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Abstract This study investigates the determinants of gender disparities in financial inclusion in Pakistan using Global Findex 2021 survey data. We aim to quantify gender gaps in financial access and use, and to analyze the socio-economic factors influencing these disparities. Grounded in Sen’s capability approach and behavioral economics, we employ logistic regression to examine how gender influences the ownership and usage of financial products. Our results reveal significant gender gaps: only 13% of Pakistani women have financial accounts compared to 34% of men, with similar disparities in digital finance. Socio-economic variables like education, income, and employment are found to influence financial inclusion differently for men and women. While generally supportive of financial inclusion, these factors have a weaker effect for women, suggesting deeper societal barriers. This study adds to the global financial inclusion discourse by providing a comprehensive analysis of gender disparities in Pakistan. Our findings highlight the need for gender-sensitive policies that address these disparities to achieve Sustainable Development Goals related to gender equality and economic empowerment.

IntroductionChina is the largest producer, consumer, and trader of grain. Changes in China’s agricultural policies will affect global food trade and thus impact food security. In this paper, we use China’s maize subsidy system reform (MSSR) as a quasi-natural experiment to investigate the impact of market-oriented reforms in price support policy on the productivity of grain.MethodsWe use official Chinese government panel data on farm households and a PSM-DID model to overcome the endogeneity problem of policy change.Results and discussionThe empirical results show that MSSR can increase maize productivity. The MSSR is divided into two phases: eliminating the maize purchase price and implementing maize producer subsidies. The policy effect of eliminating the purchase price exceeds the implementation of producer subsidies. Further analysis reveals that for farmers with a larger scale of cultivation, higher level of specialization, and higher degree of part-time employment, the MSSR enhances their productivity more significantly. In the high quartile, the MSSR reduces farmers’ productivity. In the low quartile, the MSSR raises farmers’ productivity, suggesting that the MSSR reduces the productivity differences among farmers. The results of our study suggest that market-based reform of price subsidies is an effective institutional arrangement to mitigate resource mismatch and increase food productivity, and point to the need to continue to improve the MSSR, explore diversified maize producer subsidy policies, and take into account the impact of other subsidies on farmers’ maize production behavior.

The exploration of ways to reduce the downside risk of grain yield posed by meteorological disasters has become a primary task in China. This study employs a moment-based model to estimate the downside risks of maize, rice, and wheat yields. It further analyses the risk mitigation effects of implementing a high-standard farmland construction policy in China using a continuous difference-in-differences (DID) model and Chinese provincial data from 2005 to 2017. The results show that the downside risk of wheat yield but not of maize or rice yield increases when meteorological disasters are considered, implying that wheat is more vulnerable to the adverse effects of meteorological disasters than are maize and rice. China’s high-standard farmland construction policy can significantly mitigate the downside risk of wheat yield. The heterogeneity analysis suggests that provinces with higher education levels and lower population density benefit the most from the downside risk reduction due to the implementation of the high-standard farmland construction policy. To further mitigate the downside risk posed by meteorological disasters, China should accelerate the construction of high-standard farmland while simultaneously focusing on upgrading human capital and promoting urbanization in rural areas.

The implementation of sustainable food systems on a global scale is of utmost importance in order to effectively achieve sustainable diet goals on a world level. Plant-based meat alternatives offer potential replacements for meals derived from animals and serve as a means to transition toward more environmentally sustainable dietary choices. Therefore, in the quest for sustainable diets, comprehending consumer behavior and preferences within the context of the plant-based meat revolution is crucial. The current study is planned to examine the factors that influence the acceptance of plant-based meat alternatives among Chinese people. For this purpose, data collected from 610 individuals through an online survey was analyzed using the partial least square structural equation model. The findings reveal that consumer perceptions, particularly regarding taste, nutrition values, and texture, were found to have a significant impact on the acceptance of plant-based meat alternatives. Effective promotional strategies, availability, and accessibility also play a vital role in influencing consumer preferences for plant-based meat alternatives. The outcomes regarding the significance of health perception and environmental concern in transforming consumer preferences for plant-based meat alternatives are also highlighted. Consumers prioritize plant-based meat alternatives due to their perceived health benefits and favorable environmental impact. Moreover, consumer satisfaction, rooted in meeting or exceeding expectations, signifies the mediating role in the relationship between consumer perceptions and the acceptance of plant-based meat alternatives, which boosts the plant-based meat alternatives’ acceptance. Furthermore, the findings underline the mediating role of environmental attitude in the relationship between environmental concerns and plant-based meat alternatives’ acceptance, emphasizing the importance of sustainable dietary choices. In general, these findings provide valuable insights into the promotion of sustainable dietary choices, the alignment of consumer behavior with environmentally conscious decisions, and transforming the food systems in light of changing consumer behavior and ecological concerns.

COVID-19 harms health and income generation activities. The pandemic caused poverty, and food crisis in the most vulnerable and underprivileged segments. Economic turbulence and massive poverty during epidemic period probably resulted in short-term food insecurity and low food consumption. Based on these concerns, the current study examined how COVID-19 has impacted Pakistan's cost of purchasing food. The study surveyed total 1067 Punjab and Sindh residents in Pakistan, from July to October 2021. A structural equation model was used to examine the interrelationship among food intake, food purchasing cost, and health effects. We investigated whether people experienced substantial effects from the loss of a source of income, work hours, debt burden, and food inflation on their food intake. These circumstances all negatively affected food intake, reducing food consumption. Besides COVID-19′s effects on direct income, 41% more people fall into poverty and 23% can't afford healthy food. People's socioeconomic circumstances affects poverty levels and affordable healthy food costs. The cost of purchasing food is significantly correlated with health outcomes. A significant and positive correlation between COVID-19 and income effects, and a negative correlation between food consumption and adverse income effects was explored. In addition, people increased their demand for food assistance during COVID-19 to mitigate negative income shocks. People who cannot afford minimal food costs should be offered food through mobile vehicles or delivery channels in the short term. Cash transfers or subsidies could also be provided to the needy during crisis time.

Although the literature demonstrates that rural industrial integration can enhance farmers' income, foster rural development, its impact on agricultural total factor productivity (ATFP), a critical aspect of sustainable food systems remains unclear. Using provincial-level data from 2008 to 2018, this paper constructs a composite index of rural industrial integration and examines its effect, heterogeneity, and spatial spillover on ATFP growth in China. The findings indicate that the levels of rural industry integration and ATFP experienced a gradual increase from 2008 to 2018. Rural industry integration promotes ATFP growth through technical progress and improved technical efficiency. An analysis of regional heterogeneity reveals that rural industry integration has the most significant impact on ATFP promotion in the western region, followed by the central region, with the least impact in the eastern region of China. Unconditional quantile regression suggests that rural industrial integration has a more considerable impact on ATFP in regions with higher ATFP. Furthermore, the spatial Durbin model results demonstrate that rural industry integration directly supports rural industry integration development in a region while simultaneously inhibiting ATFP growth in surrounding areas. Finally, the findings also reveal that enhancing rural industrial integration can have positive impacts on sustainable agricultural production in China. These findings offer valuable insights for other developing countries aiming to promote sustainable consumption and production.

This research investigates the role of digital e-credit and institutional support in facilitating the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices among rural smallholders in Punjab, Pakistan. The study analyzes how e-credit, alongside institutional backing and farmers' demographic attributes, influences the decision to embrace CSA practices and determines the extent of their adoption. Data from 420 farmers across five Punjab districts were analyzed using Multivariate Probit and Ordered Probit models. The findings emphasize the importance of e-credit and institutional support, including CSA training, soil testing services, seed certification, and market accessibility, to encourage the adoption of multiple CSA practices. In addition, the study establishes a positive correlation between the adoption of CSA practices and factors like farmer education, experience, landholding size, and tractor availability. The research underscores the need for enhanced access to e-credit, improved institutional infrastructure, and increased educational initiatives in rural areas to support climate-resilient farming practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of sustainable food systems on a global scale is of utmost importance in order to effectively achieve sustainable diet goals on a world level. Plant-based meat alternatives offer potential replacements for meals derived from animals and serve as a means to transition toward more environmentally sustainable dietary choices. Therefore, in the quest for sustainable diets, comprehending consumer behavior and preferences within the context of the plant-based meat revolution is crucial. The current study is planned to examine the factors that influence the acceptance of plant-based meat alternatives among Chinese people. For this purpose, data collected from 610 individuals through an online survey was analyzed using the partial least square structural equation model. The findings reveal that consumer perceptions, particularly regarding taste, nutrition values, and texture, were found to have a significant impact on the acceptance of plant-based meat alternatives. Effective promotional strategies, availability, and accessibility also play a vital role in influencing consumer preferences for plant-based meat alternatives. The outcomes regarding the significance of health perception and environmental concern in transforming consumer preferences for plant-based meat alternatives are also highlighted. Consumers prioritize plant-based meat alternatives due to their perceived health benefits and favorable environmental impact. Moreover, consumer satisfaction, rooted in meeting or exceeding expectations, signifies the mediating role in the relationship between consumer perceptions and the acceptance of plant-based meat alternatives, which boosts the plant-based meat alternatives’ acceptance. Furthermore, the findings underline the mediating role of environmental attitude in the relationship between environmental concerns and plant-based meat alternatives’ acceptance, emphasizing the importance of sustainable dietary choices. In general, these findings provide valuable insights into the promotion of sustainable dietary choices, the alignment of consumer behavior with environmentally conscious decisions, and transforming the food systems in light of changing consumer behavior and ecological concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]