Population Growth and Generational Response to Livelihood Choices in a Rain-Fed Farming Village in Central Laos

Abstract

In a rain-fed rice farming village located in central Laos, we clarified the relationship between long-term population growth exceeding 2% per year and changes in livelihoods and various activities of villagers by generation. From the first to the fourth generation in the village that was established in the late 1920s, the acquisition of rice paddies, which was the key to livelihoods, changed from opening paddies to inheritance and then to purchase along with the population growth. Migration to other rural villages increased from the third generation who did not acquire sufficient paddy fields due to population growth. In the fourth generation who experienced continued population growth, the shortage of paddy fields was alleviated by the emergence of circular migrant workers to Thailand. The responses to population growth in this village did not improve agricultural productivity or migration to urban areas instead of the acceleration of rural-to-rural migration against the background of the expansion of paddy fields in central Laos and the increase in number of migrant workers to Thailand. In recent years, the spread of family planning has contributed to the end of population growth, which will likely change the direction of rural livelihood transition in this region.