Impact of Rural to Urban Migration on Agricultural Productivity in Mitundu, Lilongwe, Malawi

Subject Areas : Agricultural Extension

Doreen Singini ¹ , Mary Singini ² , Daniel Devoted Matemba ³

1 - Department of Community Development, Exploits University
2 - Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural resources
3 - DMI St John the Baptist University

Received: 2024-08-01 Accepted : 2024-09-22 Published : 2024-09-30

Keywords: Rural, Urban, Migration, Agricultural Productivity, Malawi,

Abstract :

The study was aimed at understanding the impact of rural-urban migration on agricultural productivity in Mitundu, Lilongwe Malawi. The objective was to determine the effect or rural-urban migration on labour availability, to identify the changes in expenditure resulting from rural-urban migration on agricultural productivity and lastly to identify the effects of rural-urban migration on crop yield. This study was done at Mitundu in Lilongwe district with a total respondent of 80. The study used a simple random sampling where by 399 smallholder farmers were selected for the study. The study aimed to investigate the effect of rural-urban migration on agricultural productivity Specifically, to identify changes in expenditure resulting from rural-urban migration on agricultural productivity, and to identify the effects of rural –urban migration on crop yield. Rural-urban migration has a significant implication on agricultural labour force, crop yield and agricultural productivity which resulted a shift in labour farming methods to more mechanized capital-intensive farming practices. As able-bodied workers tend to migrate to urban centres it leads to labour shortages during farming seasons and hinders skill and knowledge at the same time there is changes in land use and limited access to resources. Based on the conclusions, it was therefore recommended that policy makers should devise specific strategies to attract and retain agriculture labour in rural areas to counter labour shortages resulting from migration. Long term effects on rural communities should further be investigated on enduring consequences of migration on rural areas including economic, social and demographic changes.

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