Improving the Socioeconomic Status of Rural Women Associated with Agricultural Land Acquisition: A Case Study in Huong Thuy Town, Thua Thien Hue Province, Vietnam

Nhung Pham Thi, Martin Kappas and Heiko Faust
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Nhung Pham Thi: Division of Cartography, GIS and Remote Sensing, Faculty of Geoscience and Geography, Georg-August University Goettingen, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
Martin Kappas: Division of Cartography, GIS and Remote Sensing, Faculty of Geoscience and Geography, Georg-August University Goettingen, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
Heiko Faust: Division of Human Geography, Faculty of Geoscience and Geography, Georg-August University Goettingen, 37077 Goettingen, Germany

Land, 2019, vol. 8, issue 10, 1-18

Abstract: Since the 2000s, agricultural land acquisition (ALA) for urbanization and industrialization has been quickly implemented in Vietnam, which has led to a huge socioeconomic transformation in rural areas. This paper applies the sustainable livelihoods framework to analyze how ALA has impacted the socioeconomic status (SES) of rural women whose agricultural land was acquired. To get primary data, we surveyed 150 affected households, conducted three group discussions and interviewed nine key informants. The research findings reveal that ALA, when applied toward urbanization, has significantly improved the occupational status of rural women by creating non-farm job opportunities that have improved their income, socioeconomic knowledge and working skills. While their SES has been noticeably enhanced, these positive impacts are still limited in cases where ALA is applied toward industrial and energy development, since these purposes do not create many new jobs. Moreover, the unclear responsibility of stakeholders and inadequate livelihood rehabilitation programs of ALA projects have obstructed the opportunities of rural women. To improve the SES of rural women, we recommend that ALA policy initiate a flexible livelihoods support plan based on the purpose of ALA and the concrete responsibilities of stakeholders and investors.

Keywords: agricultural land acquisition; alternative job; socio-economic status; rural women and land use policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:8:y:2019:i:10:p:151-:d:276410

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