A STUDY ON CAUSES OF OUT-MIGRATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON LEFT-BEHIND HOUSEHOLDS IN MAUBIN TOWNSHIP

Migration may change the rural demographics and livelihood patterns altogether with social, cultural, and economic impacts on both left-behind families and local communities. This study was an effort to find the causes of out-migration and its effects on left-behind households in Maubin township. Descriptive method was used based on both primary and secondary data by using qualitative and quantitative approaches. Face-to-face interviews with a structured questionnaire and focus group discussions were conducted. A sample of two hundred and fifty households were asked from ten villages. It was found that rare job opportunities, low income, un-favored for rural works, low return from agriculture, inaccessible educational services and family matter were the key drivers of migration. Agriculture production did not reduce by migration because of mechanization and changing agricultural technologies. The advantages of migration were larger than the dis-advantages