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Rural structural change, poverty and income distribution: evidence from Peru

Author

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  • Insa Flachsbarth

    (University of Göttingen)

  • Simone Schotte

    (GIGA Institut für Afrika-Studien)

  • Jann Lay

    (GIGA Institut für Afrika-Studien)

  • Alberto Garrido

    (E.T.S. Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas)

Abstract

Some rural regions of Peru showed remarkable rates of poverty reduction and inequality reduction between 2004 and 2012, while others lagged behind. Using microsimulation-based decompositions, we analyse the driving forces behind these trends, finding that rural poverty and inequality reductions are mainly attributable to increasing labour incomes in Peru’s agricultural sector and, to a smaller extent, increasing public transfers. In earlier years, higher returns to experience drive these results, while in later years, increasing staple-crop yields and prices are of key importance. Further, remuneration of working hours increases in reaction to labour-supply shortages in rural areas. The accompanying rising incomes and non-agricultural job creation is less pro-poor than would be ideal, as they benefit more highly skilled workers. Further, shrinking farm sizes hampers poverty reduction and income-inequality reduction. Policies should target the participation of the poor in high-value (non-)agricultural activities, especially if positive trends in commodity prices are only transitory.

Suggested Citation

  • Insa Flachsbarth & Simone Schotte & Jann Lay & Alberto Garrido, 2018. "Rural structural change, poverty and income distribution: evidence from Peru," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 16(4), pages 631-653, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:jecinq:v:16:y:2018:i:4:d:10.1007_s10888-018-9392-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10888-018-9392-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Nelson R. Ramírez- Rondán & Marco E. Terrones & Diego Winkelried, 2020. "Equalizing growth: The case of Peru," Working Papers 176, Peruvian Economic Association.
    2. Di Yang & Weixin Luan & Jun Yang & Bing Xue & Xiaoling Zhang & Hui Wang & Feng Pian, 2022. "The contribution of data-driven poverty alleviation funds in achieving mid-21st-Century multidimensional poverty alleviation planning," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Vanesa Jorda & Jose M. Alonso, 2020. "What works to mitigate and reduce relative (and absolute) inequality?: A systematic review," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2020-152, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

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