Poor Rural Families Research Articles

Economic Importance of Hidden Child Labour among Poor Rural Families of West Bengal, India: An Investigation through Field Experiment

This article investigates whether school-going children’s participation as ‘not directly paid’ family labourers in domestic chores and/or economic activities helps their families to improve their livelihood in rural West Bengal. The findings indicate that the likelihood of hidden child labour is greater when the child’s father is old, the child is not an infant, the household possesses positive operational assets and the child’s mother is part of a self-help group. Parental positive attitude towards their child’s education can also reduce the incidence of hidden child labour within the family. The evidence from the two-step treatment effect model further suggests that hidden child labour helped their family earn a higher family income than households without hidden child labour during the reference period.

Current Prospects of Husbandry and Breeding Practices of Chicken Populations Rearing in Rural Communities: For Sustainable Improvement Interventions

This study aimed to investigate the present scenario of chicken husbandry and breeding practices in the rural districts of Sidama Region, southern Ethiopia. Four districts, namely Hula, Shebedino, Aleta Chuko, and Boricha were purposefully selected based on their chicken production potential and agroecological distinctiveness. The study data were collected from 161 chicken‐keeping households through interviews, on‐farm follow‐ups, group discussions, and field observations. Descriptive statistics and indexed ranking procedures were applied to summarize the data using SAS software. The chicken farming system was predominantly free‐scavenging, followed by slowly growing semi‐intensive and few intensive farming systems. The majority of rural farmers were keeping chickens primarily to support family income and for home use. A decreasing flock size of indigenous chickens and an increasing trend of improved chicken distribution and rearing were observed. It has been noted that farmers have a good experience of selecting hatching eggs, breeding cocks, and hens. In highland districts, pure breeding is common, while in midland and lowland districts, crossbreeding is more common due to the high distribution of exotic breeds. In all study districts, chickens mainly rely on scavenging with minimal feed supplementation and sit on simple perches fixed in family houses and kitchens. More than 65% of farmers use various traditional medications that were known by farmers to cure sick chickens. Furthermore, the study identified seasonal feed shortages, disease outbreaks, unplanned breeding, limited management knowledge, predators, and drought as major bottlenecks to chicken production. Thus, these findings could raise guiding information to improve small‐scale chicken husbandry and breeding practices, which help poor rural families, and the major bottlenecks to ensure sustainable poultry farming were identified. Moreover, the high mortality of chickens observed during peak dry and wet seasons in the Boricha and Hula districts, respectively, calls for further research on the adaptation potentials of chickens in their respective ecologies.

MEDIOS DE VIDA RURALES, POBREZA Y PROTECCIÓN SOCIAL EN UN ANTIGUO PAÍS SOVIÉTICO, KIRGUISTÁN

In Kyrgyzstan, many rural families have tried to escape poverty by migrating to urban centres within the country or abroad. Although the poverty rate has tended to decline over the course of this century, it has recently increased significantly, mainly due to the COVID pandemic and its aftermath. A few years after independence from the USSR (1991), the national government reintroduced a model of social protection, albeit less generous than that of the Soviet era. With some partial reforms, this model has been maintained until today. Its effectiveness seems insufficient, especially the noncontributory component, which supports poor rural and urban families. The situation of the latter is aggravated by the limited scope and coverage of free public health services. Despite tight national budget margins, fiscal space could be created to refinance some national priorities. These include the social protection system. However, this system should also be redesigned to become more progressive and poverty-oriented.

The double burden of malnutrition among young Chinese children: a hierarchical structure of socioeconomic inequality indicators

Extant studies have deployed variable-centered methods to examine predictors of children’s nutritional status, and few focus on the double burden of malnutrition among young Chinese children. This paper adopts a person-centered approach and leverages data from large samples of Chinese families (the China Health and Nutrition Survey, CHNS 2004–2015, and China Family Panel Studies, CFPS 2010–2018) to examine trends in the prevalence of stunting, overweight, and stuntingoverweight in early childhood. We developed a hierarchical structure of socioeconomic indicators, including region (Eastern-Central-Western), urbanicity (urban-rural), and family socioeconomic status gradient (four quartiles). We assessed relative risks for malnutrition for 24 subgroups of children from varying socioeconomic strata. Results indicate that the prevalence of stunting decreased consistently while the prevalence of being overweight increased first, followed by a decreasing trend. Moreover, a small group of stuntedoverweight children (4.7%) was identified. Data from the CHNS indicated that children from affluent families in the Central region were prone to being overweight. Data from the CFPS indicate that underprivileged groups (children from poor rural families living in Western China) were at higher risk for both undernutrition and overnutrition than their more advantaged peers. The findings suggest that children in poor, rural areas in Western China should be targeted for malnutrition alleviation.

Profiling of Livelihood Assets of Rural Households in gumla District of Jharkhand

"This paper investigates the livelihood asset profile of the rural poor families of Gumla district of Jharkhand. This study was conducted in two villages of Gumla district, viz Hutar from Albert Ekka block and Bartoli from Dumri block, which was selected using simple random sampling. Complete enumeration (95 households) was done through a well-structured questionnaire in ODK platform. The study primarily identified the profile of livelihood assets owned by the rural households of Gumla district based on the sustainable livelihood framework of DFID. The study tried to explain the profile of various livelihood assets on sustainability, namely human, social, financial, physical, and natural capital. The study revealed that 95.79 per cent of the people belonged to the below poverty line. In this study, we also found that 88 per cent of the households from both villages had not availed any type of skill development training facilities, and almost 87 per cent of the households did not have access to the formal credit facility due to lack of knowledge about the formal financial system. Whereas, in both villages, 70 per cent of women were attached to different social institutions, especially Self-help Groups, and availed loans for various economic activities like the establishment of grocery shops, and enhancement of physical assets etc. to support their livelihood. Despite having abundant access to natural resources like forests and rivers, lack of human assets exceptionally skilled labour and unavailability of financial support were creating hindrances in the livelihood strategy formation at the village level. Hence, it is recommended that rural households should focus on the improvement of their human and financial assets to increase sustainability."

Proximate composition of some Nigerian Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) accessions

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc. ) is grown for food and income in Nigeria. A total of ten landraces of bambara groundnut with varying seed coat and eye colours were collected directly from farmers in Kogi, Niger and Kaduna States of Nigeria and taken to the Biochemistry Laboratory of Kogi State University, Anyigba, for proximate analysis. The results revealed significant differences among evaluated accessions in all the estimated parameters. Moisture content ranged from 11.00 (Accession 007 and 010) to 13.50 % (Accession 003), ash content ranged from 0.08 (Accession 007) to 2.75% (Accession 003), crude fibre content ranged from 2.63 (Accession 003) to 6.30 % (Accession 007), total fat content ranged from 9.88 (Accession 001) to 15.85% (Accession 006), crude protein content ranged from 12.47 (Accession 007) to 24.61% (Accession 010) and available carbohydrates ranged from 42.17 (Accession 010) to 56.66 % (Accession 001) . The result of this research reveals that the nutritional composition of bambara groundnut falls within Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) standards and therefore are an excellent source of protein, lipid, carbohydrate and mineral elements. The crop will help to alleviate the problem of malnutrition and contribute to food security in Nigeria, particularly among the poor rural families who cannot afford expensive animal protein.

Mining-induced displacement and livelihood resilience: The case of Marange, Zimbabwe

Mining activities are increasingly causing mass displacement of people around the world. These displacements largely affect poor rural families, which, are forced to bear the brunt of displacement and the loss of livelihood assets. The loss of land and other productive livelihood assets exacerbates the vulnerability of displaced people to livelihood shocks and poverty. In Zimbabwe, neoliberal extractive investment enclaves have led to the displacement of thousands of families. Much of what we know about mining-induced displacement is the vulnerability and suffering of displacement victims. This dominant scholarship reduces displaced people to passive and helpless victims of displacement. However, little is known about the resilience and ingenuity of internally displaced people. In the absence of adequate compensation and social support from the state, how do displaced people sustain their livelihoods? This article, through an ethnographic study, attempts to address this and related questions by examining the individual and collective resilience of the displaced Chiadzwa people in Marange, eastern Zimbabwe. We show how displaced people use their agency to rebuild local self-support systems that sustain(ed) livelihoods.

Urban-Rural Distinction or Economic Segmentation: A Study on Fear and Inferiority in Poor Children's Peer Relationships.

Peer relationships play an important role in the growth of children. This study offers insights about feelings of fear and inferiority in children’s peer relationships. Based on a national survey, the 2018 Construction for Social Policy Support System for Urban and Rural Poor Families in China, initiated by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and using multiple regression models and a structural equation model, this study discusses whether and how having a rural household registration or being from a poor (dibao) family has an isolation effect on fear and inferiority in children’s peer relationships. The research findings indicate that children with a rural household registration or those from a dibao family are at a disadvantage in peer interactions. Moreover, rural resident identity has an indirect effect on children’s fear of peers and inferiority, mainly through psychological resilience, anxiety and depression, and mobile phone dependence. Being from a dibao family directly influences children’s fear and inferiority in their peer relationships; it also indirectly influences fear of peers and inferiority through psychological resilience. This study suggests that more attention should be paid to fear of peers and inferiority in rural children or children from a dibao family.

Boundary Crossing for Education Continuity: Exploring WhatsApp’s Potential in Botswana During and Beyond the Pandemic

Based on a conceptualization of WhatsApp as a boundary object that permits educational institutions to cross over from in-school teaching to out-of-school teaching, this study investigated the viability of WhatsApp as a mobile learning (m-Learning) technology tool for the continuity of teaching and learning in Botswana during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing a narrative review of the literature, we found that WhatsApp’s viability is supported by Botswana’s high mobile phone penetration rate, the extensive coverage of the country’s mobile broadband network, reduced domestic internet prices and research findings of WhatsApp’s technological, educational and academic advantages elsewhere. However, teachers require training to develop relevant technological and pedagogical competences. WhatsApp’s viability also requires inclusive access for all children including those from rural poor families and living with disabilities, and the protection of children learning online from mobile phone dependency and exposure to potentially harmful content and abuse.

Women in Artisanal and Small Scale Mining Uganda: Regulation, Barriers and Benefits

This study gives an overview of women in artisanal and small scale mining in Uganda (ASM). It sheds light on regulatory framework while citing the barrier and benefits. In summary the finding of the study are namely; - (i) Many studies describe how male dominated the mining industry is. - (ii) Women play a significant role in ASM, however, much of their work takes place illegally. In Africa alone ASM workforce comprises of 40-50 % women. - (iii) Although many women work in ASM, the exact number of women involved in remains largely unknown. - (iv) ASM is a source of livelihood and has other social economic benefits for many women and in poor rural families in Uganda. - (v) The study reveals key barriers that women in ASM face and suggest what can be done to make it more gender responsive.

Performance Analysis and Techno-Economic Optimization of Green Energy Systems for Remote Areas in the Maghreb

All interventions that enhance livelihoods of poor rural families in remote areas of the Maghreb will positively impact standard living, involve technological solutions, and likely enhance agricultural production, which in turn can further contribute to poverty reduction. Hybrid green energy systems (HGESs) have been more exploited to supply a mobile base transceiver station (BTS) by clean electricity, or assess the energy availability in smart grids (SGs) of such areas. In this paper, a HGES has been modeled to produce energy from PV/Wind HGES in grid-connected BTS or SG sites, using MATLAB to solve a theoretical model, and simulated with a suitable configuration for performance analysis and optimal sizing. A techno-economic simulation, carried out using the HOMER package, has evaluated such HGES feeding BTS or SG in a remote area-prototype (RAP) of the Maghreb, and optimized the size and assess hybrid PV-Wind system based on weather conditions for RAP. The results may impact rural livelihood and improve standard living of people in such countries.

What is the anti-poverty effect of solar PV poverty alleviation projects? Evidence from rural China

Since 2014, China’s photovoltaic poverty alleviation projects (PPAPs) have developed rapidly with the strong support of the Chinese government. Nevertheless, empirical evidence on the contribution of PPAPs in improving the livelihoods of poor rural families is lacking. In order to overcome this knowledge gap, this study adopted a quasi-experimental research method based on a sample dataset of 735 poor families in Chinese rural areas before and after the project. Using five types of livelihood capital values for poor families as poverty proxy indicators, we quantified the net contribution of PPAPs to poverty reduction in rural low-income families through probability distribution comparative analysis, mean comparison analysis, and difference-in-difference regression model. Results demonstrated that the PPAPs were able to precisely target rural families requiring relief and significantly reduced poverty in China, with the net effect on livelihood capital increases for rural families determined as 31.9%. PPAPs have effectively enhanced the economic conditions and social capital of poor families, yet increases in human and natural capital performed poorly. Differences existed in the anti-poverty effect of PPAPs across the three types of solar photovoltaic resource areas. The rural socioeconomic development and access to roads were undoubtedly important factors affecting the livelihoods of rural families.

Impact of community health promoters on awareness of a rural social marketing program, purchase and use of health products, and disease risk, Kenya, 2014–2016

Abstract The Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP), a non-governmental organization in western Kenya, opened kiosks run as businesses by community health promoters (CHPs) to increase access to health products among poor rural families. We conducted a baseline survey in 2014 before kiosks opened, and a post-intervention follow-up in 2016, enrolling 1,517 households with children <18 months old. From baseline to follow-up, we observed increases in reported exposure to the SWAP program (3–11%, p = 0.01) and reported purchases of any SWAP product (3–10%, p < 0.01). The percent of households with confirmed water treatment (detectable free chlorine residual (FCR) >0.2 mg/ml) was similar from baseline to follow-up (7% vs. 8%, p = 0.57). The odds of reported diarrhea in children decreased from baseline to follow-up (odds ratios or OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.64–0.93) and households with detectable FCR had lower odds of diarrhea (OR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.34–0.83). Focus group discussions with CHPs suggested that high product prices, lack of affordability, and expectations that products should be free contributed to low sales. In conclusion, modest reported increases in SWAP exposure and product sales in the target population were insufficient to impact health, but children in households confirmed to chlorinate their water had decreased diarrhea.

COMACO, from snares to plowshares: A conservation and human wellbeing success story

AbstractCommunity Markets for Conservation is a private sector, not‐for‐profit social enterprise in Zambia. It was established in 2003 to halt wildlife poaching and illegal tree cutting for charcoal by helping poor rural families to increase their food and income security through improved farming practices and marketing of value‐added agricultural commodities. COMACO supports 178,891 farmers in the Luangwa Valley, providing them with improved farming skills, seed loans, a premium price for their crop surplus, and a dividend if they comply with sustainable farming and wildlife, and forest conservation best practices. Maize yields using COMACO methods increased by 63% and net income was 37% higher than for farmers who purchased inorganic fertilizers. Between 2012 and 2018 the number of food secure families increased from 67–84%. Elephant poaching has declined in all but one COMACO district, poaching is now primarily conducted by nonlocal hunters, and leg‐hold snare detections by community game scouts have decreased significantly in COMACO areas. Increasing food and income security while reducing deforestation and unsustainable hunting for ~$US10 per farmer per year is cheap and can be replicated in Zambia and other nations in Africa.

Сельские малоимущие семьи и их возможности для развития детей

Сельские малоимущие семьи и их возможности для развития детей

English

This qualitative study was aimed at looking into the lived experiences of child domestic workers in the selected towns of Gedeo Zone. A triangulation of key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, informal conversations, non-participant observations, and life histories were employed to collect the required data from child domestic workers, brokers, urban residents, police officers, and officials and experts in concerned government offices. The finding reveals that poverty and parental death are among the principal factors that coerce children to join the sector. Being a solitary decision for a few, engaging in this sector is not a personal decision for many child domestic workers. Letting one or more child (ren) engage in domestic work in urban areas is often adopted by poor rural and urban families as a survival strategy. The decision of the families to send their children for domestic work is often mediated by brokers. With regard to the terms of employment of the child domestic workers, all interviewed child domestic workers were working without any written contract with their employers. Though the lived experiences of the interviewed child domestic workers were heterogeneous, most reported long working hours, poor remuneration, deduction, delay and denial of salary, denial of contact with family and friends, uncomfortable living arrangements, denial of access to education, and physical, verbal, psychological and sexual abuses to characterize their daily lives. As poverty was found to be the prominent reason for most child domestic workers to join the sector, the researchers suggest the integrated interventions of stakeholders to scale up the capabilities of rural and urban poor households thereby preventing children from entering into the sector. Furthermore, enforcing the existing legal frameworks related to child labor and enacting additional responsive regulations on child domestic work is imperative to protect those who are already in the sector. Key words: Abuse, child domestic workers, families, Gedeo, lived experiences, poverty.

Phenomenon of Women Marginalization in Poor Family in Pakpak Community (A Case Study in Pegagan Julu Village, Sumbul Subdistrict, Dairi Regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia)

This article is taken from the study of marginalization cases experienced by Pakpak women of rural poor families. The study was conducted in Pegagan village of Sumbul Subdistrict, Dairi, North Sumatra province. The marginalization phenomenon is shown in some aspects; restrictions on women's access to formal education, tendency of dropping out of school, having no inheritance rights and no role in the decision making of custom. Related to this phenomenon, the research question of this study is how the process of marginalization experienced by women in their family is.Marxist structural feminist perspective and qualitative approach with feminist perspective were used to answer the research question. The findings of the study finally show that the structured patriarchy ideology as gender ideology in family becomes the cause of women marginalization. Patriarchy becoming gender ideological construction in Pakpak family is interpreted and expressed in the form of private patriarchy, that is a hegemonizing system or structure of men power that has dominated and subordinated social position of women in Pakpak families.

Unsustainable vs. Sustainable Hunting for Food in Gabon: Modeling Short- and Long-Term Gains and Losses

Today, rural people continue to consume wild animals (aquatic and terrestrial) because they are often cheaper and more available than farmed livestock and fish. In many places where the meat from wild animals is an important source of food and income for poor rural families, the capture, consumption or trade of wild animals is illegal and remains within the informal sector and outside of national accounting and regulatory systems. Few studies exist to help policy makers and wildlife managers develop and implement systems designed to halt unsustainable hunting, prevent species loss, and maintain, over the long term, flows of wildlife available to people as a source of food and income. This paper uses empirical data from a tropical forest area in Gabon within a heuristic simulation model to explore how hunter capture rates would need to change over time to halt unsustainable hunting and to maximize the nutritional and economic value of wildlife as a source of food and income over the long term. Results show that sustainable hunting of wildlife populations that are at or near 50% of carrying capacity (0.5K) generates more biomass available for consumption and income generation over 25 years than either hunting to maintain current population densities or continuing to hunt unsustainably. Unsustainable hunting generates more biomass than sustainable hunting but only for the first 1 to 3 years after which offtake dwindles rapidly. Achieving sustainable hunting will require that hunters reduce their offtake for 3-13 years until depleted populations recover, which may be unlikely unless they have access to alternative sources of food and income.

Estratégias Alimentares de Famílias Rurais Pobres na Região Oeste de Santa Catarina

A sociedade civil brasileira contribuiu na concepção da Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional e, a partir de 2003, na formulação e gestão de políticas públicas específicas. Essa noção defende o direito das pessoas ao acesso regular e permanente a alimentos de qualidade e em quantidade suficiente, sem comprometer outras necessidades básicas. Com base nessa perspectiva, este artigo tem por objetivo analisar as estratégias alimentares de famílias rurais pobres. A análise fundamenta-se em pesquisas realizadas em dezesseis municípios com características rurais da região Oeste de Santa Catarina, junto a 67 famílias assistidas pelo Programa Bolsa Família entre 2011 e 2018. Os resultados indicam que as famílias pobres adotam diversas estratégias de aprovisionamento de alimentos, com destaque para quatro mecanismos: i) produção tanto em áreas rurais quanto no perímetro urbano; ii) aquisição em mercados que permitem o pagamento a prazo; iii) empréstimo, troca e doação junto a familiares e/ou vizinhos; e iv) doação de empregadores, igrejas e prefeituras. Nenhuma família estava passando fome, mas quase todas viviam em situação de insegurança alimentar, além de se privarem de outras necessidades básicas em prol da alimentação. O conjunto de políticas públicas melhorou a alimentação das famílias rurais pobres, todavia, não foi suficiente para assegurar o acesso aos alimentos em quantidade, qualidade e diversidade, uma vez que não removeu os principais condicionantes da pobreza, que é o acesso a terra e a mecanismos de inserção produtiva.

Promoting LPG usage during pregnancy: A pilot study in rural Maharashtra, India

Household air pollution from the combustion of biomass and coal is estimated to cause approximately 780,000 premature deaths a year in India. The government has responded by promoting uptake of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by tens of millions of poor rural families. Many poor households with new LPG stoves, however, continue to partially use traditional smoky chulhas. Our primary objective was to evaluate three strategies to transition pregnant women in rural Maharashtra to exclusive use of LPG for cooking. We also measured reductions in kitchen concentrations of PM2.5 before and after our interventions. Our core intervention was a free stove, 2 free LPG cylinders (one on loan until delivery), and repeated health messaging. We measured stove usage of both the traditional and intervention stoves until delivery. In households that received the core intervention, an average of 66% days had no indoor cooking on a chulha. In an adjacent area, we evaluated a conditional cash transfer (CCT) based on usage of LPG in addition to the core intervention. Results were less successful, due to challenges implementing the CCT. Pregnant women in a third nearby area received the core intervention plus a maximum of one 14.2 kg cylinder per month of free fuel. In their homes, 90% of days had no indoor cooking on a chulha. On average, exclusive LPG use decreased kitchen concentrations of PM2.5 by approximately 85% (from 520 to 72 μg/m3). 85% of participating households agreed to pay the deposit on the 2nd cylinder. This high purchase rate suggests they valued how the second cylinder permitted continuous LPG supply. A program to increase access to second cylinders may, thus, be a straightforward way to encourage use of clean fuels in rural areas.