Abstract

This article explores migration as a livelihood option in one of the emerging cities in a region that is considered as a development corridor in Ethiopia Wolaita Sodo In doing so it shades light on the major forces behind rural to urban migration migrants access to livelihood resources and major livelihood activities coping mechanisms and outcomes achieved Concurrent mixed research design was used to generate data both from primary and secondary sources Mix of migration theories from three different perspectives were reviewed and Sustainable Livelihood Framework was applied as an analytical framework to critically examine the problem in its context Results show that the main factors behind rural-urban migration were poverty and unemployment 95 7 intermittent income and limited job opportunities 93 2 limited mobility 80 9 poor health facilities 80 shortage of cheap energy sources like electricity 79 1 seasonality of agricultural employment 74 and insecurity of asset ownership 73 4 on the other hand 100 of surveyed migrants reported that better outlook and hope for the future hope that there are no poverty and unemployment challenges and hope for better health education and other services were the major pull factors migrants vulnerabilities to shocks trends and seasonality were highly determined by their available and accessible assets context within which they are operating and transforming structures which determine their access Moreover diverse livelihood activities where short-term coping mechanisms and long-term survival strategies co-exist livelihood outcomes of migrants were reported both as positive and negative but the positive impacts exceeded as measured by livelihood asset indicators These results broadly attest to the importance of applying migration theories in a comprehensive way as opposed to the conventional wisdom of using a theory Therefore pro-migration policies and programs should