This file is part of IDEAS, which uses RePEc data


[ Papers | Articles | Software | Books | Chapters | Authors | Institutions | JEL Classification | NEP reports | Search | New papers by email | Author registration | Rankings | Volunteers | FAQ | Blog | Help! ]

The spatial division of labour in Nepal

Author info | Abstract | Publisher info | Download info | Related research | Statistics
Author Info
Marcel Fafchamps
Forhad Shilpi

Additional information is available for the following registered author(s):

Abstract

This article examines how economic activity and market participation are distributed across space. Applying a nonparametric von Thünen model to Nepalese data, we uncover a strong spatial division of labour. Non-farm employment is concentrated in and around cities while agricultural wage employment dominates villages located further away. Vegetables are produced near urban centres; paddy and commercial crops are more important at intermediate distances. Isolated villages revert to self-subsistence. Findings are consistent with the von Thünen model of concentric specialisation, corrected to account for city size. Spatial division of labour is closely related to factor endowments and household characteristics, especially at the local level.

Download Info
To download:

If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. Information about this may be contained in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.

File URL: http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=1QHJPNKM6RWJ86Y2
File Format: text/html
File Function:
Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version under "Related research" (further below) or search for a different version of it.

Publisher Info
Article provided by Taylor and Francis Journals in its journal The Journal of Development Studies.

Volume (Year): 39 (2003)
Issue (Month): 6 (January)
Pages: 23-66
Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML (with abstract), plain text (with abstract), BibTeX, RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite), ReDIF
Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:39:y:2003:i:6:p:23-66

Contact details of provider:
Web page: http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/link.asp?target=journal&id=108555

Order Information:
Web: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/subscription.html

For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: (Christopher F. Baum).

Related research
Keywords:

Other versions of this item:

References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Chomitz, Kenneth M & Gray, David A, 1996. "Roads, Land Use, and Deforestation: A Spatial Model Applied to Belize," World Bank Economic Review, Oxford University Press, vol. 10(3), pages 487-512, September.
  2. Conley, T. G., 1999. "GMM estimation with cross sectional dependence," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 92(1), pages 1-45, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Robert J. Barro & Xavier Sala-i-Martin, 1991. "Convergence across States and Regions," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 22(1991-1), pages 107-182. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Jacoby, Hanan G., 1998. "Access to markets and the benefits of rural roads," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2028, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Abdel-Rahman, H. M., 1988. "Product differentiation, monopolistic competition and city size," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 69-86, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Savadogo, Kimseyinga & Brandt, Jon A., 1988. "Household food demand in Burkina Faso: Implications for food policy," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 2(4), pages 345-364, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Glaeser, Edward L & Hedi D. Kallal & Jose A. Scheinkman & Andrei Shleifer, 1992. "Growth in Cities," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(6), pages 1126-52, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
    • Edward L. Glaeser & Hedi D. Kallal & Jose A. Scheinkman & Andrei Shleifer, 1991. "Growth in Cities," NBER Working Papers 3787, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Henderson, J V, 1974. "The Sizes and Types of Cities," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 64(4), pages 640-56, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  9. Rauch James E., 1993. "Productivity Gains from Geographic Concentration of Human Capital: Evidence from the Cities," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 380-400, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  10. Reardon, Thomas, 1997. "Using evidence of household income diversification to inform study of the rural nonfarm labor market in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 735-747, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. Yang, Dennis Tao, 1997. "Education and Off-Farm Work," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 45(3), pages 613-32, April.
    Other versions:
  12. Desmet, Klaus, 2000. "A perfect foresight model of regional development and skill specialization," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 221-242, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  13. Ellison, Glenn & Glaeser, Edward L, 1997. "Geographic Concentration in U.S. Manufacturing Industries: A Dartboard Approach," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 105(5), pages 889-927, October.
    Other versions:
  14. Minten, Bart & Kyle, Steven, 1999. "The effect of distance and road quality on food collection, marketing margins, and traders' wages: evidence from the former Zaire," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 467-495, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  15. Limão, Nuno & Venables, Anthony J., 1999. "Geographical Disadvantage: A Heckscher-Ohlin-Von Thunen model of International Specialization," CEPR Discussion Papers 2305, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  16. Robert E. Hall & Charles I. Jones, 1996. "The Productivity of Nations," NBER Working Papers 5812, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  17. Fafchamps, Marcel, 1996. "The enforcement of commercial contracts in Ghana," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 427-448, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Fafchamps, Marcel & Shilpi, Forhad, 2006. "Subjective Welfare, Isolation and Relative Consumption," CEPR Discussion Papers 6002, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  2. Fafchamps, Marcel & Shilpi, Forhad, 2008. "Determinants of choice of migration destination," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4728, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  3. Fafchamps, Marcel & Shilpi, Forhad, 2006. "Isolation and Subjective Welfare," CEPR Discussion Papers 6001, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  4. Gero Carletto & Katia Covarrubias & Benjamin Davis & Marika Krausova & Kostas Stamoulis & Paul Winters & Alberto Zezza, 2007. "Rural income generating activities in developing countries: re-assessing the evidence," The Electronic Journal of Agricultural and Development Economics, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, vol. 4(1), pages 146-193. [Downloadable!]
  5. Marcel Fafchamps & Jackline Wahba, 2006. "Child Labor, Urban Proximity and Household Composition," IZA Discussion Papers 1966, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Reardon, Thomas & Pingali, Prabhu & Stamoulis, Kostas, 2006. "Impacts of Agrifood Market Transformation during Globalization on the Poor's Rural Nonfarm Employment: Lessons for Rural Business Development Programs," Staff Papers 11572, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. Shilpi, Forhad & Umali-Deininger, Dina, 2007. "Where to sell ? market facilities and agricultural marketing," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4455, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  8. Robert E. B. Lucas, 2000. "The Effects of Proximity and Transportation on Developing Country Population Migrations," Boston University - Department of Economics - The Institute for Economic Development Working Papers Series dp-111, Boston University - Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  9. Wang, Honglin & Dong, Xiaoxia & Huang, Jikun & Rozelle, Scott & Reardon, Thomas, 2006. "Producing and Procuring Horticultural Crops with Chinese Characteristics: Why Small Farmers Are Thriving and Supermarkets Are Absent in Rural China," 2006 Annual Meeting, August 12-18, 2006, Queensland, Australia 25762, International Association of Agricultural Economists. [Downloadable!]
  10. Pham, Hung T, 2006. "Rural Nonfarm Employment Under Trade Reform Evidence From Vietnam, 1993-2002," MPRA Paper 6476, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  11. Rijkers, Bob & Soderbom, Mans & Loening, Josef, 2009. "Mind the gap ? a rural-urban comparison of manufacturing firms," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4946, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  12. Jacoby, Hanan G. & Minten, Bart, 2008. "On measuring the benefits of lower transport costs," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4484, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  13. Francisco de Hollanda Guimarães Ferreira & Peter Lanjouw, 2000. "Rural non-agricultural activities and poverty in the Brazilian northeast," Textos para discussão 428, Department of Economics PUC-Rio (Brazil). [Downloadable!]
  14. Paul Winters & Vera Chiodi, 2008. "Human capital investment and long-term poverty reduction in rural Mexico," PSE Working Papers 2008-51, PSE (Ecole normale supérieure). [Downloadable!]
  15. Davis, Benjamin & Covarrubias, Katia & Stamoulis, Kostas & Winters, Paul & Carletto, Gero & Quinones, Esteban & Zezza, Alberto & Digiuseppe, Stefania, 2007. "Rural Income Generating Activities: A Cross Country Comparison," 106th Seminar, October 25-27, 2007, Montpellier, France 7913, European Association of Agricultural Economists. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
    • Benjamin Davis & Paul Winters & Gero Carletto & Katia Covarrubias & Esteban Quinones & Alberto Zezza & Kostas Stamoulis & Genny Bonomi & Stefania DiGiuseppe, 2007. "Rural Income Generating Activities; A Cross Country Comparison," Working Papers 07-16, Agricultural and Development Economics Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO - ESA). [Downloadable!]
  16. Barrett, Christopher B. & Bezuneh, Mesfin & Clay, Daniel C. & Reardon, Thomas, 2001. "Heterogeneous Constraints, Incentives And Income Diversification Strategies In Rural Africa," Working Papers 14761, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management. [Downloadable!]
  17. Minten, Bart & Reardon, Thomas & Vandeplas, Anneleen, 2009. "Linking urban consumers and rural farmers in India: A comparison of traditional and modern food supply chains," IFPRI discussion papers 883, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). [Downloadable!]
  18. Lokshin, Michael & Bontch-Osmolovski, Mikhail & Glinskaya, Elena, 2007. "Work-related migration and poverty reduction in Nepal," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4231, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
Statistics
Access and download statistics

Did you know? Cannot find something on IDEAS? Encourage the publisher to index it! Instructions.

This page was last updated on 2009-11-8.

This information is provided to you by IDEAS at the Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut using RePEc data on a server sponsored by the Society for Economic Dynamics.