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Development through electrification: Evidence from rural China

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  • Ding, Haoyuan
  • Qin, Cong
  • Shi, Kang

Abstract

This paper estimates the effects of a nation-wide rural electrification program in China using an informative dataset for 2459 Chinese villages. The combined propensity score matching and difference-in-differences approach is adopted to address potential selection bias. Accordingly, the program can significantly increase the net agricultural income per capita of farmers in the targeted villages. Moreover, matching grants with private assets and obligation labor force both can increase the effectiveness of the program. The program also highlights the complementarity between infrastructure and institution, in which the introduction of grassroots democracy will increase the effectivity of the rural electrification program.

Suggested Citation

  • Ding, Haoyuan & Qin, Cong & Shi, Kang, 2018. "Development through electrification: Evidence from rural China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 313-328.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:50:y:2018:i:c:p:313-328
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2018.04.007
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    Cited by:

    1. Amuakwa-Mensah, Salome & Surry, Yves, 2022. "Association between rural electrification and agricultural output: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 25(C).
    2. Obsa Urgessa Ayana & Jima Degaga, 2022. "Effects of rural electrification on household welfare: a meta-regression analysis," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 69(2), pages 209-261, June.
    3. Dingqiang Sun & Xinyue Yang & Huanguang Qiu, 2022. "Off-farm work and rural residential energy transition: a farm-household model and empirical evidence from China," China Agricultural Economic Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 14(4), pages 816-831, August.
    4. Zhang, Lixiao & Pang, Mingyue & Bahaj, AbuBakr S. & Yang, Yongchuan & Wang, Changbo, 2021. "Small hydropower development in China: Growing challenges and transition strategy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    5. George Kyriakarakos & Athanasios T. Balafoutis & Dionysis Bochtis, 2020. "Proposing a Paradigm Shift in Rural Electrification Investments in Sub-Saharan Africa through Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-19, April.
    6. Wu, Shu, 2020. "The evolution of rural energy policies in China: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    7. Xiao, Han & Zheng, Xinye & Xie, Lunyu, 2022. "Promoting pro-poor growth through infrastructure investment: Evidence from the Targeted Poverty Alleviation program in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    8. Huang, Ruting & Yao, Xin, 2023. "The role of power transmission infrastructure in income inequality: Fresh evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    9. Su, Fang & Chang, Jiangbo & Li, Xi & Fahad, Shah & Ozturk, Ilhan, 2023. "Assessment of diverse energy consumption structure and social capital: A case of southern Shaanxi province China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PB).
    10. Yue Wang & Jianmin Cao, 2024. "Empowering rural development: the socioeconomic impact of energy transition and sustainable agriculture," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 1-20, April.
    11. Song Yue & Sha Nan, 2018. "Can underdeveloped areas catch up with developed areas in China? Evidence from nighttime light intensity data from outer space," Advances in Management and Applied Economics, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 8(6), pages 1-5.
    12. Richard S. J. Tol, 2023. "Navigating the energy trilemma during geopolitical and environmental crises," Papers 2301.07671, arXiv.org.
    13. Jiaxin Wu & Hongjuan Yang & Tanveer Ahmed, 2023. "An assessment of the policy of poverty alleviation in continuous poverty-stricken areas: evidence from Yunnan Province, China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(9), pages 9757-9777, September.
    14. Lu Jiang & Xingpeng Chen & Bing Xue, 2019. "Features, Driving Forces and Transition of the Household Energy Consumption in China: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-20, February.
    15. Farthing, Amanda & Rosenlieb, Evan & Steward, Darlene & Reber, Tim & Njobvu, Clement & Moyo, Chrispin, 2023. "Quantifying agricultural productive use of energy load in Sub-Saharan Africa and its impact on microgrid configurations and costs," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 343(C).
    16. Wu, Shu & Han, Hongyun, 2022. "Energy transition, intensity growth, and policy evolution: Evidence from rural China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Net agricultural income; Anti-poverty; Rural China; Rural electrification program;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H43 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Project Evaluation; Social Discount Rate
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • O22 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Project Analysis

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