Title: Town drift: social and policy implications of rural-urban migration in eight developing countries.

POPLINE Document Number: 018179

Corporate Author(s):

International Association for Metropolitan Research and Development [INTERMET]
International Development Research Centre [IDRC]

Source citation:

[Toronto, Canada, INTERMET], 1973. 230 p.

Abstract:

Launched by the International Association for Metroplitan Research and Development (Intermet) in November 1969, the project involved study groups in Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Nigeria, Peru, the Philippines, Turkey, and Venezuela who conducted studies on patterns of internal migration, conditions in metropolitan areas receiving rural-urban migrants, conditions in rural areas where migrants are coming from, and policies and programs in the public and private sectors that influence the pattern of internal migration directly or indirectly. The research project was action oriented. The studies were conducted with a view toward translating research findings to policy recommendations with the focus on the problems created by the rapid movement of people from rural to urban areas. In all the 8 cities in this study, urban population had been growing at high rates, ranging from 5-10% per year. Metropolitan areas were growing faster than smaller cities. The rapid growth of metropolitan areas was due to rural-urban migration, although natural increase was also becoming an important element in such growth. High population growth rates in metropolitan areas were creating serious problems in housing, transportation, health, education, and other services. Local governments and national governments were finding it more and more difficult to formulate and implement policies and programs to cope with problems arising from urbanization. Solutions should form an integrated set of policies and programs constituting a national strategy. Although the most prevalent pattern of migration was rural-urban, rural-rural migration was also an important stream in the 8 countries studied. Due to rapid rates of rural-urban migration, policies attempting to discourage it by closing off the city to migrants were usually unsuccessful. Policies that deflect internal migration to other urban alternatives or even to rural areas were relatively expensive and difficult to manage, yet they promise to be more successful than programs that work to keep potential migrants on the farm or stop migrants from flocking to the cities. Back to the land schemes, where they try to encourage people already in cities to move to rural or frontier areas, have not been very successful. Colonization, settlement, or transmigration schemes were found to be effective but expensive in relation to the number of persons actually moved. Such schemes need to be assessed in terms of the direct and indirect influences they have on the actual movement of people.

Keywords:

Indonesia
Republic of Korea
Malaysia
Venezuela
Philippines
Peru
Turkey
Nigeria
Asia, Southern
Asia, Eastern
Asia, Southeastern
Latin America
South America
Migration Policy
Rural-Urban Migration
Socioeconomic Factors
Migration, Internal
Migration
North America
Americas
Urbanization
Urban Population
Rural Population
Squatters
Social Problems
Asia
Developing Countries
Developed Countries
South America, Northern
South America, Western
Europe, Southeastern
Europe
Africa, Western
Africa South of the Sahara
Africa
Population Policy
Social Policy
Policy
Population Dynamics
Demographic Factors
Population
Economic Factors
Urban Population Distribution
Population Distribution
Geographic Factors
Population Characteristics
Residence Characteristics