scholarly journals Coping with food and nutrition insecurity in Zimbabwe: does household head gender matter?

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Terrence Kairiza ◽  
George D. Kembo

AbstractOn the basis of a large-scale nationally representative sample of household data from five pooled cross-section surveys conducted by the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC), this study assesses the existence of gender differences in the vulnerability to food and nutrition insecurity, usage of consumption-based and livelihoods-based coping strategies, and the existence of gender heterogeneity in the correlation of usage of such coping strategies when confronted by food and nutrition insecurity. The study offers three main findings. Firstly, female-headed households are more susceptible to food and nutrition insecurity than those headed by males. Secondly, female-headed households are more likely to employ consumption-based coping strategies than their male counterparts, but there is no statistically significant difference in the usage of livelihoods-based coping strategies. Finally, whilst there is little evidence of gender heterogeneity in the correlation of the usage consumption-based coping strategies, there is overwhelming evidence that female-headed household heads are less likely to adopt livelihoods-based coping strategies when confronted with food and nutrition insecurity. The sum total of these findings is that whilst female-headed households are more prone to food insecurity than their male counterparts, they are less able to use livelihoods-based coping strategies to weather household food and nutrition insecurity than their male counterparts.

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 53-69
Author(s):  
Pravat Uprety

This study aims at computing, comparing and decomposing the different inequality indices by rural and urban areas, sex of household head and ecological belt, so that policy maker can make the policy to reduce the inequality in Nepal. This study is based on the raw data taken from the 3rd Nepal Living Standard Survey-2011 conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). The study has used real consumption as the main variable to measure the inequality. In most of the cases five measures of inequality; Coefficient of variation (CV), Quantile Ratio Index, Gini Index, Generalised Entropy Index with parameter 0 and 1 were computed. The Gini index, Theil’s L and Theil’s T indices are 0.328, 0.175 and 0.194, respectively. The study has found no significant difference in inequality between male- and female-headed households; and the inequality in urban areas is higher than that in the rural areas. By ecological belts, the inequality is highest in hills and lowest in mountains. The country should place focus on urban areas and hilly belt to reduce inequality.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terrence Kairiza ◽  
George Kembo ◽  
Asankha Pallegedara ◽  
Lesley Macheka

Abstract Background: High prevalence of stunting in children under five years poses a major threat to child development in developing countries. It is associated with micronutrient deficiency arising from poor diets fed to children under five years. Food fortification is amongst the interventions focused at reducing the incidence of stunting in children under five years. Methods : Using a large-scale household data from Zimbabwe, we investigated the gender-based importance of household adoption of food fortification on the proportion of stunted children in the household. We employed propensity score matching to mitigate self-selection bias associated with household adoption of food fortification. Results: We offer three major findings. Firstly, we find statistically weak evidence that female headed households are more likely to adopt food fortification than their male counterparts. Secondly, food fortification reduces the proportion of stunted children in the household. Finally, in comparison to non-adopters, female headed households that adopt food fortification are more able to reduce the proportion of stunted children in their households than their male counterparts.Conclusion: The results highlight the need for policy makers to actively promote food fortification, as such interventions are likely to contribute to the reduction of stunting and to involve men in fortification interventions to improve on their knowledge and appreciation of fortified foods and the associated benefits.


2020 ◽  
pp. 003072702096736
Author(s):  
Chidchanok Apipoonyanon ◽  
Sylvia Szabo ◽  
Takuji W Tsusaka ◽  
Kevin Leeson ◽  
Endro Gunawan ◽  
...  

Thailand’s agricultural production has played a major role in enhancing the sustainability of domestic food supplies and successful international exports. However, agricultural production and farm productivity remain relatively low, especially in rapidly ageing high out-migration areas and among small-scale farmers. In this study, we use new household survey data from Prachinburi Province to examine the probability of facing six specific barriers to agricultural production. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a series of logistic regressions to identify the determinants. The results show that age of household head, off-farm income, farm size, and farm type were all associated with the likelihood of different productivity barriers. Gender of household heads was found to be associated with the probability of farm labour shortage, with female-headed households being at a disadvantage. We recommend that policies should be formulated to address these significant factors in order to overcome or circumvent the different barriers and enhance the livelihoods of the local population.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terrence Kairiza ◽  
George Kembo ◽  
Asankha Pallegedara ◽  
Lesley Macheka

Abstract High prevalence of stunting in under 5 children poses a major threat to child development in developing countries. It is associated with micronutrient deficiency arising from poor diets fed to under 5 children. Food fortification is amongst the interventions focused at reducing the incidence of stunting in under 5 children. Using a large scale household data from Zimbabwe, we investigated the gender based importance of household adoption of food fortification on the proportion of stunted children in the household. We employed propensity score matching to mitigate self-selection bias associated with household adoption of food fortification. We offer three major findings. Firstly we find little evidence for gender differences in the adoption of fortified foods. Secondly, household adoption food fortification reduces the proportion of stunted children in the household. Finally, vis-à-vis non adopters, female headed households that adopt food fortification reduce a larger proportion of stunted children in their households than their male counterparts who adopt food fortification. These results highlight the need for policy makers to actively promote food fortification programmes to involve men in fortification programmes to improve their knowledge and appreciation of fortified foods and the associated benefits.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley Macheka ◽  
George Kembo ◽  
Terrence Kairiza

Abstract Background HIV/AIDS can have a disastrous effect on household food and nutrition security outcomes such as stunting in children under 5. However, stunting and HIV/AIDS are highly gendered phenomena that need to be explored in order to get an in-depth understanding of the interrelationship. This study was therefore aimed at investigating gender dimensions of the impact of HIV/AIDS on stunting in children under 5 years in Zimbabwe. Methods The study uses a large scale nationally representative cross-sectional dataset of 13,854 Zimbabwean households for the year 2019. To test hypothesis 1, the study employs binary choice models (Probit and Logit) since the outcome variable household HIV/AIDS status is dichotomous. To test hypothesis 2 and 3, the study employs the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) approach to circumvent the self-selection problem in the creation of treatment and control groups for households affected by HIV/AIDS and those that are not. Results The results revealed that household HIV/AIDS status is independent of the gender of household head. On the other hand, the results for the PSM estimates show that the probability of the household having a stunted child under 5 years is higher for households with an HIV positive member compared to those without. In addition, female headed households with an HIV positive member are more likely to have a stunted child under 5 years compared to male headed households under similar circumstances. Conclusion Overall, the results provide evidence of a higher risk of stunting among children from households affected by HIV/AIDS. The study offers three major findings. Firstly, the study finds no significant association between gender of the household head and household HIV/AIDS status. Secondly, households that have at least one HIV positive member are more likely to have a stunted child under 5 years. Lastly, female headed households with at least one HIV positive member are more likely to have a stunted child under 5 years compared to male headed household with similar HIV/AIDS status. The findings have important policy implications towards improved integration of HIV/AIDS status, household head gender and child nutrition services in affected households.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley Macheka ◽  
George Kembo ◽  
Terrence Kairiza

Abstract Background: HIV/AIDS can have a disastrous effect on household food and nutrition security outcomes such as stunting in children under 5. However, stunting and HIV/AIDS are highly gendered phenomena that need to be explored in order to get an in-depth understanding of the interrelationship. This study was therefore aimed at investigating gender dimensions of the impact of HIV/AIDS on stunting in children under five years in Zimbabwe. Methods: The study uses a large scale nationally representative cross-sectional dataset of 13 854 Zimbabwean households for the year 2019. Given self-selection bias associated with household HIV/AIDS status, the study employs Propensity Score Matching (PSM) approach to investigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on stunting in children under five years.Results: The results revealed that household HIV/AIDS status is independent of the gender of household head. On the other hand, the results for the PSM estimates show that the probability of the household having a stunted child under five years is higher for households with an HIV positive member compared to those without. In addition, female headed households with an HIV positive member are more likely to have a stunted child under five years compared to male headed households under similar circumstances. Conclusion: Overall, the results provide evidence of a higher risk of stunting among children from households affected by HIV/AIDS. The study offers three major findings. Firstly, the study finds no significant association between gender of the household head and household HIV/AIDS status. Secondly, households that have at least one HIV positive member are more likely to have a stunted child under five years. Lastly, female headed households with at least one HIV positive member are more likely to have a stunted child under five years compared to male headed household with similar HIV/AIDS status. The findings have important policy implications towards improved integration of HIV/AIDS status, household head gender and child nutrition services in affected households.


Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wölfle-Roos JV ◽  
Katmer Amet B ◽  
Fiedler J ◽  
Michels H ◽  
Kappelt G ◽  
...  

Background: Uncemented implants are still associated with several major challenges, especially with regard to their manufacturing and their osseointegration. In this study, a novel manufacturing technique—an optimized form of precision casting—and a novel surface modification to promote osseointegration—calcium and phosphorus ion implantation into the implant surface—were tested in vivo. Methods: Cylindrical Ti6Al4V implants were inserted bilaterally into the tibia of 110 rats. We compared two generations of cast Ti6Al4V implants (CAST 1st GEN, n = 22, and CAST 2nd GEN, n = 22) as well as cast 2nd GEN Ti6Al4V implants with calcium (CAST + CA, n = 22) and phosphorus (CAST + P, n = 22) ion implantation to standard machined Ti6Al4V implants (control, n = 22). After 4 and 12 weeks, maximal pull-out force and bone-to-implant contact rate (BIC) were measured and compared between all five groups. Results: There was no significant difference between all five groups after 4 weeks or 12 weeks with regard to pull-out force (p > 0.05, Kruskal Wallis test). Histomorphometric analysis showed no significant difference of BIC after 4 weeks (p > 0.05, Kruskal–Wallis test), whereas there was a trend towards a higher BIC in the CAST + P group (54.8% ± 15.2%), especially compared to the control group (38.6% ± 12.8%) after 12 weeks (p = 0.053, Kruskal–Wallis test). Conclusion: In this study, we found no indication of inferiority of Ti6Al4V implants cast with the optimized centrifugal precision casting technique of the second generation compared to standard Ti6Al4V implants. As the employed manufacturing process holds considerable economic potential, mainly due to a significantly decreased material demand per implant by casting near net-shape instead of milling away most of the starting ingot, its application in manufacturing uncemented implants seems promising. However, no significant advantages of calcium or phosphorus ion implantation could be observed in this study. Due to the promising results of ion implantation in previous in vitro and in vivo studies, further in vivo studies with different ion implantation conditions should be considered.


SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 215824402110071
Author(s):  
Muhammad Luqman ◽  
Saleem Ashraf ◽  
Babar Shahbaz ◽  
Tahir Munir Butt ◽  
Raheel Saqib

We explored the contribution and effectiveness of state and non-state institutions in rural development efforts in highlands (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [KPK] province) of Pakistan. This study employed mixed-methods research design and data were collected from 300 household heads, randomly selected from six villages from two purposively selected districts Mansehra and Nowshehra. Findings showed people in KPK were deprived of due to conflicts, conspiracies and terrorism, poor governance, small landholdings and subsistence farming followed by sluggish marketing system, insufficient education and training for people, and inadequate employment opportunities. Regarding contribution, non-state institutions had more contribution as compared to state institutions. T-test analysis showed that the non-state institutions had an effective provision of agricultural extension and forestry advisory services, education, health services in remote areas, skill development, and provision of microcredit schemes. The results of F-test statistics showed highly significant difference among the perceived effectiveness of rural development activities of different types of non-state actors (localite, cosmopolite, and religious/faith-based) working in the research area. This study recommends state-owned rural development departments revisit their working mechanism and develop synergistic working relationship with the non-state institutions in discharging rural development efforts.


Author(s):  
Frederik Juhl Jørgensen ◽  
Mathias Osmundsen

Abstract Can corrective information change citizens’ misperceptions about immigrants and subsequently lead to favorable immigration opinions? While prior studies from the USA document how corrections about the size of minority populations fail to change citizens’ immigration-related opinions, they do not examine how other facts that speak to immigrants’ cultural or economic dependency rates can influence immigration policy opinions. To extend earlier work, we conducted a large-scale survey experiment fielded to a nationally representative sample of Danes. We randomly expose participants to information about non-Western immigrants’ (1) welfare dependency rate, (2) crime rate, and (3) proportion of the total population. We find that participants update their factual beliefs in light of correct information, but reinterpret the information in a highly selective fashion, ultimately failing to change their policy preferences.


Author(s):  
Ibrahim Awad ◽  
Leila Ladani

Due to their superior mechanical and electrical properties, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have the potential to be used in many nano-/micro-electronic applications, e.g., through silicon vias (TSVs), interconnects, transistors, etc. In particular, use of MWCNT bundles inside annular cylinders of copper (Cu) as TSV is proposed in this study. However, the significant difference in scale makes it difficult to evaluate the interfacial mechanical integrity. Cohesive zone models (CZM) are typically used at large scale to determine the mechanical adherence at the interface. However, at molecular level, no routine technique is available. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations is used to determine the stresses that are required to separate MWCNTs from a copper slab and generate normal stress–displacement curves for CZM. Only van der Waals (vdW) interaction is considered for MWCNT/Cu interface. A displacement controlled loading was applied in a direction perpendicular to MWCNT's axis in different cases with different number of walls and at different temperatures and CZM is obtained for each case. Furthermore, their effect on the CZM key parameters (normal cohesive strength (σmax) and the corresponding displacement (δn) has been studied. By increasing the number of the walls of the MWCNT, σmax was found to nonlinearly decrease. Displacement at maximum stress, δn, showed a nonlinear decrease as well with increasing the number of walls. Temperature effect on the stress–displacement curves was studied. When temperature was increased beyond 1 K, no relationship was found between the maximum normal stress and temperature. Likewise, the displacement at maximum load did not show any dependency to temperature.


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