Matoy jirofo, masaka lavany: Rural–urban migrants' livelihood strategies through the lens of the clove commodity cycle in Madagascar

Abstract

Residents of many African cities face economic uncertainty due to high rates of under‐ and unemployment and lack of government support. In response, many urban Africans have fortified their links to rural areas as a strategy to weather uncertainty and reduce vulnerability. Scholars have documented high rates of ownership of rural resources (e.g., land, housing, and livestock) by people living in cities as proof of the strength of rural–urban linkages in Africa. In this article, I argue that the use of rural resources to reduce urban expenditures or increase income cannot be assumed and depends on the social relationships between city and village residents. I draw on twenty‐four months of ethnographic fieldwork with rural–urban migrants in northeastern Madagascar. I focus on the clove season of 2011–12, a spectacular moment in which high yields and prices created a market boom for this agricultural commodity. While many urban migrants had claimed access to clove trees, not all of these individuals were successful in actually accessing the clove crop or the income generated from its sale during the 2011–12 season. Exploring the winners and losers in this commodity boom reveals that investing in social relationships with rural family and friends has important economic consequences for urban migrants.