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Digital ability can increase job-searching efficiency of labour. However, the impact of digital ability on employment adequacy in rural households in China has not received sufficient attention. Using survey data from 1,953 rural households in China, this study analyzes labour participation and working time as indicators of employment adequacy. Item response theory was used to construct digital ability indicators, while conditional mixed process, IV-Probit, and IV-Tobit models were used for empirical estimation. After controlling for endogeneity, the results show that: 1) digital ability has a positive impact on labour participation rate and total working time; 2) digital ability has a positive effect on non-agricultural participation and working time, but negative effect on agricultural participation and production time; 3) the promotion effect of digital ability on working time is more obvious in households with high dependency ratio and low income; 4) both overtime work and underemployment co-exist among rural households. These results provide evidence that digital ability promotes employment adequacy and off-farm transfer of rural labour. Policymakers should consider improving the digital ability of rural households, especially those with high dependency burdens and low incomes. An in-depth discussion of digital ability should be undertaken in further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the perspective of rural household income, this paper discusses the relationship between the proportion of land transfer proceeds for rural development and the debt risk of rural households and carries out the empirical testing by using a two-way fixed-effects model based on the data from the Chinese Household Finance Survey (CHFS) and the data matching the prefecture-level city data. The study suggests that the debt risk of rural households can be inhibited significantly in case of an increase in the proportion of proceeds from land transfer supporting rural development, and there is a "U"-shaped relationship between the proportion and the risk, which indicates that the proportion should be controlled reasonably to maximum the use efficiency of land transfer fund, and according to the system analysis, the increase in the proportion can enhance the debt-repayment ability of the rural households and reduce their debt risk by increasing their transfer income and agriculture income. Moreover, thus, this paper is of great importance for resolving the debt risk of rural households, consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation, preventing large-scale relapse into poverty, and promoting rural revitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abundant collection of literature investigates why migrants remit. Migrants' remittance‐sending practices can be driven by either altruism or the insurance motive. In this study, I first develop a stylized theoretical framework that generates testable predictions regarding the two frequently discussed motives. Then, using a panel data set pooled from three waves of the China Laborforce Dynamic Survey (2012–2016), I find empirical evidence for migrants' remittance‐sending practices under mixed motives that incorporate both altruism and insurance. Findings presented in this study are of great significance in understanding family ties and the risk sharing mechanism between rural‐to‐urban migrants and households of origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to analyze the nature, magnitude and determinants of access to food among rural households in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on the World Bank's Rural Impact Survey, which has documented the shocks of COVID-19 among 2,787 rural households across six states in India. The chi-square test and binary logistics regression have been used to analyze the data. Findings: About 49.7 % of rural households have reported the incidence of food inaccessibility and shortage, and the majority of them reported a reduction in food intake during the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the magnitude of food accessibility varied across the states and the sociodemographic characteristics of the households. Furthermore, regression analysis indicates that family size, social category and occupation as sociodemographic variables and membership in self-help groups, wage employment under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and Cash transfer under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi and Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana as institutional support factors have a significant effect on access to food among rural households. Practical implications: The findings of the study have far-reaching policy implications for developing an effective food distribution system in crisis situations like the COVID-19 outbreak. The study also provides directions for extending the research on determinants of access to food during crisis. Originality/value: The study is based on a large survey data from the rural households in India and provides empirical evidence on access to food faced by rural communities during the COVID-19 lockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic not only caused a global health crisis but also had a huge impact on household finances. This research aimed to examine the financial situation of rural and urban households in Poland between 2018 and 2022 from a multidimensional perspective. In a unidimensional approach, the financial situation of households was analyzed separately for their income, expenditures, savings rate, and shares of fixed expenses. In a multidimensional approach, the analysis used a synthetic index constructed for all these variables combined, employing the TOPSIS method and drawing on microdata from the Polish Central Statistical Office that totaled approximately 150,000 households. It was found that despite the pandemic outbreak, which led to major changes in the labor market, government-introduced organizational and legal measures protected the income of Polish households from decline. Indeed, income was increasing up until 2021, with a modest fall in 2022, which was less severe in rural households (by about 2%) than in urban ones (by 6%). A more immediate response to the outbreak was observed in consumer spending, which fell sharply, while the food share in consumption increased at similar levels in rural and urban areas. Regression analysis showed that compared to 2019, the pandemic worsened the financial situation of Polish households, but only in 2020 and 2022 were these changes statistically significant. In 2021, the financial situation improved slightly, but the change was not statistically significant. Before the pandemic, the synthetic assessment of the financial situation in rural areas was lower than in urban ones, and the pandemic period did not reduce these differences, showing no convergence between poorer rural areas and richer urban ones. Diagnosing and monitoring the household financial situation are crucial steps for achieving the social dimension goals of sustainable development. Research on the pandemic's effects on household finances provides valuable information that can help develop effective strategies to counter future crises while supporting the social dimension of the sustainable development strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper addresses the often-neglected economic impacts associated with the supply of hydraulic infrastructure in rural and under-serviced communities in developing countries. We rely on a rich panel dataset including 1319 Senegalese rural households collected in 2016 and 2020, during the deployment of the first phase of the Emergency Program for Community Development (PUDC). By combining propensity score matching (PSM), inverse probability weighting, difference-in-differences, and quantile regression, we find that access to piped water improves employment in the agricultural sector but has no significant impact on household expenditures. After controlling for attrition, through PSM, we find that the employment effect operates through access to a greater quantity of water and a reduction in the time women devote to water fetching chores. Moreover, when bundled with complementary infrastructure interventions such as the construction of rural roads, we find that access to water services generates an even higher impact. The quantile analysis shows that non-poor households seem to benefit more from the provided water supply infrastructure compared to poor households. Finally, when comparing the welfare effect of government-led PUDC water supply with that of community-led initiatives, our findings advocate for the widespread implementation of the former for reasons of cost-effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of environmental deterioration and to improve human welfare, China’s Shaanxi provincial government has launched one of the largest disaster shelter and resettlement projects in history. In assessing the likely success of this project, it is important to measure the vulnerability and adaptation of rural households in areas where the population experiences ecological and livelihood vulnerability. Based on 657 rural questionnaires collected in southern Shaanxi relocation zones, this study explores four categories of relationship between vulnerability and adaptation based on two aspects of livelihood resilience, namely specific resilience and general resilience. A multinomial logistic regression model is employed to investigate the influence of disaster resettlement on these categories. The analysis finds that: (1) there is a connection between these categories and household livelihood strategies, and rural households are more likely to adopt non-agricultural strategy or livelihood diversification strategy; (2) the livelihood resilience of relocated households is significantly higher than that of non-relocated household, with specific resilience being the main reason for the difference; (3) participation in disaster resettlement, centralized resettlement, and high relocation subsidies are not conducive to belonging in the “low vulnerability–high adaptation” category, while voluntary relocation is conducive to being in this category. These results have significant ramifications for China and other developing national disaster resettlement programs. It is critical for resettled households to reduce livelihood vulnerability and improve adaptive capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: Despite efforts to reduce poverty, both income and multidimensional poverty continue to be high in Mexico, especially in rural areas. Most studies concerned with the effect of credit use on poverty analyse formal credit, but little is known about the impacts of different types of credit on poverty. Purpose: We investigate the impacts of the use of formal credit and informal loans obtained (primarily) for productive and investment purposes on multidimensional and income poverty of rural households in Mexico. Approach and methods: We use data from the 2013 and 2015 CONEVAL Surveys of Rural Households in Mexico, representative of rural communities with fewer than 2,500 inhabitants, to investigate the impact of credit on poverty. We apply inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) to account for differences between users of formal credit, users of informal loans, and non‐users of credit. Findings: Both formal and informal credit usage reduce poverty in rural Mexico, generally with clearer impacts on moderate rather than extreme poverty. Informal credit appears to have largely reached households that could most benefit from it. Broader access to formal credit would potentially further reduce poverty. Policy implications: Public policies to reduce rural poverty should promote a greater access to the formal financial sector. Including vulnerable low‐income rural households in formal finance should be accompanied by financial education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empowering the villagers in the field of rural tourism can bring about a successful transition to rural development as a strategic choice. The aim of this study was to explain the effects of empowerment of rural households on creative tourism in Shahrood. The statistical population of the study is 373 rural households that the questionnaire as a research tool was provided to the statistical population by sampling. The Cronbach's alpha value for creative tourism indicators is 0.80 and for empowerment indicators is 0.75. SPSS software version 24 and LISREL 8.8 were used for data analysis. Based on the obtained results, the components of creative tourism and empowerment of rural households with an average of 3.093 and 2.77, respectively, have been evaluated at the desired level and below the desired level, and the relations between the components of empowerment and creative tourism have been evaluated. Ali fitted with favorable indices (RMSEA = 0.079). According to the research findings, the promotion of education and awareness components, skills and development of human resources, finance and investment, competence and individual independence, and institutionalism and organization are effective in the development of creative tourism indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategies for diversifying one's source of income are crucial for the development of rural households' rain-fed agricultural economies in developing nations like Bhutan. Participating in off-farm and non-farm activities supports households in tackling a variety of difficulties, such as drought. Nonetheless, little study has been done on determining the factors that affect households’ decisions about livelihood choices in the Bhutanese context. Therefore, this study aims to examine the factors influencing rural households’ decisions to diversify their livelihood diversification strategies in western Bhutan. A multi-stage stratified random sampling method was employed to select 384 rural household heads as the study area's sample. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires from sampled households. The factors affecting rural household heads' decision to select livelihood strategies were determined using a multivariate Probit Regression Model. The model's result showed that, while on-farm livelihood strategy was negatively and significantly correlated with distance to market, it had a strong correlation with male-headed households and land holdings. The non-farm livelihood strategy was demonstrated to be significantly and positively affected by the total income, education level, and dependency ratio; whereas, the gender of the household head had a negative and significant impact. Landholding had a negative and significant impact on off-farm livelihood strategy, while the gender of the household head had a positive and significant effect. Therefore, the study recommends policies and initiatives aimed at enhancing rural livelihood should prioritize expanding rural infrastructures, enhance smallholder households’ sustainable livelihood ability, and help to participate in income-generating activities in different ways.

Introduction: Eradicating poverty is the primary objective of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While China has achieved great success in achieving poverty reduction targets, reducing the poverty vulnerability of rural households is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of poverty reduction gains. The purpose of land transfer is to ensure the continuous increase of farmers' income through efficient land use; it has become an important initiative for poverty alleviation in rural areas. Existing studies have confirmed the positive effect of land transfer on poverty alleviation, but few have explored the difference in the impact of land transfer on poverty vulnerability of households with different income structures. Methods: Using data from the China Family Panel Survey (CFPS) from 2010 to 2020, this paper empirically examines the impact of land transfer on poverty vulnerability. Results and discussion: The results show that land transfer has a significant positive impact on poverty vulnerability alleviation among rural households. Further comparing households with different livelihood structures, we find that land transfer is more effective in reducing poverty for non-farm employment-oriented household. Therefore, we suggest that the government should improve the land transfer system, increase agricultural subsidies, and consider the occupational differentiation among farmers to improve the poverty reduction effect of land transfer. These suggestions also provide a reference for promoting sustainable agricultural development and consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world experienced an unprecedented health shock (COVID-19) which caught everyone by surprise, and destabilized many sectors, especially the agri-food sector. This unpleasant situation caused upset in the food production and distribution chain, and continues to threaten the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 2 which underscores zero hunger in society. Many people in South Africa were disproportionately affected with severe consequences on their livelihood activities, food security status, health status, and general welfare conditions; and as a result, social relief intervention was put in place or expanded. This study examined the factors influencing rural households’ food security status among the recipients of social relief grants in rural areas of South Africa. The study used a secondary dataset from Wave 5 of National Income Dynamics Study - Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM). The research applied descriptive statistics to describe the respondents’ socio-economic characteristics, and pattern of income flow. Food Insecurity Access Scale was employed to investigate the respondents’ food security status, while multinomial logistic regression was used to explore the determinants of food security. The results showed that the majority of the respondents were black (99%), female-headed (54.15%), dwelling in flats (74.01%), with secondary education (88.6%), and heavily dependent on government grants (58.61%). Also, most households were food secure (71.69%) during the pandemic. Moreover, households headed by men were more food secure (62.84%) compared to the ones headed by the female counterparts (37.08). Multinomial regression estimates revealed that formal education (p<0.1), employment status (p<0.05), dwelling type (p<0.01), as well as household size (p<0.01) significantly determined rural households’ food security status. The study concluded that social relief grants significantly reduced the food insecurity situation among the rural households in South Africa, and recommended that the government should ensure the continuation of the social relief of distress grant to the vulnerable people who are mostly domiciled in the rural areas, especially women who are disproportionately affected by these health shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroforestry practices play a vital role in improving rural income and livelihoods, yet quantifying their contributions in Ethiopia remains limited. This study investigated the contribution of agroforestry practices to rural income and livelihoods, along with factors influencing income derived from these practices. A two-stage sampling method was employed to select 160 rural households engaged in home garden and woodlot agroforestry practices. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. Descriptive statistics, content analysis, generalized linear model, Mann–Whitney U test, and financial analysis tools were used to analyze and interpret the data. The results demonstrated that agroforestry practices provide numerous benefits to rural households, including fuelwood, charcoal, poles, construction materials, fodder, perennial crops, food crops, and fruits for both consumption and income generation. Agroforestry practices significantly increased farm income, contributing 18.2% of the total household income. This income significantly supported annual household expenditures across various livelihood capitals. Income from woodlots was significantly higher than that from home gardens, while home gardens showed a better overall capability to improve livelihoods. Household size, agroforestry size, gender, crop income, access to seedlings, and farm elevation positively and significantly (p < 0.05) impacted agroforestry income. Overall, agroforestry practices significantly contribute to annual income and improve the human, social, natural, physical, and financial capital of rural households in the Tarmaber district. Policymakers and practitioners should consider the socioeconomic, ecological, and institutional factors influencing agroforestry income when developing policies and strategies to improve rural income and livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the role of creativity in the world economy and the development process of countries has been assessed as so important and key that creativity has played a significant role in the economic growth and development of the world. On the other hand, the capability of human resources has been able to establish the sustainability of this creativity for different levels of a country. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to analyze the influence of capable households on the formation of creative villages. The purpose of the research is applied, and the research method is descriptive-analytical. Data and information were collected in both documentary and field form (questionnaire) in 5 dimensions of village households' capabilities (effectiveness, meaningfulness, competence, trust and right to choose). The statistical population of the research included heads of households in the villages of Roshtkhar Township, which was calculated based on Cochran's formula, and the sample size of 377 households was calculated and distributed randomly. To analyze the data of the methods, the network analysis model (ANP) and statistical analysis, spatial analysis and Super Decisions, GIS, SPSS software have been used. The realization findings show that the indicators of creativity of households (0.9725), job importance (0.9177), personality of households (0.8847) have the highest weight. Therefore, the fitted model is suitable for conducting the research, which shows a linear and direct relationship between the development of the formation of creative villages and capable rural households in the study area. Rural areas in the villages of Roshtkhar Township can be mentioned to provide financial needs from the managers of relevant government and private institutions. In this regard, considering the trend of globalization of villages, it is suggested that the low level of education among households can be a red light for rural planners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the determinants of transition in economic growth among inclusive growth (IG) and non-inclusive growth (NIG) in farming households in Nigeria using secondary data from General Household Surveys for 2010, 2013 and 2016. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) and Markov chain. The result shows that mean age of the rural households were 41.8, 43.7, and 46.9 years for 2010, 2013 and 2016 respectively. Majority (65.0%, 65.4% and 65.5%) were male while 64.3%, 63.1% and 63.4% were married in 2010, 2013 and 2016 respectively. Markov probability transition matrix revealed that rural households (29.9%) remained in NIG in both periods 2010-2013 and 2013-2016 while 70.1% with NIG in period 2010-2013 moved out in 2013-2016. Rural households (46.6%) that are inclusive in period 2010-2013 transitioned into NIG in period 2013-2016. In the long run, rural households (40.2%) remained in NIG while 59.8% exited. It was concluded that with equitable resources, rural households have the probability to be inclusive and reduced non-inclusive growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main challenges facing human society is to achieve food sovereignty while conserving natural resources. This study took place in the territory REGAC to understand the dynamics related to Food Sovereignty around Yucatan in Natural Protected Areas (NPAs). The objective was to measure the state of food sovereignty in the REGAC region and in each municipality inside the territory through the radar chart methodology, which is assessed with the following dimensions: 1) access to resources, 2) social capital, 3) transformation and commercialization, and 4) food consumption. Results indicate that access to resources dimension is an unstable state, while social capital and food consumption are in a critical state; however, the most concerning dimension is transformation and commercialization, which is approaching collapse. Finally, the overall state of Food Sovereignty in the REGAC is critical. These findings are consistent with the absence of a management plan, which, if implemented, could incorporate necessary components to enhance food sovereignty, as suggested in the discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores energy poverty and its distribution among households in the Upper Blinkwater community, a typical remote South African community. Its selection was based on being the first identified to benefit from the pilot project implementing a decentralized hybrid mini-grid. We utilize the Foster–Greer–Thorbecke technique, which identifies households below the energy poverty line, measures the depth, and identifies those most vulnerable to energy poverty. A total of 53 households were interviewed by means of a questionnaire. The findings indicate a reliance on diverse energy sources such as wood for heating and LPG for cooking, which has enhanced community resilience and control over energy consumption, with greater proportions not affected by energy poverty. However, about 38% still experience energy poverty. The findings show that energy poverty is unevenly distributed within the community. Older individuals tend to have greater energy security, likely due to the stability provided by social grants. In contrast, female-headed households and lower-income families face the most significant challenges. The study concludes that there are substantial gender disparities and that lower-income households are particularly vulnerable to energy poverty. Therefore, we recommend gender-sensitive interventions to reduce the financial burdens on these vulnerable households, thereby improving their energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smallholder agriculture plays a crucial role in achieving food security, particularly at the household level. However, fallow fields are progressively increasing in former homelands of South Africa. While substantial efforts have been devoted towards addressing food insecurity, access to arable land has not translated to sustainable crop production for smallholder farmers in former homelands of the country. This paper analyses household food security in the context of deagrarianization in two villages, Ambros (Eastern Cape) and Maramanzhi (Limpopo). Using a mixed-method approach, a total of 106 semi-structured questionnaires were administered through face-to-face interviews with household heads. Descriptive statistics were analysed using the IBM SPSS Statistics 27.0 computer program. Meanwhile, qualitative data was coded and content analysis was conducted on NVivo 12 software. The key findings revealed that the primary household income in the study area was earned from social grants. Furthermore, home gardens, with an average size of 4100m2 in Ambros and 4400m2 in Maramanzhi village, played a crucial role in supporting household crop production. However, food insecurity threatened the sustainability of rural livelihoods because the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) indicator highlighted that a majority of 54% of households in Ambros and 69% in Maramanzhi were mildly food insecure. Food insecurity challenges varied between the two villages but these were mainly perpetuated by food shortages caused by insufficient monthly income and waning household crop production. Although acquiring food was rated as a very important reason for cultivating in both villages, deagrarianization eroded opportunities for increased crop production. Among other solutions, this study recommends that the government improve the delivery of basic services such as water to promote household crop production and the revitalization of fallow fields. These transformations can potentially enhance food security, income and employment opportunities for rural households, contributing to the sustainability of rural livelihoods.

Access to adequate and nutritious food is accepted as a human right worldwide. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kasai Oriental province is one of the most vulnerable provinces in the country in terms of food insecurity. However, its current depth of food insecurity and the root factors have not been studied. Against this background, this study used cross-sectional data from 318 households to analyze the magnitude and socioeconomic drivers of food insecurity among rural households in the province. We developed two food security indicators: the food consumption score (FCS) and household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS), and applied the ordinary least square (OLS) and the negative binomial model for the analysis. Our findings show that households rely mainly on vegetables to meet their food need, consume more energy, and have limited access to protein, vitamin, and fat-rich foods. All the surveyed households were deficient in food quantity, while 75 % were deficient in quality. The study noted that the severity of food insecurity is zone-specific and more pronounced in the Kabeya Kamwanga territory than in others. Importantly, the poverty and education levels among households associated with large household sizes were the significant determinants of food insecurity in the area. These results strongly demonstrate the need for agrifood interventions that foster education, enable efficient land use, and target poor households in the province.

Climate change has increased the intensity of floods, posing threats to communities worldwide. The extent to which households can utilise various coping strategies will help to improve their resilience. This study ascertained utilisation of coping strategies by flood victims in rural households of Benue state, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 130 respondents. Data collected through structured interview schedule were analysed using percentages, means and chi-square. Results show that there has been frequent occurrence of flooding in the past five years. A higher percentage (80.8%) indicated a negative effect of flooding. Provision of boat to ease movement (89.2%), free infrastructure assistance like IDPs camp (85.4%) and early warnings (83.8%) were interventions provided to cushion the effects of flooding. Moving valuable items, praying to God (99.2%), engaging in new income-generating activities (90.8%) and taking relief from organisations (90.0%) were the most utilised coping strategies. Most (75.4%) respondents had high utilisation of coping strategies. A significant relationship existed between superstitious belief (?2=4.317, p=0.038) and utilisation of coping strategies. The study concluded high utilisation of coping strategies against flooding by the flood victims. Prompt sensitisations from meteorological stations will help reduce the negative impact of flooding on households.

From the perspective of rural household income, this paper discusses the relationship between the proportion of land transfer proceeds for rural development and the debt risk of rural households and carries out the empirical testing by using a two-way fixed-effects model based on the data from the Chinese Household Finance Survey (CHFS) and the data matching the prefecture-level city data. The study suggests that the debt risk of rural households can be inhibited significantly in case of an increase in the proportion of proceeds from land transfer supporting rural development, and there is a “U”-shaped relationship between the proportion and the risk, which indicates that the proportion should be controlled reasonably to maximum the use efficiency of land transfer fund, and according to the system analysis, the increase in the proportion can enhance the debt-repayment ability of the rural households and reduce their debt risk by increasing their transfer income and agriculture income. Moreover, thus, this paper is of great importance for resolving the debt risk of rural households, consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation, preventing large-scale relapse into poverty, and promoting rural revitalization.

Abstract Access to reliable and affordable energy is crucial for women to carry out household duties efficiently, including cooking and cleaning. However, many women in developing countries still lack access to modern energy sources, which strains their time, health, and overall well-being. This study investigates the relationship between women’s economic empowerment and energy choices among rural households in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples region of Ethiopia. Utilizing a multi-stage cluster sampling design, 569 households were selected from six randomly chosen woredas (districts). Employing a multinomial model, the research explores factors influencing energy source selection. The findings reveal that a majority of households rely on traditional energy sources, with a positive correlation observed between women’s economic empowerment, as measured by the CWEEI, and the adoption of modern energy sources. Additionally, household size and income significantly predict energy source choices. This study underscores the pivotal role of women’s economic empowerment in promoting cleaner energy use in rural settings. Policymakers and program implementers are urged to consider household size and income levels when formulating effective energy programs and interventions.

Agriculture plays a key role in nutrition security by enabling farm households to access micronutrient-rich foods through their income. This study evaluated the impact of crop diversity on nutrition security among rural households in Sinana Woreda, Oromia Region. Using multi-level and random sampling, data were collected through structured questionnaires, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. Anthropometric measurements were taken for children in the study. The analysis employed Pearson Correlation coefficients, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression to assess the relationship between crop diversification and child nutrition. Findings indicated that greater crop diversity improved child diets and reduced malnutrition rates stunting (23.81%), underweight (21.16%), and wasting (9.52%). Crop diversification was negatively correlated with stunting and underweight while positively correlating with wasting and dietary diversity scores. Factors influencing child nutrition included household head age, parental education, farmland size, livestock units, water availability, child sex, sanitation access, income, and health services. The study suggests that promoting crop diversification can enhance nutrition security, emphasizing the need for policies that consider economic and agro-ecological contexts.

There is little debate about the relationship between rising fertility and declining income. Rapid population growth can have serious implications for people’s standard of living—their incomes, savings, health, education, and general well-being. Thus, the objective of this study is to analyze the impacts of household sizes on rural farm households’ savings, consumption spending, and financial capacity to cover the expenses of children’s education and the health of household members. 346 rural farm household heads took part in the study, which used a multistage sample technique. Along with the survey results, six focus group discussions, 27 key informant interviews, and personal observations were done. The outcomes showed that the savings-to-income ratios of rural households decreased with increasing household size, whereas consumption-to-income ratios increased due to a portion of the income that was not saved being spent on supporting the consumption demands of the additional household member. The MANOVA post hoc analysis also revealed that the large household size group’s average yearly savings were significantly lower than the small household size group, whereas consumption expenses grew with increasing household size. Furthermore, ordinal logistic regressions show that increasing household size without increasing income diminishes rural farm households’ existing financial capacity to afford the expenditures of their children’s education and healthcare for household members. Thus, it is preferable to advocate that rural households have access to quality reproductive health-care services, like safe and effective family planning alternatives, and that households strive to diversify their income sources to promote savings.

Introduction: Food and nutrition are the most vital needs of human society and its provision lies in the category of food security. The concept of food security is very broad and is determined by the interaction of a range of biological, economic, social, agricultural, and physical factors. The purpose of this study is to investigate the social factors affecting food security among rural households. Methods: This is quantitative research conducted by survey method. The statistical population included 384 rural households in Shiraz County that were selected by stratified random sampling. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and LISREL software. Results and discussion: Results indicated that the values of combined reliability calculated for all three variables studied were >0.7, which implies that research tools have good reliability and validity. The results of structural analysis of social capital and social health variables with food security using confirmatory factor analysis techniques and structural equations showed social capital variable affects food security directly and social health variable has an indirect effect. According to the value of fitness indicators obtained; it was found that the structural equation model of the research variables had a suitable and acceptable fit and the general structure of the research was approved. Hence, the components used in the research were able to estimate food security. Accordingly, by improving the level of social capital and social health, promotion of food security in communities, would be expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background-How to steadily increase the income of low-income rural households and narrow the income gap of rural households through ecological protection and restoration projects is related to the sustainable development of ecological protection and restoration projects. It is necessary to analyze the impact of the project of returning farmland to forest on the income gap of rural households from a new perspective of the income increase and common prosperity effect of ecological projects, so as to provide a basis for the income increase effect of ecological protection and restoration projects and promote common prosperity. (2) Methods-This paper first proposed the research hypotheses based on the literature review and theoretical analysis. Then, based on the large-scale micro-sample data of 3 231 sample rural households from 25 provinces in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) Database from 2011 to 2020, Using the Recentered Influence Function ( RIF) model, this paper analyzed the impact of the project of returning farmland to forests on the income gap of rural households and its multi-dimensional heterogeneity characteristics. (3) Results-First, the project of returning farmland to forests has significantly increased the rural households ' income and narrowed the income gap between the rural households. The Gini coefficient decreased by 3.078 for every l% increase in the subsidy for returning farmland to forests. After replacing the explained and explanatory variables, the Gini coefficient remains stable. Second, the income gap of the rural households who returned farmland to forests was smaller than that of the rural households who did not return farmland to forests, and their income quantile range and Gini coefficient were significantly lower than those who did not return farmland to forests. Third, the effect of the project of returning farmland to forests on narrowing the income gap of the rural households who continuously returned farmland to forests was greater than that of the rural households who did not continuously return farmland to forests. Fourth, the impact of the project of returning farmland to forests on the farmers with lower education was more obvious than that of the farmers with higher education. (4) Conclusions and Discussions-First, pay attention to the effect of the subsidy for returning farmland to forests to increase the rural households' income, give full play to the social security role of the subsidy (or returning farmland to forests, and appropriately raise the subsidy standards. Second, increase the attention and support for the low-income rural households, the rural households who returned farmland to forests on a larger scale and other groups with weak income growth, promote the development assistance and public policies, and further improve the relevant policies of the project of returning farmland to forests. Third, appropriately extend the subsidy period, while combining the local natural ecological conditions and resource factors endowment, encourage the farmers to plant economic forests. Fourth, implement the distribution policy of subsidies for returning farmland to forests in a targeted manner, and strengthen the agricultural technology training and employment guidance for the farmers with low education levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In the era of networking and information technology, ongoing advancement of the new business pattern "Internet+ " has enabled the Internet to permeate all facets of rural residents' production and life, with profound effects on their daily choices. Can the Internet continue to help people get out of poverty by making rural households less poor? To test the consequences of the Internet usage on farming people's relative poverty as well as its internal mechanisms of action, we use data from the China Family Panel Studies in 2016 and 2018, employing the model of probit as well as the mediation impact theories. The results are as follows: (1) In terms of comparison to farmers who refrain from using the Internet, farmers who do use the Internet have lower levels of objective and subjective relative poverty. Regarding the marginal effects, each extra Internet use metric, a farmer's likelihood of falling into objective and subjective relative poverty is reduced by 3.84% and 2.67%, respectively. (2) Farmers' use of the Internet concerning their business activities has the most prominent effect on their relative poverty alleviation. (3) The poverty alleviation effect of the Internet varies by region, gender, and age. (4) Human capital, social capital, and non-agricultural employment help alleviate the relative poverty of farm households using the Internet. According to these results, the Communist Party of China may be able to minimize relative rural poverty by strongly investing in information infrastructure, offering online training for residents, and stimulating rural human capital. Those findings convey indispensable theoretical suggestions and pragmatic support for generating an everlasting mechanism to lessen relative poverty and accomplish the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Ethiopia, domestic animals and their feces are not properly contained. However, the risk of exposure to zoonotic pathogens is not well documented. This study was conducted to assess animal handling practices and the risk of childhood diarrhea among rural households in northwest Ethiopia. Methods: This study was done among 403 randomly selected households. Information on animal handling was collected using a questionnaire and spot-check observation. The occurrence of childhood diarrhea in 14 days prior to the survey was assessed based on the reports of female head of households. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the association between animal handling practices and childhood diarrhea. Results: All the female head of households had contact with animal feces when preparing fuel disks and plastering the house components with animal dung. Domestic animals shared a corral within the living space of the humans in 20% of the households. Animals entered the human living quarters and accessed foods in 32% of the households. Moreover, 24% of the children aged 24 to 59 months had diarrhea in a 2-week period prior to the survey. Childhood diarrhea was associated with domestic animals sharing the same house as humans (AOR: 3.3, 95% CI: 1.3, 8.6), presence of animal excreta in child playing areas (AOR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.2, 4.6), contact of domestic animals with stored foods (AOR: 3.5, 95% CI: 2.0, 5.9), trapped dirt under fingernails of female heads (AOR: 3.7, 95% CI: 1.9, 7.5), open defecation (AOR: 3.24, 95% CI: 1.8, 5.9), and unprotected sources (AOR: 4.2, 95% CI: 1.1, 15.3). Conclusion: Domestic animals and their excreta are not hygienically contained in the area. Animal handling practices including their excreta and the hygiene behavior of female head of households (eg, handwashing and food handling practices) should be improved to prevent childhood diarrhea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) farming is practiced at subsistence level in Nigeria for supplying animal protein to rural households in spite of its huge commercial potential in terms of income. The economic viability of guinea fowl farming among the rural dwellers in the Oba Hills Forest Reserve, the Osun State, Nigeria, was investigated. A structured interview schedule was used to obtain data from 120 sampled respondents from selected communities in the forest reserve's perimeter zone. Descriptive statistics, frequencies, means, and percentages were used to analyse the data. The results of the descriptive analysis revealed that the vast majority of the respondents were middle-aged, married male Muslims with large household sizes. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the domesticated birds were kept in a free-range system, with small flock sizes, with no supplementary feeding, and veterinary care. The budgetary analysis reveals that guinea fowl farming is a profitable venture in the study area with a benefit-cost ratio of 1.78. The regression analysis results reveal that the costs of feeding and labour significantly influence the gross margin. The study concluded that, despite the fact that guinea fowl farming has an enormous economic returns potential in the study area, the rearing of the birds remains quite low. It is thus recommended that the farming households should receive a livestock extension education in order to improve their gross margin from guinea fowl farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The information required for the research was collected using a survey and a questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling approach using SPSS and Amos software. The statistical population of this study consisted of rural households in four rural areas of Baghmalek County of Khuzestan province (N = 3005) households based on the Krejcie and Morgan table, and the sample size of 340 households was selected. Sample individuals were studied using a stratified sampling method with proportional assignment. The results obtained from the model of structural equations of path analysis also showed that the structures of perceived reaction effectiveness, perceived self-efficacy, ethical norm, information, and knowledge and habit have a positive, direct, and significant effect on the behavioral desire of rural households to protect water. Finally, the developed theory of conservation motivation can predict 54% of the variable changes in the behavioral tendency of rural households towards water conservation. The results showed that the theory used was efficient in this field. Therefore, water policymakers need to know that psychological factors are part of sustainable behavior. Using incentives and restrictions cannot help promote safe behavior in the environment unless people are psychologically prepared for a behavior. In this regard, it is recommended that local institutions and government organizations support the protection of natural resources, especially water, by holding training classes, workshops, and seminars. The concern of water protection and the need to pay attention to it have also been created in the audience's minds, as well as people's participation and increased willingness to protect water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to reliable and affordable energy is crucial for women to carry out household duties efficiently, including cooking and cleaning. However, many women in developing countries still lack access to modern energy sources, which strains their time, health, and overall well-being. This study investigates the relationship between women's economic empowerment and energy choices among rural households in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples region of Ethiopia. Utilizing a multi-stage cluster sampling design, 569 households were selected from six randomly chosen woredas (districts). Employing a multinomial model, the research explores factors influencing energy source selection. The findings reveal that a majority of households rely on traditional energy sources, with a positive correlation observed between women's economic empowerment, as measured by the CWEEI, and the adoption of modern energy sources. Additionally, household size and income significantly predict energy source choices. This study underscores the pivotal role of women's economic empowerment in promoting cleaner energy use in rural settings. Policymakers and program implementers are urged to consider household size and income levels when formulating effective energy programs and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effect of market-oriented farmland transfer on farmers' utilization of outsourced machinery services (OMS), using data from the China Land Economic Survey (CLES) comprising 1,286 renting-in rural households. We utilize the two-stage least square (2SLS) and seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) model to address the endogeneity issue. The results show that market-oriented farmland transfer increases farmers' OMS adoption, intensity, and cost, and the influence is channeled by reshaping the transaction characteristics related to uncertainty, asset specificity, and transaction frequency of OMS. Further analysis reveals that technology demonstration and machinery purchase subsidies negatively moderate the relationship between market-oriented farmland transfer and OMS. Among farmers with different farm sizes and production tasks, market-oriented farmland transfer significantly increases OMS for smallholder farmers and labor-intensive production tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on greywater reuse in water stressed areas is in full swing. However, the perception of greywater reuse is one of the least researched areas in West Africa, particularly in Sahelian countries. This study aimed to fills a significant gap in the existing literature, which has largely ignored the specific socio-demographic contexts of developing countries in the Sahelian regions. The study involved in-depth interviews with 240 rural households and the collection of 40 greywater samples in four locations for laboratory analysis. The survey focused on greywater management and household perceptions of greywater reuse in agriculture. The analyses focused on determining the physico-chemical and microbiological parameters of greywater collected from households. The results showed that over 80 % of households discharged greywater into the natural environment without prior treatment. The majority of respondents were aware that poor greywater management poses a health risk. The results also showed an association between locality, gender, education level and perceptions of poor grey water management. Respondents were willing to accept the reuse of greywater in agriculture, to consume irrigated vegetables and to install a greywater treatment system. The quality analysis showed that the greywater was not in compliance with the legal discharge limits. This study highlights that in order to promote sustainable greywater management practices within households, it is important to design effective greywater treatment systems that meet the needs of the target population. Awareness campaigns, education and training programmes on wastewater management could also be established.

This study evaluated the determinants of transition in economic growth among inclusive growth (IG) and non-inclusive growth (NIG) in farming households in Nigeria using secondary data from General Household Surveys for 2010, 2013 and 2016. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) and Markov chain. The result shows that mean age of the rural households were 41.8, 43.7, and 46.9 years for 2010, 2013 and 2016 respectively. Majority (65.0%, 65.4% and 65.5%) were male while 64.3%, 63.1% and 63.4% were married in 2010, 2013 and 2016 respectively. Markov probability transition matrix revealed that rural households (29.9%) remained in NIG in both periods 2010–2013 and 2013–2016 while 70.1% with NIG in period 2010–2013 moved out in 2013–2016. Rural households (46.6%) that are inclusive in period 2010–2013 transitioned into NIG in period 2013–2016. In the long run, rural households (40.2%) remained in NIG while 59.8% exited. It was concluded that with equitable resources, rural households have the probability to be inclusive and reduced non-inclusive growth.

The provision of a wide range of financing choices enhances farmers' ability to respond to changing circumstances in their agricultural activities and maintain optimal levels of production. However, several household- and farm-level determinants impact the availability of, and demand for, agricultural credit in rural households. Therefore, the current study explores the determinants of demand for, and supply of, agricultural credit. To do so, data at the farm level were gathered using interviews with a randomly selected sample of 360 respondents in the Mymensingh region of Bangladesh. Additionally, 30 years' worth of secondary data were obtained from various sources to investigate the determinants of agricultural credit supply. Data were analyzed using binary logistics and multiple linear regression. Findings reveal that farmers’ demand for agricultural credit is positively influenced by farming experience and farm size. Factors that significanly discourage farmers from taking credit include (a) an increase in income-generating family members, (b) perceived high interest rates of credit, and (c) negative perceptions regarding the application procedure. Factors that increase agricultural credit supply are (a) an increase in credit supply targets and (b) increased severity of natural disasters. In addition, an increase in non-performing loans does not hinder agricultural credit supply as the Bangladeshi government has placed special emphasis on protecting farmers from crop failures and other adverse situations in order to achieve food self-sufficiency in the country.

Rural households live on income much lower than the national average and experience income inequality much higher than the general population. This excess inequality is primarily due to the internal heterogeneity caused by the different nature of household income sources. The purpose of the study was then to assess the level of rural household income inequality and to decompose the inequality index by the main sources of income. The chosen inequality index was Theil-T. The research drew on unidentifiable microdata from the Household Budget Survey conducted by the CSO in 2019-2021.The study found that rural household inequality was slightly higher than that of all Polish households over the analyzed period. Among the various income-source groups, the highest inequality affected farmer households. This group also contributed most to the overall level of inequality in rural areas (44% in 2019 and over 46% in 2021). The pandemic saw an increase in inequality for all identified groups of rural households (the largest – for farmer households) and a decrease in between-group inequality.

For the past couple of decades, food insecurity has become a major global phenomenon, which makes zero hunger the second Sustainable Development Goal. Nevertheless, COVID-19 has set in and posed a serious threat to the food system. Thus, there is a need to assess its effect on food security. This study, therefore, examined the effects of COVID-19 on the food security of rural farming households in Enugu State, Nigeria. Data collected from 120 households were analysed using descriptive statistics, the food security index, and logistic regression. The results revealed that the majority (64.5%) of the households with a shortfall index of 0.313 were food insecure, while only 35.5% were food secure with a surplus index of 0.109. The average daily equivalent calorie consumption of adults in food insecure and food secure households was 1552.52 and 2506.88 kcal, respectively. Low food availability (p

Abstract Background Community-based health insurance programs are being acknowledged as effective strategies to attain universal health coverage and mitigate the financial catastrophic shock of the community. Even though Ethiopia has been focusing on the implementation and expansion of a community-based health insurance (CBHI) program since 2011, only a small number of people are enrolled, which might be attributed to a lack of willingness towards the program. The purpose of this study is to determine the willingness to pay for community-based health insurance and associated factors among households in the rural community of Gombora District, Hadiya Zone, southern Ethiopia. Methods Using the multistage systematic random sampling technique, a sample of 421 households was chosen for a community-based cross-sectional study. The desired information was gathered using a pre-tested, structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. The data was entered using Epi-Data V3.1 and exported to SPSS version 24.0 for statistical analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the variables associated with the willingness to pay for community-based health insurance. Results The study showed that 67.1% of respondents expressed a willingness to pay for community-based health insurance. The mean amount of money they are willing to pay for the scheme is 178.41 (± 57.21) Ethiopian Birr (ETB), or 6.43 (± 2.06) USD per household per annum in 2020. Based on multiple logistic regression analysis, belonging to Rich household compared to poor (AOR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.54, 5.03), having a household head who can read and write (AOR: 2.90, 95% CI: 1.39, 6.05), family size greater than five (AOR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.06, 2.92), indigenous community insurance (iddir) participation (AOR: 2.83, 95% CI: 1.61, 4.96), and the presence of chronic illness (AOR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.21, 3.12), were significantly associated with the willingness to pay for a CBHI scheme. Conclusion Households’ willingness to pay for a CBHI scheme was found to be significantly influenced by poor household wealth status, household heads who cannot read and write, households with less than or equal to five family members, households who participate in greater or equal to two indigenous community insurance participations, and the absence of chronic illness within the household. Therefore, factors affecting households’ willingness to pay should be considered and massive community mobilization needs to be done to strengthen and increase household membership during the implementation of the CBHI scheme, especially in rural areas.

This study investigates the demographic, social and economic factors as key determinants of green toilet adoption among rural households in India. The Rural Impact Survey data of the World Bank have been used for this study, covering 2731 rural households from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The chi-square test and regression analysis with marginal estimate have been used to analyze the data. Result of the analysis indicates that about 36.2 percent surveyed rural households have reported access to green toilets having proper effluent discharge systems as per the environmental norms. Further, there is a significant association between the adoption of green toilets and demographic, social and economic characteristics of rural households. Finally, the regression analysis indicates that a number of demographic, social and economic factors i.e., age, education, income, social category, access to information, access to drinking water, and asset ownership have a significant marginal effect on the adoption of green toilets in rural India. Considering the importance of ensuring total sanitation and commitment under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations for eradicating open defecation for all by 2030 in the country, the results of the study provide useful policy directions for enhancing the adoption of green toilets among the rural households in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the livelihood status and key influencing factors of rural households in the minority areas, we collected flat data from 284 rural households in 32 villages across 12 counties of Western Sichuan from 2021 to 2022. We conducted participatory household survey on the livelihood status of the rural households and try to identify the key factors to influence their livelihood vulnerability using multiple linear regression. The results showed that: the livelihood situation of the rural households is relatively vulnerable. The vulnerability varies significantly with the income levels, education levels, and income sources. The vulnerability of farm households, categorized from low to high livelihood types, follows the sequence: non-agricultural dominant households, non-agricultural households, agricultural dominant households, and pure agricultural households. The degree of damage to the natural environment, education costs, loan opportunities, the proportion of agricultural income to annual household income, and the presence of sick people in the household have significant positive effects on the livelihood vulnerability index (LVI) of rural households; while help from relatives and friends, net income per capita, household size, household education, agricultural land area, participation in industrial organizations, number of livestock, purchase of commercial houses, drinking water source, and self-supply of food have significant negative effects. Based on the findings, we believe that local rural households operate in a complex livelihood system and recommend continuous interventions targeting key influences to provide empirical research support for areas facing similar situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines patterns and trends in household food security in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, from 2010 to 2019. We use data from a household panel nested in the Agincourt Health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance System. Findings indicate that there have been improvements in household food security in this rural setting over the last decade. By polychoric principal component analysis, an aggregate food security index was constructed and we observed a small, yet important, proportion of households (7.8%) that remained chronically food insecure. An ordered probit model was used to estimate the determinants of food security. Findings reveal that the observed differences in household food security status are as a result of differences in socioeconomic status. We therefore recommend that focus must be placed on identifying economic opportunities and empowering the chronically food insecure households if universal household food security is to be attained in rural South Africa and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]