ESCAPING RURAL IMPOVERISHMENT TO URBAN POVERTY, DELTA TOKER MIGRANT FARMERS SQUAT PORT SUDAN TOWN, EASTERN SUDAN

This paper is based on data provided by fieldwork conducted in the squatter area of Walia’ in north Port Sudan town during March 2010. The paper objects to investigate urban poverty by using demographic, socioeconomic and nutritional characteristics of the migrants to argue on causes of rural impoverishment. The main findings revealed that 30% of the respondents were born in Port Sudan town, 15% outside eastern Sudan while 55% of them were born inside Delta Toker agricultural scheme. Failure of agricultural production there has driven 65% of them to move to Port Sudan town while drought as a pushing factor constitutes 30%. Average family size is 8.16 persons, mean age is 22.5 years and younger age groups of 5-9, 15-19 and 20-24 constitute the majority of the population. Average monthly income is 120 USD or 4 USD per day. More than ? of the population are far below the mean monthly income. Percentage of students in basic education is 34.6% while for those in secondary education it is 31.9%. Average household daily intake of cereals; bread; meat; sugar; milk; vegetables and vegetable oils are 3420 grams; 158.4 grams; 270 grams; 444.5 grams; 520.4 grams; 420 grams and 209.2 respectively. The per caput per day intake of these basic food items are respectively 419.1 grams for cereals; 19.4 grams for bread; 33.0 grams for meat; 54.5 grams for sugar; 63.8 grams for milk; 51.5 grams for vegetables and for vegetable oil amounts to 25.6 grams. The per caput per day intake of nutrients is 56.8 grams of protein; 379.8 grams of carbohydrates; 50.3 grams of fats; 44.8 grams of Iron; 15.8 mg of vitamin A and 13.9 mg of vitamin C. These values confirm failure to meet international standards concerning food intake, as well as the per capita consumption of nutrients per day for population in Africa. People reduce number of meals, substitute expensive food types by cheaper items, use alternative food types, transfer food between households and borrow money to cope with food unaffordability. The author proposes rural ? urban territory development model to contribute into the alleviation of rural impoverishment and consequently urban poverty.