Impact of cash crop cultivation on household income and migration decisions:Evidence from low-income regions in China

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.

Non-timber forest products and household incomes in Bonga forest area,southwestern Ethiopia

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.

Impacts of formal credit on rural household income:Evidence from deprived areas in western China

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.

Geography and Rural Household Income:A Village Level Study in Henan Province,China

This study uses the data from a sample survey conducted in April 2007 on 1 251 rural households in 11 villages of Henan Province, the largest less developed agricultural province in China, to examine how geography affects rural household income （RHI）. The quantitative analysis indicates following results. I） The significance of the traditional geographical factors reduces as RHI rank increases. 2） The landform does not affect the RHI significantly. The per capita income of rural household in a plain area is lower than that in a mountainous area. And 3） the capital endowment and status of non-farm economic activities contribute to the increase of RHI. But the probability and intensity of non-farm economic activities of rural households in urban outskirts villages are higher than that in non-urban outskirts villages. Based on the results, the paper further concludes that geography still plays a significant role in rural development, but it is changing over time. The agricultural resources （such as per capita arable land） significantly affect RHI with the relatively lower income level, while the geographical location shows a more significant impact on RHI with the relatively high income level. Along with economic development, the proximity replaces the traditional geographical factors such as landform and physical resources as the major determining factor in RHI.

Rural-urban Migration, Rural Household Income and Local Geographical Contexts——A Case of Northwestern Guangxi, China

This paper aims to examine New Economics of Labor Migration (NELM) in the northwestern Guangxi, China and investigate the relationships among rural-urban migration, rural household income and local geographical contexts. Stratified sampling and typical case study were adopted and 236 questionnaires were collected from four vil- lages, Daxin, Lixin, Longhe and Yongchang. We analyzed the rural-urban migration rate, household income and local geographical factors, focusing on the ratio of remittance income to total household income. Data descriptions and sta- tistical methods, such as Pearson Chi-square test, Contingency coefficient, Eta, Pearson correlation coefficient, t-test, multiple comparisons (LSD test, Tamhane T2, Dunnett T3 and Dunnet C test) were used. The results are as follows. Rural households’ income is diversified in survey villages so the motivation of rural-urban migration in the study area can be partly explained by NELM. The migration rate of households (the percentage of households with migrants in survey households) in survey villages varies from 50% to 86%, while the proportion of remittance income to house- hold income is in the range of 30% to 80%. In the village of Yongchang, with the least average arable land area per household, the remittance income plays a vital role in household income (80%). And the statistical findings show that the proportion is significantly and negatively correlated with arable land area per household. The conclusion is that di- rect effect of migration, i.e., the contribution of remittance to household income, is negatively correlated with the con- tribution of resources to local income.

Rural-urban Migration,Rural Household Income and Sustainable Development in Rural Areas of China

The objective of this paper is to investigate the rela- tionships among rural-urban migration,rural household income and sustainable development in rural areas of China.The typical case study is done and 288 questionnaires are collected from five villages in Hebei and Guangxi provinces,China.The migration and remittance status,household income and sustainable devel- opment of rural areas are analyzed on the basis of questionnaires. Rural-urban migration is becoming a part of routine life in rural areas.And remittance is an important component in rural house- hold income.Rural-urban migration increases the arable land area per labor,which releases the tight human-land relationship in villages.In total,the migration increases the rural household in- come and accelerates the sustainable development of rural areas.

Study on the Influence of the Coordinated Development of Resident Income and GDP on Local Economic Development:Take Shandong Province as an Example

With the rapid development of China’s economy,the coordinated development of resident income and GDP has become an important indicator to measure local economic development.How to realize the synergistic growth of the two in the new era is of great significance for promoting the sustainable development of the local economy.Based on the theory of the coordinated development of resident income and GDP,this paper will take Shandong Province as an example to analyze the interaction between resident income growth and GDP,find out the influencing factors that restrict the coordinated development of resident income and GDP,and explore the impact of the coordinated development of resident income and GDP on local economic development.Finally,relevant policies will be studied.How to effectively increase residents’income,promote the sustainable and healthy development of the local economy,and put forward relevant suggestions to promote the coordinated development of residents’income and GDP.

How Does E-Commerce Policy Affect Consumption Disparities of Rural Households?-Evidence from China

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.

Assessing the Impact of the Sloping Land Conversion Program on Rural Household Income in the Upper Reaches of Minjiang River,China

One secondary target of the SLCP is poverty reduction. Therefore,the impact of the SLCP on household income is a subject of much research. This study was conducted to determine whether the SLCP has affected incomes of households at different income levels13 years after its implementation. Using survey data from 2012 on rural households＇ livelihoods in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River in Sichuan Province and using the non-participating households as a reference,the current impact of the SLCP on household income is calculated with a multiple linear regression model and a quantile regression model. The socio-geographic features of participating and non-participating households are also be compared. The results show no significant differences between the SLCP participating and non-participating households in many socio-demographic characteristics. Participating in the SLCP had no significant impact on household income at all income levels in the study area in 2012. This finding suggests that the SLCP is not currently increasing household income significantly in the study area,and that the implementation plan of the SLCP should be changed in this area in order to achieve its poverty reduction goal.

Who Lost Most Wages and Household Income during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poor Rural China?

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.

Implication of Household’s Income Composition on Infrastructure Maintenance in Residential Core of Akure,Nigeria

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.

Trends on Rural Household Net Income Structure Based on Surveys of Baoding Villages from 1930-1998

Using the rural survey data preserved by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences＇ （CASS） Institute of Economics, this paper analyzes changes in the level and structure of per capita net income in the eleven villages of Baoding Prefecture, Hebei province, over the 1930-1997periods. According to the surveys, per capita net income level of the villages maintained consistent growth, as indicated by survey data on the years of 1930, 1936, 1957, 1986 and 1997, except for 1946 which saw decline, and enjoyed rapid growth particularly in the years of reform and opening-up after 1986. The changes reflect the national trendsustained decline of the proportion of net income from household operations versus eontinuous growth of the proportion wages income takes of the whole income.

Wage and Income Distribution in China:Review and Outlook

Under the planned economy,China’s distribution relations were relations among the state,state-run enterprises,employees and the collective economy;relations between heavy industry and light industry;and relations between cities and the countryside.After China’s transition to a market-oriented economy,the distribution relations among the state,state-run enterprises and employees evolved into distribution relations between the government,enterprises and households;the distribution relations between heavy industry and light industry evolved into distribution relations between the state sector and the private sector;and the distribution relations between cities and the countryside evolved into distribution relations between original urban dwellers and migrant populations.Wage system reform was carried out throughout the transition of these three types of distribution relations.Income distribution contradictions in China,which are a problem left over from history and intrinsic to the market-based economy,eased over the years.Some people and regions achieved prosperity,and urban-rural and interregional income gaps narrowed.However,widening household income gaps pose barriers to China’s economic sustainability and vision of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.Mechanisms to promote common prosperity are incomplete and inadequate.The disequilibrium of functional distribution is an important cause of these income inequalities.The overall wage level of ordinary workers is low.In the future,China'should give full play to the decisive role of the market in primary distribution to ensure proper return to all types of factors,and enhance redistribution to achieve common prosperity for all its people.

Puerto Rico’s Water Supply: An Investigation of the Levels of Trihalomethanes and Other Contaminants

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.

Economic growth and nutrition transition: an empirical analysis comparing demand elasticities for foods in China and Russia

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.

The puzzle of the missing meat: Food away from home and China's meat statistics

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.

Radioactive Contaminants in U.S. Drinking Water and Water Quality Disparities

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.

Contribution of non-timber forest products to the livelihoods of the forest-dependent communities around the Khadimnagar National Park in northeastern Bangladesh

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.