Increase In Household Income Research Articles

Contribution of Family Labour in Mixed Farming System

Indian economy largely depends on the agriculture. Agriculture is the main source of income in the nation as most of the people choose their livelihood from agriculture. But this source of income is under threat as agriculture has become very risky due to extreme climate changes and highly volatile agricultural markets. Mixed farming system is one way of handling such problems because it provides better income returns to farm owners as well as higher productivity. Mixed farming is defined as a system of farming in which both crop and livestock farming are combined for the purpose of meeting family requirements and profiting from both enterprises. The case for integrating these two is based on the premises that bye –products from the two systems are used on the same farm. Mixed farming system is helpful in decreasing the cost of production per unit area, increasing income and productivity and reducing the risk of farmers. The contribution of family labour in these farming systems cannot be neglected. Mixed family farms produce almost half of the world food. Increasing food supply in developing countries requires increasing productivity of both land and farmers’ labour as key to increase household income, food security and reduce poverty. So the present study focuses on contribution of family labour in mixed farming system and gender wise comparison of family labour towards mixed farming. From the study it can be concluded that mixed farming system is highly dependent on family labour. So that mixed farming can also be called as family farming. The mixed farming is a farming system which is managed and operated by a family and predominantly reliant on family labour both women’s and men’s. The family and farm are linked and can be concluded that family labour is critical resource of mixed farming system.

CGE Analysis of the Impact of the 2024 Minimum Wage Increase on the National Economy in Indonesia

One of the minimum wage problems is caused by workers/laborers' needing to agree with the wage increase set. The minimum wage increase is still minimal compared to the high worker need. The Labor Organization president called the government to raise the provincial minimum wage (UMP) and district/city minimum wage (UMK) 2024 by 15%. This figure is obtained from the Decent Living Needs (KHL) survey results and other indicators such as inflation and economic growth. On the other hand, the minimum wage increase of 15% is considered by employers to be unrealistic, considering the condition of the national economy is hit by uncertainty. The government said that determining the minimum wage based on PP 36/2021 and considering the welfare of workers/laborers’ also looks at the Company's capabilities. This paper aims to see new macroeconomic and welfare conditions due to the increase in the minimum wage by 15%. Using the general equilibrium model of static computing (CGE), the analysis results show that an increase in the minimum wage leads to a decrease in demand for labor, especially in labor-intensive sectors. The increase in wages impacts increasing household income, thus indicating an increase in household welfare. However, inflationary pressures brought about by the minimum wage increase mask the increase in revenue, resulting in a decrease in household consumption budgets. This translates into a loss of net well-being, with a more significant impact on urban households than rural households. The output of most sectors, especially labor-intensive sectors, declined, but nominal GDP increased. The increase in nominal GDP is due to rising prices, not actual economic output.

Characteristics and Determinants of Household Food Consumption of Female Vegetable Farmers in Pekanbaru City, Riau Province, Indonesia

Food is a fundamental human need. Food must be provided in sufficient quantity, be of good quality, be safe to consume, and be affordable. Furthermore, the determining factor of household food consumption is income. If income increases, the consumption pattern of nutritious food will also improve. The study aimed to analyze the characteristics of female vegetable farmers, their household food consumption, and the determinants of household food consumption in Pekanbaru City. The research data were obtained through an interview survey, with 65 female vegetable farmers selected using simple random sampling. This study found that female vegetable farmers in Pekanbaru City were of productive age, had a high school education level, and mostly had 3-4 family members. The household food consumption of the participants fulfilled the PPH score target for Pekanbaru City but did not fulfill the national target. Therefore, the household food security of female vegetable farmers in Pekanbaru City has not been achieved nationally. The study further revealed that household income, number of family members, and education of female vegetable farmers were significant determinants of household food consumption. In contrast, the age of female vegetable farmers did not significantly affect household food consumption. Overall, the study highlights the importance of improving the food security of female vegetable farmers in Pekanbaru City by addressing the significant determinants of household food consumption. This can be achieved by implementing policies and programs to increase household income, improve education levels, and reduce family size.

Has the Household Old-Age Burden Affected Farm Household Incomes? Evidence from a Survey of Chinese Farm Households

Income increase is an important way to achieve comprehensive human development and to escape from poverty, and the growing aging problem in rural China poses a challenge to farm household income increase. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of China’s rural old-age burden on farm household income, this paper empirically examines the impact and mechanism of household old-age burden on farm household income based on the data from the 2023 micro-farm field survey of China’s Henan Province, utilizing linear regression modeling and mediation effect modeling, filling the research gaps in the related fields. The results of the study found that, firstly, family old-age burden has a significant impact on the income of farm households, and that the heavier the family old-age burden, the lower the total income of farm households. Secondly, from the results of the heterogeneity of the impact, the poorer the health condition, the greater the negative impact of family old-age burden on farm household income. Old-age burden has a greater impact on high-income farm households than on low-income farm households, and old-age burden has a significant impact on the income of part-time farm households, while the impact is not significant on purely farm and non-farm households. Thirdly, the heavier the household old-age burden, the more unfavorable it is to the non-farm employment of farm households, thus affecting the income capacity of farm households. Finally, corresponding countermeasures and recommendations are put forward in three areas, namely, the continuous improvement of the social old-age security system, the realization of the function of the social old-age mechanism as an old-age pocket for key special groups, and the improvement of the social flexible employment mechanism.

Farmers’ cooperatives and smallholder farmers’ access to credit: Evidence from China

Farmers’ cooperatives serve as effective means of transforming smallholder farmers’ production methods in the process of agricultural modernization in developing countries. This paper aims to examine the credit effects of farmers’ cooperatives by employing a framework based on institutional finance theory. Based on the 2021 China Household Finance Survey data, an endogenous switching probit model is employed to explore the impact of cooperative membership on smallholder farmers’ access to credit. The research findings indicate the following: i) Farmers’ cooperatives possess information advantages, as financial institutions gain access to smallholder farmers’ information through the organized value chains of farmers’ cooperatives, leading to a direct reduction in transaction costs and an improvement in access to credit. ii) Farmers’ cooperatives can promote smallholder farmers’ agricultural investments, increase household income for smallholder farmers, enhance the liquidity of farmland, and further improve access to credit for smallholder farmers. Therefore, farmers’ cooperatives represent an inevitable trend in the agricultural modernization of developing countries. Rural financial institutions should alter their financial models and resolve adverse selection and moral hazard issues in the credit process through organizational approaches, thereby enhancing access to credit for smallholder farmers.

Assessing the impact of agriculture, coal mining, and ecological restoration on water sustainability in the Mu Us Sandyland

Balancing water demand for socio–economic development and ecosystem stability presents a challenge for regional sustainable management, especially in drylands. Previous studies have indicated that large–scale ecological restoration projects (ERPs) lead to a decline in terrestrial water storage (TWS) in the Mu Us Sandyland (MUS). However, the effects of other human activities (e.g., cropland reclamation, coal mining) on water resources remain unclear, raising concerns regarding water crisis and human–natural system sustainability. Through the utilization of coal mine location data, we found that the impact of coal mass loss on the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) products cannot be ignored in MUS, especially in the coal–rich northeastern part. Combining these data with auxiliary datasets, we observed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in TWS (−0.85 cm yr−1) and groundwater storage (GWS, −0.95 cm yr−1) in the MUS, with human activities accounting for 79.23 % of TWS and 90.45 % of GWS reductions, primarily due to increased agricultural and industrial water consumption. Agricultural water consumption increased 2.23 times from 2001 to 2020, attributed to enhanced water use intensity (62.6 %) and cropland expansion (37.4 %). Industrial water consumption in Shenmu, a representative coal county, experienced a 4.16–fold rise between 2001 and 2020. Despite these challenges, local governments have alleviated water stress, ensured food security, and increased household income by comprehensive management strategies, such as enhancing water–saving technology and enforcing stringent policies. Previous studies have overestimated the amount of water resources consumed by ERPs. However, ERPs has played a critical role in stabilizing the regional ecological environment and ensuring the region as a vital food and energy supplier. Our findings can guide for socio-economic development and water management policies in similar regions.

Exploring the Interplay of Socio-demographic Enablers in Sustaining Open Defecation-Free Status among Households in Kakamega County, Kenya

This study aimed to explore the interplay between socio-demographic enablers and the sustainability of post-open-defecation-free status among households in Butere Sub-County, Kakamega County, Kenya. The research adopted a cross-sectional survey to assess the sustainability of the open defecation-free status at the household level, surveying 6286 certified Open Defecation Free (ODF) households through stratified random sampling. A sample size of 376 households across three wards was selected for the study. Both quantitative and qualitative data were employed; quantitative data was analysed using SPSS Version 28.1, summarized using descriptive statistics, and presented in tables, pie charts, and frequency tables, whereas qualitative data was analysed thematically. Data analysis involved three stages; univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses. Chi-square tests analysed the statistically significant association between dependent and independent variables. Binary logistic regression predicted the probability of post-ODF status (whether the ODF status was sustainable or not), and 2x2 contingency tables were used to compute the odd ratio. Results revealed that only 9% of households sustained post-ODF status. The chi-square tests revealed a significant association between respondents' gender (χ² = 0.124, p = 0.009*), age distribution (χ² = 6.471, p &lt; 0.05), presence of children under 5 years old in the household (χ² = 1.884, p = 0.004*), level of education (χ² = 5.726, p = 0.006*), employment status (χ² = 9.602, p = 0.006*), and monthly earning brackets (χ² = 11.783, p&lt;0.001*). However, there was no statistically significant association between marital status (χ² = 10.409, p = 0.94&gt;0.05), household size (χ² = 1.782, p = 0.56&gt;0.05), and the sustainability of ODF. On the other hand, the odds ratio for employment status suggests that significant association (OR=1.333; p = 0.007*&lt;0.05; 95% CI: 1.082-1.642), where employed individuals were 1.333 times more likely to sustain ODF status. Further analysis revealed that employment status was a statistically significant predictor of post-ODF sustainability (aOR=1.837 P=0.011; 95% CI: 1.132-2.980). The study concluded that most households (91%) did not sustain post-ODF status after the ODF declaration. It was recommended that health practitioners improve door-to-door monitoring and develop post-ODF tracking tools at the household level, focusing on important parameters from Ministry of Health guidelines. The government and other Water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) stakeholders should support communities in establishing and enhancing economic empowerment programs to increase household income and encourage investments in sanitation infrastructure and hygiene promotion activities.

Research on the Impact of Digital Technology Application on Households Calculation Based on Household Digital Penetration Index

With the widespread popularization of digital technology and its continuous penetration into family life, the impact of digital technology on the national economy and residents' lives has gradually emerged. Based on the CFPS database, this article uses the A-F model to measure the household digital penetration index, explores the popularity and application of digital technology in households, and uses an empirical model to analyze the impact of the household digital penetration index on household income, consumption and income gaps. Research results show that digital technology has increasingly penetrated households from 2010 to 2020. The household digital penetration index can effectively increase household income and stimulate consumption, but it also widens the household income gap to a certain extent. At the same time, the impact of household digital penetration index on residential households shows obvious spatial heterogeneity.

Assessment of causal association between the socio-economic status and osteoporosis and fractures: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study in European population.

The correlation between socio-economic status (SES) and bone-related diseases garners increasing attention, prompting a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis in this study. Genetic data on SES indicators (average total household income before tax, years of schooling completed, and Townsend Deprivation Index at recruitment), femoral neck bone mineral density (FN-BMD), heel bone mineral density (eBMD), osteoporosis, and five different sites of fractures (spine, femur, lower leg-ankle, foot, and wrist-hand fractures) were derived from genome-wide association summary statistics of European ancestry. The inverse variance weighted method was employed to obtain the causal estimates, complemented by alternative MR techniques, including MR-Egger, weighted median, and MR-pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO). Furthermore, sensitivity analyses and multivariable MR were performed to enhance the robustness of our findings. Higher educational attainment exhibited associations with increased eBMD (β: .06, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.01-0.10, P = 7.24 × 10-3), and reduced risks of osteoporosis (OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.65-0.94, P = 8.49 × 10-3), spine fracture (OR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.66-0.88, P = 2.94 × 10-4), femur fracture (OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.67-0.91, P = 1.33 × 10-3), lower leg-ankle fracture (OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.70-0.88, P = 2.05 × 10-5), foot fracture (OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.66-0.93, P = 5.92 × 10-3), and wrist-hand fracture (OR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.73-0.95, P = 7.15 × 10-3). Material deprivation appeared to increase the risk of spine fracture (OR: 2.63, 95% CI: 1.43-4.85, P = 1.91 × 10-3). A higher FN-BMD level positively affected increased household income (β: .03, 95% CI: 0.01-0.04, P = 6.78 × 10-3). All these estimates were adjusted for body mass index, type 2 diabetes, smoking initiation, and frequency of alcohol intake. The MR analyses show that higher educational levels is associated with higher eBMD, reduced risk of osteoporosis and fractures, while material deprivation is positively related to spine fracture. Enhanced FN-BMD correlates with increased household income. These findings provide valuable insights for health guideline formulation and policy development.

The transition from shifting cultivation to indigenous agroforestry as nature-based solution for land restoration in the Indian Eastern Himalayas

In the Indian Eastern Himalayas, shifting cultivation has long been a major cause of land degradation. However, indigenous communities, like the Hmar, have successfully transitioned from shifting cultivation to agroforestry systems such as pineapple agroforestry, leading to land restoration and increased household incomes. Despite these positive outcomes, little is known about how soil health indicators change during this transition. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate changes in selected soil health indicators and erodibility across different age classes of pineapple agroforestry systems (<5, 5–10, 11–15, and > 15 years old) compared to shifting cultivation and nearby natural forests. Soil samples were collected from six sites, including different stages of pineapple agroforestry systems, shifting cultivation phases, and a natural forest. At each site, three (10 × 10 m) quadrats were selected, and two (1 × 1 × 1 m) vertical soil pits were dug in each quadrat, sampling soil depths from 0 to 100 cm. The transition from shifting cultivation to pineapple agroforestry improved soil organic carbon (SOC) and stratification ratios while reducing soil erodibility. SOC stocks were estimated at 182.7 Mg C/ha for natural forest land and 188.2 Mg C/ha for the cropping phase in shifting cultivation. On the other hand, estimated SOC stocks for < 5, 5–10, 11–15 and > 15 years old stands of pineapple agroforestry system were 169.7 Mg C/ha, 157.2 Mg C/ha, 168.9 Mg C/ha and 177 Mg C/ha respectively. Thus, the estimated SOC stocks under > 15 years of pineapple agroforestry were comparable with adjacent natural forest land. The stratification ratios (SR > 2) for SOC and macronutrients indicated better soil quality in the pineapple agroforestry system than in the cropped land. The clay and modified clay ratios decreased with increasing age of pineapple agroforestry stands. The highest clay ratio was recorded in the topsoil of < 5-year-old pineapple agroforestry system, indicating a greater risk of exposure to rainfall events than in natural forest land and the cropping phase in the shifting cultivation cycle. It is concluded that transitioning from shifting cultivation to a pineapple agroforestry is a nature-based solution to restore degraded lands and presents an excellent opportunity for sustainable soil health and carbon sink management.

Effects of agricultural land management practices on crop production and household income in Ojoje, southern Ethiopia

Farmers in Ethiopia and other sub-Saharan African countries often implement various agricultural land management (ALM) practices to mitigate the negative impact of land degradation, increase crop yield, improve income, and safeguard the security of food. Despite the widespread use of these measures, their effect on crop productivity and related income has received relatively little attention in research, particularly in the context of mixed farming systems. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of ALM practices on crop production and household income in southern Ethiopia. Data was gathered from 423 sampled respondents, which included adopters and non-adopters of ALM practices. This study adopted multistage sampling to gather the data through a survey questionnaire. This study’s findings reveal that ALM strategies have a considerable impact on crop productivity and the incomes of farm households (p&lt;0.05). Moreover, the adoption of integrated physical and biological intervention practices for longer durations resulted in a steady increase in both crop productivity and household incomes. Furthermore, analysis of the effect of long-term treatment indicates that farms show a significant and increasing marginal benefit to production after six years of intervention. These findings imply that integrating ALM practices and maintaining them for an extended period (i.e., 10 years) will help to increase crop productivity and household incomes. Hence, adopting a wider range of physical and biological ALM measures and ensuring their continual adoption are key strategies for improving crop production and increasing household income. This strategy will have significant policy implications and provide a solid foundation for sustainable agricultural development.

Programs, Opportunities, and Challenges in Poverty Reduction: A Systematic Review

Poverty has become the main focus of development in almost every country. Several related studies have discussed poverty alleviation recently, especially concerning the world’s pandemic phenomenon. This article aims to analyze the literature relating to programs, opportunities, and challenges in poverty alleviation in the world. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) was used as a procedure for this systematic review. Twenty-two articles were selected as primary data collected from the Scopus and WoS database. Using thematic analysis, this study found that poverty alleviation programs are implemented in urban and rural areas and through women's empowerment. In addition, social, economic, and environmental benefits are determinant factors of the implications of poverty alleviation programs. One of the opportunities for poverty alleviation is to increase household income and create community welfare through empowering women. Meanwhile, the incompatibility of program targets, lack of funding, program synergy, gender gaps, and the environment are challenges for stakeholders that must be considered in the future. Recommendations and study implications of this study are also highlighted.

The Role of Productive Women in Alleviating Poverty Through Strengthening Islamic Social Finance: A Study of Micro Waqf Banks in Indonesia

The nature of women in development has a big role not only in the economic foundation of households, in the use of Islamic social financial institutions. Poverty motivates women to develop their potential through opportunity, excellence, and equality. Attention to Islamic social finance namely zakat, infaq, sadaqa and waqf in Indonesia is increasing as awareness improves. Limited access of productive women to social financial institutions makes it difficult to obtain business capital. The study investigates the contribution of women to poverty alleviation through Islamic social finance. This study uses qualitative methods with a field study approach. The research location is at the Micro Waqf Bank Lan Taburo Lebak Banten, Indonesia. Data collection using interviews, observations, and literature studies. Data analysis techniques use triangulation with collection, reduction, presentation, and conclusions. The results showed that the role of productive women micro waqf bank customers utilizes Islamic social finance, namely managing business financing, increasing household income, creating household economic prosperity, strengthening community empowerment, and increasing waqf literacy. The research implies that the greater the role of productive women utilizing Islamic social finance, the more positively it will contribute to poverty alleviation in Indonesia. This study was limited to women producing micro waqf banks who received benefits at one institution. Further research needs to be carried out in quantitative studies to find the dominant factor of alleviating harm using Islamic social finance.

Insights Into Eye Care Accessibility: Geospatial Distribution of Eye Care Providers and Socioeconomic Factors by ZIP Code.

In the United States, the ZIP Code has long been used to collect geospatial data revealing disparities in social determinants of health. This cross-sectional study examines the distribution of eye care access in association with local socioeconomic factors at a ZIP Code level. Data from the 2020 Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services and American Community Survey were used to examine locations of 47,949 providers (17,631 ophthalmologists and 30,318 optometrists) and corresponding local socioeconomic variables (education, employment, and income). Multivariable zero-inflated negative binomial regression was used to model eye care provider count per capita in each ZIP Code area with socioeconomic factors as independent covariates. For every 1% increase in percentage of population over 25 years with a bachelor's degree or higher, the expected number of providers increases by 4.4% (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.044; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.041-1.046; P < 0.001). For every 1% increase in percentage unemployment, the expected number of providers decreases by 2.7% (IRR = 0.973; 95% CI, 0.964-0.983; P < 0.001). However, for every $1000 increase in median household income, the expected number of providers decreases by 1.6% (IRR = 0.984; 95% CI, 0.983-0.986; P < 0.001). Disparities in access exist in areas of lower employment and educational attainment, as both have positive correlations with eye care provider access. Conversely, areas of greater median household income have lower access to providers. This research contributes to a greater field studying social determinants of health and may inform public health strategies on allocation of providers to improve equitable access to vision care.

Partisipasi Anggota Kelompok Wanita Tani (KWT) dalam Program Pekarangan Pangan Lestari (P2L) Di Kabupaten Klaten

The P2L program is an effort to increase the availability, accessibility, and diversity of food, oriented towards increasing household income and welfare. Participation is one indicator of the success of a program. As time goes by, the participation of KWT members decreases. The research aims to analyze the participation level of KWT members, analyze the socio-economic conditions (non-formal education, type of work, income level, yard area and social environment) of KWT members receiving the P2L Program in Klaten Regency, and analyze the influence of KWT members' socio-economic factors on the level of their participation in the P2L Program in Klaten Regency. The basic research method is quantitative with survey techniques. The research location was deliberately determined in Klaten Regency. The sampling method was proportional random sampling technique, with a sample of 66 respondents. Data analysis uses multiple linear regression tests. The research results show that the level of participation at the planning stage and monitoring and evaluation stage is low, while the implementation and results utilization stage is high. Non-formal education is in the high category, social environment is in the very high category, while type of work, income level and yard area are in the low category. Non-formal education, income level and social environment influence the level of participation of KWT members while type of work and size of yard land have no influence.

Assessing current state and prospects for housing construction development in the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation

Housing commissioning in the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation was low until 2019, which resulted in housing availability lower than the national average. The Government of the Russian Federation implemented the program on preferential mortgage lending “Far Eastern Mortgage” that led to an increase in the housing availability in apartment buildings in the macro-region, purchased on credit, while stimulating price growth at a rate outpacing the increase in household incomes. The purpose of the study is to develop proposals for improving measures to support the housing construction market of apartment buildings in the Far Eastern Federal District. The data on the volume and structure of multifamily housing under construction, the main factors of construction cost formation in the macro-region have been analyzed. The mechanism of mortgage influence with state support on the supply growth has been described. It is shown that the dynamics of supply is insufficient to achieve the average Russian values on housing provision of the population, in this connection stimulation measures require improvement. The high dependence of the housing market on mortgage lending programs with state support has been revealed. Based on the comparative analysis of the Far Eastern Mortgage program with other preferential mortgage programs, the article presents proposals for improving the measures of state support for multifamily housing construction in the Far East.

The multiple effects of farmland infrastructure investment on agrifood systems in China—an interdisciplinary model analysis

PurposeAs one of its major strategies, China has made a new plan to further expand High Standard Farmland (HSF) to all permanent basic farmland (80% of total farmland) for grain security over the next decade. Yet, what will be the impact of farmland infrastructure investment on agrifood systems? The paper aims to systematically evaluate the multiple effects (food security, economy, nutrition and environment) of expanding HSF construction under the context of the “Big Food vision” using an interdisciplinary model.Design/methodology/approachAn interdisciplinary model – AgriFood Systems Model, which links the China CGE model to diet and carbon emission modules, is applied to assess the multiple effects of HSF construction on agrifood systems, such as food security and economic development, residents’ diet quality and carbon emissions. Several policy scenarios are designed to capture these effects of the past HSF investment based on counterfactual analysis and compare the effects of HSF future investment at the national level under the conditions of different land use policies – restricting to grain crops or allowing diversification (like vegetables, and fruit).FindingsThe investments in HSF offer a promising solution for addressing the challenges of food and nutrition security, economic development and environmental sustainability. Without HSF construction, grain production and self-sufficiency would decline significantly, while the agricultural and agrifood systems’ GDP would decrease. The future investment in the HSF construction will further increase both grain production and GDP, improve dietary quality and reduce carbon emissions. Compared with the policy of limiting HSF to planting grains, diversified planting can provide a more profitable economic return, improve dietary quality and reduce carbon emissions.Originality/valueThis study contributes to better informing the impact of land infrastructure expanding investment on the agrifood systems from multiple dimensions based on an interdisciplinary model. We suggest that the government consider applying diversified planting in the future HSF investment to meet nutritional and health demands, increase household income and reduce carbon emissions.

Income and electricity consumption issue: evidence from European households

Research on electricity consumption plays an important role in the development of sustainable national strategies and mitigation of global climate change. With global economic development in general, and Europe in particular, the demand for electricity in households is increasing. Therefore, based on demand theory, this study evaluates the impact of income on electricity consumption in European households. Data were collected from 35 European countries and analyzed. The instrumental variable regression results indicate that income positively impacts electricity consumption in European households. The electricity consumption of European households provides evidence that supports the prediction of demand theory, as an increase in household income as well as a decrease in price leads to a rise in overall consumption. However, the effect of price is not statistically significant. The findings also show that population growth and inflation positively influence household electricity consumption. The outcomes of this study have theoretical and practical implications for improving energy efficiency and effective electricity use in European households. Therefore, it is necessary to continue implementing energy-saving strategies at the household level in the context of increasing electricity consumption in Europe.

An Evaluation of Performance of Indigenous Chicken and Irish Potato Value Chains by Smallholder Farmers under Kopia Project in Meru County, Kenya

Adequate, nutritious and safe food is a basic human need. A bilateral project on food security was implemented in Meru County with support from the Republic of South Korea and the County government of Meru between January 2020 and December 2022. The ordinary two-year handover period is ending in December 2024. Its objective was to improve the performance of indigenous chicken and Irish potato value chains among smallholder producers. Despite the existence of high demand for both Indigenous chicken and Irish potatoes, market supply remains low. A stratified sampling method was used to identify 4 Indigenous chickens, Ng’onyi, Mbaria, Ntalami, and Kangeta, and 2 Irish potatoes, Katheri and Murungurune villages, to serve as models. Two hundred practising farmers were selected from each village. All the farmers identified inadequate knowledge, poor genetic materials (Indigenous chicken and Irish potato), high disease incidences, and poorly developed market structures as the main challenges they faced. A training hall was constructed in each of the six model villages and equipped with a computer, a printer, and a monitor. Each chicken-keeping village had a hatchery unit, and those growing potatoes had a potato storage unit constructed and equipped. Egg incubators and Hatchers were provided to the Indigenous chicken-keeping villages. A motorcycle to assist lead-farmer movement was provided to each model village. A curriculum with 22 areas and another one with 20 units were developed to train the Indigenous chicken keepers and Irish potato farmers, respectively. Each curriculum included both technical and non-technical aspects. A total of 73, 837 day old Improved Indigenous chicks were equitably supplied to all the four model villages, with 41600 day old chicks procured from Kenya agriculture, livestock research organization (KALRO) and 32237 locally hatched. A total of 51 tonnes of assorted clean-seed potatoes were procured and supplied to the farmers. The total annual revenue from eggs (tray) rose from Ksh15583.3 before intervention to Ksh133588.7 after intervention. The quantity of eggs sold in trays increased from 54.4 to 193.7, while those sold in pieces increased from 482 to 969. The number of hens sold increased from 17 to 29, and that of cocks sold doubled from 15 to 30. However, all the variable cost components increased during the intervention period. Broilers Mash witnessed the biggest increase in cost by 217.6% from Ksh 1358.9 before intervention to Ksh 2956.5. Despite a rise in the total variable cost by 213%, the average annual gross margin rose from Ksh.7092 to Ksh 91523. The Irish potato farmers had an increase of 192 % in weight (Kg/acre) of total tubers, with production rising from 8711 to 16711 Kg. The potato farmers had a 75.4% increase in household incomes, and their gross margins increased by 76.9 %. The potato farm gate prices increased by 28.57%. After interventions, the potato farmer's gross margin recorded an increase from Ksh. 9 566.5 to 16927.4, translating to a 77% increase. The average total seasonal production increased from 1,394.5 Kg to 2,120.5 Kg. The revenue received from potatoes per season increased from Ksh.46855.2. to Ksh.91605.6 per season. The increase in revenue was a result of the increase in the quantity produced and the price per kg. From the results above, it can be concluded that the implementation of the Indigenous chicken and Irish potato value chains project helped to improve production and household incomes. It is recommended that policy-makers adopt this model village approach in all the agricultural-based value chains.

COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Skåne county, Sweden, in relation to individual-level and area-level sociodemographic factors: a register-based cross-sectional analysis

ObjectivesBetter understanding of societal factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination can have important implications for public health policy to increase uptake.MethodsThis study investigated sociodemographic determinants of COVID-19 vaccine uptake with ≥2...