What do urban dwellers and people with dual residence do in rural areas of Tanzania?

Abstract

This study intended to examine the activities of urban dwellers and individuals with dual residence when they return to rural villages. The theories underpinning this study are Everett Lee’s Theory of Migration, Duncan’s Theory on Population Mobility and the Push and Pull Theory of Migration. A cross-sectional research design was employed targeting smallholder farmers. Purposive sampling techniques were used to select the study area and key informants. The study involved 394 smallholder farmers systematically selected after establishing their sampling frame. Primary data were gathered from smallholder farmers and key informants through interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs), while secondary data were collected from library documents and websites. For the formal survey, primary data collection relied on structured interviews and FGDs. The collected primary data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics v.25. Descriptive statistics, including frequency distributions and percentages, were used to summarise the data. Qualitative data from FGDs were analysed thematically. The study found that urban dwellers and people with dual residence acquire large tracts of land for commercial farming when visiting rural areas. The emergence of tea estates, avocado orchards, and timber plantations in the Njombe and Iringa regions reflects significant investments by these groups. The study concludes that urban dwellers and people with dual residences primarily invest in commercial agriculture when returning to rural villages. Their presence brings both benefits and challenges to local smallholder farmers. The study recommends that stakeholders design and implement integrated rural development projects, recognising the interdependence of factors affecting rural communities, as urban dwellers and people with dual residence significantly drive agricultural transformation. This phenomenon should be encouraged, with appropriate regulations, to enhance employment opportunities and facilitate the transfer of new technologies. Given the positive contributions of these groups, policymakers should develop initiatives that leverage their expertise and experience to benefit rural areas.