Livelihood Security Of Households Research Articles

A comparative analysis of livelihood security among fish and dairy farmers in Tripura, India

This comparative study in Tripura, conducted during 2021-2022, focuses on the livelihoodsecurity of tribal fish and dairy farming communities. Livelihood security encompassesessential aspects such as income, resources and basic needs like food, health, education,social integration and infrastructure. The study purposively selected West Tripura andKhowai districts based on their fish and milk production values. A sample of 160 farmers(80 fish farmers and 80 dairy farmers) were selected using stratified random sampling.Seven indicators were used to assess the livelihood security, and the Household LivelihoodSecurity Index was calculated based on the mean values of these indicators. The cumulativesquare root method categorised the respondents into low, medium, and high livelihoodsecurity levels. The findings indicated that fish farmers generally scored higher in foodsecurity, economic security, health security, infrastructural security and institutional security.While, dairy farmers had higher levels of educational and social security. Most fisheries anddairy farming had medium to high livelihood security. The study underscores the significanceof fisheries and dairy sectors in improving livelihoods and nutritional security among tribalcommunities in Tripura. Policymakers and stakeholders can use these findings to developtargeted interventions to enhance livelihood security for these communities. Keywords:Dairy farming, Fish farming, Livelihood security,Tripura

Watershed rehabilitation with forest gardens in Moneragala District, Sri Lanka

Forests in mountainous watersheds sustain water flows, providing a valuable lifeline in times of no rain. The clearance and destruction of forests, for plantations and modern chena cultivation, degrades watersheds, resulting in the loss of these ecosystem services, impoverishing people and diminishing watershed sustainability. The Neo Synthesis Research Centre (NSRC) has been involved in rehabilitating Sri Lankan watersheds for over 30 years, which has included implementing forest gardens (FGs) in Maragalakanda. The article describes the rehabilitation of one farmer's land (referred to as Rani), which resulted in increased household livelihood security, reversed forest loss, and sustained watershed health. The rehabilitation efforts followed a successional process, using regenerative agriculture, analog forestry, and conservation forestry. The landscape design divided Rani’s landholding into several land uses. In addition to the forest gardens which were modelled on the adjacent forest, there were paddy fields, chena and cash crop areas, and a buffer zone between the disturbed natural forest and the landholding. Comprised of 175 different species, the forest gardens provide various regulatory ecosystem services, and over half provide food, medicine, timber, firewood, ornamentals and biopesticides, which are either used for household consumption or sold to generate income. Monitoring and evaluation revealed positive impacts on biodiversity, soil fertility, and food and income security. By 2013, Rani's landholding had become a biodiversity corridor, attracting more birds and increasing her total income to USD 32 241, mainly thanks to her forest gardens. As a result, Rani achieved financial stability, enabling her to invest in and educate all five of her children, eliminating any need to clear forests for livelihood. Despite an average FG profit of USD 24 413, challenges of increased rainfall variability, animal pests, and rising costs of purchases stress her newfound livelihood. Nonetheless, watershed rehabilitation with forest gardens succeeded in reversing forest loss, restoring ecosystem services, and increasing livelihood security. To ensure more households benefit as Rani’s did, policymakers and planners must consider population growth and allocate new lands for expanding watershed populations while implementing laws to prevent forest destruction.

Livelihood strategies, baobab income and income inequality: Evidence from Kordofan and Blue Nile, Sudan

This paper analyses the relationship between livelihood strategies, baobab income, and income inequality in rural Sudan. Baobab is an emerging commercial crop with emerging specialised value chains in Kenya and Malawi. In Sudan, baobab traditionally has been used with limited research on evolving business opportunities and associated implications for rural development. The study utilizes survey data from 374 randomly sampled households from two states in Sudan (Kordofan and Blue Nile) and examines livelihood strategies, income inequalities and the role of baobab income for rural households. We use principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis to identify three household clusters in each region based on the income sources. In Kordofan, the identified strategies were ‘livestock and baobab-based’, ‘livestock and crop-based’, and ‘business-based’. In Blue Nile, they were ‘mixed’, ‘business-based’, and ‘crop-based’. The clusters exhibited variations in asset endowments and wealth, with differences in access to land, savings, credit, and technology. Households classified under the livestock-baobab strategy (Kordofan) and the mixed strategy (Blue Nile) had the highest degree of poverty, lowest per capita income, and baobab contributed 33% and 26% of total income, respectively, underscoring the importance of baobab income to the livelihood security of poorer households. To analyse inequality in distribution of income Gini coefficients are estimated for regions and livelihood strategy categories. Baobab income contributes to reducing income inequality: 10% increase in baobab income reduces inequality by 6.5% and 11% in Kordofan and Blue Niles, respectively, but shows also in Kordofan better off households generate higher incomes from baobab.

Sustainable intensification and food security: A panel data assessment of the smallholder maize farmers in Uganda

Food security is touted as an essential condition for social growth. Yet, the food deficit is rampant among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Besides, farm productivity is considered the theme for improving household food security outcomes. As one of the sub-Saharan African countries, Uganda is affected by food insecurity caused by the declining availability of cropped farmland. Sustainable intensification (SI) is a critical farming practice that enhances crop yield and reduces environmental degradation. However, there is scanty empirical evidence on if farming practices contributing to sustainable intensification can improve the household livelihood and food security. In this research, we used multinomial endogenous treatment effects and a balanced Uganda National Panel Survey to evaluate the impacts of SI technologies on maize farming households' livelihood and food security. We ranked households into four groups depending on the inputs and soil management practices they use on their maize farms, namely “non-adopters”, intensification group”, “sustainable group”, and “sustainable intensification group”. The multinomial endogenous treatment effect (METE) model's findings suggested using the SI cluster is associated with improved food consumption score, household dietary diversity score, and per capita expenditure using non-adopters as the baseline group. Further, these improvements are determined by combining maize-legume intercrop and inorganic fertilizer practices. The results indicate that experts and researchers should espouse multidimensional and all-inclusive technological evaluation methods instead of conservative reductionists methods that concentrate on a solo farming practice at a time. Also, the findings can guide the sustainable vector that highlights and strengthens all-inclusive agricultural growth with policymakers and scientists working with marginalized farmers.

The Coordinated Development of Ecosystem Services and Farming Household Livelihood Security: A Case Study of the Dongting Lake Area in China

Ecosystem services (ESs) are an important basis for maintaining farming household livelihood security and achieving the synergistic and efficient development of ecosystem services, and farming household livelihood security is important for maintaining sustainable development in the region. However, it is difficult to quantify the level of the coordinated development of ESs and farming household livelihood security in a region and their dynamic evolution. This study systematically analyzes the spatio-temporal evolution of the production-living-ecological space, ecosystem service values, and farming household livelihood security in the Dongting Lake from 2000 to 2020 based on land use data, as well as the level of coordinated development of ESs and livelihood security of farmers. The results indicate that more than 80% of the Dongting Lake area has a low level of coordinated development of ESs and farming household livelihood security at or below the level of imminent disorder, but it is on the rise, increasing by 6.32% in the past twenty years. This study can provide a reference for decision-making on the coordinated development of ecological environment and farmers’ livelihoods in the Dongting Lake area.

Determinants of rural-urban migration and its impact on migrant-sending households’ livelihood security in Gurage zone, Ethiopia

The study identified the variables that affect rural-urban migration and how it impacts the stability of household livelihood. Descriptive statistics, ivprobit regression, and the dose response function were all used to examine the data. Livestock holding, family size, access to information, number of cultivated fields, soil infertility, distance in kilometers to the nearest town, and distance in kilometers to the farmer training centers were the factors driving rural-urban migration. The impact of remittances on household livelihood security is positive and improved over time with relatively broad confidence ranges. It increased the livelihood security of migrant-sending households by 13.6% and the overall population by 10.99%. Higher levels of remittance had a greater impact on household livelihood security with a 40% local minimum dose. Stakeholders were given a list of policy issues and strategies for dealing with the underlying causes of rural-urban migration and maximize remittance gains.

Assessing Composite Livelihood Security and its Determinants Among Rural Households

The study was conducted during 2022 in Lucknow district of Uttar Pradesh to analyze the livelihood security of rural households. Data was collected from 515 households through personal interview method using kobo collect. Landless and marginal farmers were more food insecure in the region. Forty four % of the households were food insecure. Composite livelihood security index was constructed using six domain indicators viz., habitat, health, economic, food, nutrition and social participation security. The weight for each domain indicator was derived from principal component analysis. The composite livelihood security index was 0.44 among the respondents. The livelihood security was high for medium farmers (0.46) followed by small farmers (0.45). Farming experience, social participation, livestock possession, income, calorie intake, body mass index and wealth significantly influenced the livelihood security. Lack of awareness on pest and disease control and poor price realization were the major constraints faced by the farmers. Technological, institutional and policy interventions are necessary to enhance their livelihood status.

Analysis of Livelihood Security of Households: A Case Study from Rural Areas of Bundelkhand

Livelihood security is defined as securing the possession or access to income generating assets and activities, including reserves and assets, to the offsets. The study was conducted from 2018-19 to 2020-21 in Bundelkhand, which includes Uttar Pradesh (7 districts) and Madhya Pradesh (6 districts). Based on the broad literature assessment and discussion with experts, indicators were developed to measure dairy farmer livelihoods. Information was collected by personal interviews using a structured interview schedule. The survey found that the majority of smallholder farmers earn a low to moderate income. The average livelihood security index for marginal farmers was 0.55, and the average livelihood security index for middle-class farmers was 0.57. Education, land ownership, annual income, milk sales, and extension contacts had highly significant positive relationships with livelihood security.

Rural Land Sub-Division and its Impact on Maize Production: The Case of Kiminini Sub-County in Trans-Nzoia County

Globally, around three million hectares of agricultural land are lost each year to other land uses. This results in a huge decline in household food production and livelihood security. Maintaining rural land in optimally sized allotments is critical for sustainable food and livelihood security. Sustainable natural resource management and increased productivity of primary industries can also be assured by ensuring that economically viable land sizes are maintained. The literature reviewed indicates that there is limited information on land sub-division trends, their associated impacts on the settlement schemes, and development control measures in the rural area of the Kiminini sub-county. This study investigated the trend of rural land subdivisions in Kiminini sub-county from 1963 to 2018. It examined the causes of rural land subdivision, its impacts on household maize production and has proposed policy interventions to reduce rural land subdivision in Kiminini for food and livelihood security. A cross-sectional survey of 120 households was conducted. Focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and observations were also used to collect the data. The findings have revealed that household land size has decreased from the initial 30 acres to 1.5 acres leading to a reduction in maize production from the potential 600 (90 kgs) bags to 30 (90 kgs bags), a 95% reduction. The main causes of land sub-division are inheritance, for sale, population pressure, and poor implementation of policies. There is no land use plan for the sub-county to guide land use, and there are no guidelines to regulate development. The study recommends land use planning through the development of a local physical development plan, determination of a minimum land size for maize growing, e.g., 5 acres, agricultural land protection zoning, policy review of the land inheritance tradition, consolidation where it has been subdivided to un-economic units and promotion of alternative technology for sustainable agricultural practices

Cost effectiveness analysis of typhoid fever vaccination in an endemic district of Kabale, Uganda

Background: Typhoid fever is a preventable disease that affects the livelihood security of households and communities, accounting for a significant portion of the disease burden in Kabale district. Various preventive programs to control this burden such as curative services and vaccination are being implemented without empirical evidence of the effectiveness of either program in terms of costs and outcomes.Methodology: The study design is a mixed methods design in which for specific research objectives a cross-sectional survey was carried out in addition to a retrospective costing analysis. The outcome being a cost effectiveness evaluation of vaccination against typhoid with the comparator being no vaccination, expressed as the incremental cost effectiveness ratio. Results: Incidence rate of 39.8 per 1000, a case fatality rate of 0.061, and cost of illness of $75.62 for inpatient care and $33.85 for an outpatient case, with an average cost of illness of typhoid fever in Kabale district to be $54.74. In addition, typhoid fever costs Kabale district $217,158.8, of which $119,814.92 could be saved if a typhoid fever vaccination program is carried out, that will avert 2,189 cases of typhoid every year for three years. Vaccination results in 28,428.32 DALYs avoided. The resulting ICER of -6.348 reveals that the vaccination program against typhoid fever is both extremely cheaper and very effective in averting both typhoid cases and costs.Conclusions: a one-time fixed-post typhoid vaccination campaign in Kabale District, Uganda, was estimated to be a very highly cost-effective intervention from the public sector health care delivery perspective.

Sorghum as a household food and livelihood security crop under climate change in South Africa: A review

Extreme events, declining rainfall and increasing temperatures under climate change threaten smallholder households’ food and livelihoods security. The potential of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) to contribute to food security and livelihoods of smallholders in South Africa has not been realised, despite its resilience to heat and drought, due to its marginalisation in research, breeding, the scale of production, and policy support. Consequently, to reduce vulnerability and boost sorghum’s position as a key climate change adaptation crop, in this review we examined some biophysical, socio-economic, socio-cultural and institutional barriers that constrain its production and performance on smallholder farms in South Africa. We further suggest pertinent issues to be addressed to improve production and productivity on smallholder farms. Increasing awareness, policy development and support, and capacitation of extension services, as well as improving market access, agronomic and cultural practices, and availability of more locally adapted sorghum varieties are requisite factors in addressing the prevailing constraints limiting sorghum production. Furthermore, tailored and site-specific studies at farm and landscape level are imperative for informed management and decision support. Thus, an integrated and multidisciplinary approach is key in fostering significant improvement in sorghum production and performance in smallholder systems in South Africa to reduce climate change vulnerability. Significance: Sorghum has the potential to bolster food and livelihoods of smallholder farmers in South Africa. Socio-economic, socio-cultural and biophysical challenges limit sorghum production and performance in South Africa. An integrated and multidisciplinary approach is required to optimise the opportunities to improve sorghum production and performance in South Africa.

Livelihood Security and Perceived Prevalence of Illegal Activities Threatening Mountain Gorilla Conservation in East Africa’s Virunga Landscape

Illegal activities pose challenges to the conservation of mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) across the Virunga Landscape (VL). This paper investigates the relationship between household livelihood security (HLS) and the perceived prevalence of illegal activities across the VL. Results from a survey of 223 residents of areas adjacent to the VL in Uganda and Rwanda reveal varied links between human livelihoods and illegal activities threatening wildlife. For example, while poaching appears to be negatively associated with health and financial security among residents, it is positively associated with education security, indicating that education may be contributing to illegal activities threatening wildlife. Food security constraints were also found to be significantly associated with poaching. Finally, findings suggest that although HLS investments are essential in improving local community livelihoods, only food and financial security are the most effective means of reducing illegal activities in Virunga.

Gender and small-scale fisheries: Contribution to livelihood and local economies

Paramount comprehension of gender roles in fisheries is essential to value the often-concealed role that women play in fisheries and households. We examine the women’s contribution to household income and livelihood security using the qualitative data collected through random sampling from 58 fishers – 24 women and 34 men – in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh, India. Mann-Whitney U test and Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) was applied to check the significant difference between two groups – men and women – based on 24 variables under three categories namely socio-personal, socio-economic and socio-psychological. Results of these test revealed that age, annual income, and decision-making behavior were significantly (P < 0.05) higher for women compared to men. The eigen value 1.20 showed the percentage of variance; the proportion of discriminating ability were statistically significant (Wilks’s lambda =0.455, Chi-square = 35.09, P < 0.05) between men and women in a given function. Data of the present study shows that, there is disparity existing between the men and women respondents that could be addressed through suitable policy interventions. Further, the study calls for a gender wise quantification on the different roles played by men and women, because it has a profound implication for better fisheries management, livelihood and development policies

Exploring the Impact of Community Conservation Enterprises on Household Livelihoods Around Two Wildlife Areas in Sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT The community conservation enterprises (CCEs) approach is used for advancing integrated conservation and development goals in Sub-Saharan Africa. CCEs aim to enhance resident livelihoods and reduce dependency on park resources. However, the impacts of CCEs are rarely demonstrable. This exploratory study of residents living adjacent to the Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL) in Rwanda and Uganda helps to address this gap by examining the household livelihood strategy of CCEs among GVL residents. Face-to-face interviews with 571 residents were conducted to assess satisfaction with their household livelihood security (food, education, health, financial). Results indicated that investment in CCEs has led to significant improvements in the livelihoods of residents in Rwanda. However, residents of Uganda reported marginal improvements. This study demonstrates the potential of CCEs for improving food and financial security in areas where tourism growth is substantial. Implications of these findings are discussed.

The Contribution of Non-Wood Forest Products to Rural Livelihoods in Tunisia: The Case of Aleppo Pine

Research Highlights: Recently, there has been a growing interest in the contribution of Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs) to livelihoods and food security among local populations in Tunisia. NWFPs have gained special attention given the relevance of this forest heritage to alleviate poverty and improve household economies. Background and Objectives: This study focuses on determining the contribution of Aleppo pine production to local household livelihood and food security in Tunisia (Siliana province). The relevance of this region as a leading Tunisian Aleppo pine producer makes the analysis especially interesting. Materials and Methods: Data were obtained using structured surveys distributed among rural household heads during the collection season. A logistic regression as well as food security indicators were calculated to evaluate the contribution of NWFPs to household livelihood. Results: Empirical findings support evidence that there is a significant difference between the alternative sources of revenues. The collection of Aleppo pine was significantly affected by gender, attending extension days and agricultural training program, distance to market, household size and livestock activity. Conclusions: Aleppo pine plays an important role in supporting rural livelihoods and provides an important safety net for the local population throughout the year.

Male–female sensitivity in climate-induced income insecurity: some empirical evidence from farming households in Northern Cameroon

ABSTRACT African women's particular responsibilities in the family make them vulnerable to environmental change, exacerbated by the impacts of climate variability. In light of varying climatic conditions, this paper compares the exposure of female-headed and male-headed rural households to income risk induced by climate variation. Three hundred and twenty households and their farms are observed in the three Northern provinces of Cameroon. Most of them are livestock and crop farmers in a region characterised by high average daily temperatures, longer dry seasons, and shorter rainy seasons. The econometric assessment of incomes and market food expenditure (non-own farm-related expenses) indicates that increases in climate variability have an explicit impact on the expected farm and household incomes and expenditures on food, with significant implications for system's resilience and food security. Risk measured as variations in rainfall or temperature has an unexpected positive significant impact on incomes, with the impact more substantial in female-headed households. However, when the variations in rainfall and temperature double, households experience negative returns to income levels, indicating the insufficiency of the coping choices in cushioning the households against stronger shocks. This has significant consequences on household livelihood security.

Implications of COVID-19 related non-pharmaceutical measures on household livelihood and food security in Pakistan

PurposeCoronavirus disease 2019 COVID-19 is a health and humanitarian disaster threatening the livelihood and nutritional security of the people globally. This study examined the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic-related non-pharmaceutical measures on households' livelihood and food security in Pakistan.Design/methodology/approachData collected through an online survey from 712 households were analyzed through descriptive statistics, t-test, and binary logit model.FindingsMore than 71% of the total households asserted that COVID-19 had affected their livelihoods negatively. Results revealed that food insecurity among households had increased more than two folds during one year of the COVID-19 compared to the pre-pandemic period. Moreover, the number of households in food insecure and severely food insecure groups had also increased significantly during the pandemic. Increasing monthly income was negatively associated with the COVID-19 induced food security and livelihood shocks implying that households with lower monthly income were likely to suffer more from the COVID-19. Households having agriculture as their main source of livelihood were 35 percentage points less likely to suffer the negative effects of the pandemic compared to wage earners. Wage-earners were 29 percentage points more likely to suffer worsened food security than salaried persons during the COVID-19 period. A large proportion of the households were forced to change their nutritional patterns to negate the adverse consequence of the pandemic on their livelihood and food security.Research limitations/implicationsThe cross-sectional nature of the collected data does not allow developing a causal relationship between COVID-19 implications and the food security of the households.Originality/valueThe pandemic has affected every sphere of life in developing countries but there is no study to assist the policymakers that how to minimize the impacts of the COVID-19 on the food security of households. Therefore, the study will fill this gap in the literature and help policymakers in developing countries to develop strategies to lessen the impact of the pandemic on food security.

Livelihood Security of Small and Marginal Farm Households in Punjab

The present study was conducted to assess the livelihood security of farm households. The study was conducted in the rural areas of Fatehgarh Sahib and Ludhiana districts of Punjab. A total of 88 small and marginal farm households selected from eight villages of four blocks in selected districts were interviewed through a stratified random selection technique. The analyses of data showed that the number of nuclear families was almost double to joint families. Only 6.81 percent of the households had an income of more than five lakhs per annum. The majority of the households had medium to low levels of household livelihood security. The districts were characterized by a low level of educational and economic security. More than half of the households were in favour of a joint family system for better livelihood security. The study suggested that livelihood security could be improved by providing skill-based education in rural schools and off-farm employment opportunities.

Review on Determinant of Rural Livelihood Strategy and Household Food Security in Ethiopia

The livelihood of most people in Ethiopia depends on survival agriculture whose carrying capacity has reduced due to rapid population growth rate and farm size reduction. The main objective of this review is to identify the determinant of rural livelihood strategy and household food security in Ethiopia. Data was collected from different research papers that have to do with the determinant of rural livelihood strategy and household food security in Ethiopia. According to the review result disguised agricultural employment, inadequate access to fertile land, lack of access to farm input, markets, deterioration of natural resource base and incomplete credit among others, wage-earning opportunities, investing in children education, Age of the household head, distance from irrigation sources, social status, soil fertility status, education level, distance from DA office, Economical Active members, soil fertility status, soil conservation and transportation services, saving to invest, and availability of growth engines like private investments were the determinant of rural livelihood strategy and sex, ceremonial expense, dependency ratio, marital, land size, education, livestock and pesticide were the determinant of rural household food security in Ethiopia. In addition to these, the review is forward the concrete recommendation, which implies helping to improve rural household livelihood and household food security through basic policy implication and the participation of the rural household. Keywords: livelihood strategy, food security, Ethiopia DOI: 10.7176/JESD/12-9-02 Publication date: May 31 st 2021

Impact of livestock interventions and efficient management for higher income and livelihood security in Uttar Pradesh

Farmer FIRST project entitled “Integrated approaches for food, nutrition and livelihood security of rural households in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh” has been undertaken to enhance farmers’ income through adoption of integrated farming system. Under this project, after problem identification, suitable interventions were formulated and implemented in four villages of Fatehpur district to achieve sustainable economic development and increased nutritional security of the farm families. The data was collected from 215 farmers for different aspects of socioeconomic profile of the rural households in project area. The average age percentage of the young farmers was 20.93 compared to middle aged farmers of47.44 per cent who were involved in the livestock's farming. The large numbers 148 (68.83%) of small farmers were involved. The stall feeding + grazing was adopted by more than 53.02 per cent of the farmers in selected villages. The animals were fed average 5 kg of green fodder per animal per day in rabi and summer seasons, however, in Kharif quantity of greens was found to be the 20–22 kg. Dry fodder fed to the animals ranges between 4–10 kg per day and concentration was 1–1.5 kg per animal per day in different seasons. The average milk production is 05.00 liter per animal per day. Monthly income from goat milk was ₹843.95 which increased to ₹1,366.43. The price of goat milk was ₹50/L at the project villages. Annual income from milk was ₹3,375.80 which increased to ₹5,465.71. Thus, through integration of different intervention like livestock's and crop production in farming systems, it is possible to increase the farmers’ income through better utilization of crop residue, inter linkages, generating employment, utilization of animal by product in crop production.