Are poor households less likely to migrate? Evidence from rural Nepal

Nepal, a mountainous developing country with a large marginalized rural population, has adopted out-migration as a key strategy for improving livelihoods and socioeconomic development. This study examined how poor rural households in Nepal decide to migrate. Data were gathered from 640 rural househo...

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Main Authors: Ishwor Barshila, Katsuhito Fuyuki, Keeni Minakshi, Eustadius Francis Magezi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Social Sciences and Humanities Open
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259029112500542X
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author Ishwor Barshila
Katsuhito Fuyuki
Keeni Minakshi
Eustadius Francis Magezi
author_facet Ishwor Barshila
Katsuhito Fuyuki
Keeni Minakshi
Eustadius Francis Magezi
author_sort Ishwor Barshila
collection DOAJ
description Nepal, a mountainous developing country with a large marginalized rural population, has adopted out-migration as a key strategy for improving livelihoods and socioeconomic development. This study examined how poor rural households in Nepal decide to migrate. Data were gathered from 640 rural households using purposive random sampling in 2024. Household poverty was measured using data from the 2022–2023 Nepal Living Standard Survey. A logit regression model was applied to analyze the decision for migration, and the association between income distribution and migration was assessed using quantile regressions. Logit regression showed that nearly 38 % of poor rural households are less likely to migrate because the rural poor face challenges such as high migration costs and credit constraints. Quantile regressions indicated that income and migration status are especially pronounced in low-income households. The high remittance flows from migrating members are due to the high financial burden of repaying loans to bear the migration costs. Policy efforts should focus on reducing poverty by creating economically viable opportunities and generating conducive economic conditions that reduce the need for migration.
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institution Kabale University
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spelling doaj-art-c1607a55bba143caa9b0af28826d64782025-08-20T03:25:27ZengElsevierSocial Sciences and Humanities Open2590-29112025-01-011210181410.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101814Are poor households less likely to migrate? Evidence from rural NepalIshwor Barshila0Katsuhito Fuyuki1Keeni Minakshi2Eustadius Francis Magezi3Laboratory of International Development Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics, Tohoku University, Japan; Corresponding author.Laboratory of International Development Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics, Tohoku University, JapanLaboratory of International Development Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics, Tohoku University, JapanLaboratory of Regional Resource Planning, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics, Tohoku University, JapanNepal, a mountainous developing country with a large marginalized rural population, has adopted out-migration as a key strategy for improving livelihoods and socioeconomic development. This study examined how poor rural households in Nepal decide to migrate. Data were gathered from 640 rural households using purposive random sampling in 2024. Household poverty was measured using data from the 2022–2023 Nepal Living Standard Survey. A logit regression model was applied to analyze the decision for migration, and the association between income distribution and migration was assessed using quantile regressions. Logit regression showed that nearly 38 % of poor rural households are less likely to migrate because the rural poor face challenges such as high migration costs and credit constraints. Quantile regressions indicated that income and migration status are especially pronounced in low-income households. The high remittance flows from migrating members are due to the high financial burden of repaying loans to bear the migration costs. Policy efforts should focus on reducing poverty by creating economically viable opportunities and generating conducive economic conditions that reduce the need for migration.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259029112500542XRural out-migrationPoorHousehold incomeEcological belt
spellingShingle Ishwor Barshila
Katsuhito Fuyuki
Keeni Minakshi
Eustadius Francis Magezi
Are poor households less likely to migrate? Evidence from rural Nepal
Social Sciences and Humanities Open
Rural out-migration
Poor
Household income
Ecological belt
title Are poor households less likely to migrate? Evidence from rural Nepal
title_full Are poor households less likely to migrate? Evidence from rural Nepal
title_fullStr Are poor households less likely to migrate? Evidence from rural Nepal
title_full_unstemmed Are poor households less likely to migrate? Evidence from rural Nepal
title_short Are poor households less likely to migrate? Evidence from rural Nepal
title_sort are poor households less likely to migrate evidence from rural nepal
topic Rural out-migration
Poor
Household income
Ecological belt
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259029112500542X
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