Pilot: Planning for Productive Migration in Niger

Development programming typically seeks to promote “development-in-place” and minimize migration – bringing investment and jobs to people, rather than facilitating mobility. This approach overlooks pull factors that draw individuals out of rural areas and push factors that can make it difficult to stay. In partnership with Mercy Corps, we propose piloting a novel program designed to provide comprehensive job search support and facilitate safe, productive migration as a livelihoods strategy. Taking advantage of freedom of movement provisions within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), we will pilot a training program helping young men in Niger plan and execute cross-border moves in Fall 2021 ahead of the Jan. – April 2022 migration season. Pilot results will inform a randomized control trial which we expect to launch in Fall 2022.