Household members’ migration and rice productivity

Abstract

Food security in Nepal can be assured by increasing rice production. However, the rate of out-migration has significantly impacted the fluctuations of rice production. Migration has both positive and negative impacts on the agricultural sector of Nepal. This retrospective study analyzed the impact of household members’ migration on rice productivity in the Chitwan Valley of Nepal. The multivariate line a regression analysis was used to predict the outcome of independent predictors on the dependent variable. The results showed that migration had a significant contribution to rice productivity (b=0.050, p<0.05). Similarly, the size of the family, land ownership and use of technology such as irrigation, chemical fertilizers, and thresher/harvester positively contributed to the rice productivity (p<0.05). Above all, the study depicts that migration had a positive impact on rice productivity which can be further improved by empowering female household members in decision-making in regards to rice productivity, timely availability of seed, and proper use of technologies.