East and Southeast Asia

Together with several partner organizations, IFPRI carried out a rural household survey in Mon State, Myanmar. The survey, combined with extensive interviews with farmers, traders, processors, and local leaders, produced data and analysis of the rural economy that are the basis of recommendations on improving agricultural productivity and public infrastructure to support improved prosperity.

Earthquake Lessons from China: Coping and Rebuilding Strategies explores the response to the 2008 Wenchuan earth-quake, the largest in China’s history. Three responses were found to be helpful: the use of a pair-wise aid policy, in which a donor province or city is assigned to give aid to a particular earthquake-affected area; NGO and volunteer involvement; and public financial aid to affected households. The authors found that increased NGO and volunteer involvement in natural-disaster response could also foster a robust civil society in China.

An analysis of the effect of local off-farm employment and migration on the technical efficiency of rural households’ crop production in five Chinese provinces addressed concern about the possible negative impacts of vast labor migration. Technical efficiency of grain production did not suffer due to labor migration, suggesting that it does not threaten China’s future food security.