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The land left behind: a systematic review of transnational migration-induced change and its implication for rural sustainability in Nepal

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  • Saroj Koirala

    (University of Jyväskylä)

  • Soniya Bashyal

    (Agriculture and Forestry University)

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the multifaceted impacts of transnational migration in Nepal, drawing on findings from 42 systematically selected research articles. Employing a thematic analysis approach, the study constructs a schematic representation delineating four key themes: the use effect of remittance income on individuals, the offset effect on land, the substitution effect on people due to a reduced workforce, and the neglect effect on land stemming from decreased working members in households and communities. This comprehensive examination sheds light on the migration dynamics and addresses its implications for rural sustainability. The central theme underscores the connections between transnational migration and its implication for food security, livelihood enhancement, income diversification, and ecological restoration. The paper emphasizes the importance of understanding these interlinkages for informed policy decisions aligned with long-term macroeconomic goals. The synthesized framework contributes to theoretical foundations and encourages further research on the impacts of transnational migration in agrarian economies and the pathways for socio-economic transitions.

Suggested Citation

  • Saroj Koirala & Soniya Bashyal, 2025. "The land left behind: a systematic review of transnational migration-induced change and its implication for rural sustainability in Nepal," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:12:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-04180-1
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-024-04180-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Saroj Koirala, 2023. "Empowering Absence? Assessing the Impact of Transnational Male Out-Migration on Left behind Wives," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-19, February.
    2. Hom Gartaula & Kirit Patel & Derek Johnson & Rachana Devkota & Kamal Khadka & Pashupati Chaudhary, 2017. "From food security to food wellbeing: examining food security through the lens of food wellbeing in Nepal’s rapidly changing agrarian landscape," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 34(3), pages 573-589, September.
    3. Greenhalgh, Trisha & Robert, Glenn & Macfarlane, Fraser & Bate, Paul & Kyriakidou, Olympia & Peacock, Richard, 2005. "Storylines of research in diffusion of innovation: a meta-narrative approach to systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(2), pages 417-430, July.
    4. Kaitlyn Spangler & Maria Elisa Christie, 2020. "Renegotiating gender roles and cultivation practices in the Nepali mid-hills: unpacking the feminization of agriculture," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 37(2), pages 415-432, June.
    5. Bishnu Raj Upreti & Yamuna Ghale & Sharmila Shivakoti & Sushant Acharya, 2018. "Feminization of Agriculture in the Eastern Hills of Nepal: A study of Women in Cardamom and Ginger Farming," SAGE Open, , vol. 8(4), pages 21582440188, December.
    6. Ramesh Sunam, 2015. "The Significance of Foreign Labour Migration and Land for Poverty Reduction in Nepal," Economic Studies in Inequality, Social Exclusion, and Well-Being, in: Almas Heshmati & Esfandiar Maasoumi & Guanghua Wan (ed.), Poverty Reduction Policies and Practices in Developing Asia, edition 127, chapter 0, pages 219-233, Springer.
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