Does Income Inequality Exist among Urban Farmers? A Demonstration of Lorenz Curves from Northern Thailand

Daranrat Jaitiang, Wen-Chi Huang and Shang-Ho Yang
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Daranrat Jaitiang: Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Neipu, Pingtung County 912301, Taiwan
Wen-Chi Huang: Department of Agribusiness Management, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Neipu, Pingtung County 912301, Taiwan
Shang-Ho Yang: Graduate Institute of Bio-Industry Management, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: This study was motivated by the profound disparity of farmers’ income in northern Thailand. We aimed to investigate the inequalities in the distribution of estimated income among urban farmers in the Mueang district area of Nan province using the Lorenz curves and Gini indices. Approximations of farmers’ incomes were calculated and the Tobit model was applied to identify the determinants of farm income diversification in each sub-district. Results showed that urban farmers had high inequality scores, and there was a wide range of income among farmers. Ownership, land entitlement, and farmland size positively contributed to farmers’ estimated income. Agricultural activities further showed that rice farming significantly raised income disparity, while maize cultivation negatively affected it in nearly all sub-districts. Therefore, this study contributes an important indication that leads farmers to a sustainable livelihood while simultaneously adjusting relevant institutional policies.

Keywords: income inequality; income distribution; urban farmers; northern Thailand (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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