2017年-世界发展银行全球_Mozambique_Urbanization_Review___Accelerating_Urbanization_to_Support_Structural_Transformation_in_Mozambique_37页_964kb

Mozambique Urbanization Review Summary

Core Content

This report, Mozambique Urbanization Review: Accelerating Urbanization to Support Structural Transformation in Mozambique, published in June 2017, examines the role of urbanization in driving economic growth and poverty reduction in Mozambique. It highlights the importance of managing urbanization effectively to unlock its potential for structural transformation and outlines key policy and institutional constraints that hinder progress.

Main Findings

• Urbanization as a driver of growth: Urban areas are significant contributors to economic growth, with cities generating 51.4% of national GDP despite housing only 22.2% of the population. Urban residents have higher per capita consumption ($1,160 vs. $336 in rural areas) and lower poverty rates (21.5% in cities vs. 46.2% in rural areas).

• Agglomeration economies: Cities enhance productivity through transport cost savings, specialized services, and labor market matching. These benefits are more pronounced in larger cities, where economic density leads to greater efficiency and innovation.

• Role of education and skills: Urban areas attract a higher proportion of educated workers, which is crucial for economic diversification and job creation. As the current generation of Mozambican children becomes more educated, the demand for urban-based employment opportunities will increase.

• Impact on poverty reduction: Urbanization has contributed to a significant decline in national poverty headcount, with a 16 percentage point drop between 1997 and 2003. This is attributed to the reallocation of workers from low-productivity agriculture to higher-productivity nonfarm sectors.

• Economic structure shifts: Under a faster urbanization scenario, the share of GDP from agriculture is expected to decline, while industry and services grow. This structural shift is driven by increased urban demand for goods and services, leading to backward linkages in agriculture and forward linkages in manufacturing and construction.

• Challenges of urbanization: Despite the benefits, Mozambique's urbanization process is slow compared to other African countries. Natural population growth, rather than migration, accounts for most urban population increase, and rural-urban migration remains low.

Key Constraints

1. Inadequate job creation in urban areas

   • Urban areas do not offer significantly more employment opportunities than rural areas.
   • Most urban population growth is due to natural increase rather than migration.
   • Limited job creation in nontradable sectors (e.g., trade, services) hinders urban growth and economic benefits.

2. Limited regional connectivity

   • The secondary and tertiary road network in Mozambique is poorly maintained, increasing transport costs and reducing economic integration.
   • Poor infrastructure limits trade and economic linkages between urban and rural areas, slowing the pace of structural change.

3. Dysfunctional land markets

   • Weak land governance and inefficient land systems impede urban development.
   • Land-based taxes and better land management can help improve urban revenue and support infrastructure development.

Proposed Reform Agenda

To enhance the benefits of urbanization, the report proposes the following reforms:

• Strengthen rural-urban linkages:

  • Promote trade and commuting flows between rural and urban areas.
  • Reform urban finances to increase domestic revenue mobilization, ensuring that urban development does not come at the expense of rural investment.

• Improve urban land systems:

  • Make land markets more equitable and efficient.
  • Implement land-based taxes to support urban infrastructure financing.

• Deepen decentralization:

  • Empower municipalities with broader responsibilities for urban planning and resource mobilization.
  • Encourage local governance to become more fiscally self-sufficient, particularly in rapidly urbanizing areas like Maputo.

Conclusion

The report concludes that while urbanization can accelerate economic growth and poverty reduction in Mozambique, it must be supported by complementary policies that ensure rural development and agricultural investment are not neglected. Addressing constraints in job creation, connectivity, and land markets is essential for realizing the full potential of urbanization. A national urban reform agenda is proposed to enhance the productivity, equity, and sustainability of urban growth.

Key Data Highlights

References

• Ghosh, A., et al. (2010).
• Moretti, E. (2004).
• Rosenthal, S. & Strange, W. (2003).
• Gennaioli, N., et al. (2014).
• World Bank data and models.