Land markets and migration trends in Tanzania: A qualitative-quantitative analysis

While migration has been found to enhance welfare across a range of settings, most of the literature focuses on rural-to-urban migrant flows. Using a unique dataset from north-western Tanzania, this article probes an important, yet overlooked, link between land markets and rural-to-rural migration. A mixed-methods approach is used to discern how these two forces are intertwined in village life. Results indicate that household decisions to migrate are particularly influenced by the ease of market-based land access in their new communities. This suggests that labour mobility may be facilitated through the development of a well-functioning land market.