This study examines the impact of cash crop cultivation on household income and migration decisions,using survey data collected from low-income regions in China.Given farmers decide themselves whether to cultivate cas...This study examines the impact of cash crop cultivation on household income and migration decisions,using survey data collected from low-income regions in China.Given farmers decide themselves whether to cultivate cash crops,an endogenous treatment regression model that accounts for potential selection bias issue is used to analyze the data.The empirical results show that cash crop cultivation exerts a positive and statistically significant impact on household income,but it does not affect household migration decisions significantly.The disaggregated analyses reveal that cash crop cultivation significantly increases farm income but decreases off-farm income.展开更多
We identified the major non-timber forest products (NTFPs), their contributions to household incomes, and the determinants influenc-ing engagement of households in using NTFPs in the Bonga forest area of Gimbo and D...We identified the major non-timber forest products (NTFPs), their contributions to household incomes, and the determinants influenc-ing engagement of households in using NTFPs in the Bonga forest area of Gimbo and Decha Districts of Kaffa Zone, southwest Ethiopia. Six Kebeles (the lowest administrative unit in Ethiopia) were sampled from two Districts and 150 households were randomly sampled using propor-tional-to-size techniques based on the number of farm households in each Kebele. Secondary data were collected from and focus group discussions were conducted with selected individuals. The farmers diversified liveli-hood activities such as crop and livestock production, collection of NTFPs and off-farm activities. NTFPs played a significant role in household incomes. The contribution from the major NTFPs (forest coffee, honey and spices) accounted for 47% of annual household in-come. The role of NTFPs was influenced by a number of factors. Vari-ables including being native to the area (+), total land holding (+), pos-session of livestock (+) and access to extension (+) significantly affected forest coffee production. Age of household head (-), land holding (+) and distance of the market from the residence (-) significantly affected honey production. Size of landholding (+), distance to market (-) and distance of the forest from the residence (-) were significant variables determining the NTFP incomes derived by the households. Attention is needed in the design of policies and strategies for the well-being of households to the contribution of NTFPs to local incomes and the variables that affect the collection of NTFPs must be considered.展开更多
Financial support is a crucial part of China's poverty alleviation effort.Thus,it is vital to understand how formal credit impacts income growth in rural households.In 2012,2015,and 2018,a survey was conducted to ...Financial support is a crucial part of China's poverty alleviation effort.Thus,it is vital to understand how formal credit impacts income growth in rural households.In 2012,2015,and 2018,a survey was conducted to obtain a panel dataset of 592 rural households from 6 poverty-stricken counties in western China,including counties in Guizhou,Yunnan,and Shaanxi provinces.We use the data to examine the effect of formal credit on rural household income and the mechanism that underlies this effect.We find that formal credit can significantly increase rural households'income in deprived areas in western China.Furthermore,formal credit promotes the reallocation of household labor from the agricultural sector to the non-agricultural sector and changes rural households'decisions about investment-consumption behavior.These are the drivers of changes in the amount and structure of household income.Further analyses show that formal credit may widen income inequality among rural households in western China's deprived areas.The individual characteristics of rural households,such as different levels of material capital,human capital,and social capital,bring about differences in the effects of formal credit on income growth.This study emphasizes that the implementation of formal credit is an essential strategy for poverty alleviation in underdeveloped areas,but policymakers should not excessively interfere with the financial market.展开更多
In the context of China’s ongoing efforts to promote countryside revitalization and facilitate domestic economic circulation,it is of great significance to reduce the consumption disparity among rural households and ...In the context of China’s ongoing efforts to promote countryside revitalization and facilitate domestic economic circulation,it is of great significance to reduce the consumption disparity among rural households and unleash the consumption potential in the countryside.Based on data from China Family Panel Studies,this paper adopts a staggered difference-in-differences method to assess the impact of the e-commerce to enter rural areas on the consumption disparity among rural households.Findings:the comprehensive demonstration work of promoting e-commerce to enter rural areas has reduced the consumption disparity among rural households through the following mechanisms.Firstly,this policy initiative has mitigated the consumption-inhibiting effect on rural household consumption due to the local market size and external market accessibility by promoting the distribution of consumer goods to villages.Secondly,this policy initiative has also increased the agricultural income of rural households and reduced their consumption disparity by distributing farm produce to cities and enhancing the agricultural income of rural households.Moreover,the work is characterized by inclusive growth and is not susceptible to the“elite capture”phenomenon.展开更多
China managed to eliminate all extreme poverty in rural areas in 2020.Poor households,however,may risk falling back into poverty due to the COVID-19.This paper examines the impacts of the pandemic on wages and househo...China managed to eliminate all extreme poverty in rural areas in 2020.Poor households,however,may risk falling back into poverty due to the COVID-19.This paper examines the impacts of the pandemic on wages and household incomes among different groups in poor areas of rural China.Using a unique dataset from five poverty-stricken counties,we found that the pandemic has had large negative effects on wage income for migrant workers and workers in manufacturing,the private sector,and small enterprises.Compared with households relying on wage income,households relying on small businesses have suffered much more from the pandemic,whereas households depending on farming or transfer payments have been less affected.Although poor and ethnic minority households lost significant amounts of wage income due to the pandemic,they did not lose more household income than nonpoor and nonminority households.We conclude that support from the government has kept vulnerable households from suffering more than other households from the effects of COVID-19.Our findings suggest that the government can play a strong role in alleviating the negative impacts of the COVID-19.展开更多
This study examines the implication of household income composition on infrastructure maintenance in the residential core of Akure,Nigeria with a view to providing suggestive recommendations that will remedy identifie...This study examines the implication of household income composition on infrastructure maintenance in the residential core of Akure,Nigeria with a view to providing suggestive recommendations that will remedy identified problems in the research locale.With regards to this,an estimated of 1%research population,amounting to 425,were served with questionnaires using systematic random sampling technique with replacement.Findings revealed that residents in the study area are low income earners with larger population influenced by market proximity,low prices of staple food items and affordable but tumbledown housing.Likewise,essential facilities are in poor state owing to poor maintenance.Besides,household income induced variables considered in the study,which accounted for 75.6%of the challenges limiting routine facilities maintenance in the study area.The study recommends skill acquisition training,resource collaborative efforts and soft loans scheme to boost the income generation of residents in this locale.展开更多
The US Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is comprised of 143 islands, atolls, cays, and islets. Of the 143 localities, only 3 islands are inhabited: The mainland (often referenced as Puerto Rico), Culebra, and Vieques. To p...The US Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is comprised of 143 islands, atolls, cays, and islets. Of the 143 localities, only 3 islands are inhabited: The mainland (often referenced as Puerto Rico), Culebra, and Vieques. To properly analyze the water supply quality, the mainland will be the focal point for examining environmental and social injustices. Puerto Rico is a racially diverse but ethnically homogenous territory, with most of the commonwealth living below the poverty level. Access to clean water sources is always tenuous in Puerto Rico. Over 70 percent of the island is served by water, violating US health standards. However, the recent hurricanes made the situation even more detrimental. According to data reported between January 2015 and March 2018 by the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), 97 percent of the population of Puerto Rico utilizes a common drinking water system with one or more recent violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act for its testing requirements for lead and copper levels. The amounts found were far higher than any US state, meaning that virtually everyone on the island gets water from systems that violated testing or reporting requirements. In this study, we have collected and analyzed the levels of trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), copper, lead, and total organic compounds (TOCs) in drinking water providing systems in Puerto Rico and compared them with the recommended levels of contaminants provided by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines. Many of these reported contaminants can have serious and detrimental health effects after prolonged exposure to higher concentrations of the contaminants found in the drinking water sources of Puerto Rico.展开更多
This study provides empirical evidence on the link between economic growth and nutrition transition in two emerging economies, China and Russia. Both countries have experienced rising average incomes, accompanied by a...This study provides empirical evidence on the link between economic growth and nutrition transition in two emerging economies, China and Russia. Both countries have experienced rising average incomes, accompanied by an increasing rate of nutrition-related chronic diseases in recent years. Given the regional heterogeneity between these two countries, we analyze the extent to which income growth as a major driver of nutrition transition has a significant effect on the consumption of different food aggregates and how these effects differ between Chinese and Russian consumers. Our results indicate that with increasing household incomes over time the demand for carbohydrates decreases, while the demand for meat and dairy products, as well as fruits increases. This is a development generally known as nutrition transition. Further, we estimate a Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System(QUAIDS) for nine different food aggregates for China and Russia. Our results indicate that in both countries all food aggregates have positive expenditure elasticities and are thus normal goods. Moreover, our results indicate that in 2008/2009 meat is still a luxury good in China yet a necessity good in Russia. For 2009, the highest own-price elasticities in China are found for non-meat protein sources and dairy products. Within the meat group, beef, poultry and mutton have the highest price elasticities in China. In Russia, the milk and dairy group, together with the vegetable group, is the most price-elastic food group in 2008. In line with the definition of a nutrition transition, our overall results underscore the finding that income growth in China and Russia tends to increase the demand for animal-based products much stronger than, for example, the demand for carbohydrates. Despite being a positive signal for problems of malnutrition in rural China, this trend of increasing meat consumption might further increase the incidence of chronic diseases in urban areas since there is convincing scientific evidence that increasing meat consumption, especially red and processed meat, is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases.展开更多
From 1985, an increasing gap has emerged between the official statistical measures of meat production and meat consumption in China, which has raised concerns from many researchers using such data. In this paper we re...From 1985, an increasing gap has emerged between the official statistical measures of meat production and meat consumption in China, which has raised concerns from many researchers using such data. In this paper we report the results of 428 observations(survey of 107 urban and rural households×4 quarters) from 7 provinces conducted in 2010, and compare them with the official statistical data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China(NBSC). We conclude that the main reason for the discrepancy is due to the underreporting of consumption, which is due mainly to the omission of consumption away from home.展开更多
Radioactive contaminants, such as radium, radon, and uranium isotopes are naturally present in drinking water, and gas and oil extraction like hydraulic fracturing can exasperate radionuclide leakage into groundwater....Radioactive contaminants, such as radium, radon, and uranium isotopes are naturally present in drinking water, and gas and oil extraction like hydraulic fracturing can exasperate radionuclide leakage into groundwater. The concentration of radionuclide in drinking water is dependent upon the water source and the underlying lithology within the aquifers. In United States, the Environmental Protection Agency regulates the level of radioactivity in drinking water via the gross alpha test, which is conducted to measure the emitted alpha particles as a result of the radioactive elements’ natural decay. Radionuclides, such as radium and uranium, are known to cause bone cancer and other forms of cancer. Communities with crippling water purification infrastructure may be at a higher risk of being exposed to radionuclides, and this is a significant environmental justice concern. The radionuclide concentrations for the metropolitan or most populated city in each state in the United States and its territories (Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and Guam) were analyzed and correlated to the annual household income, to determine any disparities that maybe present. Lower income communities had elevated levels of radionuclides when compared to higher income communities which had lower frequency in elevated radionuclide contaminants.展开更多
Non-timber forest products(NTFPs)play a significant role in the improvement of the forest-dependent people’s livelihoodsaround the world,strengthening protection for the sustainable use of forests.The purpose of this...Non-timber forest products(NTFPs)play a significant role in the improvement of the forest-dependent people’s livelihoodsaround the world,strengthening protection for the sustainable use of forests.The purpose of this research was to evaluate the influence of occupational category-wise(fuelwood collectors,farmers,small-scale businessmen,day labourers,and tea estate labourers)dependencyon NTFPsand the role of NTFPs on household income around the Khadimnagar National Park(KNP)in northeastern Bangladesh.In 2014,178purposively selected respondents from four villages(out of 22 villagesaround the KNP)were interviewed face-to-face using a semi-structured questionnaire.The study observed that these forest-dependent communities utilized resources of the KNP mainly for domestic energy supply,household income,and house construction.Results showed that income from NTFPs made a significant contribution to family income.Income data analysis indicated that small-scale businessmen earned relatively more income from NTFPs,followed by tea estate labourersand day labourers.The study revealed significant negative relationships of the distance of households from the forest with the amount of NTFPs collected(P<0.01)and monthly income from NTFPs(P<0.01).Positive significant relationships were found between the amount of NTFPs collected and the time spent in NTFP collection(P<0.001),as well as betweenmonthly income from NTFPs and family size(P<0.001).The fuelwood collectors and farmers collected significantly greater amounts of NTFPs per trip(P<0.001)than other occupational categories.The households that were moderately to highly dependent on NTFPs collected significantly higher amounts of NTFPs pertrip(P<0.01)than the households that were moderately dependent and less dependent on NTFPs.Community dependence on KNP’sresources,community’sappreciation of the KNP’s ecosystem services for villagers’livelihoods,and community’s high levels of concern for forest conservation provided a foundation for the sustainable management of the KNP.The study findings will be useful for designing an effective forest management plan and policy for NTFP management and forest conservation with the active involvement of the forest-dependent people in northeastern Bangladesh.展开更多
Trihalomethanes, such as chloroform, bromoform, dibromo(chloro)methane, and bromo(dichloro)methane, are present in the major watersheds across the United States. These chemicals play an important role in the developme...Trihalomethanes, such as chloroform, bromoform, dibromo(chloro)methane, and bromo(dichloro)methane, are present in the major watersheds across the United States. These chemicals play an important role in the development of cancer, have adverse reproductive outcomes, and were found to be present above the threshold established by the Environmental Protection Agency. To understand the impact of socioeconomic background on the quality of water and possible disparities, we have analyzed the levels of total trihalomethanes in the metropolitan areas in the major watersheds across the United States, in 2018, as they correlated to average household incomes. Our study found that Arkansas, Nevada, and Rhode Island demonstrated higher than federally mandated levels of total trihalomethanes in their watersheds. The median annual household and per capita incomes of the three states (Arkansas, Nevada, and Rhode Island) were lower than the national average. In addition, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin, which had higher median income levels, demonstrated the lowest total trihalomethane levels across the United States.展开更多
Water is one of the most essential resources required to sustain life. However, it could be detrimental to the health of those without access to water that is properly treated. Although the Safe Drinking Water Act of ...Water is one of the most essential resources required to sustain life. However, it could be detrimental to the health of those without access to water that is properly treated. Although the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 set regulations to protect citizens from naturally occurring and man-made contaminants, some people are still without clean and safe water, which is speculated to be because of their race. This research examines the disproportionality of available clean water provided by government sources in Michigan and its correlation with race and household income. In the study, it has been found that one of the leading causes of water contamination is industrial activity, with the automobile industry being responsible for approximately 300 million tons of lead contamination in water, and that the manufacturing company’s locations mostly centered in minority and low-income areas. Lower income cities, such as Hamtramck and Benton Harbor, have an average of 14.8 drinking water standard violations with the highest being 99 total violations, while higher income cities, like Novi and Bloomfield hills, have an average of 4 violations. Cities, like Flint and Detroit, which have a higher minority population, are 10 times more likely to have a water standard violation, and the minority population is proportionally related to the possibility of industrial manufacturing being located in those areas. These communities also face a higher risk of birth defects, developmental issues in children, and organ failure in adults, due to continuous exposure to water contaminants. Race as a direct causation could not be proven, but there are links to direct correlation through historical redlining and housing trends.展开更多
This study assessed the effects of Prosopis juliflora invasion on livelihood diversification and evaluated the determinants of livelihood diversification in two districts in the South Afar region of Northeast Ethiopia...This study assessed the effects of Prosopis juliflora invasion on livelihood diversification and evaluated the determinants of livelihood diversification in two districts in the South Afar region of Northeast Ethiopia.Using random sampling method,154 households and 2 focus groups composed of 10 individuals were selected from four sites in the two districts.The relationship between P.juliflora invasion and incomes obtained from P.juliflora varied across the study sites.In Awash Fentale District and Amibara District,11.0%and 3.2%of households,respectively,earned income from P.juliflora charcoal production.In total,14.3%of households were involved in charcoal production.In addition,19.9%of households earned income from selling P.juliflora pods and wood materials in the two districts.With the exception of income from P.juliflora charcoal production,the sex of households did not affect incomes from other livelihood activities.Moreover,household educational attainment significantly affected income obtained from vegetables,fruits,and cereal crops.Male householders were engaged in more diverse livelihood activities than female householders.Reversing the severe invasion of P.juliflora on grazing and woodlands in the region is advisable through integrated natural resources,pastoralist participation,and multidisciplinary research strategies.展开更多
Drawn on the data collected by surveying 1 340 urban households from six cities in China, this paper estimates the impacts of demographic structure and population aging on household meat consumption, by jointly consid...Drawn on the data collected by surveying 1 340 urban households from six cities in China, this paper estimates the impacts of demographic structure and population aging on household meat consumption, by jointly considering meat consumed at home and away from home. Based on the trajectories of population, a simple simulation on meat demand trend in China is conducted subsequently. The results suggest: 1) Meat consumed away from home averagely accounts for near 30% of household total meat consumption in terms of quantity, so that its omission likely leads to a significant underestimate of total meat consumption and misunderstanding the driving forces; 2) population aging significantly and negatively affects per capita meat consumption, suggesting that the expected meat demand in China without considering population aging will be overestimated. The findings from this study have important implications for better understanding the relative issues on China's meat consumption under the situation of population aging.展开更多
Although Zagros forests in western Iran lack industrial timber value due to the severe climate and socioeconomics problems, non-timber products are of great value and importance due to their high economic potential an...Although Zagros forests in western Iran lack industrial timber value due to the severe climate and socioeconomics problems, non-timber products are of great value and importance due to their high economic potential and also their potential to improve the welfare of forestdwelling and forest-fringe villagers. This study was done in the forests of the Zemkan basin, an important part of central Zagros forests, Iran, to recognize the non-timber forest products(NTFPS), investigate their potential economic value and role in people's livelihood. Data, collected using forest cruising, participatory observations, interviews with indigenous and local persons and experts, identified wild pistachio resin, wild pistachio fruit, oak fruit and oak syrup(Shokeh manna) among the non-timber products in this basin with total potential harvestable NTFPs of 77.16,771.602, 13248.68, and 1324.868 tons per year,respectively. The economic rent from NTFPs is 33 US$/ha/year and its total expected values with consideration of real interest rate when the exploiter invests the capital in the bank(6.4 %) and when money is borrowed from the bank to execute the incorporated projects(8.4 %) are $516/ha and $393/ha, respectively. Furthermore, families' economic share from potential profit of NTFPs is annually$601 per household. In addition wild pistachio resin has the highest share of the total potential profit of NTFPs and its equal to 51 % of the total of potential profit of NTFPs.Therefore, it is suggested that decisions be made to increase the infrastructure and strengthen the local selling market to enhance the cash income from NTFPs. Forest participatory management practices are suggested to organize and improve traditional use of the forests.展开更多
China has undergone a rapid epidemiological transition from infectious diseases to chronic diseases. Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this paper documents the profile of c...China has undergone a rapid epidemiological transition from infectious diseases to chronic diseases. Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this paper documents the profile of chronic diseases among older Chinese people, estimates the impact of the onset of chronic diseases on the labor supply, and examines the correlation between the prevalence of chronic diseases, a household's medical expenditure and the role of health insurance in reducing medical costs. Empirical results show that the prevalence of chronic diseases is extremely high among older Chinese people and increases sharply with age. We find significant negative effects from the onset of chronic diseases on an individual's livelihood at work. The estimation results by age and education suggest that the labor supply of the older and more highly educated people is more sensitive to the onset of chronic diseases. We also show that there can be a substantial indirect loss of individual and household income due to the onset of chronic diseases by limiting the labor supply. We find that the prevalence of chronic diseases is significantly associated with higher out-of-pocket medical expenditure. The reduced-form estimation results suggest that people with insurance have lower medical expenditure caused by minor chronic diseases, but this is only the case for women and urban residents. However, health insurance contributes little in reducing medical expenditure caused by major chronic diseases.展开更多
The study aimed at evaluating the impact of integrated watershed management on reducing soil erosion and changes in the livelihoods of rural farming households in Ethiopia.The changes in soil erosion for the years bet...The study aimed at evaluating the impact of integrated watershed management on reducing soil erosion and changes in the livelihoods of rural farming households in Ethiopia.The changes in soil erosion for the years between 2002 and 2015 were estimated using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation model,while the impacts on livelihoods were assessed by household interviews.During the study period,the overall average annual soil loss was halved.Furthermore,crop productivity,water availability(irrigation and domestic)and fodder availability increased by 22,33 and 10%,respectively,while an increase in household income(by 56%)was observed.Moreover,72%of the sampled households were able to cover their 12-month annual expenditure demands in 2015,while only 50%of the households were able to cover these demands in 2002.It can be concluded that the implemented integrated watershed man-agement activities seemingly resulted in reduced soil loss,enhanced vegetation cover,and additional household income.This paper also elaborates on the hurdles for integrated watershed management expansion.展开更多
基金Supported by the Humanities and Social Science Research Fund of the Ministry of Education of China(19YJC790063)the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian,China(2017J05112)the Social Science Foundation of Fujian,China(FJ2017C076).
文摘This study examines the impact of cash crop cultivation on household income and migration decisions,using survey data collected from low-income regions in China.Given farmers decide themselves whether to cultivate cash crops,an endogenous treatment regression model that accounts for potential selection bias issue is used to analyze the data.The empirical results show that cash crop cultivation exerts a positive and statistically significant impact on household income,but it does not affect household migration decisions significantly.The disaggregated analyses reveal that cash crop cultivation significantly increases farm income but decreases off-farm income.
基金supported by Rural Capacity Building Project(RCBP)
文摘We identified the major non-timber forest products (NTFPs), their contributions to household incomes, and the determinants influenc-ing engagement of households in using NTFPs in the Bonga forest area of Gimbo and Decha Districts of Kaffa Zone, southwest Ethiopia. Six Kebeles (the lowest administrative unit in Ethiopia) were sampled from two Districts and 150 households were randomly sampled using propor-tional-to-size techniques based on the number of farm households in each Kebele. Secondary data were collected from and focus group discussions were conducted with selected individuals. The farmers diversified liveli-hood activities such as crop and livestock production, collection of NTFPs and off-farm activities. NTFPs played a significant role in household incomes. The contribution from the major NTFPs (forest coffee, honey and spices) accounted for 47% of annual household in-come. The role of NTFPs was influenced by a number of factors. Vari-ables including being native to the area (+), total land holding (+), pos-session of livestock (+) and access to extension (+) significantly affected forest coffee production. Age of household head (-), land holding (+) and distance of the market from the residence (-) significantly affected honey production. Size of landholding (+), distance to market (-) and distance of the forest from the residence (-) were significant variables determining the NTFP incomes derived by the households. Attention is needed in the design of policies and strategies for the well-being of households to the contribution of NTFPs to local incomes and the variables that affect the collection of NTFPs must be considered.
基金financial supports from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71661147001)the National Social Science Fund of China(16ZDA021)the Guangzhou Social Science Fund,China(2018GZYB45)。
文摘Financial support is a crucial part of China's poverty alleviation effort.Thus,it is vital to understand how formal credit impacts income growth in rural households.In 2012,2015,and 2018,a survey was conducted to obtain a panel dataset of 592 rural households from 6 poverty-stricken counties in western China,including counties in Guizhou,Yunnan,and Shaanxi provinces.We use the data to examine the effect of formal credit on rural household income and the mechanism that underlies this effect.We find that formal credit can significantly increase rural households'income in deprived areas in western China.Furthermore,formal credit promotes the reallocation of household labor from the agricultural sector to the non-agricultural sector and changes rural households'decisions about investment-consumption behavior.These are the drivers of changes in the amount and structure of household income.Further analyses show that formal credit may widen income inequality among rural households in western China's deprived areas.The individual characteristics of rural households,such as different levels of material capital,human capital,and social capital,bring about differences in the effects of formal credit on income growth.This study emphasizes that the implementation of formal credit is an essential strategy for poverty alleviation in underdeveloped areas,but policymakers should not excessively interfere with the financial market.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)Youth Project“Research on Household Debt Behavior and Its Impact on Economic Inequality in the Context of Common Prosperity”(Grant No.72203136),the Youth Project of the Guangdong Planning Office of Philosophy and Social Science(GDPOPSS)“E-commerce Development and Consumption Disparity of Rural Households:Theoretical Mechanism,Empirical Test and Policy Optimization”(Grant No.GD24YYJ27).
文摘In the context of China’s ongoing efforts to promote countryside revitalization and facilitate domestic economic circulation,it is of great significance to reduce the consumption disparity among rural households and unleash the consumption potential in the countryside.Based on data from China Family Panel Studies,this paper adopts a staggered difference-in-differences method to assess the impact of the e-commerce to enter rural areas on the consumption disparity among rural households.Findings:the comprehensive demonstration work of promoting e-commerce to enter rural areas has reduced the consumption disparity among rural households through the following mechanisms.Firstly,this policy initiative has mitigated the consumption-inhibiting effect on rural household consumption due to the local market size and external market accessibility by promoting the distribution of consumer goods to villages.Secondly,this policy initiative has also increased the agricultural income of rural households and reduced their consumption disparity by distributing farm produce to cities and enhancing the agricultural income of rural households.Moreover,the work is characterized by inclusive growth and is not susceptible to the“elite capture”phenomenon.
基金supported by the China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges(CICETE)and the United Nations Development Programme.
文摘China managed to eliminate all extreme poverty in rural areas in 2020.Poor households,however,may risk falling back into poverty due to the COVID-19.This paper examines the impacts of the pandemic on wages and household incomes among different groups in poor areas of rural China.Using a unique dataset from five poverty-stricken counties,we found that the pandemic has had large negative effects on wage income for migrant workers and workers in manufacturing,the private sector,and small enterprises.Compared with households relying on wage income,households relying on small businesses have suffered much more from the pandemic,whereas households depending on farming or transfer payments have been less affected.Although poor and ethnic minority households lost significant amounts of wage income due to the pandemic,they did not lose more household income than nonpoor and nonminority households.We conclude that support from the government has kept vulnerable households from suffering more than other households from the effects of COVID-19.Our findings suggest that the government can play a strong role in alleviating the negative impacts of the COVID-19.
文摘This study examines the implication of household income composition on infrastructure maintenance in the residential core of Akure,Nigeria with a view to providing suggestive recommendations that will remedy identified problems in the research locale.With regards to this,an estimated of 1%research population,amounting to 425,were served with questionnaires using systematic random sampling technique with replacement.Findings revealed that residents in the study area are low income earners with larger population influenced by market proximity,low prices of staple food items and affordable but tumbledown housing.Likewise,essential facilities are in poor state owing to poor maintenance.Besides,household income induced variables considered in the study,which accounted for 75.6%of the challenges limiting routine facilities maintenance in the study area.The study recommends skill acquisition training,resource collaborative efforts and soft loans scheme to boost the income generation of residents in this locale.
文摘The US Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is comprised of 143 islands, atolls, cays, and islets. Of the 143 localities, only 3 islands are inhabited: The mainland (often referenced as Puerto Rico), Culebra, and Vieques. To properly analyze the water supply quality, the mainland will be the focal point for examining environmental and social injustices. Puerto Rico is a racially diverse but ethnically homogenous territory, with most of the commonwealth living below the poverty level. Access to clean water sources is always tenuous in Puerto Rico. Over 70 percent of the island is served by water, violating US health standards. However, the recent hurricanes made the situation even more detrimental. According to data reported between January 2015 and March 2018 by the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), 97 percent of the population of Puerto Rico utilizes a common drinking water system with one or more recent violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act for its testing requirements for lead and copper levels. The amounts found were far higher than any US state, meaning that virtually everyone on the island gets water from systems that violated testing or reporting requirements. In this study, we have collected and analyzed the levels of trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), copper, lead, and total organic compounds (TOCs) in drinking water providing systems in Puerto Rico and compared them with the recommended levels of contaminants provided by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines. Many of these reported contaminants can have serious and detrimental health effects after prolonged exposure to higher concentrations of the contaminants found in the drinking water sources of Puerto Rico.
文摘This study provides empirical evidence on the link between economic growth and nutrition transition in two emerging economies, China and Russia. Both countries have experienced rising average incomes, accompanied by an increasing rate of nutrition-related chronic diseases in recent years. Given the regional heterogeneity between these two countries, we analyze the extent to which income growth as a major driver of nutrition transition has a significant effect on the consumption of different food aggregates and how these effects differ between Chinese and Russian consumers. Our results indicate that with increasing household incomes over time the demand for carbohydrates decreases, while the demand for meat and dairy products, as well as fruits increases. This is a development generally known as nutrition transition. Further, we estimate a Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System(QUAIDS) for nine different food aggregates for China and Russia. Our results indicate that in both countries all food aggregates have positive expenditure elasticities and are thus normal goods. Moreover, our results indicate that in 2008/2009 meat is still a luxury good in China yet a necessity good in Russia. For 2009, the highest own-price elasticities in China are found for non-meat protein sources and dairy products. Within the meat group, beef, poultry and mutton have the highest price elasticities in China. In Russia, the milk and dairy group, together with the vegetable group, is the most price-elastic food group in 2008. In line with the definition of a nutrition transition, our overall results underscore the finding that income growth in China and Russia tends to increase the demand for animal-based products much stronger than, for example, the demand for carbohydrates. Despite being a positive signal for problems of malnutrition in rural China, this trend of increasing meat consumption might further increase the incidence of chronic diseases in urban areas since there is convincing scientific evidence that increasing meat consumption, especially red and processed meat, is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases.
基金supported by the Earmarked Fund for Modern Agro-Industry Technology Research System,China(CARS-42-G24)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program,China(ASTIP-IAED-2015-01)+1 种基金the Project of Construction of Innovative Teams and Teacher Career Development for Universities and Colleges Under Beijing Municipality,China(IDHT20140510)the Project of Strategy of Ensuring China’s Animal Products Eatable Safety(13BGL098)
文摘From 1985, an increasing gap has emerged between the official statistical measures of meat production and meat consumption in China, which has raised concerns from many researchers using such data. In this paper we report the results of 428 observations(survey of 107 urban and rural households×4 quarters) from 7 provinces conducted in 2010, and compare them with the official statistical data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China(NBSC). We conclude that the main reason for the discrepancy is due to the underreporting of consumption, which is due mainly to the omission of consumption away from home.
文摘Radioactive contaminants, such as radium, radon, and uranium isotopes are naturally present in drinking water, and gas and oil extraction like hydraulic fracturing can exasperate radionuclide leakage into groundwater. The concentration of radionuclide in drinking water is dependent upon the water source and the underlying lithology within the aquifers. In United States, the Environmental Protection Agency regulates the level of radioactivity in drinking water via the gross alpha test, which is conducted to measure the emitted alpha particles as a result of the radioactive elements’ natural decay. Radionuclides, such as radium and uranium, are known to cause bone cancer and other forms of cancer. Communities with crippling water purification infrastructure may be at a higher risk of being exposed to radionuclides, and this is a significant environmental justice concern. The radionuclide concentrations for the metropolitan or most populated city in each state in the United States and its territories (Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and Guam) were analyzed and correlated to the annual household income, to determine any disparities that maybe present. Lower income communities had elevated levels of radionuclides when compared to higher income communities which had lower frequency in elevated radionuclide contaminants.
文摘Non-timber forest products(NTFPs)play a significant role in the improvement of the forest-dependent people’s livelihoodsaround the world,strengthening protection for the sustainable use of forests.The purpose of this research was to evaluate the influence of occupational category-wise(fuelwood collectors,farmers,small-scale businessmen,day labourers,and tea estate labourers)dependencyon NTFPsand the role of NTFPs on household income around the Khadimnagar National Park(KNP)in northeastern Bangladesh.In 2014,178purposively selected respondents from four villages(out of 22 villagesaround the KNP)were interviewed face-to-face using a semi-structured questionnaire.The study observed that these forest-dependent communities utilized resources of the KNP mainly for domestic energy supply,household income,and house construction.Results showed that income from NTFPs made a significant contribution to family income.Income data analysis indicated that small-scale businessmen earned relatively more income from NTFPs,followed by tea estate labourersand day labourers.The study revealed significant negative relationships of the distance of households from the forest with the amount of NTFPs collected(P<0.01)and monthly income from NTFPs(P<0.01).Positive significant relationships were found between the amount of NTFPs collected and the time spent in NTFP collection(P<0.001),as well as betweenmonthly income from NTFPs and family size(P<0.001).The fuelwood collectors and farmers collected significantly greater amounts of NTFPs per trip(P<0.001)than other occupational categories.The households that were moderately to highly dependent on NTFPs collected significantly higher amounts of NTFPs pertrip(P<0.01)than the households that were moderately dependent and less dependent on NTFPs.Community dependence on KNP’sresources,community’sappreciation of the KNP’s ecosystem services for villagers’livelihoods,and community’s high levels of concern for forest conservation provided a foundation for the sustainable management of the KNP.The study findings will be useful for designing an effective forest management plan and policy for NTFP management and forest conservation with the active involvement of the forest-dependent people in northeastern Bangladesh.
文摘Trihalomethanes, such as chloroform, bromoform, dibromo(chloro)methane, and bromo(dichloro)methane, are present in the major watersheds across the United States. These chemicals play an important role in the development of cancer, have adverse reproductive outcomes, and were found to be present above the threshold established by the Environmental Protection Agency. To understand the impact of socioeconomic background on the quality of water and possible disparities, we have analyzed the levels of total trihalomethanes in the metropolitan areas in the major watersheds across the United States, in 2018, as they correlated to average household incomes. Our study found that Arkansas, Nevada, and Rhode Island demonstrated higher than federally mandated levels of total trihalomethanes in their watersheds. The median annual household and per capita incomes of the three states (Arkansas, Nevada, and Rhode Island) were lower than the national average. In addition, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin, which had higher median income levels, demonstrated the lowest total trihalomethane levels across the United States.
文摘Water is one of the most essential resources required to sustain life. However, it could be detrimental to the health of those without access to water that is properly treated. Although the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 set regulations to protect citizens from naturally occurring and man-made contaminants, some people are still without clean and safe water, which is speculated to be because of their race. This research examines the disproportionality of available clean water provided by government sources in Michigan and its correlation with race and household income. In the study, it has been found that one of the leading causes of water contamination is industrial activity, with the automobile industry being responsible for approximately 300 million tons of lead contamination in water, and that the manufacturing company’s locations mostly centered in minority and low-income areas. Lower income cities, such as Hamtramck and Benton Harbor, have an average of 14.8 drinking water standard violations with the highest being 99 total violations, while higher income cities, like Novi and Bloomfield hills, have an average of 4 violations. Cities, like Flint and Detroit, which have a higher minority population, are 10 times more likely to have a water standard violation, and the minority population is proportionally related to the possibility of industrial manufacturing being located in those areas. These communities also face a higher risk of birth defects, developmental issues in children, and organ failure in adults, due to continuous exposure to water contaminants. Race as a direct causation could not be proven, but there are links to direct correlation through historical redlining and housing trends.
文摘This study assessed the effects of Prosopis juliflora invasion on livelihood diversification and evaluated the determinants of livelihood diversification in two districts in the South Afar region of Northeast Ethiopia.Using random sampling method,154 households and 2 focus groups composed of 10 individuals were selected from four sites in the two districts.The relationship between P.juliflora invasion and incomes obtained from P.juliflora varied across the study sites.In Awash Fentale District and Amibara District,11.0%and 3.2%of households,respectively,earned income from P.juliflora charcoal production.In total,14.3%of households were involved in charcoal production.In addition,19.9%of households earned income from selling P.juliflora pods and wood materials in the two districts.With the exception of income from P.juliflora charcoal production,the sex of households did not affect incomes from other livelihood activities.Moreover,household educational attainment significantly affected income obtained from vegetables,fruits,and cereal crops.Male householders were engaged in more diverse livelihood activities than female householders.Reversing the severe invasion of P.juliflora on grazing and woodlands in the region is advisable through integrated natural resources,pastoralist participation,and multidisciplinary research strategies.
基金financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71273009)pUSDA,Economic Research Service,Cooperative Agreement(58-3000-7-0060)+2 种基金USDA,the Agricultural Food Research Initiative of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture(2010-65400-20489)USDA,Foreign Agricultural Service,th Emerging Markets Program Grant(2010-72)Chinese Universities Scientific Fund(2014RC017)
文摘Drawn on the data collected by surveying 1 340 urban households from six cities in China, this paper estimates the impacts of demographic structure and population aging on household meat consumption, by jointly considering meat consumed at home and away from home. Based on the trajectories of population, a simple simulation on meat demand trend in China is conducted subsequently. The results suggest: 1) Meat consumed away from home averagely accounts for near 30% of household total meat consumption in terms of quantity, so that its omission likely leads to a significant underestimate of total meat consumption and misunderstanding the driving forces; 2) population aging significantly and negatively affects per capita meat consumption, suggesting that the expected meat demand in China without considering population aging will be overestimated. The findings from this study have important implications for better understanding the relative issues on China's meat consumption under the situation of population aging.
基金supported by research funds of Guilan University
文摘Although Zagros forests in western Iran lack industrial timber value due to the severe climate and socioeconomics problems, non-timber products are of great value and importance due to their high economic potential and also their potential to improve the welfare of forestdwelling and forest-fringe villagers. This study was done in the forests of the Zemkan basin, an important part of central Zagros forests, Iran, to recognize the non-timber forest products(NTFPS), investigate their potential economic value and role in people's livelihood. Data, collected using forest cruising, participatory observations, interviews with indigenous and local persons and experts, identified wild pistachio resin, wild pistachio fruit, oak fruit and oak syrup(Shokeh manna) among the non-timber products in this basin with total potential harvestable NTFPs of 77.16,771.602, 13248.68, and 1324.868 tons per year,respectively. The economic rent from NTFPs is 33 US$/ha/year and its total expected values with consideration of real interest rate when the exploiter invests the capital in the bank(6.4 %) and when money is borrowed from the bank to execute the incorporated projects(8.4 %) are $516/ha and $393/ha, respectively. Furthermore, families' economic share from potential profit of NTFPs is annually$601 per household. In addition wild pistachio resin has the highest share of the total potential profit of NTFPs and its equal to 51 % of the total of potential profit of NTFPs.Therefore, it is suggested that decisions be made to increase the infrastructure and strengthen the local selling market to enhance the cash income from NTFPs. Forest participatory management practices are suggested to organize and improve traditional use of the forests.
文摘China has undergone a rapid epidemiological transition from infectious diseases to chronic diseases. Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this paper documents the profile of chronic diseases among older Chinese people, estimates the impact of the onset of chronic diseases on the labor supply, and examines the correlation between the prevalence of chronic diseases, a household's medical expenditure and the role of health insurance in reducing medical costs. Empirical results show that the prevalence of chronic diseases is extremely high among older Chinese people and increases sharply with age. We find significant negative effects from the onset of chronic diseases on an individual's livelihood at work. The estimation results by age and education suggest that the labor supply of the older and more highly educated people is more sensitive to the onset of chronic diseases. We also show that there can be a substantial indirect loss of individual and household income due to the onset of chronic diseases by limiting the labor supply. We find that the prevalence of chronic diseases is significantly associated with higher out-of-pocket medical expenditure. The reduced-form estimation results suggest that people with insurance have lower medical expenditure caused by minor chronic diseases, but this is only the case for women and urban residents. However, health insurance contributes little in reducing medical expenditure caused by major chronic diseases.
文摘The study aimed at evaluating the impact of integrated watershed management on reducing soil erosion and changes in the livelihoods of rural farming households in Ethiopia.The changes in soil erosion for the years between 2002 and 2015 were estimated using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation model,while the impacts on livelihoods were assessed by household interviews.During the study period,the overall average annual soil loss was halved.Furthermore,crop productivity,water availability(irrigation and domestic)and fodder availability increased by 22,33 and 10%,respectively,while an increase in household income(by 56%)was observed.Moreover,72%of the sampled households were able to cover their 12-month annual expenditure demands in 2015,while only 50%of the households were able to cover these demands in 2002.It can be concluded that the implemented integrated watershed man-agement activities seemingly resulted in reduced soil loss,enhanced vegetation cover,and additional household income.This paper also elaborates on the hurdles for integrated watershed management expansion.