Land security, human capital investments, and intergenerational mobility in rural China

Land rights insecurity is believed to be an important factor contributing to low agricultural productivity and limited labor mobility in developing countries. Such insecurity may also discourage farmers from investing in their children's education, fearing that educated offspring will opt out of agriculture. This project examines the effects of agricultural reforms in China that improved land rights security on farmers' investments in children's human capital and the consequences for occupational and income mobility across generations. The findings are important for advancing Sustainable Development Goals related to poverty alleviation, sustainable agriculture, equal access to quality education, and reduced inequality.