The Impact of the Accessibility of Transportation Infrastructure on the Non-Farm Employment Choices of Rural Laborers: Empirical Analysis Based on China’s Micro Data

Abstract

Non-agricultural employment plays a significant role in alleviating regional poverty. Using the micro data of the China Labor-Dynamics Survey (CLDS), this paper empirically analyzes the impact of the accessibility of rural transportation infrastructure on the non-agricultural employment choices of rural laborers by using the entropy method and the ordered Logit model. The results show that there is a significant positive correlation between the accessibility of rural transportation infrastructure and the non-agricultural employment of rural laborers. The study also finds that the laborers participating in non-agricultural employment in villages with good transportation infrastructure will prefer to be employed in nearby locations, and the development of the rural non-agricultural economy is an important reason. Further analysis clearly shows that gender, the family dependency ratio, and rural terrain characteristics affect the choices made by laborers with respect to non-agricultural employment. Based on the research results, focusing on a transportation and industry model and considering the construction of transportation infrastructure as a guide, especially in areas with poor terrain, promoting the development of rural non-agricultural industries can help solve the problem in rural areas and in women’s employment where family members or accompanying personnel are left behind, and can promote the orderly transfer of rural laborers.