Urban-Rural Linkages in East African Mountains: The Role of Secondary Towns. Presented by Helene Mainet at the "Perth II: Global Change and the World's Mountains" conference in Perth, Scotland in September 2010.

1. ‘Global Change and the World's Mountains’
Perth, Scotland, 26-30 September 2010
Urban-Rural Linkages in East
African Mountains: The Role of
Secondary Towns
H. MAINET
JC. EDOUARD

2. • Central places in local and regional economies (through
flows of people and resources) and redistribution points
(between rural areas and within urban networks)
• More complex urban-rural linkages
Hypothesis : intermediate towns play a key role in polarising
their mountain surroundings
• Analysis focused on markets and services to farmers
offered by and through intermediate towns (small and
medium towns)
• Analysis based on 2 fieldworks : Uganda (Mbale,
Kapchorwa) and Tanzania (Mbeya, Tukuyu), 2008-2009

3. The study area
Mount Elgon /Mbeya
(Uganda)
Poroto Mountains-
Rungwe / Mbale
(Tanzania)

4. Mbale : at the foot of Mount Elgon, 30 000 inhabitants
200 km from Kampala
small town of Kapchorwa
close to the border with Kenya
Kenya

5. Mbeya : at the foot of Mbeya Range, near Uporoto mountains
and Rungwe, 200 000 inhabitants
680 km from Dar es Salam (TAZARA)
small town of Tukuyu
Close to the borders with Zambia and Malawi

6. I- Intermediate towns, hubs for flows of resources at the
local scale
From mountain areas to urban centres
Market function, redistribution of farm goods
Central market, Mbale Mbeya market

7. A selective geography of urban-rural linkages : specialized
markets in Mbeya
Uyole/Manjelwa :
largest markets, located on main road and crossroad, dispatching function
Uhindini :
Central market, old one, upper-class market
Specialized in beef meat
Sokomatola :
Former central market, lower-class market
Specialized in fresh fish

8. I- Intermediate towns, hubs for flows of resources
From urban centres to mountain areas
Redistribution of manufactured and « imported » goods
Agro-input shops in Mbale and Kapchorwa

9. I- Intermediate towns, hubs for flows of resources
From urban centres to mountain areas
Services to farmers
Micro-credit and farmers’ association in Mbeya

10. The importance of the urban hierarchy
(specialized outposts in small towns
and rural areas)

11. II- Intermediate towns, connected to wider networks
Regional polarisation
Mbeya markets : produces coming
from regional surroundings

12. II- Intermediate towns, connected to wider networks
Integration in international markets

14. III- Intermediate towns are facing paradoxical trends
• Increase in mobility/development of communication
networks = easier direct access from rural areas to
Metropolises
• Lack of local transformation for farm products
• Questions about national policies (ex. decentralisation
in Uganda)

15. Conclusion

17. Mbeya markets : produces coming
from regional surroundings

18. In Mbale, imported goods from Kenya
and through Kenya and Kampala