Influences of labor migration on rural household land transfer: A case study of Sichuan Province, China

Abstract

The influence of labor migration on rural household land transfer has been hotly debated in academic circles, which focuses on whether part-time employment leads to land transfer. Using survey data on rural households in the Sichuan Province, and applying the theoretical framework of new economics of labor migration, this study explores the influences of labor migration on the direction and scale of land transfer from the perspective of rural household structure. The results indicate that: 1) the quantity of laborers has significant influence on the direction and scale of land transfer. The larger the on-farm labor variable (Labor), the lesser the possibility that land will be rented-out and the amount of land rented out will also be smaller. In addition, there is a greater probability that land will be rented-in and the amount of land rented-in will be greater. 2) The greater the ratio of off-farm laborers to rural household laborers (Off-farm) the greater the possibility that land will be rented-out. In addition the higher the ratio of on-farm laborers to the total household laborers (On-farm), the larger the possibility that land will be rented-in. Meanwhile, if the household has individuals at the age of 64 or older (Old) who are engaged in agriculture, there is a smaller possibility that land will be rented-out. 3) the ratio of part-time laborers to rural household laborers (Pluriactivity) have significant inverse U-shaped influences on the rent-in of land as well as the amount of land rented-in. The inflection points are 33.27% and 14.10%, respectively. Such findings confirm the significance of this study in better understanding the influence of labor migration on rural household land transfer.