Household Resilience Research Articles

Rural household resilience to food insecurity in Mekiet district, Ethiopia

IntroductionFood insecurity remains a global issue and a top national priority in Ethiopia. However, it continues to pose a serious challenge in rural areas. Therefore, this study investigated household resilience to food insecurity among rural residents in Mekiet district.MethodsA cross-sectional research design was used, focusing on two agroecological zones of Mekiet district—lowland and midland—involving 228 respondents. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Multistage sampling techniques were employed to select the sample households, and factor analysis was employed to analyze the data.Results and discussionThe results from the factor analysis using the TANGO approach showed that the latent variables of absorptive and adaptive capacities had factor loadings of 0.98 and 0.79, respectively. On the other hand, transformative capacity showed a negative loading (−0.78), with all variables being statistically significant. The mean household resilience capacity index was 0.51. The variables of absorptive and adaptive capacities were positively associated with household resilience capacity, while transformative capacity exhibited a strong negative association. All factor loadings were significant, exceeding the recommended absolute value of 0.364 for sample sizes of 200 or more. Additionally, these variables were also highly correlated with resilience capacity. The study recommends that resilience programs be implemented at district, community, and household levels to enhance resilience to food insecurity.

Social and Ecological Contributions of the Taungya Agroforestry System in the Restoration of Mount Elgon National Park, Uganda

Balancing conservation objectives with the livelihood needs of local communities remains a significant challenge in the management of protected areas. The Taungya agroforestry system, introduced in Mount Elgon National Park, Uganda, in 2009, aims to address this issue by integrating forest restoration with agricultural production for food security. This study assesses the social and ecological contributions of the Taungya system in Kapkwata sub-county, Kapchorwa district, focusing on its impact on forest cover restoration, food security, income generation, and the provision of ecosystem services. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 240 participants selected through random sampling, supplemented by key informant interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, and qualitative insights were analyzed through thematic analysis. The results indicate that the Taungya system significantly improved vegetation cover, with the majority of participants reporting an increase in forest cover from 0-25% to 51-75%. The program also contributed to household food security and income generation, with participants cultivating crops like Irish potatoes, maize, and onions for both consumption and sale. Non-crop benefits, including access to firewood and clean water, further enhanced household resilience. However, challenges such as small land allocations, crop pests, and wildlife conflicts were identified as barriers to maximizing the program's impact. To optimize outcomes, the study recommends increased land allocations per household and the introduction of integrated pest management strategies. The findings underscore the potential of agroforestry systems like Taungya to achieve sustainable conservation and community development in protected areas

Digital Financial Inclusion and Poverty-Alleviation Resilience of Chinese Rural Households

Digital Financial Inclusion and Poverty-Alleviation Resilience of Chinese Rural Households

Does Mobile Payment Raise the Poverty‐Alleviation Resilience of Chinese Households?

ABSTRACTConsidering the complex environment facing the future poverty reduction process in China, and it is increasingly urgent to shift the conversation from the poverty vulnerability to poverty‐alleviation resilience of households. Coinciding with poverty‐alleviation progress, mobile payment has experienced explosive growth, resulting in significant and far‐reaching influences on production and lifestyle. This study constructs a theoretical framework to analyze the impact of mobile payment on poverty‐alleviation resilience (splitting into poverty‐eradication resilience and development resilience). Meanwhile, the impact is empirically investigated using the China Household Finance Survey for 2017 and 2019. The findings reveal that, first, mobile payment significantly increases both poverty‐eradication resilience and development resilience. According to the quantile regression results, mobile payment has a larger contribution to households with a lower poverty‐alleviation resilience, with the contribution diminishing as poverty‐alleviation resilience improves; second, mobile payment significantly increases poverty‐alleviation resilience by increasing self‐insurance capacity and participation in commercial insurance (ex ante), alleviating financial exclusion (ex interim), and promoting entrepreneurship and improving entrepreneurial performance (ex post); and third, social trust significantly improves the effect of mobile payment on poverty‐alleviation resilience, whereas the age of the household head has the reverse effect. Since risk and shocks play a more pronounced role in the persistence of poverty, our research helps to understand poverty alleviation and offers insights into how to eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions, thus realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Resilience of dryland farm households in the mountains and their adaptability to environmental and social challenges

Resilience of dryland farm households in the mountains and their adaptability to environmental and social challenges

Family Resilience In Households Of Children With Disabilities: A Comprehensive Analysis

Despite the diversity of results from scientific research on family resilience in households with disabled children, systematic mapping of these findings is still limited. Therefore, this article aims to thoroughly map the existing literature on this subject, elucidating previous research dynamics and laying the groundwork for future studies. Using a scoping review approach, we sourced literature from Google Scholar, focusing on publications from the past decade (2013-2023). We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines for literature selection, culminating in the review of 22 studies. The analysis focuses on three main themes: social support for families with disabled children, strategies and mechanisms for building resilience within these families, and various aspects of resilience in these contexts. Critical stakeholders in fostering family resilience include parents, partners, and family members serving as caregivers. The implications of these findings and opportunities for future research are discussed further.

Saving on the Phone—Evidence from Ghanaian Cocoa Farmers

Effective savings mechanisms are crucial for household resilience and economic growth. Savings accounts, whether from banks or mobile-phone based, offer an alternative to informal saving mechanisms as they provide safe and private cash storage. However, there is still no clear evidence on how the use of digital tools can contribute to increasing farmers’ savings, compared with other financial tools such as bank accounts or keeping cash at home. To address this gap, we investigate factors affecting cocoa farmers’ decisions to save, as well as their savings amounts. Shedding light on saving determinants, we answer the question of whether formal and semi-formal accounts play a major role in savings accumulation. For our study, we employ data from a structured telephone survey conducted in 2021 among 405 randomly sampled cocoa farmers. Results from an interval regression suggest that bank account usage is associated with higher savings amounts. In contrast to male cocoa farmers, females seem to use mobile savings tools to their benefit. Our analysis further reveals the importance of education in household financial resource management. We provide valuable results for public policymakers and the private sector towards responsible financial inclusion and pro-poor development of digital financial services.

Household resilience to climate change in the “big three” African economies

AbstractThe precarious nature of climate change and its consequences on the resilience of economies require examination. This study investigated climate change resilience in the “big three” economies in Africa—Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa—using macroeconomic data. Results indicated that Nigeria had the highest vulnerability score and South Africa had the highest resilience score. Readiness for climate change was low in all countries, especially in Nigeria. Climate vulnerability had a significant dampening effect on per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the three economies. In addition, reducing inflation is associated with increased welfare and resilience by raising per capita GDP, although the effect needs to be magnified with sound economic policies. The low adaptive capacity presents policy direction to develop human resource capacities, improve safety net delivery, and ensure effective early warning systems.

A machine learning‐based exploration of resilience and food security

AbstractLeveraging advancements in remote data collection and using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) as a proxy measure of resilience, we show that machine learning models (such as Gradient Boosting Classifier, eXtreme Gradient Boosting, and Artificial Neural Networks), can predict resilience with relatively high accuracy (up to 81%). Key household‐level predictors include access to financial institutions, asset ownership, the adoption of agricultural mechanization as evidenced by the use of tractors, the number of crops cultivated, and ownership of nonfarm enterprises. Our analysis offers insights to researchers and policymakers interested in the development of targeted interventions to bolster household resilience.

Resilience to drought and climate change disasters and its determinants in the heterogeneous pastoral Ethiopia

Disastrous livestock losses have been documented over long periods in pastoral Ethiopia, and this challenge has remained unresolved. Nevertheless, this issue has received less attention than it deserves. This study estimated resilience of households to drought and climate change using survey data collected from 2756 households in the four pastoral regions of Ethiopia. A two-step approach, along with factor analysis, was followed to estimate resilience by household categories, intervention groups, and regions. Following this, tobit model was estimated to identify factors influencing resilience. The results indicated, (1) the average resilience estimated for treated and untreated groups range from 0.32 to 0.90 and from 0.32 to 0.55, respectively. (2) The components of income and food-access, public services, social safety net, and liquid and non-liquid assets boosted the estimated resilience. To those components, daily per-capita income and expenditure, food-insecurity, health-post, mobility, time-efficient food-aid, livestock-size and diversity, and irrigated land contributed most. (3) The estimated tobit model indicated months of drought, whether households produce or purchase grain for consumption, among others, significantly influenced resilience. To improve resilience, the study advises diversified income, school-feeding, market access, water points, and timely food-aid. Over time, transformative investments in road and irrigation, augmented by technology and training for forage and crop production require attention.

Estimation of disease outbreak vulnerability index (DOVI) and resilience index (DORI) at household-level among states of India, (2019–21)

Resilience at the household level is crucial to reduce the impact of disease outbreaks among the mass population. The intensity and nature of preparedness of households are affected by the socio-economic disparities. This study aimed to measure the level of household resilience, by place of residence across states of India. From India's Demographic Health Survey (DHS) data, 12 indicators were taken, representing the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), physical distancing, energy and communication, and economic security dimensions. Alkire and Foster's Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) method was used to compute the Disease Outbreak Vulnerability Index (DOVI) and Disease Outbreak Resilience Index (DORI). Results displayed that 0.166 of households were found vulnerable and 0.834 of households were found resilient towards disease outbreaks. Rural households (0.175) were found more vulnerable than urban households (0.144), notably, in the WASH, and energy-communication dimensions, however, urban households were vulnerable in physical distancing and household economic security. Kerala, Goa, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, and Jammu & Kashmir states revealed higher resilience, whereas, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, NCT Delhi, Maharashtra, Chandigarh, and Andhra Pradesh states showed the least resilience towards disease outbreak. This study has suggested that policymakers should focus on the WASH, electricity, and mass-media services among rural households and physical distancing, and economic security among urban households, to increase resilience and preparedness for future outbreaks, and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3. D, by the end of 2030.

Beyond grassland degradation: Pathways to resilience for pastoralist households in alpine grassland ecosystems

Sustaining the development of rural and pastoral communities' hinges on livelihood resilience. Pastoralist household resilience relies on resource availability and decision-making abilities. Despite extensive studies on pastoralist livelihoods, a significant knowledge gap remains in understanding the nuanced adaptive capacities of diverse households, particularly amid grassland degradation. Thus, this study investigates the household-based livelihood resilience of pastoralists in China's Three-River Headwater Region, offering policy recommendations for resilient livelihoods. Using stratified random sampling, 758 pastoralist household heads underwent semi-structured interviews to collect data. Five household characteristics, encompassing age, gender, energy use, well-being perception, and multi-household grazing participation, were evaluated. Looking ot the nature of data, descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were performed in this study to draw the valid inferences. The results revealed a positive correlation (p < 0.05) between household head age and livelihood resilience, with divergent resilience across age groups. Varied energy usage yielded distinct impacts; households employing solar or mixed energy sources exhibited heightened resilience (p < 0.05). Household well-being emerged as an invariant variable concerning resilience. Furthermore, engagement in multi-household grazing (an informal institution) significantly (p < 0.05) influenced pastoralist livelihood resilience. These insights advocate targeted support for young household heads and the adoption of clean energy. Exploring the deeper strategies and mechanisms of multi-household grazing can enhance understanding and policy integration, guiding eco-friendly progress within rustic landscapes for pastoral communities.

Determinants of household resilience to food insecurity: A case of rural northern Ethiopia by using the RIMA approach

An ongoing and global agenda is the food security policy debate in rural Ethiopia of households to enhance resilience at the individual and household level for tackling food insecurity. Therefore, this study investigated determinants of household resilience to food insecurity in rural dwellers of Mekiet District. A cross-sectional research design was conducted in two agro ecological zones of the Mekiet district, lowland, and midland, involving 228 respondents. The study employed a quantitative and qualitative approach, with multi-stage sampling techniques results employed to select sample households by using two-stage factor analysis. The result from factor analysis using the RIMA approach showed that the latent variables of adaptive capacity, asset, and social safety net have a positive value of (0.76), (0.51), and (0.77), respectively, and in the contrast, access to essential services has a negative load of (-0.61), and all variables were found to be statistically significant. All those loads were significant, with an absolute value of factor loadings greater than 0.364, which is recommended for a sample size of 200 and above. Those variables were also highly correlated with resilience capacity. The study recommended that resilience programs should be implemented at district, community, and household levels to enhance resilience to food insecurity.

PERAN TNI ANGKATAN DARAT DALAM MEMBANGUN KETAHANAN KELUARGA (STUDI KASUS PERUMAHAN SOKOWATEN SOROWAJAN BARU BANGUNTAPAN BANTUL YOGYAKARTA)

Every individual is no exception in the household life of TNI members, that is they can build a harmonies family if they properly understand the role of each member of the family in the midst of their busy lives as civil servants and other profession, which is not an obstacle to running away from their role. What must be done for the resilience of a family. Families or individuals who are able to survive all existing conditions have the opportunity to have strong family resilience. The research method used is qualitative-descriptive, with data collection techniques in three ways, namely observation, interviews, and documentation. The result of this paper is more or less the discovery of several important roles played by the TNI AD and his wife in building household resilience, namely: 1. Good communication between husband and wife. 2. Share roles. 3. Mutual trust. 4. Vacation together or spending time with family. 5. Good communication with extended family and with in-laws. 6. Cultivate a sense of responsibility to children, especially to boys. 7. Applying authoritarian and democratic parenting. 8. Changing the role of the husband. 9. Take the wife wherever the husband is on duty. 10. Accompany my husband wherever he changes his job. With this, it is hoped that the TNI AD family will pay more attention to their role as family members so that they can build family resilience to build national resilience.

Evaluation and influencing factors of ecological resilience in tourism villages from farmers’ perspectives: a case study of Chinese minority settlement areas

Rural social-ecological systems have been significantly impacted by the development of rural tourism, creating substantial challenges for the synergistic development of rural ecological restoration and agricultural workers’ household livelihoods. In alignment with the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration action plan, it is crucial to understand the ecological resilience of tourism villages from the perspective of farmers to achieve sustainable development. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were conducted in this study to gather livelihood data from farmers in tourism villages in Xiangxi, China, a region primarily inhabited by ethnic minorities. A measurement index system for the ecological resilience of rural tourism was constructed based on the three dimensions: pressure, state, and response. A comprehensive index method was employed for quantitative evaluation, and influencing factors were analyzed using an obstacle model. The results show that farmers’ livelihoods can be divided into four types: tourism-led, labor-led, agriculture-led, and part-time tourism-based. Their ecological resilience indices are 0.4516, 0.4177, 0.4001, and 0.4590, respectively, representing an overall intermediate level. There are differences in various indices for different livelihood types, with the highest stress index observed in labor-led farmers (0.1655), the highest state index in agriculture-led farming households (0.1585), and the highest response index in tourism-led farming households (0.1766). Common obstacles to the ecological resilience of farmers and their villages include the number of family members engaged in tourism work, the area of forest land, and the farmers’ understanding of ecological policies affecting them. Additionally, core family members’ education levels and the area of homesteads emerged as important obstacle factors. Based on these research findings, recommendations are proposed to enhance the ecological resilience of rural farmer households in the tourism villages of ethnic minority areas. The aim is to provide valuable case studies for promoting the sustainable development of rural tourism in underdeveloped regions worldwide.

Weather-related shocks, livelihood assets and coping strategies of water-insecure smallholder rice farmers: A case study from Ogun State, Nigeria

Building resilience against shocks is crucial for enhancing the livelihoods of water-insecure smallholder farming households. This research investigates household coping strategies for mitigating weather-related shocks and explores differences in the livelihoods of water-insecure smallholder rice farming households in Ogun State, Nigeria. Field survey data was collected from 175 households, and a coping strategies index was formulated, taking into account the severity and the frequency of coping measures. Using the k-means cluster approach, households were categorized into four clusters based on the components of the sustainable livelihoods framework. The study reveals variability across the clusters in terms of vulnerability and the degree to which households are able to use adequate coping strategies. Two out of the four clusters (clusters 1 and 2) are identified as coping farming households with moderate to high vulnerability to drought and floods, while clusters 3 and 4 are limited coping farming households with moderate to low vulnerability to these weather-related shocks. Addressing households’ challenges to cope with extreme weather events is necessary to enhance the resilience and adaptability of water-insecure farming households, and will contribute to creating sustainable livelihoods of at-risk households facing climate emergencies.

Access to Technology to Increase Food Resilience in Rural Households in Indonesia

Food resilience is intricately linked to household standard of living, human development, and economic growth. Higher food expenditure not only signifies improved living standards but also provides households with the necessary energy and nutrition for daily activities. The integration of technology holds promise for bolstering food resilience among households.However, there exists a gap in understanding how technology can enhance household food resilience across different socioeconomic classes, considering the diverse food expenditure patterns observed. This paper employs quantile regressions to examine the impact of technology on food resilience, accounting for heterogeneity across socio-economic classes.Utilizing data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS) wave 5 dataset, our findings reveal varying effects of certain variables across different classes. Key contributors to food expenditure identified include income, household size, education, and engagement in agriculture as the primary source of employment. Consequently, policy interventions should prioritize expanding internet access for low-decile households residing in rural areas to effectively enhance food resilience.

The role of social capital in the impact of multiple shocks on households’ coping strategies in underdeveloped rural areas

Social capital has long been recognized as a facilitator of socio-economic development. However, the role of social capital in enhancing resilience to multiple shocks in rural China remains insufficiently explored. This study focus on the resilience of households that have recently get rid of poverty and reside in underdeveloped rural areas of China. Unlike previous studies, the article incorporates multiple shocks, social capital, and households’ coping strategies into a research framework at the micro level. This study systematically analyses the multiple shocks experienced by households, their coping strategies, and further explores the mediating role of social capital. Utilizing two waves of a rural household panel survey data collected in six underdeveloped counties in 2015 and 2018 in China, we present four key findings. Currently, households primarily contend with drought, illness of family members, and the high costs of agricultural inputs as the main shocks. Their predominant coping strategy is reducing consumption. Importantly, social capital exhibits a mediating effect, accounting for 9.8% of the impact of multiple shocks on households’ coping strategies. Notably, natural disasters significantly diminish the informal functions of social capital. While social capital exerts a full mediating effect in non-agricultural households, this effect is not observed among others. This study contributes to a better understanding of the dynamics and specificities of social capital in vulnerable rural areas. Additionally, the findings provide policymakers with practical insights regarding differentiated and preemptive risk governance approaches.

FinTech development and household resilience to negative income shocks: The role of informal risk sharing

In this study, we investigate the impact of FinTech development on household resilience to negative income shocks from the perspective of informal risk sharing. We find that experiencing negative income shocks weakens household resilience by 33.17% on average, and the enhancement of FinTech development by 1% mitigates the impact of negative income shocks on household resilience by 1.3974% on average. By estimating the marginal effects for households at different well-being quantile groups, we further disclose that the effects of regional FinTech development on household resilience to negative income shocks are more prominent in richer households, showing the potential challenges of the digital divide, although the mitigation effect of FinTech is significant for all groups. The mechanisms underlying the effects of regional FinTech development on household resilience to negative income shocks are increases in the income transfer within risk-sharing networks among households due to the reduction of risk-sharing costs, especially for households with strong ties. The results further confirm the importance of FinTech development and informal risk-sharing to households on household resilience enhancement.

The impact of infectious disease experience on household consumption: evidence from rural China.

The issue of low consumption among rural households in China has a longstanding history, and the experience of infectious diseases may exacerbate the existing challenges in fostering consumption growth. However, studies that characterize the impact of infectious diseases on household consumption are limited in China. This study aims to explore rural household consumption responses to infectious diseases post-assessment, and identify the underlying mechanisms. A total of 1,539 rural households from China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) datasets of 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 were recruited as the study sample. The presence of infectious disease experience was employed as the independent variable and household consumption as the dependent variable. A panel fixed effects (FE) regression model was initially employed to identify the influence of infectious disease experiences on rural household consumption. The instrumental variable (IV) method was used to address potential endogeneity between independent and dependent variables. Robustness checks such as Propensity Score Matching (PSM) test were employed to ensure the reliability of the findings. The results reveal a statistically significant negative impact of infectious disease experiences on consumption over time, becoming no more significant at around 7-9 years post-disaster. This effect leads to more pronounced consumption deprivation for households with limited health insurance coverage and heightened healthcare resource constraints. The mechanism test indicates that infectious disease experiences affect the consumption levels of rural households through channels that include income constraints, the crowding-out of healthcare expenditure, and risk perception, with the precautionary savings motive acting as a moderator. Furthermore, the diminishing effect of infectious diseases on individual consumption surpasses that of natural disasters. Temporal discrepancy is observed in the impacts of infectious and chronic disease shocks on household consumption. The accumulation of liquid assets emerges as an effective strategy for households to mitigate the impact of infectious disease shocks. The findings underscore the importance of integrating short- and long-term policies to bolster consumption capacity, strategically allocate inter-regional medical resources, and fortify the resilience of rural households against economic risks.