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Household Migration Decisions as Survival Strategy: The Case of Burkina Faso

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  • Konseiga, Adama

    (Ministry of Tourism, Quebec)

Abstract

The paper examines the motivations behind the important migration from Burkina Faso to Cote d'Ivoire, the economic pole in the West African Economic and Monetary Union. The paper uses a detailed household survey dataset on migration, natural resource management, risk management and solidarity collected in 2000 and 2002 in Northeastern Burkina Faso. In addition to the household survey, two other village and institutional level surveys were conducted. The methodology emphasizes the linkage between economic theories and empirical evidence, using econometric tools that are robust to the selection bias. It enables to study the specificities of the seasonal migration and estimate migration incomes. The structural model of migration decision revealed the importance of migration as a mere survival strategy in the study regions confronted with severe scarcity of natural resources. Results supported that even under the pessimistic scenario where the direct benefits of the regional integration program would go exclusively to the polar economy, households in the Sahel may still benefit from an increased economic attractiveness of this destination. First, because it is seasonal, the increased migration will translate into higher liquidity that enables households to overcome credit and insurance market failures and invest in their main agropastoral activities. Second, an interesting finding is also the role of the unsecured livestock activity as impediment to migration of the pastoralist groups. The study recommended the development of policies that address security issues through well-functioning rural labor market institutions and enforceable rules regarding shepherd contracts. It is also important to enforce regional laws regarding the free movement of labor.

Suggested Citation

  • Konseiga, Adama, 2005. "Household Migration Decisions as Survival Strategy: The Case of Burkina Faso," IZA Discussion Papers 1819, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp1819
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    Cited by:

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    3. Julia Anna Matz & Linguère Mously Mbaye, 2023. "Migration and the Autonomy of Women Left Behind," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 35(5), pages 1059-1079, October.
    4. Elisabeth Hyo-Chung Chung & Charlotte Guénard, 2012. "Mobilités, vulnérabilité et capital social: une analyse en milieu rural sénégalais," Working Papers DT/2012/16, DIAL (Développement, Institutions et Mondialisation).
    5. Yonas Alem & Mathilde Maurel & Katrin Millock, 2016. "Migration as an Adaptation Strategy to Weather Variability: An Instrumental Variables Probit Analysis," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-01955941, HAL.
    6. Shafei Gu & Eric Fong, 2022. "Migration from Muslim-Majority Countries: A Tale of Two Patterns," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(4), pages 1853-1872, August.
    7. Naudé, Wim, 2009. "Geography, transport and Africa’s proximity gap," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 1-9.
    8. Dennis Görlich & Christoph Trebesch, 2008. "Seasonal Migration and Networks—Evidence on Moldova’s Labour Exodus," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 144(1), pages 107-133, April.
    9. Giesbert, Lena, 2007. "Seeking Opportunities: Migration as an Income Diversification Strategy of Households in Kakamega District in Kenya," GIGA Working Papers 58, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    10. Jerzy Michalek & Nana Zarnekow, 2012. "Application of the Rural Development Index to Analysis of Rural Regions in Poland and Slovakia," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 105(1), pages 1-37, January.
    11. Matthieu Bolay, 2021. "Disentangling Mining and Migratory Routes in West Africa: Decisions to Move in Migranticised Settings," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 235-246.
    12. Hua Lu & Hualin Xie & Qianru Chen & Jinfa Jiang, 2018. "Impact of Agricultural Labor Transfer and Structural Adjustment on Chemical Application: Comparison of Past Developments in the Ecological Civilization Pilot Zones of China and Their Future Implicatio," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-14, June.
    13. Wim Naudé, 2011. "Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of the Big Four," Working Papers 2011/34, Maastricht School of Management.
    14. Marion Borderon & Patrick Sakdapolrak & Raya Muttarak & Endale Kebede & Raffaella Pagogna & Eva Sporer, 2019. "Migration influenced by environmental change in Africa: A systematic review of empirical evidence," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 41(18), pages 491-544.
    15. A. Gentili, 2013. "Migration Costs and Networks: household optimal investment in migration," Working Papers wp867, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    16. Joseph, George & Wodon, Quentin & Blankespoor, Brian, 2014. "Do Remittances Reach Households Living in Unfavorable Climate Areas? Evidence from the Republic of Yemen," MPRA Paper 56939, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Wouterse, Fleur, 2012. "Migration and Rural Welfare: The Impact of Potential Policy Reforms in Europe," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(12), pages 2427-2439.
    18. Kuhnt, Jana, 2019. "Literature review: drivers of migration. Why do people leave their homes? Is there an easy answer? A structured overview of migratory determinants," IDOS Discussion Papers 9/2019, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    19. Malicki Zorom & Babacar Leye & Mamadou Diop & Serigne M’backé Coly, 2023. "Metapopulation Modeling of Socioeconomic Vulnerability of Sahelian Populations to Climate Variability: Case of Tougou, Village in Northern Burkina Faso," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-25, November.
    20. Bouba Traore & Birhanu Zemadim Birhanu & Seydou Sangaré & Murali Krishna Gumma & Ramadjita Tabo & Anthony Michael Whitbread, 2021. "Contribution of Climate-Smart Agriculture Technologies to Food Self-Sufficiency of Smallholder Households in Mali," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-17, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    income functions; new economics of labor migration; Todaro model; international migration; sample selection;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C25 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions; Probabilities
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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