Rural outmigration and the gendered patterns of agricultural labor in Nepal

When men migrate out of rural areas, those who remain are faced with both challenges and opportunities. Less male labor is available for agricultural work; the migrant’s labor may be replaced by men or women who remain. New opportunities may arise for women to manage the farm. This may be empowering for them. It may also be a burden if the new responsibilities come without additional resources.

While studies have examined the impacts of male outmigration on labor force participation and employment in sending communities, few have analyzed the specific impacts on agricultural work. Agriculture is the backbone of many developing economies and is the main employer for a large share of the rural population.

Using survey data collected in 2017 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Bank, a new IFPRI/PIM discussion paper “Rural outmigration and the gendered patterns of agricultural labor in Nepal” analyzes how male-dominated outmigration impacts the work and responsibilities of men and women in rural migrant-sending communities in Nepal.

The survey collected comprehensive information on all types of migration from rural areas, as well as detailed information on individuals’ livelihoods in sending areas, on agricultural production and food security. For a sub-set of women, it also collected self-reported information on their participation in specific agricultural activities and their time use through the Abbreviated Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAI).