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Choosing to Migrate or Migrating to Choose: Migration and Labor Choice in Albania

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  • Azzarri, Carlo
  • Carletto, Calogero
  • Davis, Benjamin
  • Zezza, Alberto

Abstract

Very little systematic analysis exists of the income generating strategies of Albanian households within the emerging market economy, and how this relates to income dynamics, people's mobility and poverty. Our results show that agricultural, migration and human capital assets have a differential impact across livelihood choices, and that this impact varies by gender and age. Two areas of policy concern derive from this analysis. First, migration is clearly crucial for the economic future of Albania, both in terms of financing economic development, serving as an informal safety net, and in reducing excess labour supply and poverty. The suggestion of a potential disincentive effect on labour effort and participation is however worrying, as it would have implications in terms of missed opportunities for development. Second, agriculture appears to be more of a survival strategy than part of a poverty exit strategy.

Suggested Citation

  • Azzarri, Carlo & Carletto, Calogero & Davis, Benjamin & Zezza, Alberto, 2006. "Choosing to Migrate or Migrating to Choose: Migration and Labor Choice in Albania," 2006 Annual Meeting, August 12-18, 2006, Queensland, Australia 25538, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:iaae06:25538
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.25538
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    Cited by:

    1. Talip Kilic & Calogero Carletto & Benjamin Davis & Alberto Zezza, 2009. "Investing back home Return migration and business ownership in Albania1," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 17(3), pages 587-623, July.
    2. Tshikala, Sam Kaninda & Fonsah, Esendugue Greg, 2018. "Analysis Of The Impact Of Migrations And Remittances On Income Diversification In Rural Africa: A Case Study Of Kenya," 2018 Annual Meeting, February 2-6, 2018, Jacksonville, Florida 266703, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    3. Kalaj, Ermira Hoxha, 2014. "Are remittances spent in a healthy way? Evidence from Albania," SEER Journal for Labour and Social Affairs in Eastern Europe, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 17(2), pages 237-266.
    4. Juna Miluka & Gero Carletto & Benjamin Davis & Alberto Zezza, 2010. "The Vanishing Farms? The Impact of International Migration on Albanian Family Farming," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(1), pages 140-161.
    5. Gagnon, Jason, 2010. "“Stay with Us”? The Impact of Emigration on Wages in Honduras," Proceedings of the German Development Economics Conference, Hannover 2010 57, Verein für Socialpolitik, Research Committee Development Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labor and Human Capital;

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets

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