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Rainfall Variability and Labor Allocation in Uzbekistan: The Role of Women's Empowerment

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  • Otrachshenko, Vladimir

    (Justus Liebig University, Giessen)

  • Popova, Olga

    (Leibniz Institute for East and Southeast European Studies (IOS))

  • Alimukhamedova, Nargiza

    (CERGE-EI)

Abstract

Employing novel household survey data, this paper examines how rainfall variability and mean temperature affect individual labor supply in Uzbekistan, a highly traditional lower-middle-income country in Central Asia. The findings suggest that rainfall variability induces the reallocation of labor supply: (i) out of agriculture to unemployment, (ii) from unemployment to business activities and irregular remunerated activities, and (iii) from being out of labor force to unemployment. These effects differ in rural and urban areas and by gender. In addition, active women's involvement in the labor market and household decision-making mediates the impact of climate variability on employment choices, especially in rural areas. This implies that traditional gender roles may make households in developing countries more vulnerable to adverse consequences of climate change, while women's empowerment may smooth such consequences.

Suggested Citation

  • Otrachshenko, Vladimir & Popova, Olga & Alimukhamedova, Nargiza, 2023. "Rainfall Variability and Labor Allocation in Uzbekistan: The Role of Women's Empowerment," IZA Discussion Papers 16421, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16421
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    rainfall variability; labor market; agriculture; employment; women's empowerment; Uzbekistan; Central Asia;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J43 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Agricultural Labor Markets
    • P28 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Natural Resources; Environment
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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