Don't fence them in. Quest for sustainable livelihoods keeps millions on the move

Why do so many people in developing countries leave their homes and travel long distances to make a living? This puzzle prompted studies recently reported on by researchers at the Poverty Research Unit at the University of Sussex, in collaboration with the Institute of Development Studies, the International Institute for the Environment and Development and other collaborators. Their studies took them to rural areas of several African and Asian countries to probe the part migration plays in helping rural people maintain and improve livelihoods. Their report confirms that migration has always been - and remains - a vital strategy in the battle the poor fight to maintain a living in many lands. It urges policymakers to remove counter-productive impediments to such migration whilst guarding against potential drawbacks.