Urbanization, Urban Poverty and Urban Livelihoods in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana.

Abstract

The study sought to assess urbanisation, urban poverty and urban livelihood in the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. Tamale, like most emerging African cities, has been experiencing rapid levels of urbanisation since the 1980s resulting in increased population growth. The case study approach was used to examine the challenges confronting Tamale city residents resulting from rapid urbanization, changing livelihood strategies, and coping strategies of the urban poor. Using subjective poverty as an alternative means of assessing poverty based on the value judgment on the part of respondents, 58.7 per cent of households in the metropolis considered themselves as either poor or very poor. The coping strategies adopted by the urban dwellers in Tamale Metropolis include; diversification of income-generating activities which has led to increase in informal-sector activity, own food production, reducing the household’s expenses by buying cheaper goods and avoiding others. It is recommended that, to sustain the livelihood of urban poor farmers there is the need for an urban agricultural policy to protect the livelihoods of urban and peri-urban poor farmers.