Determinants of Income Diversification Strategies among Agricultural Households in the Philippines using National Survey Data

Household income diversification is a critical pathway to improve the living standard of agricultural households. It is the process by which households actively seek to increase the number of income-generating activities. This study sought to describe the prevalence and patterns of income diversification among agricultural households and to identify the factors related to the degree of income diversification. The study applied a quantitative research design using a cross-sectional survey from the Philippine Statistics Authority. The fractional response regression model was used to determine the factors affecting income diversification. Results revealed that most of the household samples have two income sources. Most come from agricultural labor, crop farming, and gardening. Factors related to income diversification are sex, age, education, family size, being married, agricultural income, access to credit, cash support, access to electricity and water, access to information and communication, and vehicle ownership.

Determinants of Gender Division in Agricultural Works and Agrobiodiversity Management in Nepal

This study was designed to assess the access of Nepalese farmers to the training and extension service, gender division on agricultural work, and factors affecting agrobiodiversity management activities. A total of 2,817 respondents were interviewed at different locations throughout Nepal. The information was collected using the mWater surveyor. Descriptive and inferential analyses were done. The respondents having received training in agriculture were significantly higher among elite, educated, and agricultural households. Access to extension facilities was significantly determined by the type of household, ethnicity, occupation, and education of respondents. Male domination in the choice of crops, land preparation, and seed selection were significantly higher in male-headed households, marginalized groups, and agricultural households. However, females were more likely to be involved in seed sowing. The male domination in male-headed households were significantly higher for applying fertilizers, weeding, irrigation, and pest control. Among elite ethnic groups, domination of males was significantly higher for fertilizer application. The role of the male in agricultural households was significantly higher in all aspects. One unit increase in the area increased the likelihood of male involvement in irrigation by 30%. The males are likely to be more involved in harvesting, sales of products, and control of income. Elite and educated respondents coupled with access to training practiced more crop rotation compared to the rest. The likelihood of practicing intercropping and mixed cropping was influenced by extension facilities and training facilities. Elite groups and farmers with extension facilities tended to practice more agroforestry. So, the types of households, education, and ethnicity have a key role in the gender differentiation in agriculture operation. Moreover, training and extension facilities help a lot in the conservation and practice of agrobiodiversity. There is an urgent need in improving the women's role and overall management of the agricultural landscape.

The dynamics of household food consumption patterns in various agroecosystems in Indonesia

Household food consumption patterns are influenced by income, price, individual tastes and beliefs, and socioeconomic aspects. Agricultural development has an impact on changing consumption patterns. The changes vary according to different ecosystems. The purpose of this study is to analyze the dynamics of household consumption patterns in various ecosystems and their implications for agricultural policies. This study used panel data from the National Farmers Panel period of 2007/2009-2016/2018 from the Indonesian Center for Agro Socio Economic and Policy Studies in four ecosystems, namely rice paddy fields, dry-land secondary crops, dry-land vegetable crops, and dry-land plantation crops. The discussion of consumption patterns is focused on energy and protein consumption, PPH score, and consumer participation rate. The results showed that during 2010-2018, energy and protein consumption increased, however, the pattern of change varies among households. The energy and protein consumption level are only about 77-86% from the level of recommendation ≥90%. Households’ consumption of protein in plantation ecosystem is lowest compared to other ecosystem. The level of household rice consumption was the highest, compared to other carbohydrate sources. PPH of agricultural households was lower than the national in the four agroecosystems. To increase the consumption of energy, protein and PPH scores of agricultural households in various agroecosystems in Indonesia, it is necessary to increase the availability and access of agricultural households to non-rice carbohydrate sources and protein source foods by optimizing the potential of local resources. Coordination and synchronization of food security improvement programs between central and local governments is important.

Assessing risk attitudes and time preferences on the rural–urban interface of Bengaluru, India

PurposeUrbanization is a main driver of the transformation from agricultural-based economies to service-based economies. At the same time, urbanization might also alter preferences and attitudes such as risk and time preferences that contribute to economic growth and foster this transition. To study the effect of urbanization, few studies have compared individual time or risk preferences in rural and urban settings, reporting mixed results. This study analyses how risk and time preferences alter along the rural–urban interface and assesses the correlation of socio-economic, socio-cultural and demographic characteristics with these preferences. Using such an approach provides insights how preferences are altered in areas of transition as the rural–urban interface mirrors different stages of urbanization.Design/methodology/approachUsing experimental approaches, risk attitudes and time preferences of 1,117 agricultural and non-agricultural households were elicited along the rural–urban interface of the fast-developing Indian megacity Bengaluru in 2016/17. The study reports joint estimations of risk and time preferences and discusses the influence of urbanization on these preferences.FindingsResults show that households are on average slightly risk-averse and highly impatient. The results also indicate a decline in discount rates towards rural areas while risk preferences do not considerably differ between those areas. This puzzling result may be explained by difference response of rural and urban areas to the Demonetization policy of the Indian government in 2016.Originality/valueThe research design compares jointly estimated risk and time preferences of agricultural and non-agricultural households of a rapidly urbanizing area in a low-medium income country.

Impact of Aging and Underemployment on Income Disparity between Agricultural and Non-Agricultural Households

This paper examines how aging and underemployment affect household income and household income disparity between agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. Our study uses household panel data from South Korea for the period 2009–2016, which include, on average, 6721 representative households each year. A three-step regression analysis was conducted to estimate the aging and underemployment effects on household income and the income disparity between agricultural and non-agricultural households. First, we estimate aging and underemployment effects on household income from all households using a year fixed-effect longitudinal model. Second, our study investigates whether the marginal effect of aging and underemployment on household income differs between agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. Finally, we simulate the estimated model to illustrate how government policies could help reduce the income disparity. Our results show that aging and underemployment affect household income negatively overall. The negative marginal effect of the two factors was greater in the agricultural sector than in the non-agricultural sector. Results from policy simulations suggest that the implementation of proper government policies to address aging and underemployment problems in agricultural households could significantly reduce the income disparity between agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.

The Mechanism Causing an Increase in Farmland Transfer Rent and the Restraining Effect of High Rent on Grain Production

The rent of farmland transfer represents the economic realization of farmland contracts and management rights of agricultural households. A three-stage dynamic game model with three players is constructed in this paper to study the mechanism causing an increase in farmland transfer rent. Based on the theory of producer equilibrium and production possibility boundaries, this paper studies the restraining effect of high rent on grain production and analyzes the factors that prevent the decline in grain production at present. Combined with the process of farmland transfer in a village, both the mechanism causing an increase in farmland transfer rent and the restraining effect of high rent on grain production are empirically analyzed. The conclusion is as follows: the basic direction of farmland transfer is from farmers with a low production capacity to farmers with a high production capacity, and the rent level is determined by the transferors with high production capacity; about half of the economies of scale profits and two-thirds of transferees’ subsidies are converted into farmland transfer rents. High farmland transfer rent reinforces “nongrain” and “nonagricultural” behaviors. Finally, it is suggested that farmers should be given vocational training in agricultural production, “farmland transfer tax” should be levied on excessive farmland transfer rent, and transferees should be subsidized for grain production.

Perception and adaptation of agricultural households to climate change in the semi-arid regions of Rajasthan – a gender perspective study

PurposeThe study aims to analyze the gender-wise perception of the agricultural households toward climate change and the adaption measures taken by these households, especially women, to mitigate climate changes.Design/methodology/approachPurposive random sampling technique is used to collect primary data from a pilot survey conducted in two semi-arid districts of Rajasthan, India. Data mainly focused on analyzing the gender-based perception and adaptation strategies undertaken toward climate change. And descriptive statistics are used for analysis.FindingsThe study found that both the gender are aware of the climatic changes. Deforestation increased population, change in living standards, urbanization and industrialization contribute to climate changes. The women are employing limited adaptation strategies to mitigate the climatic stress compared to males.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a pilot study; hence, it has an insufficient sample size for the detailed statistical analysis. Further, it is only limited to two semi-arid districts of Rajasthan.Originality/valueThis pioneering study highlights gender-wise differences in perception and adaptation strategies undertaken in this region. The study suggests raising awareness about climate change and providing credit facilities for undertaking adaptation measures to reduce agricultural households' vulnerability, particularly enhancing women's adaptive capacity to climate change.

Resilience and Conflict: Evidence from Mali

Exploring the contextualized relationship between conflict and household resilience is a key element of policymaking under the Humanitarian and Development nexus. This paper provides new evidence on conflict and resilience from resilience-enhancing projects in Mali’s Central Sahel cross-border area. In particular, it explores the presence of determinants of resilience that explains conflict exposure; investigates the adoption of conflict-specific coping mechanisms and explores contextual specificities of local resilience capacity. The findings show that certain types of agricultural households have a higher probability of exposure to conflict, while no evidence of public transfers (e.g., cash transfers) increasing the level of exposure to conflicts is found. The results also show that there are elements which explain the adoption (or lack thereof) of coping mechanisms against conflict: social networks play an essential enabling role, as well as education, the level of food consumption, and to some extent, access to public transfers. Finally, the results suggest that female-headed households need more support in order to engage in coping strategies. This paper suggests that resilience-enhancing interventions and analysis require deeper knowledge of the context, paying special attention to the drivers of conflict and coping strategies adopted by households.