The emergence of urban centres: An exploration of the intertwinement of rural transformation and urbanization in Tanzania

TY - CONF

T1 - The emergence of urban centres

T2 - 7th European Conference on Africa Studies (ECAS): Urban Africa - Urban Africans new encounters of the urban and the rural

AU - Lazaro, Evelyn

AU - Agergaard, Jytte

AU - Larsen, Marianne Nylandsted

AU - Makindara, Jeromia

AU - Birch-Thomsen, Torben

PY - 2017/6/30

Y1 - 2017/6/30

N2 - In this paper we aim at understanding how social and spatial transformation of dynamic rural regions is driving spatial concentration and urbanization. We are particularly concerned with the processes of spatial change, verbalized as the emergence of urban centres in rural areas. Emerging Urban Centres (EUCs) are characterized by rapid population growth related to continuous and diverse flows of migrants from rural hinterlands and more detached rural locations. Many of these centres are also characterized by economic dynamics related to agricultural sector activities that have been stimulated by Tanzanian market liberalizations and its long term effects on private enterprise. The paper is based on a study of four EUCs in Tanzania (Ilula, Igowole, Madizini and Kibaigwa) and seeks to answer three research questions: 1) What economic and spatial trends, including national policies, have formed the pathway for rural transformation and early densification towards the emergence of urban centres in Tanzania? 2) What characterize the relationship between value chain dynamics and rural densification? 3) How do migration and investments contribute to the consolidation of EUCs as places of attraction beyond the crop dynamics? This development has been supported by structural changes within the EUCs making them important administrative and service centres. The paper shows how the intertwinement of rural transformation and urbanization processes form spatial densification in rural areas and suggest that these spatial transformations call for adequate governance that acknowledge the EUCs urban reality.

AB - In this paper we aim at understanding how social and spatial transformation of dynamic rural regions is driving spatial concentration and urbanization. We are particularly concerned with the processes of spatial change, verbalized as the emergence of urban centres in rural areas. Emerging Urban Centres (EUCs) are characterized by rapid population growth related to continuous and diverse flows of migrants from rural hinterlands and more detached rural locations. Many of these centres are also characterized by economic dynamics related to agricultural sector activities that have been stimulated by Tanzanian market liberalizations and its long term effects on private enterprise. The paper is based on a study of four EUCs in Tanzania (Ilula, Igowole, Madizini and Kibaigwa) and seeks to answer three research questions: 1) What economic and spatial trends, including national policies, have formed the pathway for rural transformation and early densification towards the emergence of urban centres in Tanzania? 2) What characterize the relationship between value chain dynamics and rural densification? 3) How do migration and investments contribute to the consolidation of EUCs as places of attraction beyond the crop dynamics? This development has been supported by structural changes within the EUCs making them important administrative and service centres. The paper shows how the intertwinement of rural transformation and urbanization processes form spatial densification in rural areas and suggest that these spatial transformations call for adequate governance that acknowledge the EUCs urban reality.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Rural transformation

KW - Urbanization

KW - Spatial densification

KW - Governance

KW - Emerging Urban Centres

M3 - Paper

Y2 - 29 June 2017 through 1 July 2017

ER -