Market accessibility and poverty alleviation: Evidence from China

Guowei Cai, Tao Yao and Xun Wang

Journal of Asian Economics, 2025, vol. 100, issue C

Abstract: Using village-level data from Guangdong Provincse’s targeted poverty alleviation campaign (covering 13,802 villages), this study exploits the rollout of the “E-commerce into Villages” program as a quasi-natural experiment and applies a staggered difference-in-differences strategy to assess how improved market accessibility affects the orientation and effectiveness of poverty alleviation. Results show that the program significantly enhances poverty reduction outcomes. Mechanism analysis reveals that enhanced market access shifts policy emphasis toward development-oriented approaches and away from subsistence-based support, thereby stimulating the aspirations and productive behavior of the rural poor. Heterogeneity analysis further indicates stronger effects in villages with more cadres from enterprises or developed cities, and in less-developed areas. Finally, evidence suggests that improving market accessibility—emphasizing capacity building over direct transfers—supports sustained rural development. These findings highlight the importance of e-commerce as a tool for promoting inclusive growth and effective poverty alleviation in developing countries.

Keywords: Market accessibility; E-commerce; Targeted poverty alleviation; Policy orientation; Performance of poverty alleviation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I32 O12 O38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:asieco:v:100:y:2025:i:c:s1049007825001265

DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102002

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