A behavioral analysis of farmers during land reallocation processes of land consolidation in China: Insights from Guangxi and Shandong provinces

This paper empirically examines the factors which influence the behavior of farmers who participate in land consolidation, specifically in land reallocation. Based on the integrative Motivation–Opportunity–Ability (MOA) model, we assume that farmers` participation levels in land reallocation are not only determined by motivation, but also significantly influenced by their opportunity and ability to participate. We test our hypotheses with the method of structural equation modelling (SEM), and collect data through questionnaires from a random sample of households in 6 villages (4 different projects) in China. This is complemented by interviews with local cadres and some of the farmers in those villages in order to validate the consistency of questionnaire responses. The key finding is that the opportunity and the ability to participate have significant positive influences on the degree to which farmers participate, of which ability is the more influential construct. The scrutiny of the model results combined with the interviews also leads to the conclusion that allowing self-organization of farmers leads to more effective land reallocation. Based on the results, we suggest that governments should take measures including legislation, social marketing and education to clarify the legality of land reallocation and facilitate the self-organization of farmers and eventually promoting land reallocation.