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Food insecurity as a determinant of international migration: evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa










Sadiddin, A., Cattaneo, A., Cirillo, M. et al. Food insecurity as a determinant of international migration: evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa. Food Sec. 11, 515–530 (2019).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-019-00927-w


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    Food insecurity as a determinant of international migration: evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa 2019
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    In this paper, we examined how food insecurity can affect international migration aspirations and subsequent actions taken in preparation to move internationally from Sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing on a conceptual framework of the determinants of migration, we developed a three-stage regression model and tested it using data from the 2014 Gallup World Poll. The results indicate that multiple determinants play different roles in the migration decision process, which is characterized by aspirations, planning and final decision to migrate. Specifically, food insecurity is an important determinant of both the desire and the decision to migrate: food insecurity raises the probability of desiring to migrate internationally, with the probability of the desire increasing along with the severity of food insecurity. However, the probability of actually deciding to migrate internationally decreased as food insecurity worsened. These findings are in line with migration literature stating that the very poor, despite wishing to migrate, face tremendous constraints in transforming this desire into concrete decisions. Our results suggest that removing or reducing constraints to migration will benefit the poorest/most food insecure and highlight the need for an increased and effective coordination between food security and international migration policy agendas.
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    Establishing the link between internal and international migration: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa 2022
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    Internal and international migration are often thought of as separate processes, rarely analysed together in a coherent framework. This paper examines, based on data for 21 Sub-Saharan African countries, how previous internal migration can shape international migration intentions – i.e. desiring and planning to move abroad. We find that individuals who migrated to urban areas are on average the most likely to develop international migration intentions, followed by those who migrated to rural areas, those who live in urban areas and have not moved internally, and lastly come rural residents who have not moved internally. This highlights the role of migration to urban areas as a potential driver of international emigration. The findings support our conceptual framework, which hypothesizes internal migrants have lower international migration costs, both monetary and non-monetary, and accumulate resources and experience that help overcome constraints related to international migration. Internal migration is also found to have a stronger association with desire to migrate abroad than with planning, indicating that weakening the attachment to place of origin may be the dominant mechanism linking internal and international migration processes
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    Rural migration in sub-Saharan Africa: patterns, drivers and relation to structural transformation
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    Sub-Saharan Africa has a long history of internal and international migratory movements. Migration patterns and dynamics from, to and between rural areas are profoundly differentiated across regions, and flows have considerably evolved over time. Yet, more recently, rural migration takes place in the unique situation of a major rural and urban demographic increase, which results in critical socio-economic and environmental challenges. In this context, intertwined migration drivers emerge and call for a better understanding of on-going dynamics. This working paper draws on a combination of literature review and data analysis, building on the results of the Atlas "Rural Africa in motion. Dynamics and drivers of migration South of the Sahara". This mixed approach is used to propose a conceptual framework based on past, current and future drivers of migration, then to examine observed patterns of rural migration and finally to discuss drivers’ characteristics and dynamics from case studies and existing datasets.

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