Rural outmigration – feminization – agricultural production nexus: Case of Vietnam

Abstract

This study unravels the implications of outmigration for farm labour availability, managerial feminization, women’s agency, and farm production. Findings suggest that migration contributes to increased off-farm income, with higher income from international migration. While men’s labour contribution declines in migrant households, women’s labour increases in the majority of production stages. Women’s salaried work declines while their unpaid work increases. Both farm labour and management are feminized. Through two-stage least squares, results indicate a negative association between increased women’s work burden and rice yield. Farm inputs and hiring labour contribute to higher yield, but remittances are not generally used for this purpose. This paper provides insights on agricultural feminization as a result of migration and underscores its nexus to farm production.