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Even though small-scale irrigation (SSI) is a practical solution to address issues like poverty, food insecurity, and low farm production, its promise is often overlooked in Ethiopia. In the Demba Gofa District of southern Ethiopia, many rural households continued to rely primarily on rain-fed agriculture despite the possibility of irrigation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence the adoption of SSI in Demba Gofa and its effect on farm income. A cross-sectional explanatory research design with a mixed-methods approach was employed on a total of 369 households selected through a multistage sampling procedure. An econometric data analysis using the propensity score matching model was employed to evaluate the effect of small-scale participation on households' farm income. The analysis revealed that the gender of the household head, cultivated land area, market accessibility, livestock ownership, and credit service accessibility positively affect irrigation adoption. Households' irrigation adoption was negatively and significantly associated with the age of the household head and the distance of the farm from the irrigation site. Furthermore, households that did not adopt small-scale irrigation schemes lost 4831.77 ETB in farm revenue compared to those that did. Thus, the study advises the government to support the establishment of adequate, long canals and government-guaranteed credit services for smallholder farmers in order to boost household income and, consequently, food security. Agricultural agents ought to conduct routine evaluations of the canals' operation and offer farmers training to enhance their skills in the sustainable use of irrigation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most rural households in Ethiopia depend on traditional cooking fuels. The inefficient combustion of those fuels significantly raises health concerns by exposing them to indoor air pollution. This study aimed to assess the factors contributing to indoor air pollution exposure in rural households. The study was based on data from 573 households selected randomly using a multi-stage sampling approach. Descriptive statistics and a Generalized Ordered Logit model, which explores the relationship between various independent variables and levels of exposure to indoor air pollution, were used. The study employed indicators such as traditional solid fuel use, inadequate ventilation during cooking, and lack of improved cookstoves as proxies to assess households' exposure to indoor air pollution. More than 79% of households were found to be severely polluted. Women were the most exposed to indoor air pollution. The number of rooms, having a bank or microfinance savings account, education, income, access to electricity, floor building material, number of dependent family members, and cooking time were the main contributing factors. The use of clean fuels, improved cookstoves, and adequate ventilation must be strongly advocated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research was on the analyses factors influencing sustainable commercialization of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) among rural households in Delta State, Nigeria. The sampling techniques used to select 340 rural households was the multistage random sampling. Data were gathered with the aid of a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Results showed that about 66.5% men and women of active age were involved with respect to NTFPs commercialization. There were more head of households with formal education (51.8%), though they were more of First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC). The study found the mean household size of 8 persons. Commercialization of NTFPs was not sustained. Forest conservation was poor and deforestation was high (72.5%). The regression analysis with an R2value of 0.948 and F-ratio of 254.712 implied a significant impact between the dependent and independent variables at 0,05 level. The explanatory coefficients and t- values (in parenthesis) of educational qualification 0.437 (2.758), access to technology 2.695 (2.324), access to credit4.415(5.721), total household size 2.421(3.677), amount of NTFPs resources owned 2.68 (4.434) and extension services received 2.593 (3.316) were significant. Recommendations include improvement in technology used in NTFPs production. Adopting participatory approach towards NTFPs management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) contributes to promoting green and low-carbon transformation in rural areas. In order to better guide rural households to invest in BIPV projects and promote the goal of "carbon neutrality" in China's building sector, this study integrates the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the social cognitive theory (SCT), and the PEST analysis framework. It constructs a theoretical model from the perspective of "External Factors-Internal Psychology-Investment Intention" to investigate rural households' investment intentions toward BIPV projects and their influencing factors. Basic data were collected from 488 valid questionnaires from rural households in Henan Province, and the theoretical model was empirically tested using structural equation modeling. The results show that the model constructed from both internal and external factors effectively explains rural households' investment intentions (II) toward BIPV projects (R2 = 0.89), with investment attitude (IA) being the strongest psychological motivation leading to their II. All four external factors—policy, economic, social, and technological—positively influence II with diminishing effects. Additionally, the policy factor has the most significant effect on IA, while the economic factor has a more prominent effect on perceived behavioral control (PBC), and the technological factor has a relatively weaker effect on the two psychological factors. Furthermore, the four external factors indirectly influence investment intentions through the two psychological factors of IA and PBC, with the mediating effect of IA being higher than PBC. Based on the findings, this study proposes effective suggestions to enhance rural households' investment intentions toward BIPV projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using primary data collected from 462 farm households, this paper aims to examine the impact of income diversification on rural household food security in Ethiopia. A propensity score matching model was employed to analyze the impact of participation in both agriculture and non-agriculture activities on household food security. The results indicate that age, education level, household size, number of contacts with extension agents, and numbers of livestock in tropical livestock units have a significant effect on household participation in both agriculture and non-agriculture sources of income generation. The propensity score matching result suggested that participation in both agriculture and non-agriculture would increase the rural household food security status by 10.6% to 19.5%, mainly due to a positive effect of additional sources of income generation from non-agriculture activities as witnessed in present and past studies. Therefore, to make considerable improvement on the food security situation, there is need to promote and scale-up on-farm, off-farm and non-farm income-generating activities in rural areas to diversify income sources so as to improve food security status of the rural households in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention to food security in Iran has always been a primary objective of rural and agricultural development programs. In this regard, rural households, as the main providers of the country's food, should have adequate access to the food they need. However, this issue has always faced numerous challenges. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study conducted in 2021 was to analyze the challenges of food security in rural households. The study focused on the heads of rural households in Haft Ashian District, Kermanshah Township, with a sample size of 375. In-depth interviews were conducted with key informants using purposeful sampling and snowball method, resulting in a sample size of 35. The data collected was analyzed through content analysis using MAX-QDA12 software, leading to the identification of 44 concepts categorized into four main categories. Based on the findings, the primary challenges to food security in the study area, in order of importance, include: financial and credit challenges (frequency: 212), weak management and legislation (frequency: 190), sociocultural challenges (frequency: 183), and the complex nature of agriculture and environmental conditions (frequency: 181). Therefore, improving the income of rural households will have significant and impactful effects on enhancing food security. It is crucial for authorities to prioritize and address the financial and credit challenges to make meaningful progress in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background The demand for forestry science and technology is one of the core elements in the design of forestry science and technology innovation system. Forest farmers are the main body of the demand for forestry science and technology innovation. Their demand for forestry science and technology will affect the promotion and implementation effect of forestry science and technology innovation achievements to a large extent. (2) Methods The research data were collected from field surveys and 298 valid questionnaires in Fuzhou City and Sanming City in Fujian Province from July to August 2022. The demand of forest farmers for forestry technology was selected as the dependent variable, pure forest farmers, part-time forest farmers and non forest farmers were selected as the independent variables, and individual characteristics, family characteristics and forestland characteristics were selected as the control variables. Multivariate disordered Logit model was used to empirically test the impact of different types of forest farmers on the demand for forestry technology. (3) Results The survey results show that according to the order of priority the demands of forest farmers for forestry technology are respectively ecological protection and restoration technology ( 43. 62%), forest seed in-dustry innovation technology (20. 47%), forest quality improvement technology (17. 79%), forestry carbon se-questration and sinks enhancement technology (12. 75%), and other technology (5. 37%). The empirical analysis results show that part-time forest farmers have a significant positive impact on the demand for forestry technology, and the demand for forestry technology of part-time forest farmers is greater than that of pure forest farmers and non forest farmers. The demands of different types of forest farmers for forestry technology are different. Compared with other forestry technologies, the pure forest farmers are more inclined to need ecological protection and restoration technology and forest quality improvement technology, while the part-time forest farmers are more inclined to need ecological protection and restoration technology, forest quality improvement technology and forest seed industry in-novation technology. At the same time, the forest science and technology service information has a significant positive impact on the forest farmers' demand for ecological protection and restoration technology and forest seed industry innovation technology. The type of forestland has a significant positive impact on the forest farmers' demand for ecological protection and restoration technology, forest seed industry innovation technology, forest quality improve-ment technology and forestry carbon sequestration and sinks enhancement technology, while the quality of forest- land has a significant negative impact on the forest farmers' demand for forestry technology. (4) Conclusions and Discussions First, the workers of forestry science and technology should consider the part-time forest farmers as the main promotion objects of forestry science and technology, and then promote the pure forest farmers to apply new forestry technology through demonstration effect. Second, forestry science and technology service information plays an important role in the demand for forestry science and technology. Based on the above conclusions, the following policy recommendations are put forward: First, pay attention to the forestry science and technology innovation demand of part-time forest farmers. Second, strengthen the training of forestry science and technology for the forest farmers. Third, construct a diversified forestry science and technology service system. Fourth, carry on the innovation of forestry science and technology by taking the demand of forest farmers for forestry science and technology as the guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development is a pressing global concern, particularly in densely populated nations like China, where rural-to-urban migration poses challenges to sustainable land use. This study examines the finite nature of land resources and suggests that encouraging farmers to relinquish rural housing land can improve economic productivity and enhance the efficient utilization of rural areas. Based in the field investigations conducted in Dongtai City, Jiangsu Province, employing in-depth interviews and questionnaire surveys, the research identifies three distinct stages in the rural household migration process: employment transition, residential relocation, and life integration. The findings reveal nuanced patterns: farmers in the employment transition phase exhibit lower intentions to withdraw from housing land, whereas those in the residential relocation phase demonstrate higher withdrawal intentions, which subsequently taper off during the life integration stage. Moreover, the study identifies a non-linear relationship between farmers' migration progression and their homestead withdrawal intentions, with intentions peaking at an intermediate stage before declining. The research highlights the need for policies that comprehensively address the dynamics of farmers' migration. Recommended strategies include implementing tailored compensation mechanisms and urban incentives to enhance the appeal of urban living. Such measures can facilitate smoother farmer migration and promote sustainable land use practices, contributing to overall societal sustainability. • Sustainable development is a critical global concern, particularly in China. • Rural-to-urban migration poses challenges to sustainable land use. • Sustainable land use practices maintain clean water resources and healthy ecosystems. • Mitigation strategies for promoting sustainable land use practices conducive to societal sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed food security status of rural households in North Eastern Nigeria. Secondary data were employed. The data were accessed from the General Household Survey (GHS) for years 2013 and 2016, waves 2 and 3. 451 households were considered in each wave. The objective of the study was to determine the food security status of rural households, analyze factors influencing their food security and compare the output of different methodologies used to measure food security during the periods. Frequency and Percentages were used to analyze the socioeconomic characteristics of respondents. Mean per Capita Food Expenditure (MPCE), Dietary Diversity Score (DDS), Foster, Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) index were used to analyze household food security status while Logit regression model was used to analyze factors influencing household food security status. Results from the descriptive statistics showed that male household heads, married household heads and literate household heads were food secure in both waves. Results from Mean per Capita Food Expenditure (MPCE), and Foster, Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) showed that more than half of the selected households were food secure in both waves but reverse was the case with Dietary Diversity Score (DDS). Age, level of education, and household size were found to be factors influencing food security in both waves and models. The results from the logistic regression showed that an increase in age of household head and household size will reduce the food security status of the North-Easterner’s rural households. Also, the result revealed that the food security status was higher in Borno, Gombe and Yobe compared to Taraba and tertiary education increased the level of food security status for MPCE but reduced the same for DDS. Based on these findings, the study recommends sensitizations on the importance of education and family planning for the rural household in North Eastern states of Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work highlights the importance of local gastronomic points (LGP) in the sustainable development of villages in the mountain area of Romania. The paper employed a quantitative and a qualitative analysis. In this paper there are presented the number of local gastronomic points established in the mountain area of Sibiu County, Romania, the number of local producers registered under the optional "mountain product" quality scheme and the number of tourist structures with accommodation function and their accommodation capacity, from the same localities. A case study of a local gastronomic point was carried out and an investigation was carried out regarding the knowledge of young people about local gastronomic points, respectively their role in the development of villages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Czech Republic ranks among the countries with a strong tradition of home food self-provisioning. In this article, we focused our attention specifically to the traditional and frequently neglected phenomenon of rural self-provisioning while newly introducing a data-based analysis of the phenomenon in two areas, i.e., suburbs and peripheries of the South Moravian region. Unlike the research carried out in the CR or EU to date, our survey aims exclusively at the analysis of households with access to land, which allow a more detailed scrutiny of growing a wide range of commodities, the attitudes to it and its perspectives. The results of the field study carried out in 178 rural households in two types of South Moravian regions (suburban and peripheral) from 2017 show the regional differences in food self-provisioning. They also contribute to a better understanding of a phenomenon whose variability within a rural territory is quite known a little. Even though the suburban and peripheral regions have very comparable natural conditions and opportunities of growing crops (a similar type of estate, nearly the same size of the gardens surveyed), we can observe rather remarkable differences, especially in the extent of the areas being farmed and in the scale of breeding domesticated animals (work demanding activities). Compared to that, only negligible differences were found in growing commodities demanding less work (fruit and tomato growing). The identified differences in attitudes to self-provisioning in the observed regions (depending on the varied types of population in the regions) allow for analysing the perspectives of particular self-provisioning activities both in South Moravia and the CR on the whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper was to establish a causal relationship between the socio-economic modernization level and the development level of the Romanian rural area, as main point of modernization of the rural household. The starting point in establishing this causal relationship was the development of a theoretical model for the assessment of the modernization and socio-economic development level of the rural area in terms of rural household modernization potential. The output of these models was 3 composite indices that were analysed both as independent indices, in dynamics, and in relation to the other indices, as well as to the dimensions and indicators related to each index. The main hypothesis of the research was the existence of an intrinsic link between the modernization degree and the socio-economic development of the rural area, thus the integration of modernization elements entailing development and implicitly, at rural household level, the continuous improvement of the quality of life and welfare of the rural population. The rural household was considered an important component of the Romanian rural space, being the driving engine that makes all the subsystems of the rural space work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research extended the theory of resilience of the social-ecological system to the study of rural households’ livelihood system. Based on the survey data of over 900 samples obtained in the poverty alleviation relocation areas of Shaanxi Province, this study used the space vector method of System Engineering to measure livelihood resilience from the two dimensions of general resilience and specific resilience. This research also used the A-F method to measure the multidimensional poverty of rural households from the three dimensions of education, health and living standards, and finally applied the threshold regression model to analyze the impact of livelihood resilience on rural households’ multidimensional poverty. The research found that:（1） The livelihood resilience of relocated households（0.207 5） was significantly lower than that of local households（0.255 9）, and thus relocated households in the process of livelihood reconstruction had the risk of returning to poverty to a certain degree.（2） Increasing the diversification of livelihoods had become an important strategy for rural households to resist risks, but there were risks of livelihood transformation simultaneously.（3） The livelihood resilience significantly reduced the multidimensional poverty of rural households, but its marginal effect would enter the ‘bottleneck period’ as the livelihood resilience crossed the threshold: the marginal effect of general resilience to multidimensional poverty levels diminished, while the specific resilience weakened the effect of poverty reduction before crossing the threshold, presenting a positive impact on multi-dimensional poverty. So effective policies should be implemented to make them avoid multidimensional poverty.（4）Although the assistance measures played a positive role in the process of livelihood resilience, the threshold（0.247 6） for relocated households to fall into the multidimensional poverty trap was lower than that of local households（0.321 5）. Based on the above conclusions, this paper puts forward some suggestions: firstly, we should fully understand the implications of poverty, and make more explorations in eliminating social injustice, improving social security, and solving the lack of endogenous power of the poor. Secondly, we should develop industries according to local conditions, and create multiple employment opportunities. Thirdly, we should strengthen infrastructure construction and improve the level of public services. Finally, new-type urbanization and rural vitalization strategies should be vigorously promoted so as to break the ‘curse’ of households’ livelihood involution, and fundamentally enhance the ability of the poor to resist risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research extended the theory of resilience of the social-ecological system to the study of rural households’ livelihood system. Based on the survey data of over 900 samples obtained in the poverty alleviation relocation areas of Shaanxi Province, this study used the space vector method of System Engineering to measure livelihood resilience from the two dimensions of general resilience and specific resilience. This research also used the A-F method to measure the multidimensional poverty of rural households from the three dimensions of education, health and living standards, and finally applied the threshold regression model to analyze the impact of livelihood resilience on rural households’ multidimensional poverty. The research found that:（1） The livelihood resilience of relocated households（0.207 5） was significantly lower than that of local households（0.255 9）, and thus relocated households in the process of livelihood reconstruction had the risk of returning to poverty to a certain degree.（2） Increasing the diversification of livelihoods had become an important strategy for rural households to resist risks, but there were risks of livelihood transformation simultaneously.（3） The livelihood resilience significantly reduced the multidimensional poverty of rural households, but its marginal effect would enter the ‘bottleneck period’ as the livelihood resilience crossed the threshold: the marginal effect of general resilience to multidimensional poverty levels diminished, while the specific resilience weakened the effect of poverty reduction before crossing the threshold, presenting a positive impact on multi-dimensional poverty. So effective policies should be implemented to make them avoid multidimensional poverty.（4）Although the assistance measures played a positive role in the process of livelihood resilience, the threshold（0.247 6） for relocated households to fall into the multidimensional poverty trap was lower than that of local households（0.321 5）. Based on the above conclusions, this paper puts forward some suggestions: firstly, we should fully understand the implications of poverty, and make more explorations in eliminating social injustice, improving social security, and solving the lack of endogenous power of the poor. Secondly, we should develop industries according to local conditions, and create multiple employment opportunities. Thirdly, we should strengthen infrastructure construction and improve the level of public services. Finally, new-type urbanization and rural vitalization strategies should be vigorously promoted so as to break the ‘curse’ of households’ livelihood involution, and fundamentally enhance the ability of the poor to resist risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria has been found to be a significant contributor to the poor health problem in Nigeria and in Africa. It kills people more than any other infectious disease and about 80% of Nigerian population is exposed to malaria. Several factors influence the choices of households' treatment provider. This study examines the choices and determinants of malaria treatment seeking behaviour given the demographic characteristics of rural households. Household data were collected through a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire on 600 households selected from the three senatorial zones of Enugu state and analysed using frequencies and regression analysis. It was found that 43% of farmers, 44% of traders, 44% of skilled labourers and 30% of civil servants sourced treatment from 'chemists' while 12% of farmers, 20% of traders, 23% of skilled labourers and 40% of civil servants sourced treatment from hospital. Education level of household head, cost of treatment, severity and nearness to facility were found to statistically determine the choice of treatment provider (P < 0.005). The study concluded that educational attainment, distance to health facility, severity of illness and financial status of household head majorly determined the choice of malaria treatment and 'chemist' appeared the most-visited treatment provider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rural households engaged in the primary sector are vulnerable to climate shocks. The adaptation strategies are supposed to be locale specific, determined by biophysical and socio-economic factors and adoption is contingent on the results from vulnerability assessments. This study is an assessment of local level vulnerability of three heterogeneous groups of selected rural households in South Gondar zone in Ethiopia's Amhara region. The study analyses the effects of climate change induced shocks on livelihoods using the LVI-IPCC framework along with an econometric technique to determine factors responsible for variations across households. The study corroborates earlier results that rural households are adversely impacted by climate shocks. The poor non-off-farm diversified rural households are highly vulnerable in comparison to those households adopting an off-farm diversification strategy. Irrigation, improvements in access to water, health and other rural infrastructure are also factors reducing vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of the disaster resilience index (DRI) is an effective decision support tool for managing natural disasters. This study holds that disaster resilience is a dynamic process accompanied by coping capacity, adaptive capacity, and transformative capacity in different phases; therefore, we develop a three-dimensional capacity-based framework using seven indicators (including 38 subindicators) to map the multigoals for measuring resilience at the household level. Our data were acquired through questionnaire responses by 516 representative rural households in mountainous hazard-prone areas in Chongqing, China. The results reveal that more households are deemed "low resilience" and that geographical spatial differences exist in the DRI across the case regions. Several factors affecting the ability to survive, bounce back, and bounce forward from mountain hazards for rural households were found in China. The framework constructed in this paper offers a new perspective for a holistic understanding of disaster resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biogas is an energy-efficient and environmentally beneficial technology used as an alternative to biomass energy sources. The objective of this study was to evaluate the traditional biomass energy system in Ethiopia and the National Biogas Program of Ethiopia (NBPE) as an alternative energy system. The study involved key informants, government legislation documents and strategy papers, bio-digester operating households and extensive literature reviews. The article provides a review of relevant literature in terms of both biogas technology and policy documents and related strategies in the Ethiopian context that support the NBPE. The literature review touches on both the technology itself and the policy aspects from within the country, sub-Saharan Africa and Asian countries. Furthermore, the article provides effective use and assessment of the findings for theory and policy of traditional biomass energy systems and biogas technology programmes. We argue that biogas technology is crucial as alternative sources of energy in Ethiopia, specifically for rural areas as it negates the disproportionate use of available traditional energy sources of firewood, cow dung, agricultural residues and charcoal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategies aimed towards poverty alleviation need to identify factors that are strongly associated with poverty. The objective of the study was to analyse the determinants of rural absolute and relative poverty in Shouning County, Fujian Province, Southeast China. Two binary logistic regressions were estimated based on household survey data in which the dependent variables were whether the residents were living in poverty, and the explanatory variables included a set of socioeconomic and demographic variables. The results showed that the age of the household head, dependency ratio, number of chronic patients, pressure of educational expenses, and culture of poverty were significantly and positively associated with the likelihood of being in absolute poverty. However, a greater household size and better accessibility to information decreased the probability of being in this state. The strongest four predictors of absolute poverty in descending order were information accessibility, number of chronic patients, pressure of educational expenses, and culture of poverty. In terms of relative poverty, our results demonstrated that elevation, cropland per capita, age of household head, number of chronic patients, pressure of educational expenses, and distance to the county seat had significant positive relationships with the probability of being trapped in relative poverty, whereas information accessibility was negatively associated with being in relative poverty. The strongest four predictors of relative poverty in descending order were information accessibility, pressure of educational expenses, cropland per capita, and number of chronic patients. Generally, the results confirmed three important determinants of rural poverty hypothesised in previous studies: chronic illness-induced poverty, educational expenses-induced poverty, and culture of poverty. We expect that the results of this study will provide useful insight for future research of rural poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding dynamics within rural households' socio-economic behaviour is a prerequisite for effective design of intervention programmes targeting rural communities. This article seeks to understand how rural households' lifestyles and livelihood strategies have changed over time regarding four key factors: income sources, food preferences, daily activities and investment strategies. A case study of Ndabakazi—a cluster of villages in Butterworth—is explored using a representative sample of 20 households in each village, drawn randomly from the four selected villages of the study. A questionnaire administered face-to-face using a local language was supplemented with focus group discussions. To achieve the study objectives, we took a retrospective and circumspective approach combined with thematic and descriptive analyses. The results show a change in rural households' lifestyles, and this change can be linked to the rural development policies. First, we observed a change in income sources confirming the existing literature. Second, regarding food preference, traditional food is still preferred by household heads, although it is not consumed much. Due to improved basic services, daily activities have changed, implying less drudgery for women and children. We also observed a change in investment strategies away from farming to building decent homesteads and buying luxury furniture. Besides the change in income sources, the other key factors discussed in this article have received less attention in the literature, so this article extends the literature in this respect. Finally, the herein identified changes have implications for initiatives concerned with improving rural sociological aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, 30–40% of foodborne diseases occur in households. Furthermore, compared with those in urban households, foodborne diseases are more prevalent in rural Chinese households, as evidenced by epidemiological data. The mastery of food safety and handling knowledge is considered crucial to ensure food safety, and this study represents the first exploration of food safety educational interventions for food handlers in the Chinese context. Knowledge-based interventions on food safety and handling were conducted among food handlers from 139 rural households. Over a two-month period, each participant received ten consecutive knowledge-based interventions, resulting in a total of 1390 interventions. Among them, 74 participants underwent online interventions, while 65 participants received offline interventions. Throughout the two-month intervention period, a questionnaire was administered to assess participants' food safety and handling knowledge four times: before the intervention, after the fourth intervention, after the eighth intervention, and after the tenth intervention. A total of 556 valid questionnaires were collected. The results indicated that both the online and offline interventions significantly improved participants' knowledge levels. Knowledge scores increased from 13.54 to 20.93 points (out of 36 points) after 10 consecutive online interventions and from 13.89 to 22.00 points after 10 consecutive offline interventions. Furthermore, no significant difference in knowledge growth was observed between the online and offline intervention groups, although the growth rate decreased with increasing intervention time. These findings suggest that in the Chinese context, stakeholders can use the WeChat platform to design high-efficiency and comprehensive food safety knowledge-based interventions. Additionally, optimal intervention frequency and intensity can be determined through small-scale field experiments before launching large-scale campaigns. • We conducted 10 consecutive interventions on food handlers from 139 rural households. • Both online and offline interventions increased participants' food safety and handling knowledge. • Online and offline interventions had no significant difference in effectiveness. • Growth of the knowledge scores slowed down as intervention number increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Food insecurity is a pressing social and public health issue that varies in degree and impact on individuals and social groups, requiring immediate attention for policymakers and decision-makers. This study was conducted to identify the prevalence and associated factors of food insecurity of rural households particularly in the Shebel Berenta and Machakel districts of East Gojjam zone.Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted, in the fall of March 2017 among 504 households. Households are selected using a systematic sampling technique through multistage cluster sampling technique (two stage cluster sampling). The data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire covering a range of topics including 18 core food security modules (CFSM) question series, socioeconomic, demographic and related variables. Multivariable Partial proportional odds model (PPOM) was employed to identify the factors associated with food insecurity in rural households.Result: Of a total of 504 households considered in the study, 54 (10.71%) were highly food secure, 75 (14.88%) were marginally food secure, 157 (31.15%) were low food secure, and 218 (43.25%) were severely food insecure. District (Machakel) (AOR = 3.28 95% CI: 1.73, 6.24), household head education status, illiterate (AOR = 113.4, 95% CI:7.02,1832.02), read and write (AOR = 169.29, 95%CI:11.64, 2461.39), and elementary completed (AOR = 119.75,95%CI:8.43,1700.74), agro-ecological zone, Woina Dega (AOR = 0.0021,95% CI: 0.00009,0.0514), Dega (AOR = 0.0323, 95%CI: 0.002, 0.5209), family size (AOR = 1.18, 95%CI: 1.01, 1.36), landholding (AOR = 0.767, 95% CI: 0.605, 0.972), TLU (AOR = 0.151, 95% CI: 0.0716, 0.3189), access to toilet (no) (AOR = 7.63, 95% CI: 1.459, 39.78), practicing irrigation (yes) (AOR = 0.121, 95% CI: 0.037, 0.38), loan (no) (AOR = 2.83, 95% CI:1.36, 5.89), access to energy, government electric (AOR = 0.468, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.94), solar panels (AOR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.79), soil fertility, moderate (AOR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.87), fertile (AOR = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.032, 0.72) were significant associated food insecurity factors in the study area.Conclusion: In this study, a high prevalence of food insecurity and various associated food insecurity factors have been identified in the study area. Thus, the concerned stockholders should intervene in food insecure households via different irrigation practices and by considering household size, community-based household head education, and landholding in hectare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The often-cited means to reduce poverty in rural areas is to push the sustainable intensification of the agricultural sector or to favor a livelihood diversification strategy. However, rural households that invest their resources in multiple domains can achieve contrasting livelihood returns and benefits. The present paper explores the contribution of livestock activities, especially dairy, in the various livelihood strategies of rural households, based on an evaluation of revenue repartition, poverty level, and nutrient input in the diverse households, using a simulation tool at the farm household level. Our research was carried out in a case study on the viability of rural households in the governorate of Beni Suef (Middle Egypt). The results show that the diversification of activities towards cropping activities and off-farm jobs in the household contributed more to poverty reduction than dairy activities. Householders with small herds and land access benefited weakly from milk price increases and more generally, from a specialization of dairy activities due to structural constraints. This calls for identifying new rural policies for smallscale (less than 2.5ha) units that represent more than 90 percent of family farms in Egypt. Notably, new job opportunities and diversification should be developed along the agrofood value chain process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors that determine rural households' access to finance provided by Islamic microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach: A two-year panel data set with logistic regression is used to identify the determinants of access to finance by rural households. The study sample comprises of 289 Islamic MFIs' clients and 140 non-clients from East Java, Indonesia. The clients consist of 111 rural households with profit and loss sharing (PLS) schemes, 162 clients with non-profit and loss sharing (non-PLS) schemes and 16 clients with both schemes. Findings: The empirical results show that age, gender and income influence rural households to access finance provided by Islamic MFIs. The results show an increase in age and income increase the respondents' likelihood to access finance. Further, male respondents are more likely to access finance from Islamic MFIs than females. Research limitations/implications: The empirical analysis is limited to data obtained from East Java province in Indonesia, and other provinces may show different results. However, this study is among the few studies that investigate access to finance from Islamic MFIs based on PLS and non-PLS schemes. Originality/value: The novelty of this study lies in the unique financing accessibility between PLS and non-PLS schemes in Islamic MFIs. This study will be an important addition to the emerging literature on Islamic microfinance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmers and their energy saving behaviors make significant sense for long-run sustainability and enacting effective energy policies, particularly in the fragile eco-environment and non-developed rural area. This study investigates the rural household energy-saving behaviors and influencing factors in the loess hilly region of China by taking Qin'an county in Gansu province based on a total of 506 households by adopting the participatory farmer assessment method. Most peasant families pay close attention energy conservation in their daily lives. Most farmer households (88.74%) were conscious of energy saving in their daily lives, and consider energy saving as a self-acting behavior (68.58%) and good habit (87.94%); electricity is the main clean energy for farmers; the price of energy-saving products is the key factor for farmers, and the female and the younger householders have better performance in energy conservation. Farmers' energy-saving behaviors are negatively correlated with the altitude of their dwellings but positively correlated with the education level of householders, family size, income. We argue that continuous training on energy saving is necessary and should be tailored to local conditions and supported by the government. • A rural household survey of 506 households was conducted in the loess hilly region of China. • Female, younger, and higher education level shows positive impacts on energy saving. • Energy-saving behaviors positively correlated with income, health conditions, environmental concerns, and energy availability and prices. • The training efforts for promoting energy saving of rural households should be enhanced. • We argue that government subsidies should integrate into the promotion of energy-saving products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-farm activities are studied as part of the labor market, which allows to evaluate their importance as a source of employment and income for rural populations. This is relevant because it allows to determine how women become part of the labor market. The aim of this research was to identify the factors that encourage women to participate in the non-farm sector and its impact on the poverty levels of Mexican rural households. Nonlinear econometrics models were estimated based on data from the National Survey on Mexico's Rural Households (ENHRUM, 2007 and 2010). The age, educational level, and number of women of working age influence their decision to participate in non-farm activities. The poverty reduction is associated with the following factors: education, ownership of agricultural assets, and employment in non-farm activities. If women had greater access to education, resources, and productive assets, a more equitable economic and social development could be achieved in the rural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the study of rural household's financial literacy. Financial literacy is understood as the set of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, which has assumed a fundamental role in allowing and enabling people to make responsible decisions as they strive to attain financial wellbeing. In this research, the researcher throws a descriptive research design to explore the relationship between variables. Respondents were obtained from 126 households in rural areas of Tamil Nadu and data was collected using the stratified sampling method. The current study found that education, marital status, type of family and banks relationship were positively related to financial literacy. However, age, gender, occupation, and No.of dependents are not significantly correlated with financial literacy. There is a positive association between financial literacy and banks, banks must actively involve in re-designing educational programs, workshops, training methods on financial issues for all the levels of people in rural areas. It is believed that such a step taken forward will help banks in helping people reach a better financial condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food waste has emerged as a critical global concern, with households identified as major contributors to this pressing issue. As the world grapples with sustainability challenges, addressing food waste in the context of rural labor migration is crucial for achieving broader sustainable development goals. However, there is still limited research regarding the relationship between labor migration and food waste. We utilized propensity score matching to analyze cross-sectional data collected from 1270 rural households in China. Labor migration led to significant increases of 37% in overall food waste and 35% in plant-based food waste, respectively. Furthermore, households with labor migration exhibited 29%, 31%, and 30 % higher energy, protein, and carbohydrate waste, respectively, compared to non-migration households. Regarding micronutrients, migration led to a 39% increase in iron waste, a 42% increase in zinc waste, and a 47% increase in selenium waste. The results of the categorical analysis indicate variations in the impact of labor migration on food wastage within rural households. Food wastage in rural households with chronic illness patients responds differently to labor migration. Moreover, labor migration predominantly affects households without courier services in villages, where dietary diversity plays a significant role. Understanding these variations is essential for crafting targeted interventions and policies to address food waste in different rural contexts. The policy implications of our study are crucial for addressing food waste and advancing sustainable development in rural China, where labor migration plays a significant role. • This investigation conducted 1270 rural households food waste survey across 5 provinces from different areas of China considering regional diversity and dietary variation. • Analyzed the impact of labor migration on food waste in rural households using propensity score matching method. • Labor migration significantly increases food waste in rural households, primarily affecting the waste of plant-based foods. • Labor migration exhibits heterogeneity in its impact on food waste across different rural households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China’s largest-ever resettlement program is underway, aiming to restore ecosystems and lift ecosystem service providers out of the poverty trap and into sustainable livelihoods. We examine the impact of the relocation and settlement program (RSP) to date, reporting on an ecosystem services (ES) assessment and a 1400-household survey. The RSP generally achieves the goals of ES increase and livelihood restore. In biophysical terms, the RSP improves water quality, sediment retention, and carbon sequestration. In social terms, resettled households so far report transformation of livelihoods activities from traditional inefficient agricultural and forest production to non-farm activities. Increased income contributes to decrease the poverty rate and improve resettled households’ living condition and standard. Meanwhile, the RSP decreases households’ dependence on ES in terms of provisioning services. Difficulty and challenge also showed up subsequently after relocation. A major current challenge is to enable poorer households to move, while providing greater follow-up support to relocated households. While the program is unique to China, it illuminates widespread opportunities for addressing environmental and poverty-related concerns in a rapidly changing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to highlight, from the point of view of the specialized literature, the role of the Romanian rural household in rural economy, while taking into consideration the opportunities and constraints of the new rural development paradigm. The basic activity of the Romanian rural household is agriculture, with subsistence as main characteristic; yet it should not be neglected that agriculture must ensure food security, ensure the rural population's stability through job opportunities and decent incomes, contribute to environment protection, hence the need to increase the competitiveness and efficiency of farming activities on the subsistence household farm. The rural household (which partially overlaps with the small peasant farm) has a recognized role in maintaining the rural settlements, being responsible for the preservation of natural, social and cultural resources. The present generation of farmers, according to the European Commission, has the multiple role of farmer, custodian of rural areas and entrepreneur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to alleviate environmental and climate problems caused by using highcarbon energies in Chinese rural areas, the central government adopts policies that promote the use of a variety of clean energies and technologies. Meanwhile, commodity energies such as liquefied petroleum gas and electricity are becoming important parts of household energies. Will the rural energy policy cause or even widen the gap of the households'choices between alternative energies and technologies? Will the shift among the household demand of different energies be consistent with the original intention and goal of the policy? Based on the data of provincial rural energy consumption from 2005 to 2014, this paper analyzes the changing process of Chinese households'demand of clean energies (technologies) and commodity energies, discusses the effects of the rural energy policy (i.e., the energy expenditure and investment) and the income level (i.e., the per capita net income of farmers) on households' demand for specific energies, and explores the implementing results of the policy. It is found that if there exists substitution among different kinds of energies or technologies, the rural energy policy will promote the need of some energies or technologies but weaken the need of the others. At the same time, the spillover effect of the policy boosts the demand of some commodity energies, such as the electricity, due to the fact that the policy improves the energy infrastructure in rural areas, which ensures the availability of commodity energies. What's more, the structure of rural household energies tends to be diversified with the improvement of the income level. Suggestions are: Firstly, as clean energies, specific commodity energies should be considered in the rural energy development strategy and policy; secondly, the focus of the policy should comply with the stage of the energy demand; eventually, it is essential to strengthen the construction and management of the rural energy infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Romanian rural area is stimulated by the activities of rural households as the main demographic, social, economic and cultural resources holder. The households are able to dispose of these resources as they see, based on the the conditions generated by social-economic-cultural environment of the community to which they belong. For an overview of the socio-economic development level at national and regional level, composite indicators are useful, without omitting, thou, individual indicators. This territorial profile analysis can highlight the particularities of each area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing data from the China rural-urban mobility survey conducted in 2010, this study investigates the influence of family demographic characteristics on the income, life satisfaction, and potential for rural-urban mobility at the rural household level of two provinces of China: Shaanxi and Henan. A larger labor force in a rural household was found to reduce a family's ability or inclination to move to a city. The findings reveal that family size negatively affects the average income per family member and reduces the marginal income of the labor force and that minor children can improve the life satisfaction of family members. We conclude that a larger family size does not translate to more benefits for a rural household. Family size preference is found to be a reflection of parents' concerns about elderly care and is deemed to be unfavorable for urbanization in P. R. China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper makes an assessment of the food security situation in Romania, several years after the accession to the European Union. The approach focuses on certain problems regarding food security assurance at national level, as well as aspects linked to the access to food and the population's nutritional status. The methodology used is based on the SWOT analysis of the population's food and nutrition security. This started from the current approaches to the food security concept, namely supply availability, supply stability, economic access and food use. In this context, the paper presents certain vulnerabilities of food security for Romania's population; among these vulnerabilities, at the food supply availability level, we can mention the lack of self-sufficiency in certain staple foods, such as meat, fruit, sugar and fish, in which the systematic deficit is covered by imports. At the same time, the domestic agricultural production instability, mainly in the case of crop production, raises food security problems. As regards the access to food, the low incomes and the income gaps by regions and residence areas generate food insecurity for the low-income population categories, which are most often found in the rural area. At the same time, the deficient food consumption in quality terms, the high share of calories from cereals and potatoes, as well as the low animal protein intake generate nutritional risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher food expenditures disturb the delicate balance of allocated decisions of household monthly expenditures. Several past studies in Pakistan have been committed on determining household consumer's characteristics on requirement for specific kinds of food; however less consideration has been devoted to the parameters of household food expenditures. Present study aimed to analyze the socioeconomic factors effecting total food expenditures of households in rural area of Rawalpindi tehsil. Respondents were selected randomly and data were collected through questionnaire. A multiple double log regression model was used because it has an advantage that estimated parameter can easily be explained as expendi-tures elasticity. This model is used to give details of responses in socioeconomic factors to monthly household food expenditures. Regression analysis showed that 23 % of the changes in the food expenditures were due to explanatory variables. Household incomes, marital status of household head and number of earners variables have significant impact on households' food expenditures. The qualification of household head, age and gender were insignificant regarding impacts on households' food expenditures. All the socioeconomic factors were positively elastic regarding food expenditures except marital status variable. Engels law analysis regarding necessities such as food items was confirmed by the food expenditures value of 0.20. The study provides important food policy tools reducing negative impacts of higher food expenditures on rural households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specialists on agricultural economics and economic development of China examine the dynamics of rural-to-urban migration in China from the perspective of migrant labor supply for the period of 1987–2008. Restricted by thehukou(registered permanent residence) system, rural households in China usually do not relocate from countryside to cities; only migrant workers travel back and forth. This circular pattern of migrant workers negatively influences their migration stability, thereby resulting in the instability of China’s migrant labor supply. By using panel data from rural household surveys in China, we examine migration persistence at both the household level and the individual level. We find that the extent of migration persistence was relatively low in China, suggesting that migrant labor supply was unstable. In addition, we find that labor counts, education level, and network effects improved households’ migration persistence. We also find that migration persistence was associated with individual characteristics, such as age, gender, and health conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Zoonotic diseases are disproportionately affecting poor societies in low-income countries and pose a growing threat to public health and global food security. Rural Cambodian households may face an increased likelihood of exposure to zoonotic diseases as people there live in close association with livestock. The objectives of the study was to identify practices known to influence zoonosis transmission in rural Cambodian households and relate the practices to agro-ecological region, socio-economic position, demographics, livestock management and zoonosis awareness. Methods: The study was conducted in three different agro-ecological regions of Cambodia; 10 villages each in the central lowlands, north-west wetlands and on the south coast, where information was obtained in questionnaires administered to 300 households, and 30 village heads and animal health workers. Results: Descriptive analysis revealed a gender difference in responsibility for livestock and that the main purpose of raising livestock was for sale. Few respondents (6%) perceived a likelihood of disease transmission in their village between livestock, humans and wildlife, despite household practices related to zoonosis transmission being common. More than one-forth of households practised behaviours such as culling sick animals for consumption, eating animals found dead and allowing animals to enter sleeping and food preparation areas. Associations between household practices and possible explanatory factors were analysed with multivariable models using generalised estimation equations to account for clustering of practices within villages. Factors found to influence household practices were agro-ecological region, socio-economic position, number of people in the household, livestock species reared and awareness of zoonoses. Conclusions: Cambodia has experienced numerous fatal human cases of zoonotic influenza and extensive influenza information campaigns have been run, yet only a few of the households surveyed here reported the threat of zoonosis to be a concern in their village. Zoonosis awareness was positively related to hand washing behaviour, but other practices associated with an increased or decreased likelihood of exposure to zoonotic pathogens were unaffected by awareness. The findings indicate a knowledge-to-action gap among rural farmers and highlight the necessity for reconstructed interventions in zoonotic disease control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to electricity changes lives but only when people can afford electricity-powered services to meet their basic needs, and this is more than just two light bulbs and a fan. Decentralized renewable energy (RE) minigrids, particularly solar photovoltaic (PV) minigrids, can cost-effectively electrify a large share of currently unelectrified rural populations. But the cost of using appliances with this electricity is still much higher than what the poor can afford without deep subsidies. This affordability gap stunts the sustainability and growth of RE minigrids. Significant improvements in the economics of supplying electricity with minigrids, combined with higher-efficiency appliances, are needed to reduce the effective cost of using electricity in decentralized RE minigrids. These would bridge the affordability gap and improve business opportunities and value to users, investors, and service providers and thus create market-driven expansion to overcome the acute lack of funding that they currently face. Technology breakthroughs that can help in this respect include ( a) significantly cheaper solar PV components to reduce up-front costs of solar PV minigrids; ( b) significantly more affordable and energy-efficient appliances; ( c) better-performing bulk storage at a significantly lower cost; ( d) affordable and easy-to-use grid management solutions, and ( e) a utility in a box for a simpler, cheaper, and faster way to set up minigrids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding public knowledge, attitude, and perception towards energy and environmental issues is indispensible for achieving renewable energy targets. The main objective of this study is to investigate the level of knowledge and perception of renewables (especially biomass fuels) among rural households, and to analyze commonly held beliefs on environmental issues related to the development of bioenergy resources. A multi-stage stratified random sampling technique was applied in selecting 240 households from four upazilas of Bangladesh. Door to door questionnaire survey was carried out for this study. The results revealed that the majority of rural households had a high level of knowledge on traditional biomass fuels such as wood fuel, crop residues and cow dung. However, they possessed a relatively low level of knowledge regarding improved biomass fuels such as briquette, biogas and biodiesel. The analysis showed that the household’s socio-economic status and their level of education plays a significant role in the promotion of knowledge on various renewable and adoption on renewable energy technologies. The rural households expressed negative perceptions towards sustainability aspects of current biomass fuel consumption. Perceptions of various interventions which may have influence on promotion of knowledge on renewables and promotion of sustainable use of bioenergy resource were discussed. The results of this study provide noteworthy information on renewable energy dynamics, which is useful in the development of microplans for forestry and energy sectors at a regional or national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural women in the developing and transition countries play a fundamental role in producing, purchasing, processing, providing, storing and utilizing food to their families and thereby contribute to the household food and nutrition security. This paper investigates the women?s dynamic role in the agricultural activities and intra household food/nutrition security in rural areas of the Faisalabad district, Punjab province of Pakistan. More specifically it analyzes the association between demographic characters of the respondents and their role in household food security. Multistage random sampling technique was used for the purpose of data collection. One Tehsil (sub-district) from District Faisalabad was selected through simple random sampling technique. One union council from this Tehsil was selected randomly. Three villages out of five villages and 40 respondents from each selected villages were selected randomly. Thus in total 120 women were interviewed from the selected households. Significantly positive relationship was found between women age and education with intra-household food and nutrition security. Though rural women have an active role in food utilization which is one of the main pillars of food security, yet majority of the women were facing problems in household food and nutrition security particularly affordability and access to food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem of low consumption of vegetables by all in order to alleviate nutrition-related diseases is still unresolved. This study investigated the pattern of consumption of leafy vegetables among the inhabitants of Ijebu-Igbo enclave in Ogun State, Nigeria. The instrument of data collection was interview schedule used to collect information from 175 respondents sampled through simple random sampling technique from five quarters in the locality. The head of the household was interviewed and question items ranged from socio-economic characteristics of respondents to handling of and type of leafy vegetables consumed, and awareness of the importance of consumption of these vegetables. Consumption of leafy vegetables which was the dependent variable was measured on an eight point scale. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The descriptive statistics involved frequency tallies, percentages and averages while the inferential statistics used was chi-square analysis ( X 2). The results showed that most (74.9%) of the respondents were literate, having secondary education and above, mostly (69.1%) females, married (56%) and predominantly Christians (74. 3%). They were mostly (37%) traders and (22%) farmers. The level of vegetable consumption was low, an average of 1.57 times weekly in the study area with 'Ugwu' being most preferred over other vegetables which were celosia, waterleaf, amaranthus and okra leaf. Only 35.4% of the respondents consumed vegetables adequately but not properly handled or prepared. This is only 31.4% of the recommended intake of 5 times daily. Only 9.1% of them adopted the most appropriate method of preparation and handling of vegetables for maximum absorption of nutrients but the closest method to the recommended method was adopted by most (42%). The results of the hypotheses testing at 95% confidence level showed a significant relationship between marital status (x2=0.26), religion (x2=0.94), awareness level (x2=0.96) and consumption level. The study, therefore, recommended a more strategic awareness-raising campaign and nutrition education to agricultural extension and rural development agencies in order to influence people's behaviour in making vegetables consumption a lifestyle in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses the data of 1912 and 1815 rural households surveyed in 2016 and 2017, respectively in three provinces of Thailand to examine the factors affecting the decision of rural households to use the internet and the impacts of internet use on household income and poverty. Results from a probit model show that the decision of rural households to use the internet is positively associated with the education level of the household head, household size, labour share, farmland, and household productive assets, and the number of enterprises with at least nine employees in the village. But it is negatively associated with age of household head and share of male members in household. Results from a heteroscedasticity-based instrumental variable regression show that internet use for productive purposes increases household income, promotes development of non-farm sectors, and reduces the extraction of and reliance on natural resources. However, results from an unconditional quantile regression show that better-off households benefit relatively more from internet use than worse-off households. These findings indicate a positive income effect of internet use for productive purposes but also raise a concern of increasing income inequality among rural populations from internet development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Huantai, a typical high-yielding agricultural county in the northern developed region of China and as a microcosm of China's rural area, is chosen as a case study to analyze the structural change and carbon (C) emission of rural household energy consumption. During the last 30 years, the per capita consumption and emission increased from 329kg standard coal equivalent (kg ce) and 783.6 kg CO2 to 638.4kg ce and 1582.5kg CO2, with the average annual growth rates of 3.2% and 3.5%, respectively. Among four activities (lighting, cooking, heating, and recreation), cooking and heating account for >70–95% at different times, and recreation is the fastest-growing activity. The current annual growth rates for recreational consumption and emission are 133.3% and 115.5%, respectively. In the context of energy structure, the proportion of nonrenewable energy increased from 15.7% in 1980 to 87.7% in 2009. Increase in income and changes in lifestyle are the two key factors affecting energy consumption and C emission. And this trend is endangering the sustainable development of rural areas and further China's development. Thus, it is necessary to develop new renewable energy strategy and explore new low-C developing mode both for local and central governments. At the level of Huantai county, appropriate strategies include improving use-efficiency of straw, developing large and medium-sized biogas digester, and harvesting solar energy. At the level of central government, developing biomass, rural biogas industry and solar energy have large potentials. It is necessary to continue to promote energy-saving stoves and small energy facilities, such as small wind power and hydropower stations in rural areas. But how to realize high-speed development and low-C emission in the process of urbanization is a major challenge in China at present and in the future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study was carried out in Ijebu North East Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria, to determine the effects of climate change on health of rural households. One hundred and twenty respondents were selected using multistage and random sampling techniques. Primary and secondary data were collected. The data collected were subjected to descriptive and inferential analyses. The results showed that 67% of respondents were males and the majority (54%) were above 40 years with a mean age of 43. The results also revealed that 60% of the respondents have been residing in the area for more than 6 years, which implied that a greater percentage of them witnessed the changes in the climatic pattern of the area. The major health problems reported included common cold, cough, malaria, and fever due to climate change. Many of the respondents patronized medicine hawkers (78%) and local chemists (46%) to treat the problematic changes in their health. Data analysis revealed that climatic change has significant effects on respondents’ health status (p < 0.05). The study concluded that there have been changes in the climatic pattern in the area and the health status of the people were affected. The study recommended that health, environment, and rural development agencies should coordinate efforts to assist rural households on preventing and mitigating the effects of climate change. Sustainable use of all resources, sustainable development, preventive health methods such as clean environment and proper hygiene, and reduction in activities contributing to the increase in climate change (deforestation, bush burning, environmental, and e-pollution) were advocated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Solar energy is increasing essentially to fortify energy security and mitigate CO2 emission. Although solar energy utilization on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP) contributes little to the energy conservation and reduction of CO2 emission at present, it plays an important environmental role throughout Asia. Based on the solar energy applications mainly centralized on the solar cooker, the solar water heater, the solar greenhouse, and the photovoltaic devices in rural household, we analyze the sensitivity of climate change on the QTP, the potential capacity of solar resource on the QTP, the effect of solar energy utilization on CO2 abatement, the growth demand of solar energy on the QTP, and the roadmap of solar energy development on the QTP. From different scales, we summarize the adaptation instruments related to solar energy exploitation. Finally, the closely linkage technology, cost, knowledge training with supporting policies related to solar energy have been emphasized in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of the article is determining the level of knowledge and financial skills of rural dwellers on an example of one of the European Union member states (Poland), as the factors which play a crucial role in the process of limiting the phenomenon of financial exclusion. The main source of data used for the analysis was the information gathered through the author's own studies conducted on a group of 1000 randomly chosen people. Statistical analysis of the researched material comprised the summary statistical measurements, the non-parametric X² test and the cluster analysis (k-means clustering). As results from the conducted analysis, the inhabitants of rural areas in Poland are characterized by the average level of knowledge and financial skills. The level of financial competences represented by rural dwellers is conditioned both by the economic and non-economic factors. Three groups of citizens were distinguished on the basis of the conducted investigations. The group which requires special educational measures comprises of women, elderly and less educated persons, households with lower incomes, families of annuitants and old-age pensioners, but also persons using financial tools in a lower degree, not using banking services or living in the areas with a worse access to the banking infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study characterizes behaviours of rural households on the credit market and identifies selected factors that determine and differentiate them. The main source of data used for the analysis and deduction was primary information from author's own investigation. The study was conducted on a group of 1,000 randomly selected rural households in Malopolska. As results from the investigation, almost two thirds of surveyed households repaid credit. Respondents most often repaid one loan, over 16% of people downloaded two credits. Nearly 40% of the respondents used credit cards, ¼ - a consumer credit and less than 7% of respondents paid in mortgage. Borrowers were usually younger people with tertiary education, and active on the financial market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]