Farming Systems and Rural Out-Migration in Nang Rong, Thailand and Chitwan Valley, Nepal

Martin Piotrowski, University of Oklahoma

Using data from two post-frontier rural settings, Nang Rong, Thailand (N=2,538) and Chitwan Valley, Nepal (N=876), this paper examines agricultural push factors determining the out-migration of young people age 15 to 19. We focus on different dimensions of migration, including distance and duration. In contrast to existing studies that focus mainly on land holding size, our study examines a wide array of agricultural determinants, each with its own potential effect on migration. These determinants include land tenure, crop portfolios, animal husbandry activities, and use of farm inputs. We examine these determinants using separate models across settings. Our results indicate that agricultural factors are significant determinants of migration. However, different factors operate in different settings, indicating the importance of contextual variation in explaining the manner in which these factors, as well as other factors commonly associated with migration, are influential determinants of movement.