Household Livelihood Research Articles

Analysis of the Application of Accounting Science to Family Life to Avoid Debt and Loans

In household life, it is required to manage household finances carefully, so that finances are controlled and avoid unwanted things such as debt and loans. The purpose of this study is to show how the application and role of accounting in the household consists of four aspects, namely budgeting, planning, recording and decision-making to prevent debt and online loans. The method in this study is descriptive analysis through a phenomenological paradigm. Data collection techniques through observation, interviews and documentation. The informants in this study were 10 housewives with a minimum diploma background in economics. The results of the study show that housewives carry out household financial planning by dividing the current needs that have been planned at the beginning of the month. The media used for financial records is a notebook or journal book that is written simply. Financial decision-making is carried out with the husband. The role of accounting in the household helps informants to plan household finances so that they can control household finances wisely.

Building the social. A query into the societal impact of the Pompeian water supply

This study explores the importance of the means of ensuring water supply in the formation of the architectural profile and basic social organization of Pompeii. It sees the city’s domestic water supply, for over two centuries ensured through rainwater-harvesting areas, basins and cisterns situated mainly in and below the many atria, as a stabilizing factor of both cityscape and household. Through the introduction of the city aqueduct in the 1st century AD and the creation of a generous network of public fountains this situation changes and the need to maintain the traditional organization of the “houseful”, comprising enlarged family, slaves and dependents of various kind including shopkeepers, is lessened; the physical proximity between those of different status renegotiated. This development, witnessed in adaptations of the architecture, can be followed through close study of the standing structures in Insula V 1. The hallmarks are the creation of upperfloor living quarters seemingly independent from the life of the large households of the atrium houses, and in parallel the introduction of private water lines from the city aqueduct. The remodelling that resulted in the creation of the double-atrium house of Caecilius Iucundus is focal to the discussion since it offers a coeval chronological fix point in the AD 40s for both remodelling and obtention of piped water. Given that the change in the domestic architecture observed was merely in its embryonic state in AD 79, the tenability to attribute a lower dating than that traditionnaly attributed not just to the private lines, but to the city’s distribution system of public aqueduct water as well, is reasoned. The particularities of Pompeii’s geomorphological situation and political status and how they impacted the discussed change in social relationships are also raised.

How do policy measures affect the ability of poverty-stricken households to cope with external shocks? From the perspective of differences in the human capital endowment of households

Human capital plays a vital role in poverty-stricken households' efforts to cope with external shocks. Improving the human capital of poverty-stricken households to help them address external shocks can enhance the sustainability of poverty-stricken household livelihoods and support poverty alleviation. In this study, households with dependent children and older members were selected from questionnaires covering 6,463 poverty-stricken households from 33 poverty alleviation districts and counties in Chongqing municipality, China. Multiple linear regression model and stepwise regression methods were then used to compare the effects of the number of household members supported and the number of those working on the increase in income among poverty-stricken and nonpoverty-stricken households. Finally, the correlations between policy measures, dependent household members and household labor were examined. The results show the following: (1) Policy measures can alleviate the negative impact of a household's dependent population on household income. (2) Poverty-stricken households' access to policy support is closely related to the characteristics of their human capital. The household's dependent members and laborers are effectively protected by safety net and cargo net policies. (3) Policy measures can mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the income of nonagricultural laborers while increasing the income of agricultural laborers. The findings show that the ability of poverty-stricken households to overcome poverty and deal with external shocks can be increased by revitalizing rural industries, linking the development of rural industries with the income of poverty-stricken households, and rationally using rural labor resources.

Makna Simbolik Appabbajikang Bunting Pada Prosesi Pernikahan Adat Makassar di Desa Pattallikang Kabupaten Gowa

This research is entitled The Symbolic Meaning of Appabbajikang bunting in the Makassar Traditional Wedding Procession in Pattallikang Village, Gowa Regency. This research aims to describe the icons, indices and symbols contained in the process of implementing appabbajikang bunting in Pattallikang village, Gowa Regency in terms of Charles Sanders Peirce's semiotic theory. This type of research is qualitative with a qualitative descriptive research design. The methods used in collecting data for this research were observation, interviews and documentation. The results of this research show that in the process of implementing the appabbajikang bunting tradition in Pattallikang village, Gowa Regency it has the meaning of (1) icons, namely tai bani and doek. (2) the meaning of the index, namely dupa, nipaasori lipak, and nisioi na sisioi kanrejawa. (3) the meaning of the symbols, namely jajjakkang, umba-umba, tai bani, doek, kanrejawa lapisik, lawarak kadea, kanrejawa sirikaya, songkolok palopok, jeknek inung, lekok kalomping, lipak. In general, the meaning contained in the tradition of the appabbajikang bunting procession in Pattallikang village, Gowa Regency is to unite the bride and groom, obtain abundant fortune, and have a prosperous household life.

A Sea of Households: Ordering Violence and Mobility in the 
Inter-Imperial Caribbean

Abstract Historians have paid more attention to the inner life of households than to their legal and political significance in early European overseas empires. This article analyses the legal role of households in the seventeenth century Caribbean, with an emphasis on Jamaica and Suriname. It argues that households were key to organising maritime violence and composing regional order. Imperial agents in the Caribbean—soldiers, sojourners, servants, and officials—drew selectively from European political and legal discourses about dominium to define households as essential to the constitution of colonial communities and governance. In imperial and colonial legal imagination, households were necessary for the constitution of political communities and their presence fortified arguments for interpolitical violence, especially maritime raiding. Affirming the rights of household heads to hold and command captives, imperial policies to foment household formation and regulate conflicts within households underpinned a regional regime of raiding, captive taking, and enslavement. The regional regime centred on legalities of violence. Demand for coerced labour in early plantation households fuelled a 
circum-Caribbean economy of captive taking and plunder, while settlers invoked the defence of households to authorise privateering and local warfare. As the primary legal framework for absorbing and commanding coerced labour, households became the object of inter-imperial competition and a vehicle for constructing enslavement as an institution. Contests over the rights of settlers to relocate to competing colonies at times pitted expansive understandings of the dominium of household heads—the exercise of private power over household subordinates—against the public authorities they nominally sustained. Such conflicts worked to reinforce the centrality of households to the expansion of plantation slavery. The politics of households made them an unstable underpinning for colonial governance and a site of resistance to the emerging plantocracy. Officials in Jamaica struggled to manage the volatile relation between raiding and planter household formation. In Suriname, Indigenous and African captives struggled to escape and subvert forms of slavery and coercion imposed under cover of household dominium. Examining the significance of households in colonial thought illuminates important and often overlooked continuities in the legal politics of nascent Caribbean colonies and the rise of a regional slave regime. Viewed from the colonial household, legal change across the Caribbean did not follow discrete stages of conquest, privateering, and plantation slavery. Instead, it evolved in relation to shifting accommodations between public and private claims to authority and legitimate violence. Authorising warfare and converting captives into property, households formed a legal fulcrum for balancing interdependent networks of raiding, slaving, and planting in emergent slave societies. This constellation of private rights and public authority, organised around captive taking ventures and slave-holding households, spanned the seventeenth-century Caribbean and produced an inter-imperial legal regime in which the rights of slave owners came to occupy the very centre of visions of regional order.

Impact of biogas adoption on household energy use and livelihood improvement in Kenya: an overview on a roadmap toward sustainability

Purpose This study assesses the impact of biogas adoption on household energy use and livelihood improvement. Also, this study aims to clarify the benefits of biogas adoption as a pathway to sustainable household energy. Design/methodology/approach The study explored the benefits of adopting biogas uptake. Fourteen sustainability indicators were identified, validated and categorized. Findings Adopting biogas technology provides numerous benefits, including better air quality, reduced deforestation and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Households can replace up to 4.5 tons of wood fuel, cutting CO2 emissions by around 6.75 tons annually. This shift saves approximately US$25 (Ksh.3223) monthly and frees up 45.5 h per week, enabling families to pursue additional income-generating activities. Biogas also produces digestate, a natural fertilizer that improves soil fertility, water retention and reduces erosion while minimizing the need for chemical fertilizers. Integrating biogas in livestock housing reduces odors, pathogens and methane emissions. Research limitations/implications The findings demonstrate numerous social, economic and environmental implications of biogas use. Social implications Health benefits include lower exposure to smoke and particulate matter, particularly benefiting women and children by reducing respiratory issues, improving lighting and enhancing educational opportunities. Biogas further improves hygiene, promotes cleanliness, strengthens energy security and alleviates energy poverty. In addition, the construction, operation and maintenance of biogas systems create jobs, and the use of digestate enhances agricultural productivity. Originality/value This study provides a unique and thorough analysis of the benefits of biogas, offering valuable insights and outlining a sustainable approach.

Conflicts, crop choice, and agricultural investments: Empirical evidence from Nigeria

Conflict remains a major driver of poverty in Africa. Conflicts and political instability in the region have been increasing recently and are drawing more attention in public discourse. While it is widely acknowledged that conflicts disrupt agricultural production and food systems, the full extent of the damage inflicted on the lives and livelihoods of farming households and the mechanisms to redress this harm remain poorly understood. In particular, the link between violent conflicts and households’ land allocation and related agricultural investment decisions remains understudied. In this study, we use geocoded longitudinal data along with detailed agricultural panel household surveys in Nigeria to assess the impact of violent conflicts on crop choice decisions and related agricultural investments. Specifically, we explore how farmers’ land allocation and agricultural investment decisions relate or respond to the outbreak and intensity of violent conflicts. We find that violent conflicts are associated with a reduction in the share of both land area cultivated and area harvested. We also find suggestive evidence that violent conflicts may shape farmers’ crop choices and related investments, as violent conflicts are associated with reduction in the share of land allocated to long-term crops (e.g., perennial crops, trees, roots and tubers). Overall, our findings suggest that violent conflicts can negatively influence farmers’ agricultural investments directly by affecting both land utilization patterns and portfolio allocation across activities with varying returns to investments.

Modelling Nigerian residential dwellings: bottom-up approach and scenario analysis

Nigeria’s residential buildings consume a substantial amount of the country’s energy, so achieving a net-zero building sector with a rapidly growing population is a key challenge. To bridge the gap in research at a national level and support Nigeria’s commitment to an unconditional 20% reduction in emissions by 2030, this study develops bottom-up archetype models of different residential building typologies to estimate the energy and material use of Nigerian residential buildings. This creates an overview of the residential stock and how different archetypes perform. The study calculates a baseline energy and material use of Nigeria’s residential building stock using the BuildME tool and converts these data into CO2 emissions using a life-cycle assessment. Scenarios are modelled for 2020. Nigeria’s residential dwellings use approximately 0.3 kt of material per dwelling over a lifetime of 50 years and 2404 kWh/yr of energy per dwelling. Annualised, dwellings emit 2500 kgCO2-eq per dwelling due to material and energy use. Scenarios proposed for meeting Nigeria’s emissions targets will require improved energy efficiency, decarbonising the building envelope through a shift in construction materials and decarbonising grid electricity. Policy relevance This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the energy and material use of residential buildings in Nigeria, focusing on achieving the country’s commitment to a 20% reduction in emissions by 2030. It employs a bottom-up approach to model energy and material use, revealing the peculiarities of the dwelling stock across Nigeria’s four climatic zones. The study explores the implications of different policy scenarios on sustainable housing. The research suggests that meeting Nigeria’s emissions targets requires improved energy efficiency, a shift in construction materials and decarbonisation of grid electricity. It also highlights the potential benefits of a policy switch to materials such as timber, earthen blocks, adobe bricks and clay, which could significantly reduce construction-related emissions. These changes could improve the quality of life of households in Nigeria, combat climate change on a global scale and bring economic advantages to Nigeria.

Impacts of Solar Home Systems in Rural Areas: A Case Study in Bangladesh

Access to electricity is important for development in general, but access at low costs is a vital tool of economic and social development, especially for those locations that lie very far from the grid. The present study investigates the impacts of solar home systems in a rural area of Bangladesh, focusing on the ways in which the adoption of SHS transforms household livelihoods. It has improved the lives of the community members through an affordable and reliable source of electricity that allowed enhanced lighting and security, increased educational opportunities, empowerment of women, reduced reliance on harmful energy sources, increased economic productivity, environmental sustainability, human relationships and well-being. These studies emphatically underscore the fact that the biggest challenge remains affordability: in most instances, SHS is accessed through family savings or loans from NGOs. In spite of these barriers, SHS has conventionally been portrayed as an empowering tool that enhances the quality of life and aids in fulfilling the goals of sustainable development in rural areas. The paper concludes by relating conventional energy sources with a comparison, emphasizing broader benefits and possible long-term potentials for SHS in tackling energy poverty within rural Bangladesh.

The livelihood impacts of eucalypt plantations on rural farm households in Western Gurage Watersheds, Central-south Ethiopia

BackgroundRural landscapes, particularly those close to human settlements and main roads throughout the highlands of Ethiopia, appear greener than the outfields because of eucalypt plantations. The most common factors for eucalypt plantations are two: fuel and construction demands and to generate income. ObjectiveThis study tried to investigate the socioeconomic impacts of eucalypt plantations in Western Gurage Watersheds located in Central-south Ethiopia. The specific objectives are: to evaluate the socioeconomic importance of eucalypt plantations on the livelihood of farm households, and to assess perceptions on impacts of eucalypt plantation and copping strategies. MethodsSystematic and purposive sampling method was employed by selecting households with eucalypt woodlots from the list of each Woreda's Kebeles. Close- and open- ended questionnaires were distributed to every fifth households that possessed eucalypt plantations. Three hundred eighty three questionnaires were distributed and collected from households found in three Woredas (districts) namely Cheha, Enemorna Ener, and Eza located in the Watersheds. To supplement the information critical observations, discussions with focus groups and interviews with key informant were employed. The survey data were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative techniques. To describe data acquired from critical observations, focus group discussions and key informant interviews; critical and logical qualitative data analysis technique were used. Descriptive and dispersive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, variance, standard deviation, p- value and correlation were employed using SPSS Version 20. ResultsThe result showed that eucalypt plantation dominated fuel wood and construction consumption and substituted further encroachment to natural forests. From multiple responses given, households prefer planting eucalypts to indigenous trees because it is fast growing (100 %), profitable (100 %), needs lesser labor (100 %), needs lower capital (100 %), can be used for multipurpose (100 %), and coppice itself fatly (93 %). They rated income gained from eucalypt as 2nd next to enset. ConclusionsHouseholds may continue planting the species particularly for fuel wood and construction need since substituting it by other alternative seems not feasible and challenging. To sustain the livelihood and environment; appropriate management like site selection and substitutions by horticultural and cash crops using micro irrigation schemes for market needs are recommended. Conducting in-depth participatory research and specific policy ratification and promulgation on eucalypt plantations will sustain its utilization and curb the drawbacks.

Participation in artisanal diamond mining and food security: A case study of Kasai Oriental in DR Congo

Abstract The high prevalence of food insecurity and malnutrition in Kasai Oriental, Democratic Republic of the Congo, prompted an investigation into the complex relationship between household livelihood activities and food security. Despite many rural households relying on subsistence farming, this alone may not ensure improved food security in Kasai Oriental. Consequently, non-farm sectors like artisanal mining offer a potential solution to address food insecurity among rural households. The aim of this study is to explore the association between engagement in artisanal diamond mining, food insecurity, and children’s nutritional status in Kasai Oriental. The research utilizes household cross-sectional data collected between November and December 2022. Fixed effects and Instrumental variable models were employed to address household heterogeneity and potential endogeneity related to participation in artisanal diamond activities. The regression results reveal a significant relationship between participation in artisanal diamond mining and food security. This implies that participation increases households’ cash, enabling them to access sufficient food and potentially mitigating the risk of falling into food insecurity. However, involvement in artisanal mining has not shown a significant association with children’s malnutrition. These findings call for further research on “hidden hunger.” Policies aiming to encourage and formalize artisanal diamond mining should integrate specific extension services and inform rural households about hidden hunger.

Association of crop commercialization and rural households' multidimensional poverty using targeted maximum likelihood estimation

Recent evidence shows the highest prevalence of multidimensional poverty in the world. To alleviate poverty, Ethiopia is investing in stimulating agricultural commercialization for poverty reduction, driving sustainable economic growth, and creating jobs. Therefore, this study investigated the causal relationship between crop commercialization and multidimensional poverty across Ethiopian rural households using the Ethiopia Socioeconomic Survey 2018/19 data, which included 1129 crop commercialized and 1585 completely subsistence rural households. Moreover, this study also examined the causal effect of crop commercialization on the multidimensional poverty mediated by mobile phone ownership status. The study used the double robust method of the augmented inverse probability of treatment weighted (AIPTW) and targeted maximum likelihood estimation (TMLE) methods. The result showed that crop commercialization has an association with multidimensional poverty. Specifically, the TMLE with a default super learner model estimates were the most precise and suggest that the prevalence of risk of being multidimensionally poor among rural households who were crop commercialized is 12.2 % lower than for those who were completely subsistence households. Thus, it is important to have more robust policies like crop commercialization to target rural multidimensional poverty reduction. Moreover, the controlled direct effect estimation analyses showed that crop-commercialized rural households reduced the adjusted risk of multidimensional poverty by; 12 % for those who owned mobile phones and 7.8 % for those who did not. To ensure sustainable livelihoods for rural multidimensional poor households, it is necessary to have a multidisciplinary policy intervention to promote crop commercialization through the spread of mobile phones in rural areas.

Debunking the One-size-fits-all Approach: Synergistic and Trade-off Effects of Collective Action on Household Food Security Among the Smallholder Farmers in Central Kenya

Collective action is important in ameliorating the negative externalities in agriculture to promote household food security (HFS). This study explored the effects of efficiency and livelihood collective action initiatives (CAIs) on HFS along the pathways of production and income. The efficiency CAIs pursue efficiency-enhancing collective activities including input sourcing and output marketing. The livelihood CAIs engage in household livelihood and resilience enhancing collective activities such as provision of credit and informal insurance, pooling savings and acquisition of assets. A multinomial endogenous treatment effects (METE) model and an ordered probit model were employed on cross-sectional data drawn from 532 households from Murang’a County in central Kenya. The results revealed significant differences in HFS between the efficiency and livelihood CAIs. The differences were accounted for by the variations in household and organizational characteristics that determine the capacity to leverage HFS benefits along the pathways of production and income. Both efficiency and livelihood CAIs showed a positive significant effect on HFS through production. The results further showed that income positively influenced HFS among the livelihood members contrary to efficiency CAIs that showed negative HFS effects. The HFS across the combined pathways of income and production was lower for the efficiency CAIs than the livelihood CAIs. This was mainly due to the trade-off income effects exhibited by the former and the synergies accrued from income and production on the latter. The findings suggest that the overall performance of both efficiency and livelihood CAIs in leveraging HFS from joint income and production remains tentative. Therefore, a one-size-fits-all collective action promotional policy and program design approaches for improved HFS outcomes are inadequate. The study suggests a portfolio of context-specific collective action policies and interventions that match the differences between the efficiency and livelihood CAIs and their links to HFS. The policies would confer potential synergies, spillover effects and complementarities in strengthening the synergies while mitigating the trade-offs along the income and production pathways between the efficiency and livelihood CAIs. There is a need to enhance access to information, extension and advisory services and ICT among the members of the livelihood CAIs to improve production. It is important to incentivize the non-farm livelihood-enhancing economic activities among the livelihood members to fill the household food gaps arising from low production. It is also important to establish collective action funds and micro-credit schemes with affordable interest rates. This would help to tap the opportunities for credit sourcing and pooling savings among the livelihood members while promoting collective input sourcing and output marketing among the efficiency CAIs.

Trade‐offs between labour migration and agricultural productivity: Evidence from smallholder wheat systems in Nepal

AbstractRural labour out‐migration has become a major contributor to off‐farm income through remittances and plays a crucial role in supporting the livelihoods of rural households in developing economies. However, research on the simultaneous on‐farm and off‐farm impacts of labour migration is still lacking. This study assesses the impacts of household labour migration on wheat productivity, labour and total costs, profitability and off‐farm income among smallholder wheat growers in Nepal. We use endogenous switching regression and two‐stage least squares regression models to control for potential endogeneity. The findings reveal that labour migration boosts off‐farm income due to remittances but negatively affects wheat productivity and profitability due to labour shortages. In addition, heterogeneous effects are observed, with large farms, cooperative membership, use of farm mechanization and non‐marginalized castes recording positive impacts. The study suggests that social institutions, such as cooperatives, and farm mechanization can create synergies between labour migration and agricultural productivity in Nepal.

Climate change, livelihood resilience, and gender: An intersectional analysis of Vietnam's forest-dependent communities

Integrating gender-disaggregated data and adopting a gender-focused perspective are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of climate change issues. This study provides empirical evidence from two ethnic minorities in Vietnam, highlighting how perceptions of livelihood resilience vary by gender, geographical context, and ethnicity, with a particular emphasis on their intersections. Over 13 months, data were gathered through 3 focus group discussions, in-depth interviews with 9 key informants, field observations, and surveys of 136 households. The findings revealed a low average Household Livelihood Resilience (HLR) score of 0.434, indicating limited resilience among forest-dependent households facing external shocks. Notably, a significant gender gap was evident, with men demonstrating higher resilience levels than women, a disparity attributed to entrenched social norms and cultural practices. Women, often confined to domestic roles, faced barriers to community involvement and access to financial resources, which weakened their ability to cope with and recover from adverse events. To address these issues, the study advocates for climate actions that prioritize gender equality and aim to enhance women's resilience. This includes amplifying their voices through tailored training programs and initiatives such as women-managed microfinance groups. The study also emphasizes the policy implications for advancing gender equality, sustainable forest management, and livelihood resilience. However, this work has limitations, including a small sample size and reliance on self-reported data, which may introduce biases. Future research should involve a larger, more diverse sample of forest-dependent communities and examine various dimensions of vulnerability to provide a more nuanced understanding of resilience factors.

The healthcare support program and healthcare utilization of older adults in ethnic minority areas in Vietnam

Over the past few decades, Vietnam has experienced a substantial improvement in health outcomes, providing an example of a low-income country that has achieved a major success in public health despite the lack of resources. However, inequalities in access to healthcare services persist among the poor, ethnic minorities, and other vulnerable groups. To address this issue, the Vietnamese government implemented a healthcare support program in ethnic minority areas in 2013. We examine the effects of this program on healthcare utilization among older individuals aged 55–74. Employing a difference-in-differences approach and data from the Vietnam Household Living Standards Survey from 2008 to 2018, we find that the program has a positive effect on inpatient visits at public health facilities. However, the program has no impact on outpatient visits. Additional analysis reveals that the program increases outpatient visits at commune health stations and inpatient visits at district hospitals. There is also suggestive evidence of a switch from private to public facilities. Our results suggest that providing healthcare resources to disadvantaged areas can increase healthcare utilization of older people, which can, in turn, improve their health outcomes.

Influence of livelihood assets on biodiversity and household food security in tropical homegardens along urbanisation gradients

Abstract By 2050, 70% of the global population will reside in urban areas, raising concerns about food security and biodiversity loss. Tropical homegardens, a form of agroforestry, may have the potential to align concurrent demands for biodiversity conservation and food security in urban environments. Nevertheless, this depends on land-use decision-making strategies that are enabled by household livelihood assets. We examined which livelihood assets are associated with homegarden agrobiodiversity and food availability and accessibility in Kerala, India, the nature of these associations, and whether they vary along urbanisation gradients using data from 304 homegardens. We observed higher plant species richness closer to the urban centre and in smaller homegardens. Meanwhile, yields and share of household food consumption from homegardens tend to be higher farther away from urban centres. Assets like fertilizer use, irrigation and kinship affiliation are positively associated with both homegarden agrobiodiversity and food outcomes. Conversely, homegarden size is negatively associated with biodiversity outcomes across urbanisation gradients and positively associated with yield outcomes furthest away from urban centre. Some assets like family labour and farming association membership were only positively associated with food outcomes, while others like external labour availability were positively associated only with plant diversity in the urban centre. Overall, synergies between homegarden agrobiodiversity and household food security requires inputs to natural processes, such as irrigation and soil fertility, and social processes like knowledge sharing and social cohesion, especially in urban peripheries. We emphasize the relevance of homegardens and enhancing livelihood assets for food-secure households in biodiverse urban environments.

Sustainable land management and implications on incomes, food self-sufficiency and women

The adoption of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) practices among smallholder farmers remains low, particularly among women farmers. Understanding the relationship between assets, gender, and SLM adoption and how their interaction impinges on household food self-sufficiency and livelihoods is essential for developing gender-responsive SLM programmes that effectively promote sustainable livelihoods and address household food insecurity. This study examines the effects of asset type on SLM practices adoption, women farmers, and their implications on household incomes and food self-sufficiency. Data was collected through a cross-sectional survey of 761 households selected from 11 chiefdoms across six districts in Eastern Zambia. Analysis involved Structural Equation System framework and Propensity Score Matching techniques to examine relationships between SLM adoption, food self-sufficiency, and household incomes, considering various socio-economic factors. Results showed marital status and household size as significant demographics, with education positively correlating with household income and SLM participation (p < 0.05). Gender disparities persisted, with male-headed households having higher incomes. Labour allocation analysis revealed women’s involvement in labour-intensive tasks, while smaller farms showed higher income probabilities, supporting sustainable agricultural intensification. Social capital significantly influenced SLM participation, and access to financial capital. Livestock assets, land size, and crop diversity predicted food security, while male decision-making influenced food security and income. Incomes were higher for women participating in SLM projects. This study underscores the importance of SLM practices in influencing household incomes and food security, especially for women. Addressing gender disparities and promoting women’s empowerment in agriculture are crucial for achieving equitable and sustainable rural development. Policymakers can foster sustainable livelihoods in rural communities by prioritizing SLM and empowering women.

Determinants of household livelihood diversification in the uplands: The case of cassava production areas in central highlands of Vietnam

ABSTRACT The livelihoods of upland communities in Vietnam are rapidly transforming due to socio-economic and environmental changes. As a result, livelihood diversification has emerged as an adaptive strategy to these pressures, while agricultural commercialization demands greater production specialization. This study explored livelihood and crop diversification in the central highlands using survey data from 364 households and 22 in-depth interviews. The Simpson Diversity Index and Herfindahl-Hirschman Indexe were used to measure diversification levels, and regression analysis identified key determinants. Findings revealed moderate-low livelihood diversification toward non-farm activities and moderate-high crop diversification, with a trend toward industrial cassava specialization. Household-head age, education, perception of climate risks, and transportation accessibility were key factors influencing livelihood diversification. The study recommends policies to enhance young laborers’ capacity in agriculture and promote the development of non-farm livelihood activities, leveraging local resources for sustainable upland development.

Farmer adaptation strategies through local farming systems in Enrekang, Indonesia

Farmers in tropical Indonesia who manage agroecological systems face multiple challenges related to food security. Despite the conditions caused by climate change, these farming households have effectively utilized agroforestry to build food security. However, prolonged dry seasons pose new constraints to their livelihood strategies. This study uses a qualitative methodology and a rural farmer livelihood framework to analyze and evaluate household livelihood strategies, attitudes, and reactions to climate change. The findings show that farmers constantly modify their management techniques using flexible and adaptive decision-making processes to cope with and minimize climate change challenges. Moreover, the role of climate variation as a significant catalyst for change in farming practices is challenging to distinguish from some of the routine problems that farmers face each year. Through knowledge accumulation and adaptive management, farmers in Enrekang utilize several livelihood adaptation strategies to reduce risks in the face of changing climate conditions. In addition, farmers utilize on-farm crops to obtain various ecosystem services that provide services such as food, nutrition, and medicine and improve ecology, nutrient cycling, and climate regulation. Further research is needed to understand how on-farm tree inclusion affects various biophysical properties and the rationale behind species selection.