ABSTRACT
This chapter examines which factors compel participation in various types of off-farm activities in China. It reviews the available theories on participation determinants in off-farm activities and describes the research selection area and the data set used in the study. The chapter explores the relative importance of several off-farm employment types in the research area as well as the income earned in each. It discusses the model choice and estimation results for the participation in off-farm employment. The chapter analyzes the differences between four sub-categories of off-farm employment—agricultural employment, local non-agricultural employment, self-employment, and migration—in three villages within the Jiangxi province. Agricultural employment is a minor activity both in terms of time spent on it and its contribution to household income. Households with fewer land resources participate more in migration or local non-agricultural employment. Reduced land availability will stimulate households with a comparative advantage in off-farm employment to exploit these advantages and reduce their agricultural activities.
