The ambivalent links between internal migration and food security in Uganda

This study examines the drivers for and consequences of internal migration to household food security in Uganda. Based on the Ugandan National Panel Surveys conducted between 2010/11 and 2015/16, we estimate differences in food energy adequacy of households receiving internal migrants from elsewhere...

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Main Authors: Mekonnen, Daniel A., Soma, Katrine, Ruben, Ruerd
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: SAGE Publications 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/171473
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author Mekonnen, Daniel A.
Soma, Katrine
Ruben, Ruerd
author_browse Mekonnen, Daniel A.
Ruben, Ruerd
Soma, Katrine
author_facet Mekonnen, Daniel A.
Soma, Katrine
Ruben, Ruerd
author_sort Mekonnen, Daniel A.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This study examines the drivers for and consequences of internal migration to household food security in Uganda. Based on the Ugandan National Panel Surveys conducted between 2010/11 and 2015/16, we estimate differences in food energy adequacy of households receiving internal migrants from elsewhere. Besides food energy consumption, this study applies household food consumption score (FCS) and looks at vulnerability in terms of household’s expenditures on food. This enables to explore (a) the extent to which food insecurity is driving internal migration, and (b) whether remittances can reduce food security of the remitter. We find that households are usually worse-off when migrants join the receiving family. This seems a departure from previous studies that tend to find welfare gains to internal migration, mostly due to changes in expenditures or dietary consumption without considering any thresholds for achieving food security. Based on these findings and responding to rising youth employment challenges associated with rapidly growing urban slums in Uganda, policies that simultaneously support employment creation in both urban and rural areas are urgently needed to enable better steering of the flow of voluntary migration and to help ensuring food security.
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spelling CGSpace1714732025-10-26T12:54:49Z The ambivalent links between internal migration and food security in Uganda Mekonnen, Daniel A. Soma, Katrine Ruben, Ruerd food security migration remittances households rural areas urban areas diet food consumption migrants This study examines the drivers for and consequences of internal migration to household food security in Uganda. Based on the Ugandan National Panel Surveys conducted between 2010/11 and 2015/16, we estimate differences in food energy adequacy of households receiving internal migrants from elsewhere. Besides food energy consumption, this study applies household food consumption score (FCS) and looks at vulnerability in terms of household’s expenditures on food. This enables to explore (a) the extent to which food insecurity is driving internal migration, and (b) whether remittances can reduce food security of the remitter. We find that households are usually worse-off when migrants join the receiving family. This seems a departure from previous studies that tend to find welfare gains to internal migration, mostly due to changes in expenditures or dietary consumption without considering any thresholds for achieving food security. Based on these findings and responding to rising youth employment challenges associated with rapidly growing urban slums in Uganda, policies that simultaneously support employment creation in both urban and rural areas are urgently needed to enable better steering of the flow of voluntary migration and to help ensuring food security. 2022-10 2025-01-29T12:58:13Z 2025-01-29T12:58:13Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/171473 en Open Access SAGE Publications Mekonnen, Daniel A.; Soma, Katrine; and Ruben, Ruerd. The ambivalent links between internal migration and food security in Uganda. Migration and Development 11(3): 917-936. https://doi.org/10.1080/21632324.2020.1845489
spellingShingle food security
migration
remittances
households
rural areas
urban areas
diet
food consumption
migrants
Mekonnen, Daniel A.
Soma, Katrine
Ruben, Ruerd
The ambivalent links between internal migration and food security in Uganda
title The ambivalent links between internal migration and food security in Uganda
title_full The ambivalent links between internal migration and food security in Uganda
title_fullStr The ambivalent links between internal migration and food security in Uganda
title_full_unstemmed The ambivalent links between internal migration and food security in Uganda
title_short The ambivalent links between internal migration and food security in Uganda
title_sort ambivalent links between internal migration and food security in uganda
topic food security
migration
remittances
households
rural areas
urban areas
diet
food consumption
migrants
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/171473
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