Land, Income And Migration In Four Villages In Sichuan Province

Research literature on peasant households' production intensification strategies in land scarcity regions is abundant. Several hypotheses have been discussed in the context of Chinese rural areas, being the most important ones those that describe the increase of labor, industrialization and out-migration when the production of the land contracted does not satisfy the household needs. This paper based on research in four villages in Sichuan province analyzes income sourcing patterns and demographic composition of peasant households with the main purpose of understanding the patterns of allocation of labor force, land and capital in villages with geographical disadvantages. The findings of this research propose that, first, in remote areas with lack of transportation facilities and far away from markets, high farm incomes depend mostly on the set of economic activities performed by the household than in the amount of labor force allocated in farm activities or arable land contracted. Second, economic success of a household is closely related with the amount of labor force allocated in off-farm activities. And third, shortage of arable land does not necessarily leads to high rates of out-migration. Instead, what Chinese scholars call "migratory capital" plays a decisive role when households face the decision of migration.