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Decomposing the Contribution of Migration to Poverty Reduction: Methodology and Application to Tanzania

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  • Luc Christiaensen
  • Joachim De Weerdt
  • Ravi Kanbur

Abstract

In an economy with migration, poverty changes are composed of a number of forces, including the income gains and losses realized by the various migration streams. We present a simple but powerful decomposition methodology that uses panel data to measure the contributions of different migration streams to overall poverty change. An application to Tanzania shows the new insights that are provided—in particular on the role of migration to secondary towns in poverty reduction.

Suggested Citation

  • Luc Christiaensen & Joachim De Weerdt & Ravi Kanbur, 2018. "Decomposing the Contribution of Migration to Poverty Reduction: Methodology and Application to Tanzania," LICOS Discussion Papers 40618, LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance, KU Leuven.
    • Handle: RePEc:lic:licosd:40618
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    File URL: https://feb.kuleuven.be/drc/licos/publications/dp/dp-406
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Foster, James & Greer, Joel & Thorbecke, Erik, 1984. "A Class of Decomposable Poverty Measures," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 52(3), pages 761-766, May.
    2. Luc Christiaensen & Ravi Kanbur, 2017. "Secondary Towns and Poverty Reduction: Refocusing the Urbanization Agenda," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 9(1), pages 405-419, October.
    3. Ravi Kanbur & Luc Christiaensen & Joachim De Weerdt, 2019. "Where to create jobs to reduce poverty: cities or towns?," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 17(4), pages 543-564, December.
    4. Ravallion, Martin & Huppi, Monika, 1991. "Measuring Changes in Poverty: A Methodological Case Study of Indonesia during an Adjustment Period," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 5(1), pages 57-82, January.
    5. Luc Christiaensen & Ravi Kanbur, 2017. "Secondary Towns and Poverty Reduction: Refocusing the Urbanization Agenda," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 9(1), pages 405-419, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. De Weerdt, Joachim & Christiansen, Lue & Kanbur, Ravi, "undated". "When Distance Drives Destination, Towns can Stimulate Development," Applied Economics and Policy Working Paper Series 310517, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    2. Fabry, Anna & Maertens, Miet, 2025. "Temporary labor mobility to various geographical and sectoral destinations improves rural incomes − Insights from Peru," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    3. Luc Christiaensen & Miet Maertens, 2022. "Rural Employment in Africa," World Bank Publications - Reports 37023, The World Bank Group.
    4. Jordan Chamberlin & Cristina Ramos & Kibrom Abay, 2021. "Do more Vibrant Rural Areas have Lower Rates of Youth Out-Migration? Evidence from Zambia," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(4), pages 951-979, August.
    5. repec:osf:socarx:ws3gd_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Dung Quang Nguyen & Dung Tuan Hoang & Huyen Khanh Giang Nguyen & Trung Xuan Hoang & Tuyen Quang Tran, 2024. "Does migration affect the well-being of children under 5? Evidence from Vietnam," Population and Economics, ARPHA Platform, vol. 8(2), pages 206-230, September.
    7. Mueller, Tom, 2020. "The poverty balancing equation: Expressing poverty of place as a population process," SocArXiv ws3gd, Center for Open Science.
    8. Ravi Kanbur & Luc Christiaensen & Joachim De Weerdt, 2019. "Where to create jobs to reduce poverty: cities or towns?," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 17(4), pages 543-564, December.
    9. Rodica CRUDU, 2023. "PROGRAMMES TO HARNESS THE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF return MIGRANTS: THE CASE OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA," Annales Universitatis Apulensis Series Oeconomica, Faculty of Sciences, "1 Decembrie 1918" University, Alba Iulia, vol. 1(25), pages 1-4.
    10. Kenneth Ofori‐Boateng & Samuel Adams & Williams Ohemeng, 2020. "Coping Strategies of the Urban Poor: A Case Study From Ghana," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(3), pages 236-254, September.
    11. Andrés Rodríguez‐Pose & Jamie Griffiths, 2021. "Developing intermediate cities," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(3), pages 441-456, June.
    12. Ameye, Hannah & De Weerdt, Joachim, 2020. "Child health across the rural–urban spectrum," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

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