Poverty reduction during the rural-urban transformation - The role of the missing middle

Luc Christiaensen; Yasuyuki Todo

doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2013.10.002

Poverty reduction during the rural-urban transformation - The role of the missing middle

Luc Christiaensen, Yasuyuki Todo^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

126 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

As countries develop, they restructure away from agriculture and urbanize. But structural transformation and urbanization patterns differ substantially, with some countries fostering migration out of agriculture into rural off farm activities and secondary towns, and others undergoing rapid agglomeration in mega cities. Using cross-country panel data for developing countries spanning 1980-2004, it is found that migration out of agriculture into the missing middle (rural nonfarm economy and secondary towns) yields more inclusive growth patterns and faster poverty reduction than agglomeration in mega cities. This suggests that patterns of urbanization deserve much more attention when striving for faster poverty reduction.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	43-58
Number of pages	16
Journal	World Development
Volume	63
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2013.10.002
Publication status	Published - 2014 Nov
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Poverty
Rural nonfarm economy
Rural-urban transformation
Structural transformation
Urban concentration

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geography, Planning and Development
Development
Sociology and Political Science
Economics and Econometrics

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.worlddev.2013.10.002

Cite this

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title = "Poverty reduction during the rural-urban transformation - The role of the missing middle",

abstract = "As countries develop, they restructure away from agriculture and urbanize. But structural transformation and urbanization patterns differ substantially, with some countries fostering migration out of agriculture into rural off farm activities and secondary towns, and others undergoing rapid agglomeration in mega cities. Using cross-country panel data for developing countries spanning 1980-2004, it is found that migration out of agriculture into the missing middle (rural nonfarm economy and secondary towns) yields more inclusive growth patterns and faster poverty reduction than agglomeration in mega cities. This suggests that patterns of urbanization deserve much more attention when striving for faster poverty reduction.",

keywords = "Poverty, Rural nonfarm economy, Rural-urban transformation, Structural transformation, Urban concentration",

author = "Luc Christiaensen and Yasuyuki Todo",

note = "Funding Information: Funding by the Japanese Consultancy Trust Fund is gratefully acknowledged. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent. ",

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AU - Christiaensen, Luc

AU - Todo, Yasuyuki

N1 - Funding Information: Funding by the Japanese Consultancy Trust Fund is gratefully acknowledged. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.

PY - 2014/11

Y1 - 2014/11

N2 - As countries develop, they restructure away from agriculture and urbanize. But structural transformation and urbanization patterns differ substantially, with some countries fostering migration out of agriculture into rural off farm activities and secondary towns, and others undergoing rapid agglomeration in mega cities. Using cross-country panel data for developing countries spanning 1980-2004, it is found that migration out of agriculture into the missing middle (rural nonfarm economy and secondary towns) yields more inclusive growth patterns and faster poverty reduction than agglomeration in mega cities. This suggests that patterns of urbanization deserve much more attention when striving for faster poverty reduction.

AB - As countries develop, they restructure away from agriculture and urbanize. But structural transformation and urbanization patterns differ substantially, with some countries fostering migration out of agriculture into rural off farm activities and secondary towns, and others undergoing rapid agglomeration in mega cities. Using cross-country panel data for developing countries spanning 1980-2004, it is found that migration out of agriculture into the missing middle (rural nonfarm economy and secondary towns) yields more inclusive growth patterns and faster poverty reduction than agglomeration in mega cities. This suggests that patterns of urbanization deserve much more attention when striving for faster poverty reduction.

KW - Poverty

KW - Rural nonfarm economy

KW - Rural-urban transformation

KW - Structural transformation

KW - Urban concentration

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Poverty reduction during the rural-urban transformation - The role of the missing middle

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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