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How Does Targeted Poverty Alleviation Policy Influence Residents’ Perceptions of Rural Living Conditions? A Study of 16 Villages in Gansu Province, Northwest China

Author

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  • Meimei Wang

    (College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Yongchun Yang

    (College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Bo Zhang

    (School of Tourism Management, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
    Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 Groningen, The Netherlands)

  • Mengqin Liu

    (College of Environment and Resource, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Sichuan 621010, China)

  • Qing Liu

    (College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

Abstract

Rural living conditions (RLCs) in China are influential on the overall development and stability of regions, particularly for populations in distant poverty-stricken villages. This paper takes 16 villages of Chedao town in Gansu province, Northwest China (NWC) as our case study. Using data from the Poverty Alleviation and Assistance (PAA) project launched by Lanzhou University in June 2017, and the perceptions of residents of Chedao, we pinpoint RLC changes in the targeted poverty alleviation (TPA) process. The three main results show that: (1) From the residents’ perceptions, the impact of alleviation measures on RLC is mainly reflected in improved housing conditions, infrastructure, and public services. We find no significant effect on cultural conditions. However, eco-environmental conditions have obviously weakened. (2) Housing size, accessibility, distance to shops, and safe drinking water are the most significant factors in housing conditions, infrastructure, public services, and eco-environmental conditions, respectively. (3) Out of the different levels of rural poverty households (RPHs), severe rurality villages are more strongly aware of the positive changes in RLC than residents of mild rurality villages. Moreover, in residents’ view, housing conditions are most improved in severe rurality villages, infrastructure is most improved in moderate rurality villages, and public services are most improved in mild rurality villages. Eco-environmental conditions worsen across all levels. Our findings shed light on the perceptions of residents on changes occurring in rural living conditions, and provide a basis for subsequent studies of RLC in Northwest China.

Suggested Citation

  • Meimei Wang & Yongchun Yang & Bo Zhang & Mengqin Liu & Qing Liu, 2019. "How Does Targeted Poverty Alleviation Policy Influence Residents’ Perceptions of Rural Living Conditions? A Study of 16 Villages in Gansu Province, Northwest China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:24:p:6944-:d:294686
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    1. Hongyun Han & Fan Si, 2020. "How Does the Composition of Asset Portfolios Affect Household Consumption: Evidence from China Based on Micro Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-17, April.
    2. Xuechao Li & Yaxuan Luo & Huijuan Wang, 2023. "Effects of Targeted Poverty Alleviation on the Sustainable Livelihood of Poor Farmers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-21, April.
    3. Yangli Zhang & Qiang Fan, 2020. "The Application of the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process in the Assessment and Improvement of the Human Settlement Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-21, February.

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