Land degradation and migration in a dry land region in India

The study analyzes the impact of degradation of private land as well as common land resources on migration decisions in three dryland districts in Gujarat. The study concludes that overall, in dry areas such as Gujarat, access to irrigation, rather than land ownership is likely to deter migration. The poorest rural households in dry land regions are the least likely to migrate. Thus, any employment creation in rural dryland regions is most likely to help the poorest. Further, it was found that degradation of common-pool land resources influences short-term but not long-term migration.