Resource information
This paper documents a significant
impact of climate variation on urbanization in Sub-Saharan
Africa, primarily in more arid countries. By lowering farm
incomes, reduced moisture availability encourages migration
to nearby cities, while wetter conditions slow migration.
The paper also provides evidence for rural-urban income
links. In countries with a larger industrial base, reduced
moisture shrinks the agricultural sector and raises total
incomes in nearby cities. However, if local cities are
entirely dependent on servicing agriculture so their
fortunes move with those of agriculture, reduced moisture
tends to reduce local urban incomes. Finally, the paper
shows that climate induces employment changes within the
rural sector itself. Drier conditions induce a shift out of
farm activities, especially for women, into non-farm
activities, and especially out of the workforce. Overall,
these findings imply a strong link between climate and
urbanization in Africa.
