scholarly journals Emerging Challenges in Rural Non-Farm Sector and Inequality in Rural India

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-101
Author(s):  
Bisla Devi ◽  
Thiagu Ranganathan

Purpose: This paper highlights the changing patterns of income diversification and the effects of various socio-economic factors influencing the non-farm (NF) income of rural households in India. The study also explores the inequality effects of the non-farm earnings of the households by using the Fields inequality decomposition.    Method: The study compares and evaluates the determinants and trends of inequality in 2004-2005 and 2011-2012 in the NF sector. It uses nationally representative data from two rounds of the Indian Household Development Survey (IHDS), which includes a panel of 36,278 households at all levels in India. The Censored Least Absolute Deviation (CLAD) model is used to estimate household determinants for non-farm income. The Fields decomposition decomposes total income inequality by considering the socio-economic factors. Results: The study finds that variations in non-farm earnings have increased. Field's Income Inequality Decomposition estimates show that income inequalities between households are significantly high due to factors such as education, level of the household head, land ownership, and population density, but also appear to be declining in 2011-12. Also, the earning gaps based on gender, age, and geographical zones have increased.  Implications: Overall, the non-farm income during the studied period was observed to be biased towards the better-off households. However, it opened up opportunities for underprivileged households as well. The non-farm sector has huge potential in augmenting incomes for unprivileged rural households. Therefore, the government should pay attention to this sector as a means of reducing income inequality and alleviating poverty.

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-56
Author(s):  
U.B Adie ◽  
N.A. Ayi ◽  
B.A. Bassey

The study broadly examined the socio-economic factors affecting training and visit system of extension among yam farmers in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria The study had three specific objectives, namely: to: describe the socio-economic characteristics of the yam farmer; 2 determine the socio-economic factors affecting training and visit system of extension among yam farmers and describe the problems militating against yam production in the study area. The study adopted a purposive/judgmental sampling technique to select two hundred respondents for the study. Both primary and secondary data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression and Likert scale. Data was collected through the use of a set of questionnaires administered to selected respondents. The findings of the socio-economic characteristics of the yam farmers revealed that majority 77.5% were males, with 37% of them being matured adults in the age range of 51 years and above and 66.5% of the yam farmers were married with household size of 4-7 members per family. Majority of the farmers had secondary education (55%), 46.5% had farming experience of 10 years and above with monthly farm income between N20,000 - N50,000 (46.5%). Majority 88.5% of the farmers were Christians and had monthly contact with extension agents (47%). Gender, age, religion, level of education, farm income and maritalstatus statistically and significantly affect training and visit system at 1% and 5% respectively. The major constraints faced by farmers in yam production in the study area were found to include low soil fertility (3.12), low income (2.64) and land tenure system (2.52). It is recommended that in order to improve yam production, the government of Nigeria should provide favourable environment and invest heavily in yam cultivation by providing farm inputs such as fertilizers to smallholder farmers at subsidized rates. In addition, the government should provide more loans to farmers at zero or low-interest rate. Improved extension services should be provided to farmers with new technologies in order to increase their gross margins income. Social amenities and infrastructural facilities such as; good roads network, electricity as well clean sources of water should be provided in rural areas to encourage young and educated men and women to take up yam production. Keywords: Agricultural Extension; Training and Visit , Communication, Farmers, Production, Demonstration


2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-40
Author(s):  
MZ Hoque ◽  
ME Haque

Seed is the foundation of agriculture for enhancing crop production. The economic benefits from the improved quality seed production help scaling up the livelihood standard as well as nutritional status of the common people. The study was carried out in three districts namely Jamalpur, Gazipur and Manikganj to identify the socio-economic dimensions of the government seed production project beneficiaries persuading profitability of rice seed production. Data were collected through intensive survey of randomly selected 211 sample respondents using pre-tested interview schedule. To examine the profitability of rice seed production, the gross margin and cost benefit analysis were carried out. Co-efficient of correlation and multiple stepwise regressions were employed to find out the determinants of profitability in rice seed production. Rice seed production was not found to be so profitable as investment in rice seed cultivation can produce average BCR of only up to 1.44, where highest BCR was found in Jamalpur (1.58) compared to Manikganj (1.48) and Gazipur (1.26). The results revealed that socio-economic factors have a profound influence on profitability of rice seed production as these factors combined explained 54.9 percent variation. Farm size, contact with information sources, knowledge on quality rice production and age of the respondents were identified as significant contributors in profitability of rice seed production, whereas contact with information sources was the single most influential factor (24.6%). Therefore, steps may be taken so that the seed-growers could directly be linked with more information sources dealing with seed production and marketing through the government initiatives to boost up the production as well as to ensure appropriate price of the farmers’ home grown seed. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/agric.v12i1.19578 The Agriculturists 2014; 12(1) 33-40


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (17) ◽  
pp. 23-32
Author(s):  
Sunil Kumar Acharya

BPCR practices by women in Nepal are still low. Still a relatively high percentage of women do not make BPCR to its fullest extent. Researches in developing countries show that various demographic, social and economic factors influence the BPCR practices by pregnant women. This paper examines the likelihood of BPCR practices based on women’s demographic, social and economic status in Nepal. NDHS 2011 data set has been utilized by applying bivariate logistics regression analysis technique to examine the effects of these variables on BPCR practices in Nepal. The analysis result shows high variations and gaps in BPCR practice based on demographic, social and economic status of women. Against this finding the study recommends implementation of appropriate policy and program measures by the government and other agencies to address the existing variations and gaps in BPCR practices among subgroups of women in Nepal. Further research studies focusing on the existing barriers on BPCR practice need to be conducted in Nepal especially among the women who are disadvantaged and marginalized.


2019 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
BYUNG WOOK JUN ◽  
SOO JEAN PARK ◽  
SUNG MAN YOON

With the advent of an aging society all over the world, there has been a growing policy interest in the pension system that can guarantee old-age income at some level. Many countries also encourage people to join public pensions as well as private pensions. As a result, there has been a phenomenon of substituting private pensions. This study investigates the effects of various socio-economic factors on tax benefits for private pensions at the country level. The results of this study show that lower total income replacement rate of public pension and private pension assets leads to increasing tax expenditures on private pensions. And also, higher individual tax burden and governmental social welfare expenditure causes to increase tax expenditures on private pensions. Despite differences in the type of old-age income security systems by country, it is recognized that attempts to resolve the public pensions crisis caused by socio-economic changes take the form of expanding the roles of private pensions. So, this study provides politic implications that lower benefits from public pensions lead to expanded roles of private pensions supported by the government.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-61
Author(s):  
Fassil Eshetu ◽  
Adem Guye

This study examines the level and determinants of households’ vulnerability to food insecurity using feasible generalised least square method. Data were collected using structured questionnaires from a random sample of 574 households. Descriptive results indicated that the incidence, depth and severity of food insecurity were 68, 31 and 18 per cent, respectively, while mean vulnerability to food insecurity was 73.34 per cent. The mean level of vulnerability to food insecurity at Chencha (humid), Demba Gofa (semi-arid) and Kamba (arid) districts were 77, 55 and 84 per cent, respectively. In addition, the mean kilocalorie deficiency gap in the study areas was 682 Kcal per adult equivalent per day, while the mean kilocalorie deficiency gaps which would be needed to lift households out of food insecurity were 462, 440 and 506 Kcal per adult equivalent per day at Chencha (humid), Demba Gofa (semi-arid) and Kamba (arid) districts, respectively. Regression results revealed that the age of household head, family size, safety net programmes, distance from healthcare and death of household members significantly increase households’ vulnerability to food insecurity. But farm income, irrigation use and credit use significantly decrease households’ vulnerability to food insecurity. The government needs to provide credit, viable off-farm employment, small-scale irrigation services and road infrastructure to rural poor to reduce vulnerability to food insecurity. Population control and family planning would also increase resource and consumption per capita and will lead to lower vulnerability.


Author(s):  
Firdouse Rahman Khan

Entrepreneurship Development makes a powerful impact on the economic development of the country. The success of the entrepreneur depends on the environmental factors such as social, economic, legal, political and technological factors which influence their activities thus leading to successful entrepreneurship. The socio-economic factors are the major key factors influencing the entrepreneurial behavior and operation of the business and thus the need for the study and the due influence. This paper analyzes the impact of socio-economic factors in relevance to entrepreneurship development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across Chennai, Tamil Nadu State, India.This paper attempts to explain the infrastructure that has to be developed in order to cultivate the quality of leadership among potential enterprising young men. Attempts are being made to inculcate the spirit of entrepreneurship. Our empirical results reveal that most of the selected entrepreneurs of SMEs perceive the relevance of these factors to the highest degree. They are tempted to enter the entrepreneurship sector because of the perceived opportunities available to make an appreciable profit.The study also reveals that the factors which are not considered to be of high importance in the bygone days, such as Education, Religion, Previous Experience, Family Type and Legal Status have a significant influence on the entrepreneurial behavior and the operational performance of the selected SMEs’ business, in the recent period. Thus, there exists a necessity for the Government and the related sponsoring institutions to look into these factors and encourage the young entrepreneurs who in turn will render their full support towards national economy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 151
Author(s):  
Mohamed Kadria ◽  
Sahbi Farhani ◽  
Yosr Guirat

In this paper, we tried to contribute to the previous literature by analyzing the relationship between renewable energy consumption, socio-economic factors and health in the presence of a stringent environmental policy and lobbying power. Using a Panel Vector Auto-Regressive (PVAR) technique, we specifically examine the role of the government effectiveness and the lobbying pressure in moderating the impact of renewable energy consumption on CO2 emissions, economic growth and health factor considering the case of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Net Oil Importing Countries (NOICs) from 1996 to 2019. Our analysis shows that (i) environmental policy stringency and good governance will induce a rise in the level of renewable energy consumption; (ii) lobbying power and interest groups discourage the renewable energy sector’s development since the add in economic growth of these economies is not oriented towards renewable energy projects; (iii) a rise in renewable energy consumption, perhaps generated by renewable energy policies, should favor the improvement of public health. Finally, the political implications of the findings are summarized and discussed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adeniyi Felix Akinrinde ◽  
Kemi Funmilayo Omotesho ◽  
Israel Ogulande

The rising incidences of poverty among rural farming families are the reason behind renewed interest in income diversification. This study determined the level of income diversification; identified alternative income sources; examined the reasons for diversification; and identified the constraints to diversification. A three-stage random sampling technique was used in selecting 160 households on which a structured interview schedule was administered. Descriptive statistics, a Likert-type scale, and the Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation were used for data analyses. Findings reveal that 1.3% of the households had no additional sources of income while 40.6% had at least four. Trading (55%) and livestock keeping (40.7%) were the most popular alternative income sources. The declining farm income (mean = 2.96) was the primary reason for diversification, while poor rural infrastructure (mean = 3.04) was the most severe constraint to income diversification. Farm size, access to extension services, household size, age and educational level of the household head were significantly related to the level of income diversification at p < 0.05. The study concluded that the level of income diversification was high and influenced by socioeconomic characteristics of the households. It recommends that the government should provide adequate infrastructural facilities in rural areas. Farmer associations should also ensure better prices for agricultural produce through joint marketing.


Author(s):  
Ghulam Mujtaba Yasir ◽  
Prof. Dr. Mamuna Ghani

Pakistan is among those very few multicultural and multilingual countries which are celebrated for their ethnic as well as linguistic diversity. From the coastal areas of Karachi to the mountainous terrain of Gilgit Baltistan six major and more than 70 minor languages are spoken in various parts of Pakistan. Urdu relishes the position of National Language whereas the official language of the country is English and is mostly used by the power-wielding strata of the country namely the government functionaries, corporate sector, and education sector. The purpose of the study was to find out the interplay between socioeconomic factors and the phenomenon of language shift. The present research is descriptive in which 300 Urdu speaking children of Saraiki families of D.G. Khan District were selected for data collection. A multiple-choice questionnaire was devised and administered to collect the required data. The results insinuated a strong interplay between socio-economic factors and the language shift.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-278
Author(s):  
H. Kongai ◽  
J. Mangisoni ◽  
G. Elepu ◽  
E. Chilembwe ◽  
D. Makoka

Orange (Citrus sinensis L.) is a major dietary component globally, responsible for supplying nutrients and phytochemicals of biological and health influence such as minerals, vitamins, fiber, flavonoids, limonoids, and carotenoids and antioxidant. It accounts for more than 50% of the citrus fruits produced world-over. It is a popular fruit in sub-Saharan Africa, though its level of consumption per capita is by global standards very low. In Uganda, orange production is mostly concentrated in eastern and northern parts; mostly grown by small holder farmers who are plagued by a milliard of production and marketing constraints. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of institutional, infrastructural and socio-economic factors on smallholder access to orange markets in Uganda. The study was conducted in Kaberamaido, Kumi and Soroti Districts in eastern Uganda, using cross sectional data, during 2011-2012. Probit model results showed that the key institutional factor that affected smallholder access to markets was institutional belonging; the infrastructural factors entailed ownership of mobile phone and location of household; while age of household head, household size and output price constituted the socio-economic factors. Mobile phone, household size and age of household head elicited the highest effect on the probability for smallholder market access, and the magnitude of effect is shown by flexibilities of 0.5, -0.06 and 0.02, respectively. Tobit model estimates showed that market information, and household location constituted institutional and infrastructural factors affecting market access, respectively; while age of trees, output, output price and occupation of household head constituted the socio-economic factors. The critical factors that affect the extent of market access include location, market information, primary occupation of household head and quantity of output as shown by flexibilities of -0.6, 0.5, 0.5, and 0.03, respectively. Based on the Probit and Tobit model estimates, market information, mobile phone and quantity of outputs constitute critical institutional, infrastructural and socio-economic factors that affect smallholder market access. Therefore, opportunity for unlocking the potential for smallholders to access orange markets exists in boosting the level of output and facilitating linkage to markets. Key words: Citrus sinensis, infrastructural, institutional


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