UNIVERSITY OF DAR-ES-SALAAM

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY
GE 249: GEOGRAPHY RESEARCH METHODS FIELD COURSE

URBAN SYSTEM REPORT

TITLE: RURAL URBAN MIGRATION AND SOCIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN TANGA CITY
FIELD SUPERVISOR: Prof Banyikwa NAME: Matokeo Arbogast L. REG: 2007 04 -02268 DEGREE PROGRAME: B. A Geography and Environmental (BAGEN) studies

Date: March 2010

INTRODUCTION Migration is the movement of people from one place in the World to another for the purpose of taking up permanent or semi permanent residence, usually across a political boundary1. Most migrants move from rural to urban to seek better socio-economic facilities and service. Most of migrants in Tanga city shifted from rural to urban centers. Tanga city is located in northerly part of Tanzania, sits on the Indian Ocean; the expansion of the city is aided by major export from the Tanga port including sisal, coffee and Tea from within the region and interior regions. Touristic attraction like Ambon caves, Galanos hot spring, historical site and Amani biomedical research laboratory and vast area has attracted migrants from other regions to make a permanent settlement in Tanga city. Recent studies show that rural-urban migration is caused by rural push factors like land problems, crop failure etc, and urban pull factors such as better life and better jobs. In this paper we are investigating the process of rural urban migration in Tanga city with associated costs and benefits to migrants. The project aim to find out views of migrants and assessment of their decision to migrate to Tanga city to see if they are compatible with socio-economic development. To solicit the views of migrant, some theories have been developed and discussed below to act as basis of scientific investigation.

1.1. Problem identification and aim of the study The project aim to investigate the process of rural- urban migration to see if it is compatible to socio-economic development in Tanga city. The migrants were interviewed in Tanga city and the following research questions were raised up. a) What is the pattern of socio-economic migration in Tanga city b) What is the socio-economic condition of migrants in Tanga city? c) Was the decision to migrate in Tanga city worth wile?

1.2. DELIMITATION The study was carried out in Tanga city, located in the north-eastern part of Tanzania by selecting sample size of 12 wards out of 24 wards. which include; Central, Majengo, Nguvumali, Ngamiani Kaskazini, Ngamiani Kati, Ngamiani Kusini, Makorora, Mzingani, Msambweni, Tangasisi, Duga, Mzizima, and Maweni. The
1

Human migration guide (6-8)

selection of study area was based on three categories of wards: urban wards, mixed wards and rural wards. Therefore to ensure good coverage of the study area farther sampling distribution was carried to obtain 8 urban wards, 3 mixed wards and 1 rural ward. This sample size helps to make easy comparison between different areas within the city. The assessment of Tanga city is based on socio-economic, cultural, political and environmental conditions of migrants, Tables, charts and graphs are used to display information appropriately.

1.3. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Theory of growth pole strategy which emerged in 1960s, can be useful to address the concept of rural urban migration and city development, Paraoux argue that growth does not appear everywhere at the same time, it appear at point or pole of growth with varying intensity, it spread along various channel on the whole economy2 the theory encourage modification of urban areas which are regarded as poles of growth .Parr, B, J (1999) argues that national economy is influenced by nature and forms of urban system 3. Moreover the theory encourages interregional balance between the poles of Growth and migration to the pole of growth. Furthermore the concept of rural urban migration is interdependent to pull and push factors. Some literature see rural-urban migration as shift of rural poverty to urban poverty according to this school of thought not compatible with socio-economic development. Another school thought see rural-urban migration leads to poverty alleviation.4 According to this school of thought is compatible to socio-economic development yet this debate not resolved up to date .

1.4. METHODOLOGY . The study of Tanga city is studied by using stratified sampling method where out of 24 wards only 12 wards are selected, farther sampling distribution was carried to obtain 8 urban wards, 3 mixed wards and 1 rural ward. This sample size helps to make easy comparison between different areas within the city. In this paper

qualitative and quantitative technique are used to present information and analysis, qualitative technique it deal with quality information while quantitative technique deal with empirical information which has numerical values. Data is presented in form of tables for extensive data, charts like bar graphs, line chart and pie chart for
2 3

Parr, B, J (1999) growth pole strategy in Regional Economic Planning page 1197 Parr, B, J (1999) pg 1200 4 Banyikwa, W (2010)

comparison purposes and maps are used to show the geography of the region. Mainly questionnaire method was used to collect information where closed and open ended questionnaire was used to obtain relevant information.

2.0. THE RESULTS FROM THE FIELD Table 1a. The pattern of socio-economic profiles of migrants in Tanga City, from1961-2010 Variables Year of entry The results Age at entry Level of education at entry Previous occupation on source areas Current occupation in Tanga City Employed Self employed Mode 40% year 1968-1994 56% aged 19-35 61% primary school education 51% Primary sector 32% in none sector 55% none sector 37% in primary sector

presented in Table 1a shows that the years 1968 -1994 experienced the high number of immigrants about 40% of the respondents migrated to the City during this period. Most of migrant were youth aged 19-35 constituting 56% of the migrants in Tanga city.Refer appendix I. some literature show that the rate of growth of cities is 20% per decade,5in developing countries. The growth of city like Tanga is mainly due high rate of immigrants, therefore in ten years to come Tanga city will experience high rate of rural urban migration.

Figure no: 1b, Education Level of Migrants in Tanga city.

5

Waugh (2002)

Furthermore education level of most migrants was primary education 61%, see figure 1b above. This implies that there a is a predominance of primary education, followed by secondary education 22% while post secondary education is only 3% and some neither have achieved any of education level mentioned above about 14%. This 14% who have neither gone to school may be those who migrated in early time 1961 when education emphasis was very low national wide and number of school was at minimum

Figure 1c. Previous Employment of migrant before migrating to Tanga city

Previous Employment status of migrants in their origin area result show in figure 1d above, 51% of migrants were previously working in primary sector like agriculture and animal keeping, 20% in secondary sector, 6% in tertiary sector. this situation prompted them to seek better life in the city but worse enough 32% ended being unemployed, see figure 1e and figure 1f, while 37% were self employed in primary sector. The result implies that education level of the migrants has something to say about employment opportunities in destination areas.

Figure: 1d. Employed migrants in Tanga City in major sector of economy Moreover self employment status shows that none is unemployed, this means every one struggle to get involved in any job but majority are involved primary sector about 37% followed by secondary sector 34% and 29% in tertiary sector, and the performance of self employed is far better than those who are employed. See figure 1f

Figure: 1f: self employed migrants in Tanga City

The percentage of those who are self employed in both primary, secondary and tertiary sector is at least 51% compared to those who are employed. See Figure 1g. The percentage of those who are employed in primary
6

sector is 38%, 34% in secondary sector and 41% in tertiary sector. Tertiary sector have more people employed since its service sector most of migrant might be employed as civil officers, teachers, business.

Figure1g. Current employment of migrants in various sectors of the economy.

Table No. 2b.The pattern of socio-economic, cultural, political and environmental improvement in Tanga City. Improved wards Urban Mixed Rural economic 38% 36% 26% Improved social 36% 34% 30% Improved cultural 39% 32% 29% Improved political 37% 33% 30% Improved environment 37% 31% 32%

Table no 2b above results show urban ward which were studied to have good conditions and improvement compared to mixed and rural wards, 38% of migrants declared to have improved their economic condition. This economic improvement has been stimulated by connectivity to major economic centre and means of transport and communication. 36% and 39%of migrants declared social and cultural improvement respectively, the results depict urban migrant to have high accessibility to social services like Education and health services. Culturally urban ward is more intergraded with different races and cultures than the rest of wards. Furthermore 37% of migrant in urban wards declared political and environmental improvement, this results show that those
7

who are living in urban ward have more advantages over those in mixed and rural ward. Politically urban migrant have more knowledge and education on political affairs taking place in the country. The mixed wards conditions are moderate, 36% of the migrants agreed to have improved their conditions,34% agreed to have advanced their social conditions, culturally 32% declared to have integrated their culture, politically migrants have little concern with politics only 33%. 31% responded to have advanced their environmental condition in mixed ward this level is less advanced compared to that of urban wards. Rural ward rank the lowest in matters of development results depicted in table 2b show, 26% have developed their economic conditions, 30% advanced their social conditions, cultural integration is very low only 29% of migrants agreed to have been integrated , likewise environmental and political improvement is 30% and 32% respectively. The rural ward has disadvantages over urban and mixed wards, this is due to the fact that rural wards depends mainly on primary sector of production like agriculture and traditional animal keeping, further more poor access to information poor market and education has kept dormant development initiatives and improvement in socioEconomic, cultural, political and environment. Furthermore those migrants in rural wards may be subjected to further migration since the pattern show that the trend is rural-urban migration. 2.1. DISCUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Migration in Tanga city has focused mainly on place utility. This means those places with desirable socioeconomic and environmental conditions which often used to compare the value of living in different locations, were revealed in the study of migrant in the three types of wards that is rural wards, mixed wards and urban wards. Table no 2b show good performance and improvement in urban in socio-economic and environmental conditions and likely urban wards might have more migrants than rural and mixed due above mentioned factor.

The results in, figure 1c and 1d. Show there was Intervening Opportunities between original place of migrants and destination area. Opportunities nearby are usually considered more attractive Than equal or slightly better opportunities farther away, thus why in figure 1c previous occupation of most migrants was in primary sector and likely most migrant ended in primary and secondary sector in destination area.

2.2. RECOMMENDATIONS:

Promoting education and enhancing creativity will help to transform the economy of migrant in Tanga city. The result discussed above show that good performance in self employed sector. Creativity is a hot and burning
8

issue in the world, Florida, R (2002) defined creativity as the ability to create new meaningful forms
6

creativity is ability to combine different kind of information to give multidimensional forms, creativity acts as

driving force of development. Creativity is gravitated in specific locations, hard working, time concern and radical thinking. Most migrant could evolve from primary sector to secondary and tertiary and advance their lives. Most of migrants live in very poor condition because they are not creative enough; most migrants live on social capital, a theory coined by Putnam, the indigenous people in Tanga city need to be challenged both sociocultural and economic. The indigenous people live on social capital leading to advancement poverty to majority. The urban wards are more advanced since social ties are not strong compared to those of mixed and rural wards. More migrants in Tanga city will automatically create diverse and creative society

Moreover we are recommending that development of small towns in rural and mixed wards, basing on the theory of growth pole strategy; the small towns will act as poles of growth, i.e. national economy is influenced by nature and forms of urban system7. And the best way to achieve this is to develop institutions like Universities basing on concept of place reinvention research and further study will promote regional studies and promote further migration. Furthermore the towns will act as nodes of market centre and infrastructure like Roads, railway and airports will act as Networks connecting market nodes within the region and neighboring regions

2.3. CONCLUSION

Moreover migration in Tanga city has affected population patterns and characteristics, social and cultural patterns and processes, economies, and physical environments. As people move, their cultural traits and ideas diffuse along with them, creating and modifying cultural landscapes

6 7

Florida, R(2002) Parr, B, J (1999) pg 1200

REFERNCES

Banyikwa, W (2010). Urban system Project: The compatibility of rural urban Migration and -socio-economic development in Tanzania a case study of migrants in Tanga city

Florida, R (2002). The Rise of Creative Class. New York: The pursues book group Parr, B, J (1999) growth pole strategy in Regional Economic Planning: A Retrospective -View. Urban studies. Sage publication, Volume 36 no 7

Waugh, D. (2002). Geography an Integrated Approach, 3rd Edition. UK, Nelson - Thrones

10