SSCI,《Habitat  International》(IF=3.000).  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2018.11.004

Impact  of land fragmentation on marginal productivity of agricultural labor and  non-agricultural labor supply: a case study of Jiangsu, China 

Hua Lu¹, Hualin Xie  ^{1, 2,}*,Guanrong Yao¹

1. Institute  of Ecological Civilization, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics,  Nanchang 330013, China

2. Co-Innovation  Center of Institutional Construction for Jiangxi Eco-Civilization, Jiangxi  University of Finance and Economics, Nanchang 330013, China

Abstract: In  the context of China’s rapid economic development, numerous rural laborers go  out to work driven by economic interests. How to release the surplus rural labor  effectively is critical for the further development of urbanization in China.  Land fragmentation is a basic characteristic of agricultural production in  China. Land fragmentation also affects labor use. In the current process of  China’s rural reform and urbanization, large amounts of surplus rural labor will  continue to transfer to urban and non-agricultural sectors in the near future,  and the transfer mode will turn from individual migration to family migration.  Marginal productivity of agricultural labor has an important influence on  farmers’ labor decisions. Using household survey data collected from Jiangsu  province in China, this study analyzes the theoretical mechanism, and  empirically tests the direction and degree of the impact of land fragmentation  on marginal productivity of agricultural labor and non-agricultural labor  supply. The results reveal that land fragmentation decreases marginal  productivity of agricultural labor and increases non-agricultural labor supply.  This effect is especially obvious for young agricultural workers. Supplementing  relevant policies and preferential measures, the government should guide farmers  to realize joint land operation and transfer of farmland management rights on a  voluntary basis. Further, it is necessary to increase the supply of mechanized  services and facilitate the development of small-sized agricultural machine that  can be used on smaller landholdings.

Keywords:  Urbanization;Marginal  Productivity of Agricultural Labor; Non-Agricultural Labor Supply; Land  Fragmentation; Household; China