This paper devotes to discuss the concept of sustaining food security and urban agriculture and survival alternatives for migrants, as well as factors that help initiate the process and addresses possible reasons for the disconnect and then presents and discusses the implications for linking migration and food security. This paper therefore seeks to initiate a conversation between the separate worlds of migration and development on the one side, and food security on the other.
The issue of food security is strikingly absent from current debates about the relationship between migration and development. The current international food security agenda displays a similar disregard for migration. There appears to be a massive disconnect between these two global development agendas. The reasons are hard to understand since the connections between migration and food security seem obvious.
The methodology consisted of two data collection techniques: questionnaire survey and in-depth, semi-structured case-study interviews. These two data collection methods complement each other by providing generalized information through the survey and more fine-grained information through the in-depth interviews. The study used 58 representatives (sample). The results show a consistent pattern of difference between urban migrant and non-migrant households in relation to levels of food insecurity, sources of income, food procurement strategies, and participation in urban agriculture.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Literature review and key concepts
Methodology
Research Findings
Objectives and Research Focus
This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how migrant poor urban households in Bishoftu City, Ethiopia, ensure adequate food supplies amidst high rates of rural-urban migration, specifically by examining the role of social and economic linkages between rural and urban areas.
- The relationship between rural-urban migration and urban food security.
- The role of household-level coping mechanisms in surviving economic hardship.
- The contribution of food transfers from rural origins to urban households.
- The impact of urban agriculture on the food security of the urban poor.
- The development of a "reciprocal urbanization" framework for policy considerations.
Excerpt from the Book
Rural–urban food transfers and survival
The primary argument of this study is that migrants survive in the urban areas in part because of food they receive from the rural areas. Over the previous year, 62 percent of the Bishoftu households sampled had received food from relatives in the rural areas; a further 4 per cent, from friends (Table 2). This represents two-thirds of all households surveyed, including those that did not have first-generation migrants living with them all members were born in Bishoftu and nearby areas –14 per cent of the sample.
Further, about 58 per cent of the households reported being sent food 2 to 6 times a year. Respondents also indicated receipt of a wide range of products, some of which were seasonal; these included cultivated and wild foods, some meat, poultry and fish (Table 3). Manga teff is the staple cereal crop in Bishoftu, and when asked what quantity of particular food items were sent to the household the last time they received food, respondents reported about 83% of their annual food sources.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of the urban growth and demographic trends in Bishoftu City, framing the context of urban poverty and the challenge of food security.
Literature review and key concepts: This section discusses existing theoretical perspectives on urbanization, food entitlement, and the role of social networks in coping with poverty in the Global South.
Methodology: This chapter details the quantitative survey and qualitative in-depth interview methods used to gather data from both urban migrants and their rural counterparts.
Research Findings: This section presents evidence that urban households rely heavily on food transfers from rural areas and social reciprocity to supplement their food budgets and survive economic hardships.
Keywords
Migration, urban agriculture, food security, rural-urban linkages, poverty, household coping strategies, reciprocal urbanization, economic entitlement, Bishoftu, sub-Saharan Africa, food transfers, remittances, social networks, urban development, Ethiopia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research investigates how poor migrant households in Bishoftu, Ethiopia, manage food security and survive economic challenges in an increasingly urbanized environment.
What are the central thematic fields?
The study centers on the intersection of three academic fields: urbanization and survival, migration patterns, and food security.
What is the primary goal of the study?
The primary goal is to identify the critical role of rural-urban linkages and food transfers in supporting the survival of urban migrant households.
Which research methodology was applied?
The methodology combines a quantitative standardized questionnaire survey with in-depth, semi-structured case-study interviews to capture both broad data and fine-grained, personal narratives.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body examines the Bishoftu context, reviews relevant literature on food security, details the methodology, and analyzes findings regarding urban agriculture and rural-to-urban resource transfers.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
The work is best characterized by terms such as migration, food security, rural-urban linkages, urban agriculture, and reciprocal urbanization.
How does "reciprocal urbanization" distinguish itself from traditional models?
It challenges the unilinear model of urbanization by proposing that urban futures in Ethiopia are deeply symbiotic with and tied to rural systems through complex, cyclical movements.
What is the significance of the "social infrastructure" mentioned in the findings?
Social infrastructure refers to the strong networks and connections between rural and urban households, which act as a vital safety net for urban migrants when formal economic opportunities are constrained.
- Quote paper
- Megersa Tolera (Author), 2019, Sustaining Food Security. Urban Agriculture and Survival Alternatives for Emigrants in Bishoftu City, Ethiopia, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/476897
