Empowerment and Poverty Reduction: Land Certification, Factor Allocation, and Multidimensional Relative Poverty

Based on the 2021 Jiangxi rural survey data, this paper employs the Alkire–Foster (A-F) method to measure the multidimensional relative poverty index of farmers. Using linear regression and mediation effect models, we empirically analyze the impact and mechanism of land certification on farmers’ multidimensional relative poverty. The results indicate that land certification significantly reduces the overall level of multidimensional relative poverty among farmers. It has a notable positive effect on the allocation of credit, land, labor, and capital factors, effectively encouraging farmers to increase their agricultural investments, expand farmland transfers, and enhance agricultural labor input. Furthermore, farmland certification exerts an indirect effect on multidimensional relative poverty by inhibiting poverty through the allocation of these production factors. Specifically, credit, labor, and capital allocation play partial mediating roles, while land allocation serves as a complete mediator. Based on these findings, recommendations are put forward to further implement the “separation of three land rights” policy, adopt targeted measures for different types of poverty among farmers, and improve factor markets at the county level as soon as possible.