Livelihood pattern and food security of tribal people in a selected area of Bangladesh

Asset’s possession and food consumption level of tribal people in Bangladesh express their socioeconomic status. The study was conducted to analyze the socioeconomic characteristics, measure the livelihood assets, and determine the calorie intake level of the sample households. Primary data were collected through field survey using an interview schedule from 60 tribal households. Tabular analysis and capital asset pentagon from DFID livelihood framework were used for data analysis. Household consumption data were converted to per person per day calorie intake level. The major findings of the study were that about 41.67% of the respondents were being 15-29 years of age, 30% respondents’ education was in the secondary level, average family size was 5.81, 40% of the respondents were occupied with agriculture as their primary occupation, average annual income and expenditure were Tk. 258560 (US$3015.28) and Tk. 242373.50 (US$2826.51), respectively. The livelihood assets were moderate. About 83.34% of the respondents belonged to the poor category and rest 16.67% of the respondents belonged to non-poor category. About 98.33% and 96.67% respondents suggested that, if job opportunity increases and ensure proper education; then their socioeconomic improvement will be faster. So, government and other organizations need to come forward to create more employment opportunity and education facilities for improving their livelihood pattern and food security status.

Unlocking Household Electricity Consumption in Pakistan

In Pakistan, data for household electricity consumption are available in the form of monthly electricity bills only, and, therefore, are not helpful in establishing appliance-wise consumption. Further, it does not help in establishing the relationship among the household electricity consumption and various driving factors. This study aimed to unlock the household electricity consumption in Pakistan by analyzing electricity bills and investigating the impact of various socioeconomic, demographic, and dwelling parameters and usage of different appliances. The methodology adopted in this study was survey-based data collection of the residential sector. For this purpose, data were collected from 523 dwellings through surveys and interviews in Mirpur city. The results of the data analysis revealed that the average household electricity consumption is 2469 kWh/year with an average family size of seven and an average floor area of 78.91 m2. Based on possession of various appliances, the households were categorized into four types and their consumption patterns were established and compared. Air Conditioned (AC) houses consume 44% more electricity compared to the non-AC houses, whereas an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) consumes electricity equivalent to an AC. The research findings are useful for policy makers and building designers and are discussed in the conclusion section.

Rethinking the Fertility Transition in Rural Aragón (Spain) Using Height Data

Based on an analysis of the life trajectories of 2510 conscripts and their families from a Spanish rural area in the period 1835–1977, this paper studies the development of the fertility transition in relation to height using bivariate analyses. The use of heights is an innovative perspective of delving into the fertility transition and social transformation entailed. The results confirm that the men with a low level of biological well-being (related to low socio-economic groups) were those who started to control their fertility, perhaps due to the effect that increased average family size had on their budget. The children of individuals who controlled their fertility were taller than the children of other families. Therefore, the children of parents who controlled their fertility experienced the largest intergenerational increase in height (approximately 50% higher). This increase could be due to the consequence of a greater investment in children (Becker’s hypothesis) or a greater availability of resources for the whole family (resource dilution hypothesis).

Socio-Economic Characteristics and Present Scenario of Sheep Farmers at Sherpur District In Bangladesh

This study was aimed to investigate the socio-economic characteristics and present scenario of farmers engaged in sheep production at Sherpur district in Bangladesh. Data were primarily collected with a pre-tested interview schedule from the local sheep farmers. Results showed that average family size, male and female ratio and age was 5.58, 3:10, and 45.23 year, respectively. Family size, land size and yearly livestock income was found significant (P<0.01). Most of the farmers belong to primary education (46.70%) and illiterate (30.00%). Maximum numbers of farmers belong to small holder (81.91 decimal of land). The average monthly income and expenditure of farmers was estimated BDT 10123.00 and 11476.00, respectively. The male partner was dominant over female partner in different decision-making process. The co-efficient of family size (-9843.99), land size (404.27) and yearly livestock income (1.02) was significantly different (P<0.05). It is implied that one unit increases of land size and yearly livestock income might help in increasing 404.27 and 1.02 unit in family yearly income, respectively whereas, one unit increase of family size, resulted 9843.99 unit decreases of yearly family income, considering all other variables constant. It is concluded that there is great opportunity to improve livelihood of the small farmers particularly increase family income through sheep farming in the study areas. SAARC J. Agric., 19(1): 185-199 (2021)

Potential Water Balance using Rainwater: An Analysis of Delhi, Megacity in India

Delhi is one of the most water stressed cities in the world. This study aimed to explore the potential of Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) as an alternative source of the water supply for Delhi. Mass curve method has been used to understand the feasibility of RWH, indicating that an average roof of 60 m2 in Delhi will collect 3,64,800 L of water in a year for an average family size of five people. The present study assumed that financial constraints, erratic rainfall, unclear legal guidelines, poor public perception, and a lack of commitment from the politicians are possible challenges.

Characterization of subsistence sheep farming: The case of three communities of the municipality of Tlahuapan, Puebla, Mexico

Objective: to characterize household units for sheep production at three localities in the Santa Rita Tlahuapan municipality, Puebla. Design/methodology/approach: semi-structured interviews conducted with 38 producers. Variables of the producer profile, crop production and herd management were analyzed using descriptive statistics, cluster analysis and variance analysis. Results: four groups of producers were identified; most of them (92%) were classified as small producers, with 24 to 36sheep and low production of crop forage. The producer’s average age was 55 years, with an average family size of four.Economic savings is the main objective for this production and family labor is used exclusively in sheep farming activities.The animals are housed in rustic pens, with no difference in their age, sex or physiological stage. Their main food source is pastures forage and cultivation areas; mostly supplemented (92%) with mineral blocks and common salt. Limitations/Implications: the lack of producer records and social mistrust to some degree to provide information. Findings/conclusions: the assessed productive units are for subsistence, having sheep farming as a secondary activity, with low productive parameters. The poor housing practices, the scarcity of own grazing lands, and the animal’s nutritional stress are identified as the main factors that stagnate sheep farming in the study area.

Marriage and Family in Udmurtia between 1939-1959

The article deals with the transformation of the marriage and family structures of the population of Udmurtia in the period between 1939 to 1959. Attention is paid to the study of the infl uence of the Great Patriotic War on the family and marriage in the republic. Sources used include census materials from 1939 and 1959 and statistical records from the period in question. With the beginning of the war, the number of marriages in Udmurtia sharply decreased. The smallest number of marriages was observed in 1942. In the countryside, this was a reduction of more than three times, indicating a unusually great shortage of men. A direct consequence of the war was a reduction in the average family size as well as an increase in families headed by women. By 1959, 38.5 % of families in the countryside were led by women. With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, remarriages became more frequent in Udmurtia. Between 1944 and 1951 they were mostly concluded by women who presumably had lost their husbands in the fi ghting. The extramarital birth rate also sharply increased. In the post-war period, particularly in the rural areas many children were born out of wedlock. The extramarital birth rate reached its peak in 1950, when every third child in Udmurtia was born out of wedlock.

Demographic processes in Armenia in the 16th century - in the first half of the 17th century

The monograph presents a comprehensive study of the demographic processes in Armenia in the 16th century and in the first half of the 17th century, focusing on the peculiarities, tendencies, key events. The work highlights the effects of the Turkish-Persian wars, the Jalal movements, the Ottoman Empire, the ethno-religious policies of Safavid Persia, natural disasters, epidemics, and famine on demographic processes, as well as the average family size coefficient, the main waves of internal migration (foreign ethnic infiltrations), the general picture of the population distribution. The book can be useful for historians, researchers of historical demographics, students and a wide range of readers. (in Armenian).

Economics of Makhana Production and Socio-economic Profile of Makhana Growers in Bihar

The Bihar state produces more than 80 per cent of Makhana globally. Despite having monopoly production, the net profit earned by Makhana producers is relatively small as the cost of cultivation is high. In order to analyse the cost of cultivation and to identify major cost incurring operations, the present study was conducted in Purnea, Darbangha and Saharsa districts of Bihar. A random sample of 120 Makhana growers and 60 processors was randomly selected from study area. Respondents’ personal interviews were conducted with the help of semi structured interview schedule to collect the data. Findings of the study revealed that majority of the Makhana cultivators belongs to Mallah community. The average age of Makhana growers was 47 years (SD=10.3). The majority of Makhana growers (65.83%) belonged to the age group of 45-64 years. Further it was observed that 100 per cent of the sampled growers’ and processors’ households were headed by males. The average family size of Makhana grower was 9. The majority of the Makhana growers were living in joint family. It was found that, majority (76.66%) of the Makhana growers were having small and marginal holdings of which 34.16 per cent were small farmer and 42.5 per cent were marginal farmer. It was also observed that the average income of the Makhana growers was Rs. 224925 per year. Further it was found that cost of Makhana cultivation per acre was Rs. 48248/acre, The major cost component of Makhana cultivation was found to be the harvesting activity which contributed around 60 per cent of total cultivation cost. The revenue earned by sales of Makhana was Rs. 59299 per care. From each acre of Makhana cultivated farmers earned Rs. 11051. The B:C Ratio of Makhana production activity was found to be 1:1.22. Therefore it was concluded that, there exists ample scope for reduction of cost of cultivation through mechanization of harvesting activity.

Impact of society for social service credit on poor women of Mymensingh district in Bangladesh

The present study is an attempt to assess the impact of SSS (Society for Social Service) credit on women beneficiaries of Gouripur upazila at Mymensingh district in Bangladesh. The study revealed that both annual income and expenditure of the respondent households have increased after joining the micro credit program of SSS. Average family size of agriculture and petty business enterprises were 4.69 and 4.21. Average annual income of agriculture and petty business enterprises were Tk 80726.57 and 74864.14 respectively while average annual expenditure of agriculture and petty business enterprises were Tk 78776.65 and 67912.37 respectively. It was evident in the case of children education (60.00 percent), labor employment (40.00 percent), crop production (55.00 percent), taking care of children (30.00 percent) and rearing poultry birds. The highest (66.67 percent) proportion of the respondents reported insufficiency of credit supply was a moderate problem and only 33.33 percent of them reported this not at all a problem to them. The interest rate charged by the SSS as a major problem, 36.67 percent of the respondents opined as high. About 48.49 percent of the respondents reported that burden of old debt was not at all a problem while 1.67 percent said that it was a great problem to continue their existing activities. The finding shows that SSS credit program encouraged the women beneficiaries to participate in the social development activities in the study area. Asian Australas. J. Food Saf. Secur. 2019, 3(2), 53-62