This article explores an unexpected and overlooked consequence of the expansion
of microcredit: how it interacts with migration patterns. Drawing
on qualitative research in northwest Cambodia, this study explores the uses,
meanings and implications of ‘migra-loans’ — microcredit loans that are
used in tandem with household strategies of international migration. Using
microcredit in combination with migration allows households to immediately
meet consumption goals and utilize the credit being actively promoted by microfinance
institutions, while also retreating from insecure and less profitable
local livelihood strategies. These strategies problematize expectations about
the developmental potential of microcredit, and highlight the importance of
local context in framing rural livelihood choices.