Mobility and connectivity: driving rural livelihood transformations in Africa

Abstract

Recent research in Cameroon, Ghana and Tanzania has revealed major drivers of rural livelihood transformations and local development. Thanks to improved connectivity, greater mobility and better rural-city connections, rural people are diversifying their livelihoods and transforming agricultural production systems. This has created rural non-farm labour opportunities, which in turn stimulates positive socioeconomic dynamics in the regions. But it has also triggered challenges. Without government support for large-scale investment in infrastructure and regional planning, not everyone benefits to the same extent. Positive government-led measures could foster local and regional development in sub-Saharan Africa — recognising that livelihood transformation and mobility dynamics are essential not only to individual households but to society at large.