Sample Of Households Research Articles

Access to drinking safe water and its associated factors among households in East Africa: a mixed effect analysis using 12 East African countries recent national health survey

BackgroundMore than half of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces limited access to safe drinking water. Unimproved water sources can pose risks to the health of entire households, particularly women and children. Despite the fact that East African countries have some of the poorest drinking water infrastructures globally, there is a lack of published data on this issue. Consequently, the objective of this study was to examine access to safe drinking water and its determinants among households in East Africa, utilizing recent nationally representative data.MethodsThis study analyzed data from recent demographic and health surveys conducted in 12 East African nations between 2011 and 2022. Data were gathered from 204,275 households. A stratified two-stage cluster sampling method was employed, with enumeration areas serving as the main sampling units and households serving as the secondary sampling units. Binary and multiple multilevel logistic regression were used to examine the relevant factors associated with the use of different sources of drinking water in the region. In binary regression and multiple regression, P values of ≤ 0.2 and < 0.05, respectively, were used to determine the statistical significance of variables in the final model.ResultsApproximately 72.62% (95% CI = 72.43, 72.83) of households have utilized improved sources of drinking water. Household heads aged 25–35 years (AOR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.14), 36–45 years (AOR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.14), and > 45 years (AOR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.14), those with secondary/higher education (AOR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.20–1.29), and individuals in wealth index categories of poorest (AOR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.16, 0.18), poorer (AOR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.19, 0.22), middle (AOR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.24, 0.27), and richer (AOR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.34, 0.38) were associated with improved sources of drinking water. Additionally, female household leaders (AOR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.20, 1.26), > 30 min of time taken to access the water source (AOR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.95, 2.05), improved toilet facilities (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI = 2.19, 2.31), rural residence (AOR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.42, 0.45), high community wealth (AOR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.13–1.51), community media exposure (AOR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.15, 1.51) were associated with improved sources of drinking water, respectively.ConclusionApproximately three-quarters of the population in East Africa has access to improved drinking water, although the quality of water in the region is still considered poor. It is important for relevant organizations to collaborate in order to improve the quality of drinking water, with special attention given to high-risk groups such as communities with high poverty and low literacy rates, poor households, and rural residents. Strengthening women’s empowerment and increasing mass media exposure can also play a crucial role in accelerating the adoption of improved drinking water sources in East Africa.

Underweight and Predictors Among Children Aged 6-59 Months in South Ethiopia.

Underweight remains the primary public health concern among under-five-year-old children in Ethiopia, despite numerous government-implemented nutrition-specific and sensitive interventions. Therefore, this study aimed to assess underweight and associated factors among children in South Ethiopia. Between March and April 2021, 717 children in the South Ari district who were between the ages of 6 and 59months participated in a cross-sectional study. To choose a sample of households containing a minimum of one child between the ages of 6 and 59months, a multi-stage sampling procedure was used. Data were collected by interviewer-administered structured questionnaires from the mothers of the children. To determine the factors associated with being underweight, a binary logistic regression analysis was built. All variables with a p-value <0.25 in the bivariable analysis were entered into a multivariable logistic regression analysis. To assess the strength of the association, an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval was used. With a p-value below 0.05, statistical significance was declared. The prevalence of underweight was determined to be 29.7% (95% CI: 26.5%, 33.2%). Child age 6-23months [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.28; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.18, 0.44], food insecurity (AOR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.04, 2.10), sub-optimal child dietary diversity (AOR = 1.44; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.03), birth interval <24months (AOR = 2.49; 95% CI: 1.75, 3.54), and common childhood illness (AOR = 2.21; 95% CI: 1.52, 3.21) were associated with being underweight. Underweight among children is predicted by household food insecurity, suboptimal dietary diversity, and common childhood illnesses, necessitating further efforts to improve food security and manage common illnesses.

Assessment of Indoor Radon Gas Concentration in Latvian Households

Exposure to radon gas in households presents serious health risks, including an increased likelihood of lung cancer. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the change in individual habits has led to more time spent in indoor environments with remote activities; thus, the need to raise the awareness of air quality in dwellings and to mitigate the exposure of inhabitants to radon has emerged. This study investigated radon gas concentrations in the air of Latvian dwellings. RadTrack2 passive detectors were deployed in a representative sample of households across 106 municipalities of Latvia (98% of the territory), yielding data from 487 households (973 detectors). The data revealed a median radon concentration of 52 Bq/m3 (Q1 and Q3 were 29 and 93 Bq/m3), with the majority of samples (95.6%) falling below the national reference limit of 200 Bq/m3. The building type and presence of a cellar significantly impacted radon levels, with structures lacking cellars and older buildings exhibiting higher concentrations. Mechanical ventilation proved to be more effective in reducing radon levels, compared to natural ventilation. These findings emphasize the necessity of proactive measures to mitigate indoor radon exposure and to ensure the well-being of occupants. Additionally, the dissemination of research data on radon exposure through open-access scientific publications is vital for raising awareness and implementing effective mitigation strategies.

Immigration and Physical Discipline of Children: The Influence of Generational Status and Culture

ABSTRACTThis research examines whether physical punishment towards children in Méxican immigrant and native‐born Latinx families of Mexican heritage households varies across immigrant generational status and if physical punishment is associated with important measures of culture: familismo, traditional machismo, acculturation to the United States and enculturation to México. Data from a sample of households in El Paso County, Texas, are analysed using Firth logistic regression. Findings show that physical punishment is lowest in first‐generation immigrant households but, in sharp contrast, highest in 1.5‐generation immigrant households, suggesting the need for more precise measurement of immigration status as such differentiation can be masked with a more general approach to measuring immigrant generation. Findings also indicate that enculturation to México is protective towards physical punishment, while measures of acculturation, familismo and traditional machismo are not associated with this behaviour in multivariate models.

Years of Healthy Life among Older Adults in Brazil: An Analysis Based on the Global Activity Limitation Indicator, 1998 and 2008

The aim of the study was to calculate life expectancy and Healthy Life Expectancy (HLY) through a Global Activity Limitation Indicator (GALI) proxy among Brazilian older adults according to sex for the years 1998 and 2008. The study was carried out using data from the Brazilian National Household Sample Survey (PNAD) and from Abbreviated Life Tables in 2000 and 2010 from Brazilian Institute of Demographic Geography and Statistics (IBGE) by sex. The activity limitation-free life expectancy was estimate based on the GALI for both sexes using the Sullivan method. The results showed an increase in life expectancy in the period for both sexes. The time of life without activity limitations in 2008 has decreased for men. For women, a reduction in percentage of the time lived without activity limitation has been shown. A small advantage in favor of men compare to women’s health was found. Comparing the two periods, the proportion of years expected to be lived without activity limitation was higher in 1998 than in 2008 and for both sexes. There are still many uncertainties about how the country is actually ageing. Given this context, an effort to maintain constant health monitoring through different indicators such as GALI is essential. At the same time, strengthening local and regional policies, aiming to build solid paths and mechanisms to promote an active and healthy ageing of its population must be a target.

Determinants of Food Security Status of Agricultural Households: An Empirical Investigation from Kuttanad Wetland System in Kerala, India

Recent debates highlight that agriculture-based strategies can enhance food security. Thus, this article examined the incidence and determinants of food security of agricultural households in Kuttanad, a wetland region situated in the southern part of the state of Kerala in India. Towards this objective, we have collected food consumption data from households and converted them into an equivalent amount of calorie intake. Further, we define food security in terms of calorie adequacy using the minimum calorie norm of 1,800 kcal suggested by the Food and Agricultural Organization for India. Our empirical results reveal that 37% of the sample households are food insecure. The incidence of food insecurity is higher among poor sections like labour households, Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), and Scheduled Castes families. Results of Probit regression show that below poverty line and AAY families are less likely to be food secure than above poverty line families. The purchase of cereals from the Public Distribution System is found to have a positive impact on the food security status of the households. Both farm income and non-farm income positively influence the probability of food security. The study concludes that there are impediments to realizing the linkages between agriculture and food security. JEL Classification: Q10, Q18, I32, C25

Green Farming: Practice of Agroforestry as Response to Climate Variability and Strategy for Farm Income Diversification in Kafa Zone, Southwest Ethiopia

Agroforestry farming is a crucial agricultural practice that has been the indigenous economic activity of tropical areas since early times. In addition to its financial advantages, this economic activity plays a significant role in environmental conservation. The study&amp;apos;s objective was to evaluate the spread and content of agroforestry practices for raising farm income and climate adaptation in the Kafa Zone of southwest Ethiopia. To address the objective of this study, a survey design was used. Purposive sampling and simple random sampling techniques were employed to select sample. Approximately 375 sample households were surveyed. In addition, interviews, Focus Group Discussion, and observation were used during this study for the collection of data. As the study results showed, the hectares of land use under agroforestry were vary among the study kebeles. There was a significant difference among the study areas regarding land use size under agroforestry (F2 was 11.869, and sign was 0.03). In addition, the study revealed diversified agroforestry with crop species were found in home garden agroforestry. Similarly, the variability of the tree species per plot in agroforestry land use was significantly associated with the agroecology of the study area (p&amp;lt;0.05), which was greater varieties in the Dega agroecological area than in the Kola area. The main challenges to the practices of diversification of agroforestry in the study area were issues related with market accessibility, climate, wildlife, and agricultural policy. About 86.4% of the farmers surveyed indicated that there were limitations on support or government help for seedlings. To conclude, the agroforestry farm implementation in the study was related to indigenous knowledge-based practice, which was highly focus on coffee and gardens. To improve and implement sound agroforestry practices, the concerning body needs to strengthen a policy and plan that initiates diverse species in agroforestry practices.

Baseline socioeconomic characterization and resource use of the community in the Mefakiya watershed

Baseline characterization is used during the project to show progress toward the goal and objectives and after the project to measure the amount of change. The main objective of the study was to investigate the socio-economic characterization and natural resource use in the Mefakiya learning watershed. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Quantitative data were collected using a structured questionnaire through face-to-face interviews with households at the intervention site. Sixty representative households were selected randomly and interviewed. Constraints and potentials were identified via focus group discussions. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data. The majority of the sample households (90%) were male-headed. Agriculture (crop and livestock production) is the principal (98.3%) occupation of the sample households in the Mefakiya watershed. Maize, finger millet, and teff, the major crops cultivated in the watershed, are produced by 98, 92, and 68% of the households, respectively. The study area is characterized by high natural resource degradation that is interconnected in nature. Therefore, an integrated approach is more important and necessary for the sustainable use of watershed resources and further development in all aspects of the watershed in the study area.

Impact of Climate Change Adaptation Strategies on Food Security of Farm Households in Rural Dire Dawa Administration, Ethiopia

Background: The impact of climate change on smallholder farmers in underdeveloped countries&amp;mdash;specifically, Ethiopia is widely recognized. Farm households employ a range of geographically and temporally varying adaptation strategies to cope with the adverse consequences of climate change. Therefore, it is critical to examine the few empirical studies that examine how rural Ethiopian farm households confronting drought have responded to climate change to ensure food security. Primary data were collected from 385 randomly selected farm households using a semi-structured survey form. Data analysis was performed using endogenous switching regression models and descriptive statistics. Result: Results show that the majority of the sample households (76.7%) adopted climate change adaptation strategies (livelihood diversification, soil and water conservation, and chemical fertilizers separately or in combination) while the remaining 23.3% are non-adopters. Climate change knowledge is validated as an instrumental variable. Model results revealed that adopter farmers would have significantly lower (11.6%) daily calorie intake if they had not adopted them, and non-adopter farmers would have gained significantly higher (12.8%) daily calorie intake if they had adopted them. Sex, marital status, land fragmentation, education, family size, farm size, credit access, extension contacts, and livestock ownership are significantly associated with the likelihood of adoption. Results also show systematic differences where the sex of the head variable is inversely related to the food security of adopters and vice versa for non-adopters. Conclusion: The majority of farm households in the study area know the implications of climate change (73.5%) and suffer from food insecurity (59%). Farmers&amp;#39; knowledge about climate change and variability varies, affecting social, economic, biophysical, and institutional issues. This was shown using descriptive statistics and OLM data. Farm households led by young, male farmers who are married, frequently interact with extension agents, have access to loans and information about climate change, and have non-fragmented plots possess greater knowledge about climate change than other households. Adaptation interventions should consider the above factors and heterogeneities to increase adoption and improve the food security of farm households in the study area.

Climate change adaptation strategies among smallholder farmers in Senegal’s semi-arid zone: role of socio-economic factors and institutional supports

In dryland agricultural systems, developing appropriate climate-smart technology (CST) options is important to adapt agriculture to climate change and transition toward sustainability, as well as increasing productivity and incomes. This study examines the impact of socio-economic and institutional support on community responses to climate change and the impact of changes in three selected regions of Senegal (Meouane, Thiel, and Daga Birame), which fall within different rainfall gradients. It captures community perceptions of climate change, compares them to long-term meteorological data, and identifies site-specific response strategies. Communities are randomly selected from a list of communities within the target sites. We used a two-stage stratified sampling method to select sample households. First, purposive sampling was conducted to select at least six (6) villages as a cluster within each rainfall gradient. Likewise, the selection of households in each cluster was based on the main value chains of crops grown in the study area, namely groundnut, millet, black pea, and livestock. A total of 145 households participated in this study. Data from surveys conducted during the 2022 post-harvest season were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logit models. The analysis found that smallholders have a comprehensive understanding of climate indicators, including annual rainfall, shortened crop seasons, and rising temperatures, compared to historical data trends. Additionally, the results highlight how farmers view the negative impacts of seasonal rainfall deficiencies (72%), delayed start of the growing season (88%), frequent dry spells (68%), and longer dry spells (76%), which ultimately lead to decreased grain and fodder yields. The logit model also highlights the importance of socio-economic and institutional factors such as access to credit, extension services, agricultural experience, frequency of interaction with extension workers, and access to government subsidies. These factors play a crucial role in farmers’ decision to adopt CST. Given the specificity of community contexts, these insights have important implications for guiding policymakers and making it easier to reduce climate risk among smallholder farmers.

Assessment of Indigenous Hill People of Meghalaya, India regarding Household Food Access

Background: While the broad issue of food security has generally received attention of the researchers, the particularities in hills and mountains has remained neglected. Thus, to provide some insights on food insecurity regarding mountain specificities, the current study aims to evaluate household food access of indigenous hill people in Meghalaya, India. Methods: Food access is a measure of household’s ability to acquire available food over a given period. In the current study, a sample of 900 people from indigenous population were randomly selected from rural Khasi, Garo and Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya. Household food access was explored with the following indicators: household wealth and income; household dietary diversity score (HDDS), and food consumption score (FCS). Data collection was done during December, 2019 to September, 2020. Results: The sample households are characterised by the predominance of marginal farmers (93% to 97%). Most of them were in the category of borderline food security with the FCS of between 21.5 to 35.0. Starchy staples were considered the main component of their diet. Their dietary diversity was significantly correlated with income (correlation coefficient=0.22) and wealth (correlation coefficient=0.38) at 0.01 level of significance. Conclusion: As dietary diversity at household is related to income and wealth, scarcity of income and wealth regarding indigenous hill population was an obvious reason for poor dietary diversity and the resultant poor dietary quality at the household level. To increase local food production and improve dietary diversity of indigenous hill people, revitalizing and strengthening local food systems is of great significance.

Examining relationships between adverse childhood experiences and coping during the cost-of-living crisis using a national cross-sectional survey in Wales, UK

ObjectivesAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can affect individuals’ resilience to stressors and their vulnerability to mental, physical and social harms. This study explored associations between ACEs, financial coping during the cost-of-living...

Heterogeneity measurement of the impact of the rural land three rights separation policy on farmers’ income based on DID model

IntroductionAs is well known, the policy of separating three rights is another important milestone in China’s land system reform. This policy has been in effect for 10 years and is of great significance to the livelihoods of rural families. In the implementation of policies, some farmers have obtained more land management rights, but some farmers have temporarily lost their land management rights. Existing research has shown that there is no consensus on the effect rural land three rights separation on increasing farmers’ income, especially in terms of heterogeneity research, which is more scattered.MethodsWe will use the latest national fixed observation point data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs from 2011 to 2020, as well as data from Peking University Treasure Database, West Lake Law Library Database, China Statistical Yearbook, and China Rural Statistical Yearbook. This paper matched the unbalanced panel data of 9,846 rural household samples from 30 provinces except Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Xizang, and conducted an empirical study using the multi time point DID method.ResultThe overall result shows that the policy of three rights separation of rural land can improve the income of farmers, and the impact is more obvious after the promulgation of relevant laws. From the perspective of farmers’ heterogeneity, farmers with more training, food crop planting farmers, and farmers with relatively large land scales are more significantly affected by the policy’s income increase effect.DiscussionScholars have yet to find a good explanation for how the rural land three rights separation affects farmers’ income. In this article, it appears that the three rights separation policy has promoted the increase of farmers’ income through intermediary mechanisms such as investment level, credit level, and non-agricultural employment level.

Assessing Household Catastrophic Healthcare Expenditure and its Associated Factors: A Study in a North-Eastern State of India

Background: Out-of-pocket expenses (OOPE) are the primary means of funding healthcare costs in developing nations, and when the cost is too high, it leads to catastrophic healthcare expenditures (CHE). Aim &amp; Objective: This study aimed to assess the proportion of households that faced CHE and also examined the associated factors that determine CHE at the household level. Methods and Material: Between September 2020 and February 2021, a cross-sectional study covering a sample of 771 households was conducted in four districts of Assam. A multistage sampling design was employed to select the sample households. Statistical analysis used: Binary logistic regression analysis has been performed to ascertain the factors that could determine household CHE. Results: 23% households had experienced CHE, high dependence on the private healthcare system. Monthly household income, duration of illness, presence of children under five years of age and elderly members, education of household head, and health insurance were the significant factors influencing CHE. Conclusions: The study identified the growing use of private healthcare services as a major concern that contributes to the prevalence of CHE. To make all healthcare services accessible and affordable and to lower OOP on healthcare, it is also crucial to improve the infrastructure and quality of the public healthcare system in rural and remote locations.

Risk, perception and COVID-19 impact on food security: evidence from Bundelkhand region, India

This study assessed the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on household food security in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh, India. Macro data on 29 indicators was collected to identify food insecure districts, and after identification of most food insecure region, i.e. Bundelkhand region, micro data was collected from an intensive field survey. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted to select study sites and respondents. A total of 240 sample households of various land sizes and income groups were contacted to collect data using a well-structured and pre-tested schedule. The study findings revealed that districts belonging to the Bundelkhand region are highly food insecure compared with other regions of Uttar Pradesh, India. Micro-level findings indicate that households in the Lalitpur district are relatively food insecure compared to those in the Jhansi district. The results suggest that ongoing future government responses should focus on structural changes in food security by developing responsive packages to cushion members pushed into food insecurity by such pandemics.

Rural Households' Demand Status for Mitigation of Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC Invasion and Its Determinant Factors in Ethiopia: Empirical Evidence from Afar National Regional State.

Ethiopia is among the world's poorest nations, and its economy is growing extremely slowly; thus, the government's budget to manage environmental amenities is not always sufficient. Thus, for the provision of environmental management services such as the eradication of Prosopis juliflora, the participation of local households and other stakeholders is crucial. This study is therefore initiated with the objective of assessing rural households' demands for mitigating Prosopis juliflora invasion in the Afar Region of Ethiopia. A multistage sampling technique was employed to obtain the 313 sample rural households that were used in the analysis, and those sample households were selected randomly and independently from the Amibara and Awash Fentale districts of Afar National Regional State, Ethiopia. In doing this, a seemingly unrelated bivariate probit model was used to determine factors affecting rural households' demands for mitigating Prosopis juliflora invasion. Consequently, as per the inferential statistical results, there was a significant mean/percentage difference between willing and nonwilling households for the hypothesized variables, except for some variables such as farm experience; years lived in the area, distance from the market, and dependency ratio. Furthermore, the seemingly unrelated bivariate probit model result indicates that sex, family size, tenure security, livestock holding, frequency of extension contact, and years lived in the area were important factors influencing the willingness to participate in Prosopis juliflora management practices positively, whereas age, off-farm/nonincome, and bid value affected willingness to pay negatively and significantly. Hence, to improve the participation level of households, policymakers should target these variables.

Integrated adoption of controlled grazing and multipurpose fodder trees for enhancing tree cover in dryland farming systems

CONTEXTIntegration of agroforestry with sustainable grazing systems can enhance tree cover in a given landscape. This integration could have a significant economic and ecological impact especially in dryland farming systems. Despite this, the integration is challenged by the lack of combined adoption of both agroforestry and sustainable grazing. OBJECTIVEIn this study, we first examined the factors that determine the integrated adoption of controlled grazing (CG) and multipurpose fodder trees (MFT). More importantly, we investigated whether the integrated adoption of CG and MFT enhances tree cover in dryland farming systems. METHODSBased on primary data collected from a randomly-selected sample of farm households, we used an IV approach to probe into the integrated effect of adopting CG and MFT on tree cover. On the other hand, the bivariate probit model was used to identify the factors that affect the adoption of both CG and MFT. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONOn average, adopters of both CG and MFT were found to have higher levels of tree abundance and density on their farms. Our model analysis indicates that these higher levels of tree abundance and density are positively related to the integrated adoption of CG and MFT. While the integrated adoption of CG and MFT had a stronger effect, separate adoption of CG or MFT was also correlated with tree abundance. These results generally indicate the importance of integrated silvopastoral systems not only as sustainable livestock management systems but also as promoters of vegetation (tree cover). SIGNIFICANCEGiven the economic and ecological importance of the integrated adoption of CG and MFT, factors that were found to influence integrated adoption including access to improved livestock breeds, skill development (both agroforestry and livestock management training), and agricultural services (such as irrigation and water sources) could give policy a useful direction for targeting and promoting the uptake of such integrated silvopastoral systems both for improving farmers' livelihoods and ecological sustainability.

Indigenous Goat Populations in Northwestern and Western Zones of Tigray Region, Ethiopia: Characterization of Major Husbandry Practices and Kidding Patterns

The survey was conducted before the war (before October 2020) in Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Goats are highly concentrated in the lowland areas than in the highlands of Ethiopia. Sample households of Begait (102), Hassan (106) and Arado (181) goats were randomly involved in the face-to-face interview. Statistical Package for Social Sciences software was used for data analysis. Illiterate respondents were in Begait (42%), Hassan (29%) and Arado (55%). Cattle and goats were the major economic sources in Begait (10.19±9.1 Tropical Livestock Unit (TLU), 4.30±2.8 TLU) and Arado (4.77±3.2 TLU, 1.27±0.9 TLU) respondents. The mean flock size of Arado goat population (12.65±9.9) was significantly (P&lt;0.005) lower than the mean flock sizes of Begait (43.02±28.1) and Hassan (70.29±52.6) populations. Animals went to water source in most respondents (100.0% of Begait, 67.0% of Hassan and 87% of Arado), and river was the major water source for the animals of about 47% of Begait, 43% of Hassan and 79.0% of Arado respondents. Animals of about 56% of Hassan and 57% of Arado respondents travelled a distance of 1-5 Kilometer (Km) to obtain water, and dry season daily watering frequency of once a day was dominantly practiced in about 88% of Begait and 83% of Hassan respondents. Diseases and external parasites were reported in Begait (96%, 85%), Hassan (98%, 90%) and Arado (67%, 87%) respondents which affected indigenous goat productivity. There was no access to veterinary service centers (VSCs) in about 47% of Begait, 65% of Hassan and 93% of Arado respondents, and some respondents in about 24% of Begait and 17% of Hassan travelled a distance of greater than 10 Km to reach VSCs. Own buck use for mating and buck birth in own flocks were exhibited in Begait (93%, 85%), Hassan (95%, 76%) and Arado (38%, 35%) respondents, respectively. Uncontrolled mating and buck use outside of own flock were practiced in Begait (70%, 73%), Hassan (43%, 65%) and Arado (100.0%, 100.0%) respondents due to most goats graze in communal lands, respectively. Unknown buck to does ratio was practiced in 41% of Begait and 39% of Hassan respondents. Unknown buck to does ratio and a ratio of one buck to all does in the flock were practiced in Arado (8%, 67%) respondents, respectively, and crossbreeding was highly practiced in Begait respondents (41%). The dominant kidding months of Begait and Arado goat populations were in September up to November whilst that of Hassan goat population were in October up to December. Castration and traditional castration method were practiced in Begait (54%, 54%), Hassan (39%, 37%) and Arado (70%, 64%) respondents, respectively. Community education, access to water, access to VSC, buck to doe ratio, kidding pattern improvement and castration to control inbreeding need critical attention.

Fruitful changes? Exploring household fruit purchase decisions following comprehensive food policy regulations in Chile

Changes in unprocessed healthy food purchases associated with the implementation of comprehensive food policy remain understudied. This study analyzes whether, following the announcement, modification, and implementation of Chile's Food Labeling and Advertising law targeting highly processed food (occurring in 2012, 2015, and 2016, respectively), households improved their fruit purchase decisions: purchase participation (i.e., buying likelihood) and purchase quantity. Expenditure data from a representative sample of Chilean households were employed, covering two consecutive survey waves conducted in 2011/2012 and 2016/2017. After controlling for socioeconomic factors (e.g., prices and income), results indicate that only purchase participation increased, providing weak support for positive spillover effects of a comprehensive food policy on fruit purchases. Subsample analyses reveal that this increase was driven by college-educated, childless, and low-income households and was stronger for sweeter and more convenient fruits. Considering that households in Chile do not meet health recommendations for daily fruit intake, additional policy efforts targeting healthy, unprocessed food consumption could be considered.

Nudges versus prices: Lessons and challenges from a water-savings program

This study evaluates the effects of two exogenous interventions targeting residential consumers using both pecuniary and nonpecuniary incentives, with the potential of increasing the moral and monetary costs of water use. The first intervention provided households with personalized reports including normative information regarding household water use compared with neighbors. The second intervention consisted of an exogenous change in water tariffs. The timing of the interventions provides a unique opportunity to separately assess both the individual and combined effects of each policy instrument. The empirical analysis was conducted on the same sample households assessed in the field experiment by Jaime and Carlsson (2018), whose behavior was followed one year after implementation. The results reveal that both nonpecuniary and pecuniary incentives significantly reduce water use when each instrument is applied separately, with the change in tariffs generating larger reductions in water use, compared with information provision, at 11% vs. 7%, respectively. However, the effectiveness of the combined policy depends on the setting of implementation. While the differentiated effects of the social information campaign associated with the change in tariffs suggest this policy remains effective, the evidence also suggests potential crowding-out effects arising upon the introduction of the new tariff regime. The largest reductions in water use are achieved when the instruments are jointly implemented. Findings shed light on the importance of accurately defining the timing and order of the interventions to maximize their impact on resource conservation.