Natural resources and rural livelihoods

This study explores the impact of natural resource availability on differences between migrants’ and non-migrants’ well-being in rural Madagascar. Data from the 2008/2009 Demographic and Health Survey are used in combination with satellite imagery of vegetation coverage to proxy access to natural resources. Multilevel models yield three key findings. First, migrants have, on average, greater financial, physical, human, and social capital than non-migrants, whereas urban-to-rural migrants do exceptionally well on all capital asset categories. Second, greater proximate natural resources are associated with greater financial, human, and social capital. Third, significant cross-level interactions suggest that the benefits of local natural capital vary between migrants and non-migrants.