Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

9-2024

Abstract

Using data from official statistical sources and a nationally representative survey, we find that since 2001, China’s agricultural labor force has declined by over 50 percent—a loss of over 200 million smallholders, probably the largest in human history. This trend is the most pronounced in livestock sectors: from 2012 to 2021, 62.5 million smallholder units have disappeared. The 150 million remaining smallholders are mostly commodity producers, participating widely in commodity relations to access agrochemicals, machinery, rental land, and wage labor to produce for markets. The ageing smallholder population also face challenges in intergenerational reproduction, which will accelerate its decline.

Keywords

Smallholders, peasants, petty commodity producers, capitalist agriculture, vertical integration, class differentiation

Discipline

Agricultural and Resource Economics | Asian Studies

Research Areas

Sociology

Areas of Excellence

Growth in Asia

Publication

Journal of Peasant Studies

First Page

1

Last Page

28

ISSN

0306-6150

Identifier

10.1080/03066150.2024.2392688

Publisher

Taylor and Francis Group

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2024.2392688

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