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

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  • Adama Konseiga

Abstract

This article 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. This article uses a detailed household survey data set 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 emphasises the linkage between economic theories and empirical evidence, using econometric tools that are robust both to the selection and standard error 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 unique 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 programme would go exclusively to the polar economy, households in the Sahel may still benefit from an increased economic attractiveness of this destination. Therefore, the study recommended enforcing regional laws as regards to the free movement of labour. Copyright 2007, Oxford University Press.

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  • Adama Konseiga, 2007. "Household Migration Decisions as Survival Strategy: The Case of Burkina Faso," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 16(2), pages 198-233, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jafrec:v:16:y:2007:i:2:p:198-233
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    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    6. Naudé, Wim, 2009. "Geography, transport and Africa’s proximity gap," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 1-9.
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. 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.
    10. 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.
    11. 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.
    12. Julia Anna Matz & Linguère Mously Mbaye, 2017. "Migration and the autonomy of women left behind," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2017-64, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    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.
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    More about this item

    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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