Paper short abstract:

This paper will explore the relationship between policies, infrastructures, social and geographical characteristics and ICT's (particularly, mobile phones) in Livelihood transformation and rural-urban linkages specifically for Bamileke (Cameroon) and Maasai (Tanzania).

Paper long abstract:

Stimuli of livelihood transformation in Africa. The cases of Bamileke (Western Cameroon) and Maasai (Tanzania)

by

Joseph Lukumay (PHD, Université Toulouse le Mirail, France) and Jérémy Pasini (PHD, Université Toulouse le Mirail, France)

This paper will explore the relationship between policies, infrastructures, social and geographical characteristics and ICT's (particularly, mobile phones) in Livelihood transformation and rural-urban linkages specifically for Bamileke (Cameroon) and Maasai (Tanzania). This study is justified by the fact that both tribes are rural communities which different approach to livelihoods (Maasai are traditionally pastoralist, whereas the Bamileke country has always been dominated by agriculture). Moreover, both depended on mobility as a livelihoods strategy. On the Maasai side, rural-rural mobility was the fashion in search for pastures for the cattle. Circulatory migrations between urban and rural areas are now incorporated in their livelihoods strategies. On the Bamileke side, there were pushed out of their territories to work for the colonials. Recently, they exhibit voluntary circulatory migration between urban and rural areas depending on the prevailing conditions. The study aims at answering the question: "What matters the most in influencing livelihoods changes in the context of the two ethnic groups?"