Does early-life famine experience impact rural land transfer? Evidence from China. (February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Deng, Xin; Xu, Dingde; Zeng, Miao; Qi, Yanbin
• Is Part Of: Land use policy. Volume 81(2019)
• Page Start: 58
• Page End: 67
• Publication Date: 2019-02
• Subjects: Great famine -- Land transfer -- Food security -- Disaster management -- China; Land use -- Periodicals; Land use -- Government policy -- Periodicals; Sol, Utilisation du -- Périodiques; Sol, Utilisation du -- Politique gouvernementale -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 333.7305
• DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2018.10.042
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-8377

Abstract

Abstract: Land use plays an important role in ensuring food security. Research on the driving factors of land use has gradually changed from analysis of apparent determinants to investigation of deeper and more fundamental determinants, even those rooted in personal experiences. More studies have begun to focus on the long-term impact of personal experiences, especially early-life experiences, on subsequent behavior. Different from previous studies, this study discusses the long-term impact of famine experience not only on the direction of land transfer but also on the scale of land transfer. Specifically, based on the survey data of 8031 households collected from 27 provinces in China in 2014 and under the theoretical framework of "early-life experience→psychological and physiological reflection→behavioral performance", this study focuses on the impact of famine experience on land transfer and on the heterogeneous impacts of famine experience of different age groups (1–6 years old, 7–17 years old, 18 years old or above) on land transfer. The results show the following. (1) Compared with the group born after the famine, the groups born before the famine tend to reduce the land rented out and increase the land rented in. (2) Compared with the adult group (i.e., 18 years old or above), the groups that experienced famine in their early life (i.e., 1–6 years old or 7–17 years old) are more likely to reduce the land rented out and increase the land rented in. This study not only theoretically raises awareness of the long-term impact of the great famine but also provides some practical reference for improving the rural land transfer market to ensure food security from the perspective of disaster management.