Interactions between sustainable livelihood of rural household and agricultural land transfer in the mountainous and hilly regions of Sichuan, China

Abstract

Research on the sustainable livelihoods of rural households is of great significance in solving rural poverty and promoting the transfer of rural land management rights, which are necessary for realizing better livelihoods and sustainable development. In this study, we used a partial least squares‐structural equation model to systematically explain the interacting mechanisms of livelihood capital, livelihood strategy, and agricultural land transfer in the mountainous and hilly regions of Sichuan, China, based on survey data from 240 rural households. The results are as follows: (a) land transfer characteristics were negatively affected by farmers' livelihood strategies. The higher the proportion of the nonagricultural labor force/livelihood diversity index, the greater the possibility to roll‐out plots. The lower the proportion of the nonagricultural labor force/livelihood diversity index, the greater the possibility to roll‐in plots. (b) Natural capital was directly and negatively affected by livelihood strategy, and indirectly and positively affected by land transfer. (c) Financial capital insurance was indirectly and positively affected by livelihood strategy. Financial capital insurance had a mediating effect: land transfer not only had a direct negative effect on it but also had an indirect effect through natural capital. (d) Financial capital income was directly positively affected by financial capital insurance, and indirectly negatively affected by land transfer and natural capital. Financial capital income had a mediating effect, and livelihood strategy not only had a direct positive effect on it but also had an indirect positive effect via human capital. (e) Physical capital and human capital were directly positively affected by livelihood strategy. (f) Certain moderating effects were observed. Nonagriculture‐dependent farmers had higher physical capital, greater human capital, higher financial capital income, and more area of roll‐out plots than agriculture‐dependent farmers. This study provides theoretical guidance for the formulation of policies for livelihood improvement and sustainable development.

Relationships between Land Management Scale and Livelihood Strategy Selection of Rural Households in China from the Perspective of Family Life Cycle

“…In addition, to reduce the impact of missing important variables on model estimation results, consistent with the research of [49][50][51][52][53][54][55], the present study also added several variables that affect the livelihood strategy selection as control variables, which included human capital (e.g., the age and education level of the household head), physical capital (e.g., present value of fixed assets and agricultural assets), financial capital (e.g., whether rural households buy funds, stocks and bonds), social capital (e.g., annual gift expenditure), regional topography, and other information ( Table 2).…”

Application of structural equation modelling to develop a conceptual model for smallholder’s credit access: The mediation of agility and innovativeness in organic food value chain finance

“…Yaseen et al [43] have employed PLS-SEM and explored that market orientation fosters farmers' ability to create value within commodity markets in Kenya. By applying the PLS-structural equation modelling, Guo et al [44], have examined the interacting mechanisms of livelihood capital, livelihood strategy, and agricultural land transfer in the hilly areas of Sichuan, China. Karimi and Sotoodeh [45] have employed PLS-SEM, to examine the mediating role of intrinsic motivation in student's academic engagement by using a sample of 365 agriculture students in Iran.…”

Rural-Urban Migration and its Effect on Land Transfer in Rural China

“…Specifically, the average size of rural households' farmland in China is only 0.5 hectare, which is equivalent to 1/400 of that in the United States, and China has 7% of the world land to feed 22% of the world population [10]. The conflicts between people and land as well as the limitations of the rural settlement terrain in the vast hilly areas have hindered the reasonable land transfer in some rural settlements, and the fragmented and scattered land has further restricted the sustainable livelihoods of farmers and revitalization of the countryside [12][13][14][15][16]. China's economy has been growing rapidly for more than 40 years.…”