mean the youth constituted nearly 30% of the
country population (MYSC 2006). The same report shows nearly 81.35% of the population like
in the rural areas while the remaining 18.6% lives in urban areas. Un employment of the rural is not
limited to the confines to town but is wide spread problem in rural areas.. Because the rural and
request has not been answer and because a system that embraces not been sub merged in finding
of remaining without property and as result they are leaving rural areas in alarming rate (MYSC,
2006).

Although three is scent town of literature on heath rural urban in Ethiopia some studies
conducted en migration in general shows that youth are highly mobile aged groups. Although the
majority of youth is increasing alarming from time to time particularly due to migration of youth
from rural areas. (i. chewed al 2006) one study en adolescent in low income and slum area of
Addis Ababa were migrants to the area ( Erulker, 2002).

13
 3. METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY

3.1 Description of the Study Area

The study area was conducted in Wolaita Sodo town. Wolaita Sodo is a town and separate
woreda in south-central Ethiopia. The administrative center of the Wolaita Zone of the Southern
Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, it has altitude and longitude of 6°54′N 37°45′E/
6.900°N 37.750°E with an elevation between 1,600 and 2,100 meters (5,200 and 6,900 feet)
above sea level . It was part of the former Sodo woreda which included Sodo Zuria which
completely surrounds it. Based on the 2018 Population Projection by the CSA, this has a total
population of 254,294, of whom 125,855 are men and 128,439 are women (Statistical report,
2018). This makes Wolaita Sodo the second most populous city in South Region after Awassa.
The majority of the inhabitants were Protestants, with 54.61% of the population reporting that
belief, 38.43% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 4.76% were Muslim, and 1.28% was
Catholic (CSA, 2007).

3.2. Types and Sources of Data

The main source of data for the study includes both primary and secondary source. The primary
data were collected from youth migrant regarding the reason for their migration, their present
socio-economic condition and the impact on income. In addition to the primary data, the
secondary data were collected from Social Affair Department of the town. Moreover, other
literature relevant to the study was referred from library and internet sources; to Sodo town for
educational purpose for example from youth who came to Sodo to attend secondary schools did
not include in this study.

3.3. Sampling Techniques

The study applied purposive sampling method because the purposive sampling technique is
important when the relevant respondents are limited. Secondly by using cluster sampling
technique 6 occupations namely home maid, daily laborers, shoe shines, lottery sellers, petty
traders, and street laborers were selected randomly. Cluster sampling techniques was used to
identify respondent’s characteristics that were internally heterogeneous and externally

14
homogeneous. The sample size consisted of 55 respondents for interview a schedule was selected
randomly from six occupational categories. From each 6 occupation were selected respondent
migrants randomly showed in table- 1:
Table -1 sample size of respondents

No Occupations No of respondents
1 Home maid 7
2 Daily laborers 8
3 Petty traders 10
4 Lottery sellers 10
5 Shoe shines 15
6 Others 5
Total 55

3.4. Method of data collection

The study used both primary and secondary data sources. The primary data was collected through
interview schedule in face to face interview and through field observation. The secondary data sources
were obtained from both published and unpublished materials from other relevant books.

3.5. Method of Data Analysis

The study used descriptive statistics to analyze the collected data. Descriptive statistics that used
for this research was percentage and frequency. The analysis result was presented by using tables
and charts.

15
 4. DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION

This section discussed the major findings of the study. The overall organization of the study is as
follows; presenting demographic background, cause of migration, pattern of migration, present
situation of migrants in the study area and so forth.

4.1. Demographic Characteristics of Respondents

Under this section, sex, age, marital status and education level of the respondents have been
presented.
Table- 2 Sex of the respondents
No Variables No of respondents Percentage
(in frequency)
1 Male 30 54.54
2 Female 25 45.46
Total Total 55 100
Source: - own survey (2019)
A total of 55 youth migrants from 6 occupational categories participated in the study. Among the
total respondents, 54.54% were male and the rest 45.46% were female. Generally as researcher
observed from the above table more than half of the respondents were male and this indicates
that males were sensitive to migrate than female relatively during the time of the study.
Table 3 Age structure of respondents

No Variables No of Percentage Mean

respondent (in
frequency)
1 15-19 5 9.1 17
2 20-24 28 50.9 22
3 25-29 22 40 27
Total 55 100 24
Source: - own survey (2018)

Youth migrants in the age range of 15-29 years were the subject of the study. More than half of
the respondents (50.9%) were in between age category of 20-24 years, 9.1 % % were in between
15-19 years and the rest 40% belongs to the age category of 25-29 years.

16
Figure-1 education status of respondents

Education status

13.72%

grade 10 completed
34.55% elementary
secondary
illitrate
24.45%

27.28%

Source: - Own Survey (2019)

Regarding the educational background of the respondent participated in the study, 34.55%, of
them have completed grade 10, and 27.28% Elementary (primary) education, and 13.72% of
them were illiterate and the rest 24.45% have completed secondary education.

Table 4. Marital status of respondents

No Variables No of respondent (in Percentage

frequency)
1 Single 50 90.91%
2 Marriage 4 7.27%
3 Divorced 1 1.82%
Total 55 100%
Source:-Owen survey (2019)
Marital status was another issue they were asked. Accordingly, the marital status of the youth
migrants, the overwhelming majority of the respondents (90.91%) were single, 7.27% were
married and the rest 1.82% were divorced before the migration.

17
4.2. Socio-economic condition of youth migration in Sodo Town
More than half, which was 54.16% of the participants responded that they didn’t sent money to
their family in rural areas. Majority of those who reported they didn’t sent money back to their
family, their failure to sent money back by indication they were insufficient for their daily meal
even. While some others justified it by indicating their state of relationship when they left their
family (i.e. those who left their family were less likely to send money back to their family
indicated that the condition they sent limited to annual holidays like, Easter. About 58.79% of
the respondents visited their family yearly especially at the time of holidays, 29.16% of the
respondents reported that they never visited their family; 12.5% responded that they visited their
family monthly.

To assess the current living conditions of youth migrants, the researcher investigated the amount
of money they spent for daily meals, their living arrangement, whether or not they have access to
public service in the town and related issues, except paid-household servant who get food from
the household they were serving, other spends some amount of money on their daily meal.
Around 62.49% of the respondents spent 35-50 birr daily for meal, 12.5% spent 35-60 birr for
daily meal and another 12.5% of the respondents spent less than 35 birr per day for meal.
However, majority of them stated that they eat enough food when they get better paying job. And
they further reported that the amount they spent on daily food was according to the amount they
get in that particular day. Majority of the respondents reported that they have no access to public
services and resource meant to youth in the town, regarding their living arrangement except
domestic workers who were living in their work area. Among this the respondent’s amount of
monthly income varies across the occupation and even between individuals in the same
occupation. The findings of the data indicated that the majority of the respondents their monthly
income depending on the conditions of work itself (permanent, contract, or daily laborer) and the
time they spent for that work. For instance, table-5 showed the amount of monthly income that
migrants get under conditions where their work was continuous for month and when they work
all the day in the month. Home maid workers who account for 16.6% of the respondents reported
that their monthly income is between 300-500 birr if no reduction was made. The daily laborer
25% of the respondents responded that they earn 500-700 birr monthly. Petty traders that account
16.6% of the respondents responded that their monthly income was between 700-1000 birr.
Street laborers 12.5% reported that they earn 320-350 birr a day. Shoe shiners 16% reported that

18
their monthly income was between 350-400 birr and finally, lottery sellers said that their earning
was between 350-500 birr a month.

Home maid workers and restaurant workers indicated that their monthly income didn’t vary from
month to month unless it was penalized by the employer when some hotel items get broken.
However, most of the rest respondents indicated that their monthly income fluctuates. They
reported that their monthly income varies with work conditions. For instance, daily laborers
indicated that they get fair (good) monthly income when the work availability continuous
throughout the month. Others also reported that in some months they get good amount of money,
but the amount falls in another month. This shows their income was highly dependent on the
conditions of their work. Most of the respondents said that the money they get daily was not
enough for their daily meal. They further indicated there was increasing living cost in the Sodo
Town which worsens their living conditions.
Table-5 Occupations and monthly income of youth migrants in Sodo Town

Occupation of youth Monthly income in birr Monthly expenditure in birr

migration engaged
Home maid worker 300-500 100-200
Daily laborers 500-700 300-500
Petty traders 700-100 400-500
Lottery sellers 350-500 150-250
Others 450-600 300-350
Source: - own survey (2019)

4.3. Causes of Youth Rural-Urban Migration

Those respondents who left their family peacefully were slightly majority in number (around
63.63%). While the rest 36.37% of them reported that they left their family in quarrel and
disagreement. Despite they said their migration was peaceful, majority of them also reported that
they left without informed their family members about their migration. In this study, majority of
the respondents 90.9% reported that they had prior information about Sodo town before their
migration decision. Furthermore, half of the respondents responded that they came to the town
during their arrival to stay them for easier adaptation.

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Table- 6. process of migration of migrants in Sodo town

Process of migration No of percentage of

State of r/n to family during departure respondent respondents
good &peaceful manner 35 63.63%
in quarrel with family 20 36.37%
Total 55 100%
Decision of migration
Self 35 63.63%
Family members 20 36.37%
Total 55 100%
Availability of information about Sodo town
before migration
Yes 50 90.9%
No 5 9.1%
Total 55 100%
Source: - Own survey (2019)

As table 7 below shows 90.9% of youth migrants reported that both of their parents have been
alive during their migration period; 9.1 % lost one of their parents. Regarding the land size of
the youth migrants` family, more of the respondents (23.63%) reported that the land size of their
family from 0.5 up to one hectare, 9.1% reported that the size of their family have greater than1
hectare. On the other hand, 67.27% reported that the size of the family land was less than 0.5
hectares. It was essential to know the family size of youth migrants in Sodo Town. The findings
of the data indicated that overwhelming majority (54.55%) of the respondents reported that their
households had 6-10 members on average; 45.45% of the respondents reported that their
households had 1-5 members. The respondents reported that families depends on agriculture as
means of substances though they didn`t had regular monthly income.

20
Table 7. Socio-economic status of migrants
Family condition of youth migrant No of respondent (in frequency) % of respondents
Both parent live 50 90.9%
One parent live 5 9.1%
Both parent die - -
Total 55 100%
Size of migrant family
1-5 25 45.45%
6-10 30 54.55%
Total 55 100%
Land size of migrant family
<0.5 hectare 37 67.27%
0.5-1 hectare 13 23.63%
More than 1 hectares 5 9.1%
Total 55 100%
Source: - own survey (2019)
In table-8 shows that the causes of migration were complex and linked. Majority of them
(55.54%) were boys and 45.46% of girls. Around 27.28% of the responded that the reason for
their migration to Sodo was related to lack of opportunity in rural areas from those were 18.18%
of boys and 9.1% of girls. Around 9.09% were migrated due to willingness and for some the
inability of their family to educate and buy clothes and other necessities of them were 3.64% of
the respondent’s boys and 5.45% of girls. And 18.18% were migrated due to family problems
like shortage of food and crop failures of them were 10.91% girls and 7.27% were boys. Around
18.18% lack of interest to live in the rural area and to work farm were 10.91% of boys and
7.27% of girls. Around 9.09% was bad attitudes of family in the rural area 1.82% of boys and
7.27% of girls. Around 12.72% of male and 5.46% of female respondents migrated due to land
scarcity. Due this causes rural youths migrate in to urban settlements.
Table 8 Reasons for migration of youths in Sodo town by sex in %

Reason given Percentage(%) of Total

respondents

Male Female

Lack of opportunity in rural area 18.18% 9.1% 27.28%

Refusal of family to educate and by clothes & other 3.64% 5. 45% 9.09%
necessities

21
 Family problems like shortage of food & crop failure 7.27% 10.91% 18.18%

Bad attitudes of family & neighborhood in rural areas 1.82% 7.27% 9.09%

Lack of interest lives in rural areas & to working on 10.91% 7.27% 18.18%
farming

Land scarcity in rural areas 12.72% 5.46% 18.18%

Total 54.54% 45.46% 100%

Source; - own survey (2019)

4.4. The Effects of Youth Migrants in Sodo Town
Here, attempts were made to check major problem that the youth migrants face during their
arrival to Sodo Town. In addition, some major problems that the youth migrants were facing in
their work environment are discussed. Almost all of the respondents reported that they faced
number of problems during initial period of migration in Sodo town. As stated in table 9 below,
around 40.9% of them did not find job for at least for initial months of their arrival and 75% of
them suffered from hunger. This was because that most of them were unable to find a job despite
presence of relatives and friends for shelters.
Table 9, Problems migrants faced during their arrival
Type of problems % of respondents

Inability to find a job 40.9%

Hunger (lack of food & related consumer 14.55%

items)

Inability to find shelter 26.37%

Other problems 18.18%

Total 100%

Source: - Own survey (2019)

22
4.5. Perception of Youth Migrants Regarding the Consequence of Migrants of their Life

Regarding the attitude of the respondents about the current living condition was Sodo Town;
many of them were not satisfied with it, because of problems faced in table 9. To examine the
impact of migration on the respondents they were asked whether or not they have demonstrated
any change in life after their migration to Sodo. More than half of the respondents (54.16%)
responded that they had seen some change in comparison to the rural area they left. Whereas
45.82% of the respondents reported that they demonstrated no change. Both positive and
negative changes faced in migrant youth in sodo town. Positive changes such as increase
incomes, good access of infrastructures (like, clean water, healthy service, electricity and others),
urban oriented educations, access to information about how to improvement in living conditions
and other changes came after migration. Negative changes such as income variability,
discontinuity of works, salary wage cut, increase the price of goods and services that had affect
migrant living conditions.

5. CONCLUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION

The first section of summarizes the whole paper and the second section recommendation
forwarded by the researcher based on the findings of the study.
5.1. Conclusion

The study was primarily developed to examine the causes and effects of youth rural to urban
migration on socio-economic on migrants themselves in Sodo Town. The input data for this
study were collected from 55 youth migrants from different occupation categories in which rural
to urban migrants were employed most of the time. The result indicated that youth migration to
Sodo were due to more of rural pushing factors such as lack of job opportunities in rural areas,
an inability of females to educate and fulfill other basic necessities like clothes; family problems
like food shortage, drought and crop failure; bad attitude of family and neighbor; land scarcity
and lack of interest to live in rural areas. In addition to low socio-economic background of
family such as small land size; loss of parents; large family size and lack of income resource for
family and other agriculture contributed for youth urban ward migration. Due to this factors and
expecting better life, migrants moved to Sodo town.

23
Most of respondents were short distance migrants and they themselves made decisions to
migrate. Most of the respondents faced problems like inability to secure jobs for a long period,
suffered from hunger in the first period of their adoption. Most of the migrants stayed with their
friends until they secure job. After migration, migrants reported that they faced some problems in
work environment like non-payment and delayed payment of wage, of non-regularity of work,
physical torture, health threading work, assault and degrading insult, arrest and being prevented
from visiting their family. In addition, they reported that their daily meal depends on their work
conditions. Furthermore, many reported that due to low amount of money they get, they were
unable to send back money to their family and visit their family as they want. As a result
majority were not satisfied with their present living condition in Sodo with rising living cost of
the Town.

5.2. Recommendation

 Since most of the reasons for youth rural to urban migration were factors related to rural
areas, primary areas of intervention to improve the present and future living condition of
youth should focus on rural area. As most of the migrants mentioned, lack of job
opportunities in rural area as reason for their migration, so creating off farm and non-farm
job opportunities for rural youth were likely to reduce the problem.
 Government should creating job opportunities prompting access to resource for youth
particularly access to land and access to credit services.
 As large number of respondents reported their reason for migration was due to the refusal
and inability of their family to educate them and fulfill other basic needs like clothes and
food, therefore intervention like raising the awareness of parents regarding the right of
children and building the capacity of rural families.
 As the result shows the majority of the youth migrants were from large family size. It was
clear that over crowdedness in the family had an effect on youth migration. Therefore,
strengthening family planning in rural areas could be the way out.
 Another reason for migration was the bad attitude of family and rural neighbors especially
towards those boys and girls who completed grade 10 and sat idle at home. Changing the

24
 attitude of rural people to threat those youth positively and encourage them to be engaged in
on farm and off farm activity in rural areas can be very important.
 Private and public sector should provide training on entrepreneurship to create job
opportunities.

6. REFERENCES

Abebaw Freed and Erulker A (2009), adolescence girls in urban Ethiopia, vulnerability and
opportunity
AjilsBahitat( 1992) rural urban migration: A study of socio Economic implication`s
Alula P. and Feleke T, (2005), migration and wellbeing in Ethiopia: evidences from case
Studied from urban and rural sites
BeleteGebru (2006), the impact of male rural out migration on rural women livelihood.
Documents of World Bank (2007), volume II: urban labor market in Ethiopia
Erulker A, Mekbein T/.Simie N, Gulema T.(2004) ``Adolescence life in low income and slum
area of Addis Ababa Ethiopia.
Ethiopia Economic Association (2013) youth rural –urban migration effect.
GashawBeyne( 2002) Patterns causes and consequences of urban ward migration in Ethiopia.
Gebergaziberkiros (2001) rural –out migration in drought prone area of Ethiopia
ILO and FAO,( 2009),Youth employment.
Jonathan Crush, Brucefrayne and Mariam Grants, 2006, linking migration, HIV/AIDS and urban
food security in southern and eastern Africa.
Markos Ezra, (2001) Ecological degradation rural poverty and migration in Ethiopia
25
Maxplank institute, (2006), international migration and HH living conditions Ethiopia
Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture,(2015), Ethiopian youth development package ministry of
youth, culture and sport, 2015, Ethiopian youth policy.
Muluken advance, (2004) socio-economic and demographic attribute of unemployed in some
selected kebeles of Arada city, Addis Ababa.
P.goldson, (2007), rural youth and out migration.
S. freshen K.Kushminder,(2009), migration in Ethiopia: history, current trend and future
prospects.
Sodo Development Association (2004-2007), annually data report youth rural –urban migration.
Todaro (2009) youth migration and poverty in Sub-Saran Africa empowering the rural youth
Wed Ethiopia, (2013), migration and rural urban linkages in Ethiopia.

7. APPENDIXES
WOLAITA SODO UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTER
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS

TITLE: Coues and Effect of youth rural - urban migration on economic development (in
the case of SodoTown)
The following questionnaires are used to collect data from youth migrants in Sodo town
regarding the process and reason for their urban word migration, their present socio economic
condition, the impact of migration on the life of migrants and their future plan migration. The
subject will be select directly interviewed using the following sort of questions.

QUESTIONNAIRES OF RESPONDANTES
DEMOGRAPHIC CONDITION OF YOUTH MIGRANTS
1. Name of the respondents----------------------------------------
2. Sex A. Male B. Female
3. What was your age when you left your place of birth?
A. 0-9 B. 10-15 C. 16-20 D. 20-29
4. What is your age now? A. 15-19 B. 20-24 C. 25-29
5. What was your marital status when you left your place?
A. Married B. Unmarred C. Widowed D. divorced
6. What is your marital status now? A. un married B. married C. divorced D. other

26
7. What was your level of education when you left your place of birth?
A. Illiterate B. read and writes C. elementary 1-6 D. junior secondary 7-8 E. high school
complete F. other
8. Are you attending the class A. Yes B. No
9. What is your education level now?
A. Illiterate B. read and write C. elementary D. junior secondary 7-8 or above.

II. CURRENT SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITION OF YOUTH MIGRATION IN SODO

TOWN.
10. What is your occupational status at present? A. Employed B. unemployed C. other
11. If you are working what is your occupation? A. daily laborer B. petty trade C. Domestic
worker D. lottery seller E. other
12. What is the nature of your present work? A. permanent B. seasonal C. temporary D.
casual
13. What is your currently income? A. less than 100 birr B. 101-200 birr C. 201-300 birr D.
301-500 birr E. above 501 birr
14. How much do you spend for your daily meal? A. less than 5 birr B. 6-10 birr C. 11-15 birr
D. 16-20 birr E. more than 20 birr
15. How often do you visit your family? A. twice a week B. once week C. once a month D.
once a year E. never F. other
16. Do you have access to public service in youth center of this how? A. Yes B. No
17. With how many people share the hoes you live? A. alone B. one C. two D. three E. four F.
more than five.
18. Do you send money to your family? A. Yes B. No
19. If yes how much monthly? A. less than 20 birr B. 21-40 birr C. 41-80 birr D. 81-150 birr
E. more than 150 birr
III CAUSE OF MIGRATION
20. What was /were the main reason to leave your origin and come to Sodo? A. in search of job
B. land sacristy C. drought and crop failure D. to join relative and friends E. others (specify)
21. What was the number of youth family members when you live your home?
A. 0-2 B. 3-5 C. 6-10 D. more than ten
22. What was the land size of your family? A. No B. less than half hectare C. one hectare D.
more than one hectare E. two hectare and above.
23. What was monthly income your family when you leave?
A. 0-100 birr B. 101-200 birr C. 201-400 birr D. more than 400 birr
24. How was your relationship to you family when you left?
A. good and peace full B. in quarrel with family C. other
25. When did you leave your place of birth?
26. When did you come to Sodo Town?
27. How far is distance between Sodo and your place of birthing K-ms
28. Who decided on your migration when your first leave your birth place?
A. self B. Family C. parents D. relatives E. friends F. employer G. other
29. Have you ever been in other town before you come to Sodo? A. Yes B. No

27
30. Did you have information about Sodo before you come to here? A. Yes B. No
31. Did you have any relative or friend in Sodo before you moved to live here? A. Yes B.
No
V THE EFFECTS OF MIGRATION
32. What were the problems that you faced when you left your family and come to Sodo?
A. shelter B. food and related costumer items. C. in ability to find D. other 15 paucity
33. Do you face any problems in your work place? A. Yes B. No
34. Any change you demonstrated in your living condition due to your movement this town?
A. no change B. very good improvement C. some what little change D. more than before E.
other 15 paucity
35. Are you satisfied with your present living condition in this town? A. Yes B. No
36. Do you plan to move out of Sodo? A. Yes B. No
37. If yes where? A. to rural birth place B. to other rural area C. to another urban area D. to
another bigger cites E. other

28