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Land and poverty: the role of soil fertility and vegetation quality in poverty reduction

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  • Heger, Martin Philipp
  • Zens, Gregor
  • Bangalore, Mook

Abstract

The debate on the land–poverty nexus is inconclusive, with past research unable to identify the causal dynamics. We use a unique global panel dataset that links survey and census derived poverty data with measures of land ecosystems at the subnational level. Rainfall is used to overcome the endogeneity in the land–poverty relationship in an instrumental variable approach. This is the first global study using quasi-experimental methods to uncover the degree to which land improvements matter for poverty reduction. We draw three main conclusions. First, land improvements are important for poverty reduction in rural areas and particularly so for Sub-Saharan Africa. Second, land improvements are pro-poor: poorer areas see larger poverty alleviation effects due to improvements in land. Finally, irrigation plays a major role in breaking the link between bad weather and negative impacts on the poor through reduced vegetation growth and soil fertility.

Suggested Citation

  • Heger, Martin Philipp & Zens, Gregor & Bangalore, Mook, 2020. "Land and poverty: the role of soil fertility and vegetation quality in poverty reduction," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 25(4), pages 315-333, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:endeec:v:25:y:2020:i:4:p:315-333_1
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    Cited by:

    1. Yen H. T. Nguyen & Tuyen Q. Tran & Dung T. Hoang & Thu M. T. Tran & Trung T. Nguyen, 2023. "Land quality, income, and poverty among rural households in the North Central Region, Vietnam," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(2), pages 150-172, June.
    2. Mirzabaev, Alisher & Strokov, Anton & Krasilnikov, Pavel, 2023. "The impact of land degradation on agricultural profits and implications for poverty reduction in Central Asia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    3. Xiaonan Qin & Yue Wang & Lina Liu & Wenhua Yuan & Jianchun Li, 2022. "Research on the Development Potential of China’s Pro-Poor Tourism Industry Based on Geographical Nature Evaluation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-24, November.
    4. Tran, Tuyen Quang & Thi Nguyen, Hoai Thu & Hoang, Quang Ngoc & Van Nguyen, Dinh, 2022. "The influence of contextual and household factors on multidimensional poverty in rural Vietnam: A multilevel regression analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 390-403.
    5. Li, Dongmei & Yang, Yuanyuan & Du, Guoming & Huang, Shanlin, 2021. "Understanding the contradiction between rural poverty and rich cultivated land resources: A case study of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).

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