Households In Rural Areas Research Articles

Pandemic-Led Challenges for Rural Students in Bangladesh

The COVID-19 pandemic had has a impact on education in Bangladesh, especially for rural areas students. This research was conducted in the South Bali Para village of Trishal Upazila in Mymensingh and focused to investigate the difficulties faced by rural students in terms of accessing and adjusting to online education during the pandemic. A sample of 300 students from primary to higher secondary levels was surveyed, and empirical research revealed that economic hardship and lack of access to online education were the primary concerns for rural students. This contrasts with urban students, who were primarily affected by mental health issues. According to the research findings, more than 60% of households in rural areas lacked internet access or smartphones, despite the fact that approximately 70% of primary, lower, and higher secondary students resided in these regions. Efforts to provide remote learning through methods such as television or multimedia classrooms in remote areas did not effectively support rural students in their online education during the pandemic. Therefore, the study highlights the socioeconomic challenges and costs of pandemic-led online education in rural Bangladesh, including the increased risk of dropouts and child marriages. The findings emphasize the urgent need for an inclusive and accessible strategy for remote learning that specifically addresses the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable students in Bangladesh.

PREVALENCE ET FACTEURS ASSOCIES AUX MUTILATIONS GENITALES FEMININES CHEZ LES ADOLESCENTES DE 10 à 19 ANS DANS LES COMMUNES DE GUEDIAWAYE, KOLDA ET KAOLACK (SENEGAL) EN 2021

introduction: Female genital mutilation is the partial or complete removal of a woman’s external genitalia without therapeutic indication. Nearly two million girls and women underwent female genital mutilation in Senegal in 2019. We thought it appropriate to study the factors associated with female genital mutilation among teenage girls.methodology :This research used a mixed method with a quantitative and a qualitative component. The quantitative component targeted adolescent girls aged 10 to 19 in the communes of Guédiawaye in the west of the country, Kaolack in the centre and Kolda in the south. It was a cross-sectional survey based on a stratified systematic random sample. Descriptive, bivariate with an alpha risk of 5% and multivariate analyses were performed. The qualitative component was based on a case study with a reasoned choice of targets of adolescent girls and their parents in application of the principle of diversification. results :The study included 940 teenage girls with an average age of 67 months. The majority lived in rural areas (70.2%) and belonged to the Al Poular ethnic group (38.7%). The proportion of participants who had been circumcised was 29.7%. The risk of circumcision was higher in male-headed households (ORa=1.61 [1.04- 2.50]), in rural areas (ORa=15.2 [8.69- 28.0]) of Al Poular origin (ORa=12.5 [8.33- 20.0]) and in households of wealth according to welfare quintile (ORa=8.41 [4.51-15.69]).Conclusion :The prevalence of female genital mutilation among adolescent girls in Senegal has been constant for over twenty years. Awareness-raising strategies targeting wealthy households in rural areas, headed by men and of Al Poular origin, will be necessary if social norms in favour of abandonment are to progress.

Livelihood Resilience of Small Fishers Households in Rural Areas, Indonesia

The concept of livelihood resilience provides a unique framework for examining the utilization of livelihood capital and resilience values of farming households in ensuring sustainable communities. This study was conducted in Muarareja Village, Tegal Barat Subdistrict, Tegal City, in January-March 2019 by assessing the utilization of five livelihood capitals and livelihood resilience actions of fisher households facing social, economic, and ecological pressures. Data were collected through surveys, observations, and structured interviews, supported by a literature review. Purposive stratified-accidental sampling was used to interview fishermen from every socioeconomic class. The sample was 40 small-scale fisher households divided into 35 lower-layer fisher households and five upper-layer fisher households. Data analysis was conducted descriptively with simple tabulation to describe the condition of the study area. The results showed that social capital is the main capital utilized by lower-layer fishermen. Meanwhile, physical and financial capital are mostly utilized by upper-layer fisher households. Genealogical relationships and territorial ties in the study location make social capital dominant. Self-organization is the highest resilience action by lower-layer fisher households by prioritizing the value of trust. Meanwhile, upper-layer fishermen households have a high resilience value in the capacity of learning action on the value of experimentation. Ownership of larger production capital makes it easier for upper-layer fishermen households to make many alternatives to continue fishing. Meanwhile, due to limited ownership and access to production capital, lower-layer fishing households prioritize the value of trust between neighbors and relatives as their social safety net.

Internet use and higher farmer participation in domestic waste sorting: micro-survey data from 2126 farming households in rural China

In the context of the digital economy, understanding the impact of digital participation on farmers’ environmental behavior is crucial for promoting environmental literacy and improving quality of life. This study focuses on the influence of internet use on domestic waste sorting among farm households in rural areas of eastern, central, and western China, based on data from a micro survey conducted in 2126 households. The study utilizes an ordered probability model to examine the impact of internet use on waste sorting behavior and explores any heterogeneity in this relationship. The results reveal that internet use significantly increases the likelihood of farmers participating in domestic waste sorting. This finding remains consistent even after conducting robustness tests. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that internet use reduces the probability of non-participation in waste separation by 14.9%, while increasing the proportion of waste sorting into two, three, and four categories by 3.86, 5.99, and 5.04%, respectively. In other words, farmers who use the internet are more likely to engage in proper waste separation practices. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the promotion of internet use facilitates information access for traditionally marginalized groups, such as women, older individuals, those with low income, and those with low education levels. Consequently, these groups are more likely to participate in household waste sorting. This study serves as an important reference for developing countries and regions that aim to enhance residential waste participation through internet use.

Concentration of livestock production in Ukraine

The article examines the concentration of production of the main types of animal husbandry products in Ukrainian farms. A comparative assessment of the concentration of meat production in slaughter weight, gross milk yield, and egg production by regions of Ukraine, taking into account the specific weight of agricultural enterprises and households in rural areas in the structure of production of livestock products, was carried out. Indices of the concentration of production of livestock products in Ukraine were determined, and an analysis of the grouping of enterprises by the number of livestock was carried out. According to the results of the study, it was established that livestock production in Ukraine is characterized by an uneven concentration of production and the number of productive animals. The most concentrated is the production of meat in slaughter weight and edible eggs, according to the CR10 index, which was 0.8 and 0.73, respectively. A relatively low concentration level is observed in dairy cattle breeding, where they traditionally dominate the structure of household production, but their share is constantly decreasing in contrast to agricultural enterprises. According to regional specifics, a high level of concentration of production of livestock products is characteristic of Kyiv, Poltava, and Cherkasy regions. Taking into account the analysis of the grouping of enterprises for the production of the main types of animal husbandry products in Ukraine, it was established that in the poultry industry, more than 85 % of all livestock belongs to the 23 largest enterprises. In dairy farming, about half of the produced products come from enterprises with an average annual herd of more than 500 cows, but small farms with an average number of up to 100 cows still predominate in quantity. The 65 largest complexes in pig farming account for more than 65 % of the pork produced. A relatively low concentration level is characterized by sheep and goat breeding, where the average number of animals in 80 % of farms does not exceed 300 heads.

Ecological Sanitation and Health Capital: Impact of the Adoption of ECOSAN Toilets on the Health Costs of Households in Rural Areas in West-Central Cote d’Ivoire

Ecological Sanitation and Health Capital: Impact of the Adoption of ECOSAN Toilets on the Health Costs of Households in Rural Areas in West-Central Cote d’Ivoire

The effect of urban-rural health insurance integration on consumption of middle-aged and older adult households in rural areas: evidence from China.

Rural consumption is crucial in promoting economic and social development in China's economic slowdown. Integrating urban-rural residents' health insurance has alleviated the financial burden of medical expenses for rural households and boosted rural household consumption. This study examines the effect of integrating urban-rural residents' health insurance on the consumption patterns of middle-aged and older adult households in rural China. Our research provides a reference basis for improving rural healthcare security and enhancing the sustainable consumption capacity in rural areas. We employed a Propensity Score Matching Difference-in-Differences model (PSM-DID) to estimate the association between health insurance integration and household consumption using panel data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) from 2013 to 2018. Furthermore, we employed a mediation model to analyze the influencing mechanisms. Our findings suggested a positive association between health insurance integration and survival consumption as well as total consumption among rural middle-aged and older adult households. The conclusion remained valid after endogeneity treatment, robustness and placebo tests. Furthermore, we found that the impact of health insurance integration is more pronounced for middle-aged, female, and high-income rural residents' households. Integrating urban-rural residents' health insurance raised consumption by reducing medical expenses and increasing health and life expectancy. Policymakers should deepen the rural medical and health system reform, improve the convenience of medical services for middle-aged and older adult families in rural areas, and improve the medical and life assistance mechanism for vulnerable groups in rural areas. Additionally, the local government should continuously broaden rural household income channels to promote upgrading consumption structure while improving overall consumption levels.

Estimation of Access to Safe Drinking Water to Households in Etawah District: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Unsafe drinking water causes diarrheal disease and environmental enteropathy. The quality of water is determined by its physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. Water sourceshave a significant impact on household members' health, particularly children. To combat this, India is committed to providing household tap connections to ensure the delivery of safe drinking water with the "Jal Jeevan Mission." This study aims to estimate the access to safe drinking waterand the physicaland chemical qualities of water (qualitatively) in the urban and rural areas of Etawah district, India. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Etawah district from January 2020 to December 2021. Thestudy subjects were the eldest female of the family. A total of 312 females were included. The data collected were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 25 (released 2017; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States) for descriptive analysis. In the present study, 76.3% (238/312) of households in the urban and rural areas had access to safe drinking water (here, the meaning of the word "safe" is based on its operational definition). A total of 130 (83.3%) householdsin rural areas and only 21 (13.5%) in urban areas had private supply as the primary water source. The physical and chemical qualities of water were within the requirement (acceptable limit) and permissible limit in all the study areas, so the water is considered safe for drinking. This study reported that 76.3% (238) households had access to safe drinking water according to the operational definition. The major public source of drinking water waspublic-supplied tap water, and in private sources, submersible or boreholes were the most common.

Transfer or Surrender Rural Homestead Land? An Investigation of farmers’ Preferences in China

With rapid industrialization and urbanization in China, a large rural population has migrated to cities and left their rural homestead land (RHL) idled. Land use policy on RHL utilization is crucial to the efficient use of land resources. However, due to farmers’ limited knowledge of regulations and lack of participation in rural land governance, their preference is sometimes overlooked in the policy-making process. The purpose of this paper is to examine farmers’ preferences for the two primary RHL utilization programs, i.e., transfer and surrender. We conducted a farmer household survey of 405 households in rural areas in Changchun at Jilin Province, China in 2018 and estimated farmers’ willingness to participate in the mechanisms using a bivariate ordered probit model. Various options under the two mechanisms are also investigated. We find a positive correlation between rural households’ willingness to participate in these two mechanisms. This is the first comprehensive study taking into consideration the correlation and tradeoff in farmers’ choice between the two mechanisms. The results shed light on the heterogeneity of households’ needs and interests in RHL utilization, an important component to be considered in rural development policy-making decisions.

Energy financing, energy projects retrofit and energy poverty: a scenario-analysis approach for energy project cost estimation and energy price determination.

The research aims to determine the nexus of energy projects retrofit and poverty under two scenarios: energy project cost estimation and energy price determination. Households in rural areas of northern China are now required to switch from coal to cleaner heating options, including natural gas and electricity, as part of a government-led clean heating initiative. This initiative significantly increased the heating expense for participating homes, even when substantial subsidies were applied. We surveyed a large number of northern Chinese households to learn more about the rise in energy insecurity that has been attributed to government action. Our research shows that switching to electricity and gas from coal considerably worsens energy poverty in several ways, whereas switching to clean coal improves the situation. According to an econometric study, changes in energy poverty reveal heterogeneity in several ways. There is little change in Beijing, while the considerably less developed province of Hebei to the north sees a 75% rise. Energy poverty is more common in families with poorer incomes, lower levels of education, and smaller sizes. People who lack resources to insulate their homes will feel the effects more acutely. These results support the idea that low-income families would suffer disproportionately under a "one policy for all" mandate. For policymakers working on energy transition strategies for a low-carbon economy, it highlights the need to consider the distributional impact.

Asset transfers and anti-poverty programs: Experimental evidence from Tanzania

We use a set of randomized experiments to examine the impact of a group business development program implemented by the Tanzanian government, along with a set of complementary training and cash transfer interventions targeted to vulnerable households in rural areas. In contrast with much of the recent literature, we find little effect of the business development program. While most enterprises remain operative three years after formation, even our highest estimates of effective wage rates suggest returns roughly equivalent to the opportunity cost of time for these households. Unconditional and unanticipated lump-sum cash transfers to randomly selected members of these groups induce all members to invest more in the enterprise, with seemingly little to no return on these marginal investments. Our results emphasize the importance of profitability as the key motivation for asset transfer-based social protection programs.

Evolution of household availability of regional foods in Amazonas.

To evaluate the evolution of household availability of regional foods in the state of Amazonas, their distribution according to sociodemographic characteristics, and potential differences when compared to the remaining areas of Brazil. Data on food acquisition for home consumption from the 2002-2003, 2008-2009, and 2017-2018 Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares (POFs - Consumer Expenditure Surveys) were analyzed, covering, respectively, 48,470, 55,970, and 57,920 households in Brazil, of which 1,075, 1,344, and 1,833 are in Amazonas. Foods were categorized into three groups: cassava and its derivatives, freshwater fish, and regional fruits. The study analyzed the amount of regional food purchased, expressed in relative household caloric share, for the entire area of Amazonas. Additionally, the data was stratified and analyzed according to sociodemographic variables, with differences assessed through the overlapping of 95% confidence intervals. The household caloric share of the total regional foods in Amazonas was 22.54% in 2002-2003, 18.18% in 2008-2009, and 6.49% in 2017-2018. Across Brazil, those percentages were much lower in the same period: 3.67%, 3.34%, and 1.82%, respectively. Changes in Amazonas were primarily attributed to the steep drop in the cassava and derivatives group, which decreased from 14.30% in 2002-2003 to 12.74% in 2008-2009 and further declined to 3.09% in 2017-2018. Additionally, there was a gradual decline in household availability of freshwater fish, decreasing from 7.30% in 2002-2003 to 4.85% in 2008-2009 and reaching 2.90% in 2017-2018. Households in rural areas and with lower per capita income presented a higher proportion of calories from total regional foods; this particular stratum also experienced the most significant reductions in their consumption. During the study period, there was a significant decrease in the consumption of regional foods in Amazonas, particularly in lower income households in rural areas. Among them, the family reference person was typically a younger male with a lower educational background.

Impact of Homestead Farming on Rural Economy of Indian Sundarban

Homestead farming system (HFS) is mainly a need-oriented, self-provisioning, integrated, multi-species, economically sustainable and environmentally safe farming system around the house. In order to understand the contribution of HFS to household income and to devise ways to maximise returns from HFS, a survey was conducted covering 480 households in three blocks (Kakdwip, Namkhana and Sagar) of South 24-Parganas district of West Bengal located in Sundarban. Out the households surveyed, 91% come under the marginal category having less than 1 ha of landholding in which 0.1 ha was used for homestead farming. 28% income of total 480 households were contributed by HFS that comprised of aquaculture (54%) followed by animal husbandry (37%) and horticulture (9%). The 22% of total households who practised betel vine cultivation in homestead land earn an additional gross income of Rs.75, 000/annum. More than 40 local varieties of horticultural crops and more than 25 fish species are cultured in HFS. However, due to inadequate supply of input and improper management, the quality and quantity of produces were not optimum. The study has clearly indicated the potential of sustainable intensification of HFS for increasing production and income of poor households in rural areas, and it would lead to poverty alleviation.

농촌 노인 1인가구의 건강, 의료이용 여건에 따른 의료기관 만족도 영향요인: 2021 농어업인 등에 대한 복지실태조사 결과를 중심으로

농촌 노인 1인가구의 건강, 의료이용 여건에 따른 의료기관 만족도 영향요인: 2021 농어업인 등에 대한 복지실태조사 결과를 중심으로

Factors Affecting the Decision of Rural Households to Participate in Non-Agricultural Activities in Dien Bien Province

The paper examines factors affecting the decision of rural households to participate in non-agricultural activities in Dien Bien province through the Logit model, using the Vietnam Access to Resources Household Survey 2016 by the General Statistics Office of Vietnam. The results indicated that the decision to participate in non-agricultural activities is driven by both “push” and “pull” factors, but there is also an indication of an “ability” factor at work. Access to the information variable has the greatest influence on the decision of households to participate or not. Moreover, education is not significant and has no influence on the decision to engage in non-agricultural activities of households in rural area of Dien Bien province. Based on the findings, as well as the rural development orientation of Dien Bien province, the author proposes some solutions to promote rural non-agricultural economic development. Rural non-agricultural development policies should attend to promotion of the education level of rural households and create favorable conditions for households to access resources.

Gendered effects of land access and ownership on food security in rural settings in South Africa

South Africa is one of the many countries that experience critical challenges regarding land issues, with rural women in particular having limited access to and ownership of land. This paper argues that land inaccessibility for women contributes significantly to their deprivation of economic opportunities. Secondary data on women and land ownership were extracted from main sources such as peer-reviewed articles and government gazettes. In the execution of this study, a comprehensive literature review (CLR) was conducted to illuminate the topic under investigation. The three phases (the exploration phase, the interpretative phase, and the communicative phase) of the comprehensive literature review method were adopted. The result of the review suggests that the gendered nature of land distribution contributes to the phenomenon of food insecurity that faces numerous women and their households in rural areas. The customary law is a key institutional factor that poses challenges for rural women in acquiring equal access to land ownership compared to men. The study recommends that the South African government should formulate better land policies that provide equal access to and ownership of land for both men and women.

Synergies and trade-offs between agricultural export promotion and food security: Evidence from African economies

Several countries across the developing world have designed and implemented agricultural export incentives. However, little is known about the effects of these policies on various aspects of domestic food security. This study utilizes economywide models linked top-down with microsimulation modules to analyze the impacts of increased agricultural export promotion on the four dimensions of food security – availability, access, utilization, and stability – in three structurally food-insecure economies of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. We find that agro-export promotion adversely affects all four aspects of food security in urban areas and at the national level due to significant increases in food prices domestically. However, it generally benefits households in rural areas. The food security effects are stronger in Ethiopia and Kenya. We also find that risks associated with the volatility in international markets and declines in domestic productivity can lead to further deterioration in access to food when countries implement outward-oriented agricultural policies.

The factors impact to resilience capacity after natural disasters of rural households in Vietnam

This research analyzes the factors that affect resilience after natural disasters of 997 households in rural areas of Vietnam in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016 by using logistic regression. The research results show that factors such as receiving timely warnings related to natural disasters, not taking measures to respond to natural disasters, and putting trust in the community will improve resilience after natural disasters. If the household head is of Kinh ethnicity and participates in community organizations, the response capacity whenever a disaster occurs is higher, and vice versa. Additionally, household heads not responding to natural disasters, instead receiving support from their relatives and friends and borrowing capital positively affect resilience capacity after one year since the disaster. In cases where Kinh women are household heads and join social communities, the resilience capacity after one year also increases. Besides, the research suggests some solutions to develop resilience capacity, which focus on the relationship between characteristics of households, household heads, and disaster response with the resilience capacity of rural households in Vietnam. Finally, this research proposes some suitable policies to improve resilience capacity in Vietnamese rural areas.

Peculiarities of the formation of human capital in rural areas in the pre-war period

In Ukraine, there is a systemic crisis related to the reduction of the population in rural areas. As a result, settlements disappear, the industrial and social sphere declines. Revival of rural areas is becoming a problematic process, and one of the main reasons for this is the lower quality of life of rural residents compared to residents of large cities. The purpose of the study was to assess individual components of human capital formation in rural areas in the pre-war period. In the research process, a dialectical method of cognition, a systematic approach to the study of economic phenomena and processes, an abstract-logical, statistical grouping and a method of comparing averages using the Student’s t-Test were used. It was established that in 2019-2021, the incomes of rural households increased from UAH 96,692 to UAH 118,890. Households in rural areas and in large cities were also grouped according to the level of self-assessment of their income level. It was established that in households with an income of up to UAH 40,000 the share of those who assessed the level of their income as “It was enough and savings were made” in rural areas and in large cities was equal to 0.8%. The specific weight of those who assessed their income level as “It was not possible to provide even enough food” was equal to 14.2% and 11.4%, respectively. A study of the impact of the level of income on the amount of expenses for such items as food, education and health care was conducted. The specific weight of expenditure on food products in their total value was determined. It has been established that the amount of expenditure on food products is clearly dependent on the level of household income both in rural areas and in large cities. In rural areas, healthcare costs were 22% lower than in large cities. The results of this study can be used during the development of the state strategy for the post-war reconstruction of rural areas

Оценка понятия «благоустроенное» жилье (домовладение) применительно к сельским территориям

The sustainable development of rural areas, the rural settlement network and rural settlements is one of the priority areas that ensure sustainable development on the territory of the Russian Federation. One of the tasks solved by the state in the field of sustainable development of rural areas is the improvement of residential premises (households) of rural settlements. To date, the legislative norms of the federal level do not contain specific criteria for classifying residential premises (urban or rural) as well-maintained. Therefore, the relevance of this study is due, first of all, to a detailed study of the concept of “improvement” of residential premises in relation to rural areas in order to maintain a high need for rural residents to improve their living conditions. The purpose of this study is to form both the very concept of “comfortable” housing (home ownership) in rural areas and to analyze the criteria for assessing its well-being at the municipal level. In the article, the authors reveal in detail the concept of housing improvement in rural areas, provide data on the criteria for classifying residential premises in rural settlements as “comfortable” using the example of certain regions of the Russian Federation. The analysis of legal regulation, including in the retrospective period, using the methods of theoretical analysis, as well as methods of comparison, generalization and systematization of data, made it possible to assess the concept of the well-being of households in rural areas and propose a new interpretation of this concept.