Determinants And Impacts Of Human Mobility Dynamics In The Western Highlands Of Cameroon

Abstract This study analyses human mobility among inhabitants of Cameroons most populous region the Western Highlands of Cameroon. In other to capture the impact of various determinants on human mobility a comparative study was conducted through household and field surveys in three villages in the region and conceptualized based on the systems approach. The drop in coffee prices coupled with demographic pressure was a major determinant of mobility and land-use changes in the area. Rural-to-urban migration was significantly controlled by a combination of socio-economic determinants while commuting to other rural areas for farming was triggered by the quest for microclimates adapted for the production of vegetable cash crops. Intensive land-use and high dependence on off-farm chemical inputs was found to have replaced the traditional long fallow system. This represented a threat to the sustainability of the farming system due to vulnerability to pests and erosion. On the other hand occupational diversification triggered by urban-to-rural migration had far reaching effects on the improvement of rural livelihood.