Urbanisation is the increase in the proportion of people living in towns and cities.

Urbanisation
occurs mainly because people move from rural areas (countryside) to urban areas (towns and
cities). This usually occurs when a country is still developing.Some of the ways which were used
for measuring urbanisation in this research industry includes Population growth, Rural-urban
migration, Push and pull factors, Push factors, Pull factors.

This research seeks to identify the factors responsible for this process of rapid urbanisation,
resultant challenges and possible solutions to the problem.

1 Causes of urbanisation are classified into push and pull factors. Push and pull factors of
migration are economic, political, cultural, or a combination.

A table showing push and pull factors

2a) Problems of urbanisation to urban areas includes High population density, inadequate
infrastructure, lack of affordable housing, flooding since people will encroach wet low lying
lands, pollution, slum creation (cost of living high), crime, congestion and poverty.

Rural-to-urban migration can have negative consequences on rural economies like agriculture
and natural resource management, as the labuor force can be drastically reduced. Only women,
children and senior citizens are left in the rural areas with increased in child labuor, increased
workload of women.

- Decrease the quality of health education facilities in the community,

- Urbanisation affects rural development through the environmental externalities it generates:

waste disposal, environmental degradation, and loss of biodiversity.

- There is a reduction of arable land in rural areas because of the construction of urban
infrastructural facilities. As a result, production of crops decreases, leading to increasing food
scarcity and malnutrition. Further, grazing land in rural areas located nearby the city decreases
and thus people engaged in livestock rearing face food scarcity.
 b) Photographic evidence showing some challenges of urbanisation.
Land pollution

Air pollution

3. Suggested solutions to the problems of urbanisation

- Building Sustainable and Environmentally-friendly Cities

Governments should pass laws that plan and provide environmentally sound cities and smart
growth techniques, considering that people should not reside in unsafe and polluted areas.

- Provision of essential services

Urban stakeholders must ensure all populations within the urban areas have access to
adequate essential social services namely education, health, sanitation and clean water,
technology, electricity, and food.

- Creation of more jobs

To lessen the negative effects of rapid urbanisation while at the same time conserving natural
ecosystems, private investments should be encouraged so as to utilise natural resources
sustainably and create more job opportunities.

- Population Control

Key stakeholders in urban areas must provide campaigns and counseling for effective medical
health clinics and family planning to help reduce the high rates of population growth.