Research on World Agricultural Economy

Rural Roads and Poverty Alleviation: Evidence from China

Di Yang

YanShan College, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan 271199, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36956/rwae.v6i2.1592

Received: 29 December 2024 | Revised: 1 March 2025 | Accepted: 4 March 2025 | Published Online: 30 April 2025

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Abstract

There are still no developed roads in the places where a large part of the world's people live. Due to the lack of roads connecting them to the outside world, their transportation costs are high and their livelihoods cannot be improved. Poor infrastructure development has been proven to cause poverty and isolation, while also leaving local people with very few opportunities for survival choices. This paper indicates that road construction has a good effect on poverty alleviation for rural residents. The construction of rural roads not only leads to an increase in the production of fresh agricultural products, but also induces rural residents to turn from agriculture to other occupations, thus increasing their income and consumption. At the same time, I provide evidence that rural residents receive more social benefits. Therefore, our findings provide  evidence for the necessity of getting through the "last mile" in remote areas of developing countries.

Keywords: Rural Road; Poverty Alleviation; Rural Development; Farmers’ Lives

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