Migration and technological change in agriculture: results of a case study in the Green Revolution belt of India
Oberai, A.S.; Manmohan Singh, H.K.
Working Papers, World Employment Programme Research, International Labour Office (WEP 2-21/WP. 111): 50
1981
Document Number: 398963
The paper studies the relationship between migration and technological change at the micro-level, using data gathered in a household survey carried out in 26 villages of the Ludhiana district in the Green Revolution belt of the Indian Punjab. A number of important policy-related questions are examined. For the analysis of these questions, the methodology adopted involves comparing the production pattern of and technology used by farming households which have experienced out-migration or in- or return-migration with those households which have not (the control group). The study is divided into four main sections. After a brief introduction, the major mechanisms by which migration effects (and is affected by) technological change in agriculture are discussed. The subsequent section presents the results of the field survey and examines the evidence on the effects of migration on the adoption of new technology, land and labour productivity, labour use, and land utilization. The concluding section brings together the major fundings and highlights their policy implications.