Multi-activity, Multi-locality and Small-Town Development in Cameroon, Ghana, Rwanda and Tanzania

Griet Steel; Torben Birch-Thomsen; Ine Cottyn; Evelyn A. Lazaro; Hélène Mainet; Fulgence J. Mishili; P. van Lindert

doi:10.1057/s41287-018-0183-y

Multi-activity, Multi-locality and Small-Town Development in Cameroon, Ghana, Rwanda and Tanzania

Griet Steel^*, Torben Birch-Thomsen, Ine Cottyn, Evelyn A. Lazaro, Hélène Mainet, Fulgence J. Mishili, P. van Lindert

^*Corresponding author for this work

Social Urban Transitions

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

This paper deals with the impact of livelihood diversification through multi-activity and multi-locality on small-town development in Cameroon, Ghana, Rwanda and Tanzania. Based on a cross-country analysis of qualitative and quantitative data from ten different research sites, its central argument is that the tendencies of de-agrarianisation, agricultural commercialisation, livelihood diversification and the increased importance of rural–urban connections have accelerated an almost universal process of rural urbanisation. The paper casts innovative light on the discussions surrounding small-town development in Sub-Saharan Africa by showing that livelihood diversification and increased rural–urban linkages are not only crucial features in the urbanisation of the countryside but also of the transformation of small villages into emerging towns. This metamorphosis of livelihoods in rural regions, resulting from agricultural transformation, increased multi-locality and multi-activity, has contributed to the emergence and consolidation of small towns.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	12-33
Number of pages	22
Journal	European Journal of Development Research
Volume	31
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1057/s41287-018-0183-y
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2019

Funding

Acknowledgements This research is part of the 4-year collaborative ‘African Rural–City Connections’ (RurbanAfrica) research project that finished in 2016. RurbanAfrica was funded by the European Union under the 7th Research Framework Programme (theme SSH), grant agreement no. 290732. Publications of the RurbanAfrica project are available at: https://rurbanafrica.ku.dk/publications/. The authors are especially grateful to their colleagues who actively took part in the respective field studies in Cameroon, Ghana, Rwanda and Tanzania and in the subsequent analysis and reporting phases: D. Azemao, F. Bart, A. Blache, R. Bénos, B. Charlery de la Masselière, B. Daniel, L. Douanla, N. Essah, N. Fold, R. Frem-pong, C. Kaffo, M. Kuete, S. Kelodjoue, N. Lemoigne, J. Lukumay, E. Mbeng, M. McLinden Nuijen, L. Msese, T. Mynborg, G. Nijenhuis, T. Niyonzima, C. Nzeket, S. Ørtenblad, R. Osei, G. Owusu, J. Pasini, S. Racaud, R. Santpoort, J. Schapendonk, B. Thibaud, N. Tofte Hansen, M. Tsalefac, L. Uwizeyimana, R. Vos and L. Yaka.

Keywords

Livelihood diversification
Multi-locality
Rural transformation
Rural–urban connections
Small-town development
Sub-Saharan Africa

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1057/s41287-018-0183-y

steelFinal published version, 2.28 MBLicence: Taverne

Cite this

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abstract = "This paper deals with the impact of livelihood diversification through multi-activity and multi-locality on small-town development in Cameroon, Ghana, Rwanda and Tanzania. Based on a cross-country analysis of qualitative and quantitative data from ten different research sites, its central argument is that the tendencies of de-agrarianisation, agricultural commercialisation, livelihood diversification and the increased importance of rural–urban connections have accelerated an almost universal process of rural urbanisation. The paper casts innovative light on the discussions surrounding small-town development in Sub-Saharan Africa by showing that livelihood diversification and increased rural–urban linkages are not only crucial features in the urbanisation of the countryside but also of the transformation of small villages into emerging towns. This metamorphosis of livelihoods in rural regions, resulting from agricultural transformation, increased multi-locality and multi-activity, has contributed to the emergence and consolidation of small towns.",

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Multi-activity, Multi-locality and Small-Town Development in Cameroon, Ghana, Rwanda and Tanzania

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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