Working Paper: NBER ID: w17718
Authors: Margaret S. McMillan; William A. Masters; Harounan Kazianga
Abstract: This paper uses historical census data from Burkina Faso to characterize local demographic pressures associated with internal migration into river valleys after Onchocerciasis eradication, combined with a new survey of village elders to document change over time and differences across villages in local public goods provision, market institutions and land use rights. We hypothesize that higher local population densities are associated with more public goods and a transition from open-access to regulated land use. Controlling for province or village fixed effects, we find that villages' variance in population associated with proximity to rivers is closely correlated with higher levels of infrastructure, markets and individual land rights, as opposed to familial or communal rights. Responding to population growth with both improved public services and private property rights is consistent with both scale effects in public good provision, and changes in the scarcity of land.
Keywords: Rural Demography; Public Services; Land Rights; Burkina Faso
JEL Codes: F20; H41; I18; J11; O12; O20
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Higher local population densities (R23) | Increased public goods provision (H49) |
| Higher local population densities (R23) | Shift toward regulated land use (R52) |
| Proximity to rivers (R11) | Increased access to public services and infrastructure (H54) |
| Proximity to rivers (R11) | More defined property rights (P14) |
| Larger populations (R12) | Provision of public goods due to scale effects (H49) |
| Larger populations (R12) | Urgency for collective action in response to increased demographic pressures (J11) |
| 1% increase in village population (R23) | Significant increase in probability of land market transactions (R33) |