Rural change in Developing & Emerging Countries (Edexcel IGCSE Geography)

Example Case Study - Changes in Rural Environments - Kenya

• In developing countries rural change has occurred as a result of:

  • Population growth

  • Changing farm economy and land holdings

  • Natural hazards

  • Rural-urban migration

Population Growth

• The rural population in Kenya has increased from 7.5 million in 1960 to 39 million in 2021

• The proportion of people living in rural areas has decreased from 93% in 1960 to 72% in 2020

Changing farm economy and land holdings

• Agriculture in Kenya is divided into two:

  • Commercial farms are often owned by companies outside Kenya or individuals who are not Kenyan

  • Subsistence farms where people are farming to feed themselves and their family

• 50% of Kenya's GDP is from commercial agriculture

• Less than 2% of land in Kenya is owned by women

Example Case Study - Natural Hazards in Kenya

• Kenya experiences a number of natural hazards including: 

  • Drought

  • Desertification

  • Floods

• Drought is an increasing issue with Kenya suffering the worst drought in decades in 2021/22

• Floods in 2019 affected 160,000 people across Kenya

• Desertification occurs as a result of:

  • Decreasing precipitation

  • Overgrazing

  • Removal of vegetation for fuelwood and shelter

• The natural hazards have led to livestock deaths and crop failure:

  • 20% of the population are suffering acute food insecurity

Example Case Study - Rural-Urban Migration

• More than 250,000 people a year move from rural Kenya to towns and cities like Nairobi

• Most migrants are young people often men

Causes of Rural-Urban Migration

• Rural-urban migration has a number of causes:

  • Loss of land - commercial farms taking over best farmland

  • Low productivity of land due to soil erosion and desertification

  • Poor access to healthcare and education services

  • Increasing frequency of drought

  • Lack of clean water

Impacts of Rural-Urban Migration

• Ageing populations in rural areas

• Lack of skills

• Reduced productivity as the elderly and children are not able to farm as effectively

• Birth rates decline 

• Rural area development falls further behind urban areas