From field to family: exploring the gendered effect of agricultural mechanization in rural China

Rui Pan, Mengfei Gao and Yueqing Ji

Oxford Development Studies, 2026, vol. 54, issue 2, 194-213

Abstract: Agricultural technological progress is often viewed as a technical solution to productivity constraints, but its broader socio-economic implications remain underexplored. This study investigates the gendered impact of mechanization on labor allocation and women’s well-being in rural China. Using nationally representative data from Chinese micro-farmers, we find that mechanization reduces agricultural labor time for both men and women. However, only men benefit from increased non-agricultural employment opportunities, while women remain largely excluded. Despite this asymmetry, mechanization significantly improves women’s subjective well-being – measured by life satisfaction, leisure time, and household decision-making power – especially among those with higher relative incomes. These findings suggest that mechanization operates not merely as a production tool, but as a socially transformative force – challenging entrenched gender norms and shifting the power dynamics within rural families. We argue that the technological modernization of agriculture holds profound implications for gender equity and rural social change.

Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.1080/13600818.2026.2615017

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