This research agenda builds on economic theories that suggest that some types of contracts may lead to lower investment and lower levels of productivity. This research will provide valuable insight into how land market interactions among farmers and between farmers and agricultural firms affect rural economic growth. Household survey covers 2399 households in 21 provinces in China. Firm surveys cover 171 firms from 154 villages in 18 provinces. The research entails two projects that examine the impact of rural land rights on the decisions and outcomes of farmers in China. In the first project, the research team is interested in how giving farmers the leasing rights in a context where farmers previously only had use rights and could not legally engage in any market land transaction such as selling or renting could improve farmers’ outcomes. In the second project, they are interested in thinking about the determinants of the types and the terms of the contracts that farmers sign when allowing other farmers or agricultural firms to use their land. They will also analyse the impact of these contract choices on agricultural investment and productivity. This analysis makes use of a land reform that occurred in some areas of rural China where farmers were allowed to use their land as capital investment to enter into profit-sharing contracts with large-scale agricultural firms.

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