How Does Agricultural Labor Return Migration Affect Farmland Abandonment Among Rural Households?

The return migration of agricultural labor has emerged as a notable demographic shift in rural China, yet its association with farmland abandonment has received limited empirical attention. Using household-level microdata from the China Household Finance Survey (CHFS), this study empirically examines the association between agricultural labor return migration on farmland abandonment among rural households and explores the underlying channels. The results indicate a negative association between agricultural labor return migration and the area of farmland abandoned by rural households, and this pattern remains stable across a series of robustness checks. Mechanism analyses suggest that this association is consistent with two channels, namely farmland transfer-out and household investment in farmland. This negative association appears stronger in villages with well-developed specialty agricultural industries, relatively limited non-agricultural employment opportunities, and village cooperatives. These patterns suggest that policy efforts could pay greater attention to the role of labor return migration in improving the efficiency of rural farmland resource utilization. A combination of policy measures is recommended to improve farmland transfer markets, strengthen incentives for agricultural investment, and foster locally adapted specialty rural industries.