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Multiomic data from multilevel biological systems are becoming common and motivate integrative modelling approaches to decipher within‐ and cross‐platform dependencies. Mediation analysis aims to identify mediating mechanisms that regulate the effect of an exposure on an outcome. In multiomic contexts, identification of genomic mediators of disease outcomes provides a deeper understanding of mechanisms of disease and corresponding therapeutic targets. While there has been significant work on joint modelling of high‐dimensional potential mediators, approaches that can identify individual mediators in presence of high‐dimensional potential mediators are lacking. We posit that the multiomic data are interrelated following multilayered Gaussian graphical models that include undirected and directed acyclic graphs as special cases. We develop a Bayesian inferential framework for multilayered mediation analysis with continuous, binary, and ordinal outcomes using probit models. As opposed to existing approaches focusing on identifying joint mediation effects, we decompose the joint effect into effects attributable to individual mediators in the framework of interventional mediation analysis. Simulations demonstrate our method outperforms other existing approaches to identify mediators that have nonzero indirect effects to the outcome. We apply our method to multiomic analysis on drug sensitivity outcomes of palbociclib and agents for endocrine therapy, standard care for breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15.3, which aims to restore degraded land and soil, and the priorities of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) to mitigate environmental issues caused by intensive agriculture, understanding the factors influencing farmers' adoption of soil conservation practices (SCPs) is crucial. However, there is still a limited understanding of these specific factors, particularly in the context of the Czech Republic. This study investigates the perceptions and determinants influencing the adoption of SCPs among farmers in the Czech Republic. We analyzed 358 randomly selected farm households using probit and multivariate probit models. Our results show that a significant number of farmers perceive soil degradation as an important problem, attributing it to factors such as low soil nutrient content, declining soil humus, water and wind erosion. The results of our analysis showed positive associations for perceived effectiveness and profitability, indicating that farmers tend to adopt practices such as minimum tillage, mulching, mixed cropping, cover cropping, and continuous soil cover when these methods are perceived to be effective and profitable. Conversely, negative associations are found for perceptions of soil degradation and education, suggesting potential barriers to adoption with higher levels of perceived soil degradation and education. The study also highlights the complex interplay of information sources on adoption, with both positive and negative trends. In light of these findings, we propose recommendations, including that awareness campaigns should be tailored to address perceptions of soil degradation, and that the use of peer networks and information dissemination from research institutions can bridge the gap between scientific recommendations and on‐farm practices. Policy makers and agricultural extension services should work together to develop targeted strategies that take into account regional differences in the factors influencing adoption and ultimately promote widespread adoption of SCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, financial inclusion has garnered widespread attention among academics and policymakers across developing countries, including India. This article aims to understand financial inclusion and analyse the factors that determine it using micro-level data from the Financial Inclusion Insight Survey 2018 for India. It applies a probit model to explore the influence of demographic and socio-economic factors on financial inclusion. The empirical findings of this study show that the probability of being financially included increases with education, income, property ownership, government welfare benefits, financial literacy and having a PAN card. Conversely, this study also reveals that females, individuals with lower socio-economic status, illiterate, those with no formal education, unemployed and homemakers are less likely to achieve financial inclusion. Hence, targeted policies and interventions are needed to overcome disparities and ensure improvement in the financial inclusion status for marginalised groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of ensuring food and nutrition security has become a prominent item on the global agenda, particularly for low-income countries with high population growth rates. Despite the implementation of numerous policies and programs with the objective of enhancing household calorie intake, food insecurity is worsening in Ethiopia. It is crucial to comprehend the principal factors influencing food security, as this knowledge is essential for implementing effective interventions to enhance food security. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the food security status of households, measure the extent and severity of food insecurity, and identify the determinants of food security in Northeastern Ethiopia. The data for this study were collected through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and a multi-stage sampling method, which involved the selection of 300 households. Descriptive and inferential statistics, the Foster–Greer–Thorbecke (FGT) index, and a probit model were employed to analyze the collected data. The results indicate that 41.67% of the sample households were food secure. By decomposing the results to the two land use systems, 34.62% and 50.69% of the pastoral and agro-pastoral households were food secure, respectively, indicating that agro-pastoral households were relatively more food secure than pastoral counterparts. Furthermore, the gap and severity of food insecurity among the sample households were calculated using FGT indices, resulting in a value of 15.02% and 5.31%, respectively. The probit model revealed that educational attainment, the number of milking cows, cultivated farm size, annual farm income, and participation in off-farm activities were significant predictors of improved household food security status. The findings of this study suggest that policies aimed at addressing food insecurity should consider livelihood diversification, the promotion of education and training, and the strengthening of institutional and technological environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accidental leakage from oil–gas storage tanks can lead to the formation of liquid pools. These pools can result in vapor cloud explosions (VCEs) if combustible vapors encounter ignition energy. Conducting accurate and comprehensive consequence analyses of such explosions is crucial for quantitative risk assessments (QRAs) in industrial safety. In this study, a methodology based on the SLAB-TNO model to calculate the overpressure resulting from a VCE is presented. Based on this method, the consequences of the VCE accident considering the gas cloud concentration diffusion are studied. The probit model is employed to evaluate casualty probabilities under varying environmental and operational conditions. The effects of key parameters, including gas diffusion time, wind speed, lower flammability limit (LFL), and environment temperature, on casualty diffusion are systematically investigated. The results indicate that when the diffusion time is less than 100 s, the VCE consequences are significantly more severe due to the rapid spread of the gas cloud. Furthermore, increasing wind speed accelerates gas dispersion, reducing the spatial extent of casualty isopleths. The LFL is shown to have a direct impact on both the mass and diffusion of the flammable gas cloud, with higher LFL values shifting the explosion's epicenter upward. The environmental temperature promotes gas diffusion in the core area and increases the mass of the combustible gas cloud. These findings provide critical insights for improving the safety protocols in oil and gas storage facilities and can serve as a valuable reference for consequence assessment and emergency response planning in similar industrial scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agricultural production in China is gradually transitioning from extensive agriculture to green agriculture. In this context, identifying the driving factors and dimensions of farmers' green production behaviour can contribute to promoting sustainable agricultural development. Existing studies lack investigation into the identification of driving factors and dimensions of green production behaviour among farmers of different scales. This study examined 1 142 farm households from five major grain-producing provinces in the North China Plain in 2019. We employed probit-ISM (interpretive structural modelling) models to analyse the driving factors of green production behaviour among farmers of different scales and identify dimensional differences. The study concluded the following: i) Personal characteristics, household characteristics, operational characteristics, social network characteristics, organisational characteristics, and cognitive characteristics were factors driving green production behaviour among small-scale farmers. However, social network characteristics and organisational characteristics had insignificant effects on green production behaviour among large-scale farmers. ii) Personal characteristics, number of agricultural workers, scale of operation, degree of land fragmentation, and whether relatives and friends are civil servants were the deep-rooted factors driving farmers' green production behaviour. Part-time farming status, proportion of grain income, types of agricultural machinery, relationship with local farm machinery operators, and organisational characteristics were middle indirect factors. Cognitive characteristics represented the direct surface factors. This study can provide crucial information for government departments, which formulate differentiated policies to promote green production behaviour among farmers of different scales.

Abstract Agriculture is the major source of income and employment creation for majority of least developed countries. Ethiopia as one of least developed countries of sub-Saharan Africa, majority of its citizen’s livelihood is predominantly dependent on agricultural products, more specifically on the production of cereal crops (Alemayehu et al. in Adv Crop Sci Technol 6(1):1–9, 2018). This study is conducted to identify the determinants of household to adopt and use improved maize seed, one of highly cultivated cereal crops in Eastern Amhara of Ethiopia. The data used in this study are secondary data collected by the agriculture office of Amhara regional state from 3864 household farmers living in the study area in 2022 fiscal year. To address the objective of the study, both descriptive and econometric methods of data analysis are applied. Because of the binary nature of adoption to be either adaptor or non-adaptor, probit regression model is applied. The probit model result shows that being male-headed household, rural credit provision, access to irrigation and the use of fertilizers affect the tendency of adopting improved maize seeds are positively related, while total arable land size owned by farmers negatively affects adoption status. Based on this result, the researcher recommends that government and other institutions should be invited to facilitate and directly involve in providing credit, irrigation, and fertilizers in the study area.

Manure utilization in China is below optimum due to the inconsistency between farmers' behavior and their intention to apply manure to their crops. With increasing constraints on the availability of chemical fertilizer and their impact on the environment, understanding how farmers' perceptions affect their intention and behavior toward manure application is an issue for the implementation of sustainable agricultural development. This study uses primary survey data from 653 farmers. A probit model was used to assess the influence of cognition on farmers' intentions, behavior, and the inconsistency between them in the use of manure application. Heterogeneity analysis was conducted to identify differences between farmers with different education levels and operation scales. The results showed that enhancing subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral attitudes could increase their intention and behavior. Furthermore, improving the perceived behavioral control and behavioral attitudes of farmers would reduce the inconsistency between behavior and intention. In addition, some differences were identified in the role of farmers' cognition with different education levels and operation scales. In general, it is necessary to enhance farmers' comprehensive cognition of the value of manure through publicity and popularization of technology, reduce farmers' perceptions about difficulties in applying manure through new policies and subsidies, and stimulate farmers' enthusiasm to participate in the practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cassava is a multifunctional crop with benefits ranging from its role as a source of food, income, and raw material in industrial processing. It grows in marginalized arid and semiarid regions characterized by long periods of drought and consistent crop failure. In Kenya, cassava is a staple crop and ranks as the second most important root crop after the Irish potato. Nevertheless, there is a low cassava value addition in the country. This study therefore establishes factors influencing smallholder farmers' decision to participate in cassava value addition. The study was conducted in Busia County. A multistage sampling procedure was used to obtain data from 362 cassava farmers. Descriptive statistics and probit regression were used to analyze the data. Descriptive results revealed a low level of cassava value addition among smallholder farmers. Education level, farm size, yields, access to credit, and processing equipment influenced the farmers' participation in cassava value addition positively while off-farm income and distance to the market had a negative influence. The study recommends strategies that could be applied to improve farmers' participation in cassava value addition. They include providing financial support to cassava farmers through accessible credit facilities and processing equipment. Likewise, the adoption of high-yield cassava varieties should be emphasized. Similarly, policymakers should formulate appropriate policies that promote farmers' engagement in cassava value addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is the major source of income and employment creation for majority of least developed countries. Ethiopia as one of least developed countries of sub-Saharan Africa, majority of its citizen's livelihood is predominantly dependent on agricultural products, more specifically on the production of cereal crops (Alemayehu et al. in Adv Crop Sci Technol 6(1):1–9, 2018). This study is conducted to identify the determinants of household to adopt and use improved maize seed, one of highly cultivated cereal crops in Eastern Amhara of Ethiopia. The data used in this study are secondary data collected by the agriculture office of Amhara regional state from 3864 household farmers living in the study area in 2022 fiscal year. To address the objective of the study, both descriptive and econometric methods of data analysis are applied. Because of the binary nature of adoption to be either adaptor or non-adaptor, probit regression model is applied. The probit model result shows that being male-headed household, rural credit provision, access to irrigation and the use of fertilizers affect the tendency of adopting improved maize seeds are positively related, while total arable land size owned by farmers negatively affects adoption status. Based on this result, the researcher recommends that government and other institutions should be invited to facilitate and directly involve in providing credit, irrigation, and fertilizers in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meat as one of the most important resources of protein has a special role in human nutrition. Understanding the meat consumption structure of households is essential for planning and policymaking in this regard. In this research, we studied consumption patterns of meat products including chicken, veal, lamb, and fish for households in Iran (Mashhad city) using demand system estimation. The hypothesis of this study is that chicken is a necessary goods and other types of meat are luxury goods. Given the cross-sectional nature of the data and presence of zero expenditure for some households, we used the censored demand model based on a consistent two-step approach. For this purpose, at first, four Probit models were estimated to determine the factors affecting the probability of purchasing each selected meat product. After that, the probability density function (PDF) and the cumulative distribution function (CDF) were calculated for each selected meat product, and the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) considering PDF and CDF was estimated for all types of meat using a non-linear seemingly unrelated regression. Also, the effect of demographic variables on meat consumption pattern was considered in demand system. The results of expenditure elasticities confirmed the hypothesis. The highest own-price elasticity was related to veal. Based on compensated price elasticities, all types of meat were net substitutes for chicken and chicken was also a net complement for all types of meat. On the other hand, the only substitute for lamb and chicken was veal, but with compensating income effect fish also became a substitute for them. So, in the event of an increase of the price of lamb and chicken, we recommend subsidizing the consumers with low purchasing power in order to increase the diversity of consumption of protein products. This can increase the consumption of fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-enterprises are at the heart of industrialized countries' political concerns, particularly in Europe. If the latter are the subject of such special attention, it is because of their important role in terms of economic growth. This study evaluated the factors of business success as a multidimensional and multifaceted construct that integrates three aspects: entrepreneurial continuity, economic success, and entrepreneur satisfaction. Together, we included these three aspects in an econometric analysis using an ordered Probit model. We propose, from a new angle, an understanding of the determinants of the sustainable performance of micro-enterprises, in this case, those financed by microcredit in France. Our results show that total success seems to be explained in particular by elements from financial and human capital, motivation, and entrepreneurial support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this article is to determine the relationship between mobile money services and the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). A sample of 50 SMEs was collected. The probit model was used to estimate the result. The study established that mobile money services have a positive and significant relationship with the growth of SMEs. The determinants of mobile money services observed are; experience in business management, frequency of bill payment, size of business, male entrepreneur, operation of mobile money account, frequency of purchasing airtime, distance to financial institutions, number of business branches, mobile money accounts held, secondary education, technical support, location of business, number of workers and size of capital transaction. The challenges faced by entrepreneurs in mobile money transactions observed are: wrong manipulation of account, delays, environmental complexities, and loss of money due to hawkers. The result suggests that SMEs should intensify the use of mobile money services in their daily business transactions. It is a wise step toward business expansion. Entrepreneurs of SMEs should take advantage of the drivers of mobile money services to encourage the diverse use of digital technologists. Finally, entrepreneurs should avoid risky manipulations of their mobile money gargets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the role played by trade in differentiated inputs in the country-pair decision to form a PTA in goods and in their decision to expand it to trade in services with varying degrees of coverage, which transforms a preferential agreement into an Economic Integration Area (EIA). Our baseline model is very successful in predicting the formation of preferential agreements. Our model correctly predicts 84 percent of the country pairs with PTAs in our dataset and can successfully predict the 83 percent of the country pairs that do not form a PTA. Moreover, our model predicts 78 percent of the observations involving country pairs belonging to an EIA when a PTA exists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThis study delves into the determinants of alcohol consumption and expenditure in Ecuador, focusing on personal characteristics, education levels, and regional variations. This study aimed to provide nuanced insights into alcohol-related behaviors within the Ecuadorian population.MethodsEmploying probit and Tobit models, the study ensures a robust analytical framework to assess the factors influencing alcohol consumption and expenditure. Data were collected from the 2014 Survey of Living Conditions, spanning urban and rural areas of Ecuador, guaranteeing a diverse population representation. The study includes individuals from random households, totaling 66,418 individuals over 18 years. Employing various measurements, including the use of a probit model for alcohol consumption and a Tobit model for alcohol expenditure, the study considers key variables such as smoking, gender, age, employment status, and regional location, contributing to a detailed understanding of alcohol-related behaviors.ResultsFor female individuals, there is a negative association, decreasing the probability of alcohol consumption by 6.6% (p-value: 0.000). Conversely, being a smoker exhibits a positive association, increasing the likelihood by 10.2% (p-value: 0.000). Regarding alcohol expenditure, being female is linked to a reduction in spending by $0.885 (p-value: 0.000). Being a smoker reveals an increase in spending by $0.914 (p-value: 0.000). Regional variations, education level, and employment status play crucial roles in shaping alcohol-related behaviors.ConclusionThis research provides nuanced insights into the socioeconomic determinants of alcohol-related behaviors in Ecuador. The findings underscore the necessity for targeted public policies, including gender-specific interventions, anti-smoking strategies, and considerations for regional variations.

Contract farming (CF) has been one of the strategies employed to enhance the production and productivity of malt barley and substitute imported malt barley in Ethiopia, in addition to addressing marketing challenges. The predicted results also include satisfying domestic malt barley demand, enhancing farmers’ welfare, and saving the nation’s foreign exchange. Hence, this study evaluated the production efficiency impact of malt barley CF in northwestern Ethiopia. The study was based on the data collected from 398 farmers in two districts, selected using multistage sampling techniques. The probit model showed that CF participation among malt barley farmers was positively correlated with frequency of extension contact, field day, training, cooperative membership, credit, and household size. The maximum likelihood estimator of SPF shows malt barley farm, fertilizer, and oxen power had positive effects on malt barley output. The stochastic cost frontier analysis demonstrated that the total cost of production was positively and significantly impacted by malt barley output and the cost of inputs (labor, oxen, farm, and seed). Propensity score matching (PSM) revealed that CF increased the TE, AE, and EE by 4.52%, 12.34%, and 11.55% for participants, respectively. The findings of this study demonstrate that CF can increase farm households’ TE, AE, and EE, which policymakers and other interested organizations may consider as a different development strategy as long as it is adjusted to local conditions.

Wheat is one of the cereal crops grown around the world, as well as in Ethiopia. However, female farmers are limited in their ability to achieve their estimated potential as a country in general and in the study area in particular. Even though Emba Alaje district is a potential area for bread wheat production in the Tigray region, so far studies have been scanty on female farmers’ adoption of improved bread wheat production. Thus, this study analyses the determinants of female farmers’ adoption of bread wheat production. This primary data was collected from 169 female farmers in Emba Alaje district using semi-structured interview schedules. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select representative samples. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and econometric analysis. A binary probit regression model was used to analyze factors influencing the adoption of improved bread wheat varieties by female farmers. According to the model results, educational level, family labour, oxen ownership, training access, membership in cooperatives, and credit access positively influenced, while the age of the female farmers negatively influenced the adoption of bread wheat production by female farmers. Therefore, policymakers and other stakeholders should consider these factors to support female farmers in bread wheat production and to accelerate overall agricultural development.

AbstractThis study aims to compare household food security and its determinants among PSNP beneficiary, graduated, and non-beneficiary. Data was collected from 396 sample households using a structured questionnaire and key informant interview. Binary Probit regression was used to analyse the determinants of household food security. Household food security was measured using Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) and Household Hunger Scale (HHS). The study found significant differences in household food security among beneficiary, graduated and non-beneficiary both in FIES and HHS. The mean raw scores of FIES and HHS for graduated households were lower than both beneficiary and non-beneficiary households. Graduated households had the highest percentage of food secure households (67.4%), followed by non-beneficiary households (61.5%) and beneficiary households (34.3%). The binary probit model showed the number of clinic visits by household head was the only factor that negatively associated with all the three groups. The number of years benefited from PSNP had a negative influence on both beneficiary and graduated households’ food security. Whereas livestock had a positive effect on the food security of both graduated and non-beneficiary households, unlike dependency ratio. Livelihood zone, drought, and credit were only associated with beneficiary household food security, while crop diversification determined only graduated households’ food security. Hence, the findings suggest that policymakers and practitioners should focus on improving access to health care, limit the duration of PSNP participation, promote crop diversification, and provide proper credit use training to enhance household food security.

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Copyright of Revista Entramado is the property of Universidad Libre Seccional Cali and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents a special, direct methodology regularly applied in the Baltic countries to measure the size of the shadow economy. The same approach had been applied in Hungarian data collections in 2016 and 2017. Besides presenting the results, the patterns of nonresponse are also in focus. The Shadow Economy Index (SEI) is based on a direct survey of companies to estimate the size of the shadow economy as a proportion of a given country's GDP (Gross Domestic Product). Direct approaches are mainly avoided by researchers on this topic because of its sensitive nature. Response rates are usually low because concealing the information is just „natural" regarding shadow activities. The SEI approach uses several techniques to maximize the responses: the survey is run as a face-toface interview; they ask company owners/managers; the questions are related to the industry and not directly to the firm. Still, nonresponse can be notable. In the second part of the paper, I determine the main patterns of nonresponse based on the two Hungarian surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid evolution of the rural digital economy, analyzing the impact of digital literacy level on farm households' formal borrowing is crucial for easing credit constraints and fostering rural economic growth. Leveraging the data from the 2020 China Family Panel Studies (CFPSs) and applying binary probit models and the Karlson–Holm–Breen (KHB) method, this study delineates the positive correlation between the digital literacy level and increased formal borrowing among farm households. The findings, which were robust against endogeneity and robustness tests, underscore the role of digital literacy level in augmenting farmers' earnings and social networks, with a notably stronger mediation by earnings. The effects are particularly significant for middle-aged and older, less educated males in the central and western regions, in contrast with younger, highly educated females in the east. This research advocates for enhancing rural digital infrastructure and education, alongside financial system reforms, to advance rural financial development and support sustainable rural revitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study contributes to research by evaluating the optimizing effects of innovation approaches on export-led innovation to ascertain a more efficient outcome. It uses the probit model with binary endogenous regressors to test the effects on 4,049 firms' observations in Norway (1,784 manufacturing and 2,265 service firms). Results reveal that as export-led innovation induces a superior firm's innovation, it optimizes with innovation approaches – technological (STI) and non-technological (DUI) processes. While export-led innovation optimizes with STI in manufacturing firms' product and process innovations, the optimizing effect is traceable to service firms' process and service innovations. Nevertheless, export-led innovation optimizes with DUI in manufacturing firms' service and New-to-Market innovations, and the effect only associates with service firms' product innovations. Results show that while firms' and export-led innovations optimize with the individual influence of STI and DUI, their interaction is inadequate. The study indicates that innovation methods are crucial for optimizing export-led innovation and present constructive policy implications that entrench invaluable decision-making that can enhance business performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The academic literature showed an increasing interest in studying the link between national identity and anti-immigrant sentiment. This work is based on ten countries from the International Social Survey Program (ISSP) dataset for two different waves: 2003 and 2013. The paper aims to analyse the influence of the three facets of national identity (nationalism, political patriotism, and cultural patriotism) and other socioeconomic traits on attitudes towards immigrants (ATI). Untried methods in social science based on the fuzzy-hybrid analysis (FHA) and the fuzzy clustering are used first to analyse citizens according to their levels of openness towards immigrants, nationalism, cultural patriotism, and political patriotism. Then, the ordered probit model is applied to thoroughly examine the intricate relationships connecting the three facets of national identity and individual sociodemographic characteristics with ATI. The results show that the national identity and cultural patriotism constructs negatively influence ATI, while political patriotism positively influences ATI. In addition, country, political orientation, age, religion, economic situation, gender, place of birth, principal status, and education are crucial factors that explain ATI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyze the individual's socioeconomic and demographic determinants of financial inclusion and its barriers among for South Asian countries in the lens of existing financial inclusion policy, using World Bank Global Findex database for the period 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2021. We use the Probit regression model to explore the main objective of this study. In addition, we also analyze the trend, pattern, and barriers of financial inclusion for the period 2011- 2021 to identify differences among south Asian countries. Our results reveal that Sri Lanka is the best performer in the inclusivity of financial products as well as removing barriers to financial inclusion in all four periods. While Pakistan and Afghanistan are the least financially included countries, also they failed to remove barriers to financial inclusion. Moreover, our empirical results suggest that individuals who are male, older, wealthier, and more educated are more likely to access financial services, with income and education exerting a higher influence. Further, age shows a non-linear (inverted U-shaped) relationship with financial inclusion indicators. Additionally, we found that individuals having a formal account are the most important indicators of financial inclusion. And the reasons for financial exclusion (i.e., not having an account) are mainly voluntary among South Asian individuals. In fact, it is found that policies like Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana for India and National Financial Inclusion Strategy across all South Asian countries play a significant role in accelerating financial inclusion and helping in removing its barriers with different magnitudes. Therefore, our finding stresses the importance of heterogeneous integrated policy measures for the targeted groups of the population, particularly the most vulnerable group among South Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population-wide increase in life expectancy is a source of aggregate longevity risk. Life insurance is a natural instrument to manage the risk. Previous studies used chronological age to examine the relationship between aging and life insurance purchase, which ignored the impact of subjective life expectancy-the real perception of remaining time. Therefore, this study aims to fill the lack in this area and to explore in depth the relationship between subjective life expectancy and purchasing life insurance among middle-aged and older adult at micro perspective. This paper utilizes data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) over a period of 4 years to construct both Probit and Tobit models. The findings reveal that subjective life expectancy positively affects the likelihood of participation and the extent of life insurance among the middle-aged and older adult population in China. IV model estimation results show good robustness of the results. Meanwhile, there is also heterogeneity in the effect with respect to gender, hukou, education and wealth. The findings provide new perspective to explain the subjective motivation of purchasing life insurance in China.

Green This article is aimed at investigating the determinants of mortgage loan approval in developing countries, employing the binary probit model. Loan approval was made the response variable while deposit, amount to borrow, lending rate, gratuity, capacity to pay the loan and character of the borrowers stood as the explanatory variables. Cross-sectional data were collected from the four top banks in Nigeria. The result showed that all the variables had the correct signs but only the capacity to pay the loan has a significant impact in determining the success of mortgage loan approval. Collectively, all the variables have significant power to determine mortgage loan approval. It is therefore suggested that prospective borrowers should ensure that they have all it takes to refund the loan they wish to obtain from commercial banks.

The issue of ensuring food and nutrition security has become a prominent item on the global agenda, particularly for low-income countries with high population growth rates. Despite the implementation of numerous policies and programs with the objective of enhancing household calorie intake, food insecurity is worsening in Ethiopia. It is crucial to comprehend the principal factors influencing food security, as this knowledge is essential for implementing effective interventions to enhance food security. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the food security status of households, measure the extent and severity of food insecurity, and identify the determinants of food security in Northeastern Ethiopia. The data for this study were collected through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and a multi-stage sampling method, which involved the selection of 300 households. Descriptive and inferential statistics, the Foster–Greer–Thorbecke (FGT) index, and a probit model were employed to analyze the collected data. The results indicate that 41.67% of the sample households were food secure. By decomposing the results to the two land use systems, 34.62% and 50.69% of the pastoral and agro-pastoral households were food secure, respectively, indicating that agro-pastoral households were relatively more food secure than pastoral counterparts. Furthermore, the gap and severity of food insecurity among the sample households were calculated using FGT indices, resulting in a value of 15.02% and 5.31%, respectively. The probit model revealed that educational attainment, the number of milking cows, cultivated farm size, annual farm income, and participation in off-farm activities were significant predictors of improved household food security status. The findings of this study suggest that policies aimed at addressing food insecurity should consider livelihood diversification, the promotion of education and training, and the strengthening of institutional and technological environments.

Access to information is crucial to the development of agriculture and communities. However, a lack of access to information about agricultural production may affect farmers’ awareness of new farming practices and their ability to increase yield. Considering this as a potential driver for improving food security in poor regions, this study examined smallholder rice farmers’ information needs and access in the Asunafo North Municipality of Ghana. It focused on the socioeconomic factors affecting information access among smallholder rice farmers. This study used a multistage sampling technique to obtain information from 154 smallholder rice farmers. Descriptive statistics and a probit regression model were used for data analysis. The study revealed that respondents sourced major information from fellow farmers (98%), extension agents (79.2%), and the radio (75.3%). They needed information on high-yielding varieties (98.7%), credit support options (94.8%), market access (85.7%), and disease and pest management (85.1%). The inferential statistics show that gender, household size, farming experience, and household income significantly influenced respondents’ access to rice production information. This study recommends that efforts by policymakers to improve smallholder rice farmers’ productivity should consider social interventions (i.e., encouraging farmer group formation, expanding rural information networks, and strengthening extension capacity) that promote farmers’ information access. Policy implications include identifying and training community members to become information intermediaries to assist farmers in accessing the needed information for rice farming. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by understanding the socioeconomic factors that affect smallholder rice farmers’ access to information. The study further provides insight for agricultural policymakers to enhance smallholder rice farmers’ access to information in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to comprehensively define village social capital, assess its multifaceted dimensions in relation to farmers' entrepreneurial decision-making, and investigate the mediating role of rural development. The research sample consists of 14,133 farmers selected through a multi-stage proportional-to-size unequal probability sampling method. Data collection was carried out using questionnaires as part of the "Chinese Thousand Village Survey" project. Empirical analysis was conducted using binary logit and basic linear regression models, supplemented by probit models and other robustness testing methods. The findings indicate that village social capital exerts a significant and favorable influence on farmers' entrepreneurial decision-making. Controlling for other variables, a unit increment in farmers' village social network, village social participation, and village social trust is associated with a respective increase in farmers' odds of entrepreneurial decision-making by 3.96, 5.42, and 16.28%. Village social trust emerges as the most influential factor. Additionally, rural harmony and rural economy partially mediate the relationship between village social capital and farmers' entrepreneurial decision-making. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between village social capital and farmers' entrepreneurial decision-making, offering valuable guidance for farmers looking to leverage village social capital in their entrepreneurial endeavors. It lays a theoretical foundation for relevant entities to strengthen village social capital and cultivate a supportive environment for rural entrepreneurship. To our knowledge, this paper is among the earlier studies that investigate farmers' entrepreneurial decision-making. Besides, the relationship between village social capital and rural development is rarely studied in the literature as two determinants of farmers' entrepreneurial decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAgricultural cooperatives have been effective conduits for engaging the youths in the sub-sector by increasing employment opportunities and reducing poverty. Conversely, critical determinants of youth participation in the sub-sector have not been wholly entrenched. This study explored various factors to evaluate youths’ participation in the subsector. A cross-sectional survey of 253 randomly selected youths farmers in northern Uganda was employed using a structured questionnaire and a Probit model for analysis. Our results revealed that the main catalyst for youths’ participation was size of land owned and membership fees. Additionally, institutional factors, marketing, household size, hired land, land cultivated, shared responsibility and secondary occupation were authenticated as crucial for participation. The study advocates for a review of the operation guidelines for cooperatives and make amends to lure more youths. The study illuminates on the potency of agricultural cooperatives in stamping a footprint in elevating the economic status of the youths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increases in demand for food, product development, and agribusiness growth provide new opportunities for smallholder farmers in the developing world. Yet, the smallholder farming sector is still confronted by numerous constraints, including low quality and lower levels of produce. Agricultural cooperatives and other farmer organisations have been identified as crucial vehicles to link smallholder farmers with the evolving food systems. However, little is known about their contribution to enhancing their members' participation in sustainable agri-food chains. This paper aims to explore the effectiveness of agricultural cooperatives in empowering smallholder farmers to participate in sustainable agri-food chains in Eastern Cape, South Africa. In achieving this, the study adopted a multi-stratified sampling procedure to select 119 cooperative members in the study area. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a binary regression model. Our findings revealed that the majority (70%) of cooperatives were participating in crop production. Most (75%) of the cooperative members were old, with a mean average of 52 years. Additionally, the majority (93%) of members reported that agricultural cooperatives contributed positively to their livelihoods. The results of the probit model established that quality, quantity, level of education, and access to information influenced the level of participation in storage, processing, and distribution levels at different levels of significance. Although the findings of this research reported a positive contribution of cooperatives to their members, the study identifies a greater need for cooperatives to be inclusive of young people and improve government support. Also, the study recommends a blended financing model that will cater to smallholder farmers who do not have collateral. Finally, the study recommends that the current extension and advisory services be tailored to cater to the training needs of smallholder farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to identify the factors affecting cigarette smoking by students in a university in Turkey. Using the chi-squared test and logit and probit regression analyses on the data obtained from surveys applied to 1376 students at a public university in Turkey, first, the factors affecting cigarette smoking by students were identified, and then, the marginal effects of these factors were calculated and interpreted. By examining the variables obtained from the literature search, it was observed that all variables except employment status and body mass index were associated with the smoking probability of students in at least one category. According to the results of the analysis, it was understood that the probability of smoking is higher in students who are male, stay in a student dormitory, consume alcohol, never consume vegetables and fruits, do not brush their teeth, and have friends who smoke around them. In the conclusion part of the study, suggestions were made to schools and other affiliated for students with these characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrepreneurship is transcendental to the economy and contributes to economic growth. In this context, law 19.749 was established in Chile to facilitate the creation of family microenterprises (FME). However, the social upheaval that occurred in Chile and subsequently the COVID-19 pandemic has had negative repercussions on the country's economy. The present study has the objective of studying the variables that influence the success of family microenterprises. A survey was conducted among micro-entrepreneurs who are beneficiaries of the FME program in the southern sector of the Metropolitan Region. A Probit model was estimated, based on socio-economic information, coming from seventy beneficiaries of entrepreneurial initiatives of a south sector community of the capital, representing 40% of the total. The results show that, in the face of social upheaval, the female gender has a positive correlation, while the number of children has a negative effect. In response to the pandemic, female gender correlates positively, whereas Chilean nationality, number of children, and productive and service sectors are negatively related. Finally, in the context of both events, the number of children and the service sector has a negative influence. The results allow us to predict the relative success of the family enterprises ahead of the arrival of eventual exogenous shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The prevalence of contraception among married women, evaluated at 23%, is low in Cameroon. Maternal death rates, estimated at 782 deaths per 100,000 live births, are very worrying. The National Strategic Plan for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (2015–2020) and the Health Sector Strategy (2016–2027) focuses on increasing modern contraceptive prevalence as a means to reduce maternal death. This paper identifies women’s bargaining power as a factor that may stimulate contraceptive use. The objective of this study is to analyze the association between women's bargaining power within couples and modern contraceptive use. Methods The data used come from the fifth Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted in 2018. Women’s bargaining power within couple is measured by a Woman Bargaining Power Composite Index (WBPCI) built through a multiple correspondence analysis. The logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between WBPCI and modern contraceptive use. Results The results of the descriptive statistics show that women's bargaining power is higher among women who use contraception than for those who do not. The results of the logistic regression model show that an increase of WBPCI was significantly associated with higher chances of using a modern contraceptive method (OR = 1.352; 95% CI: 1.257, 1.454; p

The main reason cited for the low participation rate in indexed insurance in Africa is the lack of farmers’ involvement in the initial conception. The main aim of this article was, therefore, to design an improved participatory methodology that would help farmers in South Africa gather information on the value they place in new crop insurance initiatives based on weather indices. The main objective of this study was to determine their willingness to pay (WTP) crop insurance in the Eastern Cape. The study adopted a cross-sectional design, and the respondents were selected by using a probability sampling procedure. A sample of 150 respondents was selected. The results from descriptive statistics showed that 62% of the smallholder irrigation scheme farmers were between 52 and above years of age, male and female: 87% and 13%, respectively. The results from the probit model revealed that out of nine variables included in the model, only four namely, logAge square, gender, marital status and age were significantly influencing the WTP index-based crop insurance at 1%, 5% and 10%, respectively. However, age was found to reduce the chances of participating in crop-based insurance. A large proportion of those who were willing to pay insurance had not previously experienced losses because of natural hazards. Therefore, it recommended that the government should use existing extension officers to educate the farmers and promote the importance and benefits of insurance products. Contribution: The results are expected to contribute to the local government to improve disaster resilience through strengthening regional financial funding.

Internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEs), hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles (HEVs, PHEVs, and BEVs) represent tradition, high technology, energy conservation and innovation respectively. The new energy vehicles (NEVs) include PHEVs and BEVs. This study innovatively proposes an agent-based real-time game model to simulate the market penetration of vehicles in China. The advantage of the model is in accord with the product diffusion theory and synchronous with the cognition of consumers. The purchase preference is described by a hierarchical variables structure, which forms a probit model with the approximately normal distribution based on the central limit theorem. The results show that when the individual purchase of ICEs will not bring any incentive for others to purchase ICEs, the market penetration of ICEs will decrease. The development of NEVs should focus on their own competitiveness, and the interaction between the proven technology of ICEs and the rapid development of NEVs is useful for NEVs. Restricted with the narrow price range, the market penetration of HEVs will keep steady. Finally, the high interaction frequency is good for NEVs, which indicates that WeMedias will play an important role.

Sustainable energy for household application is currently a top priority in developing countries with clean modern energy sources dominating the energy policy agenda. Nonetheless, more research evidence is required for policy and practise. This study’s objective was to evaluate the determinants of household cooking and lighting energy choices. In contrast to other studies, this study employed a holistic approach by considering all the energy technologies utilised by a household. It was hypothesised that socioeconomic and demographic characteristics influence household energy choices. Probit model was used to determine causation using data from a random sample of 487 households drawn from Vihiga county. The marginal effects indicate that the decision of a household to utilise clean cooking fuels is enhanced by income (0.14), access to credit (0.10), male as the household head (0.56), higher education attainment (0.22), increasing age (0.08), and increasing household size (0.02). In addition to these factors, room count (0.04) and marital status (0.06) also enhanced a household’s decision to utilise clean energy for lighting. These results emphasise the importance of socioeconomic and demographic factors in achieving sustainable household energy access. To a large extent, a household’s decision to utilise clean energy is determined by its income and level of education.

Micro-enterprises are at the heart of industrialized countries’ political concerns, particularly in Europe. If the latter are the subject of such special attention, it is because of their important role in terms of economic growth. This study evaluated the factors of business success as a multidimensional and multifaceted construct that integrates three aspects: entrepreneurial continuity, economic success, and entrepreneur satisfaction. Together, we included these three aspects in an econometric analysis using an ordered Probit model. We propose, from a new angle, an understanding of the determinants of the sustainable performance of micro-enterprises, in this case, those financed by microcredit in France. Our results show that total success seems to be explained in particular by elements from financial and human capital, motivation, and entrepreneurial support.

Entrepreneurial contexts may be marked by the presence of a 'cultural environment' that stimulates knowledge and innovation adoption, while other contexts may act as barriers toward change and innovation. Moreover, multiple paths of multifunctional agriculture bring about a call for "multifunctional farm advisory services" (MFAS), which consider both private and public goods provided by the farming sector. Set against the background of multiple roles of agriculture, how to identify sound and pertinent knowledge becomes of paramount, to specify the roles of agricultural extensionists and the mechanisms of governance of MFAS within the setting up of the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS). Our aim of the study is either to analyze attitudes toward the privatization of extension services within a predominantly public system of regional governance and to identify advisors' profile and their suitability with the modern vision of multifunctional agriculture through the emergence of MFAS. Empirical analysis evidences the presence of a diversified set of advisory services with different degrees of coherence with the multifunctional agricultural model. Also, the more advisory services are oriented towards empowering multifunctional agriculture the less the propensity towards their privatization. The cluster analysis has demonstrated a relatively good advisor's capability to deal with the new demands of multifunctional agriculture. The idea of MFAS has important theoretical implications that the paper tries to excavate through the analysis of the mechanisms of governance (public/private) and the identification of the advisors' profile facing the growing complexity of the farming sector, grounded on multifunctional agriculture. The study tries to fill a gap in the literature, by providing an original contribution to modeling the profile of advisors in charge of supporting the transition towards multifunctionality.

The data set explores the driving factors of migration of rural people to the cities. Primary data were collected purposively from 172 farm households from three upazilas of kishoreganj district in Bangladesh. Among 172 households, 89 households had at least one migrant member and 83 households were without any migrant member. Probit model was used to analyze factors of migration decision at the household level. Data set reveals that various factors motivate the decision of the farm households for their member to move into the city. Among which household head age, number of active male member in the family and value of the household asset holding significantly influence migration decision. Beside econometric analysis, household's perception on different motivating factors of migration was also assessed. Most of the households perceived that too many family members, poor living condition, migrant's family influence and job availability in the city mostly motivate the people for migration into the city along with other driving factors.

Background and objectives: Hawassa served as the country’s southern region’s capital from 1990 to 2019 and is currently experiencing rapid urbanization. Urban planners use the physical and socioeconomic driving elements of Land Use Land Cover Change (LULCC) to identify the variables influencing the trend of urbanization and then make appropriate plans.Methods: The study primarily employed advanced technologies like Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing to collect and analyze accurate and reliable information. The data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and key interviews. Finally, the data were analyzed in different ways, using figures and tables, for example. Descriptive and econometric models were also used to analyze the data and probit regression models were used to investigate the impact of urban expansion on the livelihood of displaced farmers in the surrounding area.Findings: Multivariate analysis of variance indicated that the effect of urban expansion on the combined dependent variables, namely, on land use, socioeconomic activities, culture, and environmental change, is statistically significant F(8, 616) =12.704, p = 0.000, Wilk’s Lambda (λ) = .737, partial eta squared(partial η2) = 0.142, observed power = 1.000. Comparatively, the area covered by farmland, built-up areas, and bushland increased from 19.46% to 26.51%, 11.97% to 18.71%, and 3.07% to 4.51%, respectively. The mean score for the level of social relationship and values after land expropriation was 1.7 moderate, with a standard deviation of 0.852 in comparison with the mean score for the level of social relationship and values before land expropriation, which was 3.21 high, with a standard deviation of 0.79. This shows that the land expropriation program negatively affected farmers’ social relationships and values; their social relations levels were high before displacement and between low and moderate after displacement.Conclusion: Policy and strategy gaps in the urban expansion program and this policy issue have hindered the growth of the city and resulted in a serious issue regarding good governance in the area.

Background: It is commonly acknowledged that cooperatives play important social functions that raise the standard of living for their members, particularly those who originate from rural, and low-income backgrounds. Aim: This article aims to measure the impacts of cooperatives membership on household income taking Zanzibar as a case study. Setting: The data used were directly collected from 217 cooperative members and 83 non-cooperative members. Method: Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the demographic characteristics of the respondents. The probit model and propensity score matching (PSM) was used to analyse the impacts of cooperative membership on household income. Results: The probit model findings show that there are four statistically significant factors affecting cooperatives membership, including gender, educational level, land ownership, and access to credit. In addition, PSM findings reveal that there is a disparity in income level between cooperative members and non-members. On average, cooperative members are able to generate more income than non-cooperative members by 28% per year. Conclusion: The study concludes that, in order to expand the observed benefits to the population, cooperative growth needs proper backing. Because poverty has many different dimensions, it’s crucial to expand the organisations that help the poor while also utilising other support services to reduce it. Contribution: The article serves as first empirical evidence to be conducted in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The findings will facilitate the amendment of the cooperative context, including tax reduction, extending loans and grants, and other favourable working conditions necessary for supporting the development of cooperative society.

⑴ Background——Promoting forestland circulation is a necessary way for farmers to achieve moderate scale management, which is of great significance for deepening the reform of collective forest property rights system. The premise of smooth circulation of forestland is the clear definition and effective protection of forestland property rights. However, the current situation of forestland circulation is not optimistic. Existing literature has discussed the effect of property rights security on forestland circulation from different dimensions, but the interaction between property rights security and non-agricultural employment is still to be studied. ⑵ Methods——The forestland circulation of farmers was selected as the explained variable, the comprehensive level of property rights security, the level of legal property rights security, the level of factual property rights security and the level of perceived property rights security were selected as the core explanatory variables, and the characteristics of household heads, families and locations were selected as the control variables. The research data came from the survey and interview of the sample farmers in the collective forest area of Jiangxi Province from July to August 2018, and a total of 505 sample data were obtained. Probit model and IVprobit model were used. ⑶ Results——The regression results of Probit model showed that the regression coefficients of the comprehensive level of property rights security on the transfer in and transfer outof forestland were significantly positive, indicating that property rights security could promote the forestland circulation of the farmers. The regression results of IVprobit model also showed that the regression coefficient of the comprehensive level of property rights security was significantly positive. The regression results of three dimensions of property rights security showed that legal property rights security had no significant impact on the transfer in and transfer out of forestland. The factual property rights security had a significant positive effect on the transfer out of forestland, but had no significant effect on the transfer in of forestland. The perceived property rights security had a significant positive effect on both the transfer in and transfer out of forestland. The regression results of the IVprobit model showed that other important influence factors of farmers’ forestland circulation behaviors included the forestry working experience of the household heads, the forestland area, the age and education level and the forestry training of the household heads. The regression results of the moderating effect of non-agricultural employment showed non-agricultural employment weakened the promoting effect of property rights security on the transfer out of forestland through the income effect, while the labor transfer effect did not weaken or strengthen the promoting effect of property rights security on forestland circulation. ⑷ Conclusions and Discussions——Based on the above research results, the following policy suggestions are put forward: First, improve and deepen the relevant supporting laws and policies on the reform of the forest property rights system, improve the cognition level of the farmers. Second, increase the farmers’ investment in forestry by relying on the improvement of non-agricultural income. Third, the government should improve the trading platform of the forest property rights and smooth the forestlandcirculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]