The Impact of Water Access on Short-Term Migration in Rural India

Abstract

Migration is an important risk-reduction strategy for households in developing countries. In this paper, we examine the impact of irrigation and its interaction with rainfall on short-term migration decisions in India. Our results show that migration responds to costs, and that deep fossil-water wells, which provide a constant source of water, eliminate any benefit of short-term migration. Our results also demonstrate that electricity availability lowers the likelihood of short-term migration even in areas where groundwater is significantly reduced. This suggests that regions with access to electricity can adapt and shift to new technologies that facilitate additional groundwater extraction.