Abstract

The study of rural depopulation and its effect on the population structure in Ekondo titi Sub-Division strives to outline causes, effect and possible solution. The main objective of this research was to examine the causes of rural depopulation and to assess the impacts of rural depopulation on the population structure of Ekondo Titi Sub-Division.

Data for this research were obtained through the use of questionnaires, direct interview and a collection of secondary source from the Ekondo Titi council and the internet. Data were obtained using field observation, interview and other secondary data source, which were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques.

The major causes of rural depopulation in the area include economic causes with agriculture decline, poor transport, inadequate natural resources (40%), socio-cultural cause such as education, lack of basic facilities among other  (26%) environmental causes such as natural disasters (20%) and lastly political causes such as insecurity due to the encounter between armed groups and government forces (14%), as well as effect of both positive and negative which causing the population to move out.

The study recommended the need to improve on the transport routes especially the farm to market routes and also the need to introduce other economic opportunities and as well improve the level of security which could keep the population in the area.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to study

Rural depopulation refers to the decrease in the population of rural areas, which can be migration or a fall in birth rate as young people move away from this area (Rogers, Castree and Kitchin 2013). It has been argued that, the mechanization in agriculture may leads to rural unemployment and depopulation (Kirsch 2018). Kirsch talks on how the movement of people to the cities took place before mechanization as machines were there for needed to supply the workforce. Rural depopulation can also be defined as the movement of people from rural areas to urban areas.

Globally, more people live in urban areas than in rural areas, with 55 per cent of the worlds population residing in urban areas (UN, 2018) . In 1950, 30 per cent of the worlds population was urban, and by 2050, 68 percent of the worlds population is projected to be urban (UN, 2017). There is significant diversity in the urbanization levels reached by different geographic regions. The most urbanized geographic regions include Northern America (82 per cent living in urban areas in 2018), Latin America and the Caribbean (81 per cent), Europe (74 per cent) and Oceania (68 per cent (UN, 2020). The level of urbanization in Asia is now approximating 50 per cent (UN 2018). In contrast, Africa remains mostly rural, with 43 per cent of its population living in urban areas (UN, 2020).  Rural to urban migration reduces population in rural areas, which decreases farming activities, leading to food insecurity. It can lead to child labor when many young males leave for cities in search of employment, causes a drop-in school enrollment.

The greatest factor in rural population change over the last century has been migration in most part of the world as rural areas has been decline since 19 centuries (UN 2017). It can be explained that, less accessible rural area has a decreasing population. That is, the population density of the rural area is very small as the land are used mainly for agriculture. In the less accessible area, many of the younger population move out due to push and pull factors. Push factor such as unemployment due to mechanization of agriculture in the rural community, disease and witchcraft. While the pull factor include search for jobs, better access to education or higher institution and also higher income.

According to FIMARC (2006) Rural Depopulation is the movement of people from rural area to urban area for search of high paying non-agricultural employment and other incentives. However, the validity of this statement is pending based on the fact that people have different reasons that pull or push them to the Urban area leading to rural depopulation, which this reasons are not only link to the above highlighted statement made by FIRMARC (International Federation of Rural Adult Catholic Movement).

The global rural population is now close to 3.4 billion and is expected to rise slightly and then decline to 3.1 billion by 2050 (UN 2019). Africa and Asia are home to nearly 90% of the world’s rural population in 2018(Jean-Claude et Al, 1997). The Global statistical information reveals that India has the largest rural population (893 million), followed by China (578 million), (World Bank 2022).

More so, today there are different patterns of push and pull factors for young people leaving the rural areas. Current push factors are due to limited activities within rural areas, the pull factors are education and the variety of new lifestyles. This indeed leads to depopulation of rural areas. Migration in this case is affected by young people’s desire to control and decide on personal living environment. There is a desire for an active voice in society where individuals independently choose their way of living and the location for that (Martines Brawley 1987). Families with children often tend to move to municipalities located nearby urban cities, which in turn generates into a growing population of urban areas (Lexen, Gårdlund 2011, Lexen and Torege, 2002).

Rural regions in all of Africa are facing decreasing populations, low levels of human capital, and slow economic growth (Margaras, 2019). In rural parts of Cameroon, the process of depopulation has been driven by young adults who move away to attend university and do not return. This process has been ongoing since the expansion of higher education that started in the late 90s with the formation of several new universities across Cameroon and private Universities.

In Ekondo Titi Sub-Division, agriculture is the main activity of the people. About 70 percent of the people is engaged in agriculture, 20 percent in the secondary sector and only 10 percent in the tertiary sector (Kimengsi 2006). As many people have move out of the area in search of jobs and improvement of education. An increase in the rate outgoing and depopulation of Ekondo Titi Rural is responsible for over crowing in the different near-by cities, in Cameroon most especially in the South west Region and for instance Kumba which is the nearest City.

However, it was in the 90s, following a reform and improvement in the educational system, that the number of students in higher education increased at an unprecedented level. The number of first-time students nearly doubled during the 2002-2022, The expansion mainly occurred at new universities located within Cameroon and most recently in the South West region. In the government’s View it was an attempt to increase rural human capital levels though training of this migrants to urban areas by providing higher education in Cameroon and reducing cost of studies and providing allowance for student who are in this institutions so as to reduce rural illiteracy and probably increase rural life style through modern educational skills  in schools but this end up depopulating the rural areas and leaving these areas at the mercy of rural growth stagnation despite governments aimed to make it easier to live. In some parts of the world like Sweden and USA for example, Universities are often viewed as engines of local economic growth that could mitigate rural depopulation however, university studies might make individuals more prone to move as the case of Ekondo Titi rural inhabitants.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Though nature has endowed all regions with resources, disparities exist in the level of development base on their different regions. However, Ekondo Titi Sub-Division is lagging behind developmental project which can be used to extract its resources, as Ekondo Titi remain one of the main obstacle resource evaluation which has not been exploited nor involved or improve the development of the area.

Despite her history of existence, deficient of the status of modern societies, the absence of employment opportunities and credit facilities has made life difficult to the growing population especially the youth who are forced to move in search of greener pastures elsewhere.

Outmigration from the study area has affected its agricultural production as it yields drop. This is possible because, mostly the energetic men  outmigrate in Ekondo Titi leaving behind the old and the tender age which may cause a fall in production as only smaller hectares of land for agricultural purposes are been cultivated by the non-energetic men.

In addition, inadequate roads can also be another cause of rural depopulation. That is during the rainy season, most of their roads are in a poor state and hindered movement of people to their farm and job sites. This equally hinders the transportation of farm product as well as farm input

1.3 Research Question

This study seeks to answer the following questions

1.3.1 Main research question

An assessment of rural depopulation and its effect on the population structure in Ekondo Titi?

1.3.2 Specific research questions

1. What are the causes of rural depopulation?
2. What is the effect of rural depopulation?
3. What can be done to mitigate rural development in Ekondo Titi Sub-Division?

Check Out: Geography Project Topics with Materials