Causes and Consequences of Rural-Urban Migration in Woldiya Town, North Eastern Highlands of Ethiopia

Abstract

This paper analyzes the causes and consequences of migration from rural areas to
three kebeles in Woldiya Town using 500 randomly selected migrant household
heads. Data were analyzed using qualitative and quantitative methodology. The
study revealed that migrants moved in search of employment and services. While
production loss was the negative impact of the loss of economically active
migrants in the area of origin, the host town experienced problems such as
housing shortage, unemployment, and increased cost of living. The research
concludes that an integrated rural development policy is very critical to mitigate
the problem of rural-urban migration in Ethiopia.