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 () and P. Lindert ()
Additional contact information
Griet Steel: Utrecht University
Torben Birch-Thomsen: University of Copenhagen
Ine Cottyn: Utrecht University
Evelyn A. Lazaro: Sokoine University of Agriculture
Hélène Mainet: University Clermont Auverge
Fulgence J. Mishili: Sokoine University of Agriculture
P. Lindert: Utrecht University

The European Journal of Development Research, 2019, vol. 31, issue 1, No 3, 12-33

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: Rural transformation; Rural–urban connections; Livelihood diversification; Multi-locality; Small-town development; Sub-Saharan Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41287-018-0183-y Abstract (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:eurjdr:v:31:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1057_s41287-018-0183-y

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/journal/41287/PS2

DOI: 10.1057/s41287-018-0183-y

Access Statistics for this article

The European Journal of Development Research is currently edited by Spencer Henson and Natalia Lorenzoni

More articles in The European Journal of Development Research from Palgrave Macmillan, European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().