Consequences of post-disaster policies and relocation approaches: two communities from rural China

Abstract

Purpose: Post-disaster population resettlement is a complicated process, during which the restoration of livelihood and lifestyle plays a critical role in achieving a successful resettlement outcome. This paper attempts to examine how recovery policies and relocation approaches influence people's livelihood recovery and perception of wellbeing. It specifically investigates the role of farmland in producing a livelihood and maintaining a rural lifestyle among displaced people. Design/methodology/approach: Through face-to-face questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews with rural residents displaced from their villages after the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan, China, this study presents both quantitative and qualitative evidence to investigate how post-disaster policies and particularly the availability of farmland influence people's recovery and their satisfaction with the post-resettlement life. Findings: Data suggest that availability of farmland, in spite of the size, makes big differences in post-disaster recovery because farmland provides resettled people with not only a livelihood to secure basic living but also a guarantee to maintain a rural lifestyle. Research limitations/implications: More samples are needed for analyzing factors that significantly influence disaster-displaced farmers' recovery and wellbeing post resettlement. Practical implications: This study can be used as an important reference for making plans for post-disaster recovery and population resettlement programs in other disaster-prone countries across the world. Originality/value: Land-based relocation is proposed as a desirable approach to addressing challenges of livelihood restoration amongst the resettled population in rural areas of developing countries.