The Impact Of Migration On Farming And Rural Areas

A new report on migration and its impact on rural development and food security by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization suggests that policies on migration, agriculture and rural development should be coherent to ensure the safe and orderly passage of people and reduce the potential negative impact of migration on agriculture and food security.

Rural migration, in particular out-migration, can have profound effects on rural development, poverty, and food security and nutrition, affecting agricultural production, rural households and the broader rural economy. The impact of migration is felt both in migrants’ areas of origin and in their areas of destination. Understanding this impact is important from an economic development perspective, not least because the implications of migration are often the subject of much heated debate.

Negative perceptions of migration often result in policies that either explicitly or implicitly attempt to hinder or reduce migration. However, these policies risk restricting labour allocation in countries and markets that need it most.

NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE EFFECTS

The impact of migration is conveyed through three main channels. Firstly, the very fact that a person has left has an effect on the sending household, due to the loss of labour and resulting changes in household composition, as well as on rural labour markets. Secondly, the remittances sent back by migrants can affect consumption patterns and livelihoods in rural communities of origin.

Thirdly, non-monetary transfers, such as ideas, skills and new social patterns may be brought back or transmitted by migrants; these are referred to as ‘social’ remittances.

The effect of rural out-migration can be felt at different levels. There is an immediate impact on the sending household, but there are ripple effects that go beyond, affecting both the rural communities of origin and societies at large. The impact on households and societies can be negative or positive, depending on the form of migration, the characteristics of the migrants, and the migration context.