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Armed conflict remains a significant global issue, with several studies highlighting its detrimental impact on the affected communities, making it a critical area of research. This study aimed to examine the effects of prolonged armed conflict on food security among urban households in Tigray, Ethiopia, and to examine their coping mechanisms. Primary data were collected from 740 urban households between May and June 2024. The Food Insecurity Access Scale (FIAS), Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), and Food Consumption Score (FCS) were employed to assess the levels of food security, while the Livelihood Coping Strategy Index (LCSI) was used to identify coping strategies. The findings revealed that female-headed households were more affected by food insecurity than male-headed households. FIAS (FIES) scores indicated that 17% (2%) of households were food-secure, with 20% (25%) mildly, 35% (32%) moderately, and 29% (30%) severely food-insecure. The FCS analysis showed that 52% of households had poor food consumption, 33% were borderline, and 16% were acceptable. The findings show that 39% of urban households experienced hunger in the post-conflict period. Stress-level strategies are the most widely adopted coping mechanisms. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted policy interventions that address the specific vulnerabilities of female-headed households and ensure the development of sustainable coping strategies to mitigate the long-term effects of food insecurity in war-affected urban settings. This study offers novel insights into the urban dimensions of food insecurity and coping strategies in post-conflict settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study conducts exhaustive field surveys in 67 wards in Bhubaneswar city, Odisha. 29 factors under 10 aspects have been considered for the study to assess the water requirement per household per day. SEM and CART modeling have been used to estimate the water requirement. The SEM model predicts that 4 aspects, namely, expenses, governance, possession, and resources are the major aspects that decide the water requirement of a household. Similarly, construction and repair costs, energy consumption, reinforcement practices, awareness, presence of a garden, presence of washing machine, presence of other appliances, water charges, and the type of storage majorly affect the water requirement. CART predicts energy consumption, storage, construction and repair, and washing machines to be important estimators with MAPE < 1% for the prediction of water requirement. The study reveals that with proper governance and proper use of water-intensive appliances, the required quantity of water can be decreased in any household. Secondly, by abiding by certain rules while using washing machines, like using them daily or weekly two times, etc., the inequity of water among households can be reduced.

The COVID-19 pandemic not only caused a global health crisis but also had a huge impact on household finances. This research aimed to examine the financial situation of rural and urban households in Poland between 2018 and 2022 from a multidimensional perspective. In a unidimensional approach, the financial situation of households was analyzed separately for their income, expenditures, savings rate, and shares of fixed expenses. In a multidimensional approach, the analysis used a synthetic index constructed for all these variables combined, employing the TOPSIS method and drawing on microdata from the Polish Central Statistical Office that totaled approximately 150,000 households. It was found that despite the pandemic outbreak, which led to major changes in the labor market, government-introduced organizational and legal measures protected the income of Polish households from decline. Indeed, income was increasing up until 2021, with a modest fall in 2022, which was less severe in rural households (by about 2%) than in urban ones (by 6%). A more immediate response to the outbreak was observed in consumer spending, which fell sharply, while the food share in consumption increased at similar levels in rural and urban areas. Regression analysis showed that compared to 2019, the pandemic worsened the financial situation of Polish households, but only in 2020 and 2022 were these changes statistically significant. In 2021, the financial situation improved slightly, but the change was not statistically significant. Before the pandemic, the synthetic assessment of the financial situation in rural areas was lower than in urban ones, and the pandemic period did not reduce these differences, showing no convergence between poorer rural areas and richer urban ones. Diagnosing and monitoring the household financial situation are crucial steps for achieving the social dimension goals of sustainable development. Research on the pandemic's effects on household finances provides valuable information that can help develop effective strategies to counter future crises while supporting the social dimension of the sustainable development strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to analyze the determinants of urban household income diversification and its relation to household food security status in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional research design and mixed research method of the sequential transformative strategy were used. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 200 households. Primary data were collected with the aid of household surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. The study used descriptive statistics, Simpson diversity index, per-capita calorie consumption, ordered logistic regression model, and simple linear regression model to analyze the socio-economic data, level of income diversification, food security status, determinants of income diversification, and the effect of income diversification on household food security respectively. The overall mean of household income was 70,241.5 birr. The Simpson diversity index result showed that 8%, 24%, 53.5%, and 14.5% of the households were no, less, average, and high diversifiers respectively with a mean of 0.36. The per-capita calorie consumption result indicated that 53% of households were food secure and 47% of households were food insecure. The ordered logistic regression model revealed that education level (B = 0.72, p

In the West African Monetary and Economic Union (UEMOA), information on the characteristics of the users and patterns of electricity end-uses remains hard to find. This study aims to contribute to reducing the gap in research on domestic electricity consumption in the region by unveiling the ownership rates, patterns of use and electricity consumption of domestic appliances in urban households through a city-wide survey. Three categories of urban users were investigated including high, medium and low consumers. Findings demonstrated various ownership rates for appliances, ranging from 100% for lighting fixtures to 0% for washing machines depending on user category. Domestic electricity demonstrated patterns consisting of three peak demand periods, with the main ones occurring in the evening (19:00 to 20:00) and the night (22:00). Other demand characteristics include an average daily electricity use ranging from 0.50 to 6.42 kWh per household, a maximum power demand of between 0.19 and 0.70 kW and a daily load factor between 35 and 58%. Finally, the appliances contributing the most to domestic electricity use include air-conditioners, fans, fridges and freezers, televisions and lighting fixtures, with contributions differing from one category of user to another. Policy implications including review of the appliances' importations framework and policies, and incentives for purchasing efficient appliances, design of more tailored policies, considering the different backgrounds of the users, education enhancement on energy behaviours for increasing energy efficiency/conservation, and implementation of DSM programs including load levelling, load shifting and load reducing depending on the type of appliance for energy conservation in the domestic buildings were derived. Overall, a large range of stakeholders of the electricity sector, not only in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), but also in other regions and countries sharing common characteristics should be interested in the results of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Durban, South Africa, heavy rainfall leading to flooding has become more frequent over the past decade, resulting in devastating consequences for households. However, studies in South Africa have predominantly focused on understanding the impacts of flooding on rural livelihoods. With intense rainfall events that could result in localized flash flooding to be expected to increase in Durban in the near future, failure to understand how households prepare for flooding and the interventions implemented by local authorities could jeopardize the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 – resilient and sustainable cities. To address this gap, primary data were collected from purposively selected residents of the Amanzimtoti community in Durban using questionnaires that comprised both closed and open-ended questions. Additionally, secondary data were analyzed to determine the measures implemented by the eThekwini Municipality to mitigate the adverse effects of flooding. The findings indicate that flooding has triggered psychological trauma among residents. Regarding interventions to mitigate flooding impacts, some homeowners and business owners purchased insurance. Despite the municipality providing early warnings, a severe flood event in 2019 had a significant negative impact on households partly due to the municipality's failure to utilize preferred communication channels – such as X (formally known as Twitter) – that resonate with residents. The study also found that adoption of early warnings may be partly hinged on the extent to which they remember the last flood episode that resulted in disaster. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for achieving SDG 11 in Durban.

Introduction Smoking stands as a primary contributor to preventable deaths globally and is linked to an increased risk of developing kidney failure and other diseases. A few studies have focused on the negative correlation between serum cotinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), indicating decreased kidney function. This study investigated the associations between urinary cotinine metabolite concentration and serum eGFR among active smokers in urban households. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of active smokers in urban households’ community Bangkok, Thailand from January to April 2023. The study involved 85 participants aged ≥18 years who were active smokers. Both urinary cotinine and serum eGFR concentrations were used as biomarkers. Independent sample t-tests were used to compare the urinary cotinine metabolite based on differences in the characteristic variable. We used multiple linear regression to test the association between cotinine metabolite and characteristics variables. Spearman’s analysis was used to test the correlation between cotinine metabolite and eGFR concentration. Results The association between urinary cotinine metabolite and serum eGFR concentration decreased with increasing cotinine concentrations (r= -0.223, p=0.041), suggesting a decline in kidney function. However, this study found no significant difference between urinary cotinine metabolite and characteristic variables (p>0.05). Additionally, those who smoked for ≥10 years (117.40 ± 89.80 ng/mL), smoked ≥10 cigarettes per day (117.40 ± 89.80 ng/mL) and used conventional cigarettes (124.53 ± 115.10 ng/mL). The results of the multiple linear regression models analysis indicated that those who were smokers for ≥10 years (β=0.076; 95% CI: -31.575–59.715) and those who were smoked ≥10 cigarettes/day (β=0.126; 95% CI: -65.636–18.150) were not associated with urinary cotinine metabolite level. Conclusions This study shows that the urinary cotinine metabolite level is associated with serum eGFR concentration among active smokers in urban households. The current study suggests that clinical identification and a prospective cohort study are needed before robust conclusions about how tobacco affects kidney efficiency.

Armed conflict remains a significant global issue, with several studies highlighting its detrimental impact on the affected communities, making it a critical area of research. This study aimed to examine the effects of prolonged armed conflict on food security among urban households in Tigray, Ethiopia, and to examine their coping mechanisms. Primary data were collected from 740 urban households between May and June 2024. The Food Insecurity Access Scale (FIAS), Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), and Food Consumption Score (FCS) were employed to assess the levels of food security, while the Livelihood Coping Strategy Index (LCSI) was used to identify coping strategies. The findings revealed that female-headed households were more affected by food insecurity than male-headed households. FIAS (FIES) scores indicated that 17% (2%) of households were food-secure, with 20% (25%) mildly, 35% (32%) moderately, and 29% (30%) severely food-insecure. The FCS analysis showed that 52% of households had poor food consumption, 33% were borderline, and 16% were acceptable. The findings show that 39% of urban households experienced hunger in the post-conflict period. Stress-level strategies are the most widely adopted coping mechanisms. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted policy interventions that address the specific vulnerabilities of female-headed households and ensure the development of sustainable coping strategies to mitigate the long-term effects of food insecurity in war-affected urban settings. This study offers novel insights into the urban dimensions of food insecurity and coping strategies in post-conflict settings.

This study identified the practices of adaptation strategies to climate change in Jimma, Bedelle, Bonga, and Sokorru urban centers using a survey of 384 households, 55 key informant interviews, 4 focus group discussions, and field observations. A cross-sectional study design was employed from 2019 to 2021. The adaptive capacity of municipalities to reduce climate extreme events was rated as poor by the majority (51%), mostly reactive measures (76%). The climate hazards identified in four urban centers were riverine and flash floods, urban heat waves, landslides, and windstorms. The urban households practiced lifestyle modification, reduce paved surfaces, the use of air conditioner, planting trees, and multiple windows. The adaptation strategies practiced by municipalities include the relocation of prone areas, the support of basic amenities, the construction of protection walls, diversion ditches, the clearance of waterways and rivers, greenery, and park development. The adaptation actions were constrained by a lack of awareness, commitment, cooperation and coordination, adaptive capacity, and participation. Gray/physical infrastructures (costly but important) as adaptation actions were hampered by the low municipal capacity. We recommend that urban authorities should incorporate climate change adaptation strategies into urban planning and development proactively to ensure future resilient climate smart urban centers of southwest Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization precipitates substantial economic transformations, with housing markets playing a pivotal role. The expansion of cities escalates housing demand, subsequently increasing housing debt, which is a crucial factor influencing household consumption. This study utilizes data from six rounds of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) spanning 2010 to 2020 to investigate the impact of housing debt on household consumption in urban China. Given the dynamics changes in housing debt status, as well as the endogeneity problems caused by reverse causality and selection bias between households' debt decisions and consumption behavior, this study employs both the difference-in differences with multiple periods and groups ( D I D M ) model and the two-way fixed effects model. The results show that the average consumption expenditure of households with housing debt is 14% higher than those without. A 1% increase in housing debt size correlates with a 0.011% rise in consumption. Moreover, this positive effect is more pronounced among low-income households and those with older household heads, as well as those owning multiple properties. Compared to non-durable consumption, the impact of housing debt is more substantial on durable consumption. Further mechanism analysis reveals that the effect of housing debt on household consumption is primarily driven by an increase in housing assets, spurred by the rising housing prices. This study underscores the importance of integrating housing debt management within the framework of sustainable urban development, which not only ensures equitable access to housing but also fosters the promotion of sustainable consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the dwelling, household, socio-economic and appliance-related determinants of urban domestic electricity use in Burkina Faso. A survey of 387 households in Ouagadougou was conducted and combined with their electricity use, collected from energy bills. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first large-scale, city-wide household electricity study undertaken in Burkina Faso. Linear regression models were applied to the data to assess the influence of household, dwelling, socio-economic and appliance-related factors on electricity use. Significant and unambiguous predictors of urban domestic electricity use included household income, dwelling tenure type and ownership, and use of lighting fixtures, television sets, fridges, fans, freezers and air conditioners. Dwelling, household and socio-economic factors explained 70.2% and 70.5% of the variance in electricity use, respectively, when combined with appliance ownership and use factors. This study provides an understanding of the driving factors of domestic electricity use and discusses the implications and applications of this research for a range of stakeholders in the electricity sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversification of Livelihood Activities (DLA) is indeed crucial for populous countries like Ethiopia, where it serves as a strategy to mitigate food insecurity. Despite its significance, empirical studies focusing on DLA among urban households in Ethiopia are relatively scarce. Therefore, this study examines factors affecting urban households' participation in the DLA in selected towns of the Wolaita zone. The study used both primary and secondary data. A total of 310 sample respondents from three town administrations in the Wolaita zone: Areka, Boditi, and Sodo, were selected using a multi-phase sampling technique. The study used a survey questionnaire, Key Informant Interviews, Focus Group Discussions, and observations as methods for primary data collection. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results revealed that among the sampled respondents, 23.9 %, 28.4 %, and 33.2 % depend on on-farm, on-farm + non-farm, non-farm + off-farm activities, respectively, while the remaining 14.5 % diversify their livelihood activities through combinations of on-farm + non-farm + off-farm Livelihood Diversification Activities (LDA). The Multinomial Logot (MNL) model result shows that the participation of LDA in the study areas was positively and negatively determined by cooperative membership, development agent training, gender, education, home ownership, rural connections, household income, and technical skills that were found to be statistically significant at 1 %, 5 %, and 10 %. Therefore, the government should prioritize empowering the diversification of livelihood activities and develop policies and programs that support urban households’ livelihoods, with a specific focus on promoting off-farm and non-farm endeavors.

Background: Many households in urban areas suffer from severe food insecurity. In Ethiopia, current economic recession, pandemic, locust invasion, and conflict, disproportionately aggravated the problems. This study aims to assess food insecurity in household and its factors in the Eastern Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted to assess 616 households in urban areas of Eastern Ethiopia using simple random sampling. FANTA Indicator Guide (v.3) Questionnaires were used as data collection tool. Then, the information was entered into Epi-data version 3.02 and exported to SPSS version 21. To determine factors affecting household food insecurity, binary regression analysis was performed, and a p-value of < 0.05 at a 95% confidence interval was considered statistically significant. Model fitness was checked using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. Results: The prevalence of household food insecurity was 41.7% (95% CI: 37.4–45.6). The following factors were determined as food insecurity predictors: household head's sex [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR)=1.75, 95% CI: 1.08–2.84], household head's education (AOR= 0.52, 95% CI: 0.33–0.99), mother's occupation [AOR= 0.3, 95% CI: 0.19–0.57], households with the medium wealth index (AOR =1.72, 95% CI: 1.06–2.78) and households with the lowest wealth index (AOR=4.01, 95% CI: 2.35–6.86). Conclusions: The prevalence of household food insecurity in urban areas of Eastern Ethiopia is high. The food insecurity was significantly affected by residency, education, occupation, and wealth index. The government should focus on socio-economic policies targeting the vulnerable and improve their economic status. Corresponding Author:Tariku Derese View Orcid in Profile You can search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar Profile

The main target of the research was to diagnose the level and structure of consumption expenditures of rural households in Poland in 2015-2021. Among consumption expenditures, special attention was paid to fixed expenditures, i.e. on food and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as on housing and energy carriers. Expenditures of rural households were compared to expenditures of urban households and analyzed against the background of all households in Poland. The data source was individual, unidentifiable data from the “Household Budget Survey” conducted by the Central Statistical Office in 2015-2021. It was noticed that in the years 2015-2021, relatively large disproportions in the level of consumption expenditure between rural and urban households were observed. In 2015, consumption expenditures per capita in households living in rural areas accounted for less than 3/4 of expenditures of households living in urban areas. However, in the analyzed period, the increase in the level of this occurrence was more than twice as high for rural households, which proves a pronounced convergence process. The greatest burden on rural household budgets was expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverages, which in rural households amounted to about 30%, and in 2020, i.e. the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, it exceeded 32%. It was noticed that the structure of consumption expenditures between rural and urban households were very similar in 2015 and 2021.

Background: Many households in urban areas suffer from severe food insecurity, and the current economic recession, pandemic, and conflict in the region have disproportionately aggravated the problems. Even if it is a social and public health challenge, the problems have been overlooked in the planning area. Measuring food security status in an urban setting is crucial to developing a sustainable and effective intervention. This study is designed to assess food security and household influencing factors in the eastern part of urban areas in Ethiopia. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess 616 households. Of the total of 616 samples, 405 were from Dire Dawa and 211 were from Harar, using simple random sampling. Validated questionnaires from previous studies were accustomed to collecting information. Three kebeles from Dire Dawa and three kebeles from Harar were selected using lottery methods. The data were collected by health extension workers. The information was entered into Epi-data version 3.02 and exported to SPSS version 21. To identify significant factors influencing household food insecurity, binary regression analysis was performed, and a P < 0.05 at a 95% confidence interval (CI) was considered statistically significant. Model fitness was checked using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test with a P > 0.05. Results: The prevalence of household food insecurity among urban residences in Dire Dawa and Harar was 41.7% [95% CI: 37.4–45.6]. The following factors were identified as influencing factors: household head sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.08–2.84), household head education status (primary level) (AOR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.33–0.99), household mother occupation (private business workers) (AOR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.19–0.57), households with the medium wealth index (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.06–2.78) and households with the poorest wealth index (AOR = 4.01, 95% CI: 2.35–6.86). Conclusions: In this study, mild and moderate household food insecurity is increasing alarmingly. However, the prevalence of household food insecurity is low compared to the other findings. It is essential to design and implement appropriate small-scale household income generation systems for urban areas to tackle the food insecurity problem in the eastern parts of urban areas in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to analyze the determinants of urban household income diversification and its relation to household food security status in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional research design and mixed research method of the sequential transformative strategy were used. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 200 households. Primary data were collected with the aid of household surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. The study used descriptive statistics, Simpson diversity index, per-capita calorie consumption, ordered logistic regression model, and simple linear regression model to analyze the socio-economic data, level of income diversification, food security status, determinants of income diversification, and the effect of income diversification on household food security respectively. The overall mean of household income was 70,241.5 birr. The Simpson diversity index result showed that 8%, 24%, 53.5%, and 14.5% of the households were no, less, average, and high diversifiers respectively with a mean of 0.36. The per-capita calorie consumption result indicated that 53% of households were food secure and 47% of households were food insecure. The ordered logistic regression model revealed that education level (B = 0.72, p < 0.01), access to credit (B = 2.9, p < 0.01), information access (B = 0.7, p < 0.05), landownership (B = 2.1, p < 0.01)and access to training (B = 1.1, p < 0.01) had positive effect while access to market (B = −1.1, p < 0.05) had negative effect. The result of simple linear regression analysis result revealed that income diversification (B = 0.2, p < 0.01) has a positive and significant effect on food security. To improve urban food security, the government and scholars should consider the livelihoods of the urban poor, and further studies should be conducted in urban areas. IMPACT STATEMENT: Ethiopia's urban areas are currently witnessing an increase in food insecurity. This is because the government pays fairly little attention to the urban poor, and the majority of research on the influence of income diversification and its relation to food security concentrates on the country's rural poor. The government and practitioners fail to realize the secret crisis of urban food insecurity in Ethiopia. This is because there are not enough statistics on overall poverty; it's often assumed that people living in cities are usually better off, which magnifies the issue. Chronic food insecurity and low standards of living have significant political and economic problems. Thus the purpose of this study is to provide clues on income diversification and its relation to food security in Yejube town, Amhara region, to development planners, policymakers, and specialists in food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to clean energy for efficient cooking remains a challenge to most households both in rural and urban settings. Government and stakeholders in the clean energy sector have been making efforts to increase the availability and accessibility to clean energy technologies for cooking. This study aims to analyse the determinants and constraints associated with the adoption of improved cooking stoves (ICS) in Ghana using a sample of 194 respondents purposively selected. By applying the logistic regression and non-parametric models, the study revealed that household size, education of the household head, availability of stoves and the intensity/ frequency of use impact adoption decisions. Furthermore, affordability, low level of awareness, accessibility, and poor quality of stoves are the ranked constraints hindering the widespread adoption of ICS. These findings have implications for consumers, stove manufacturers, financiers, promoters and the government. Strategies aimed at improving stove quality and promotional activities including training and public awareness through the media and public fora need to be vigorously pursued by stakeholders to ensure energy for all.

Food safety is a public health issue and a shared responsibility of everyone. Traditional food markets can be high-risk locations for the spread of foodborne diseases, especially in developing countries. The focus has been to improve institutional food handlers' food safety knowledge and behaviour. However, the household is the last barrier to preventing the transmission of foodborne diseases. Households' knowledge and proper behaviour towards food safety in the home can improve their protection against foodborne diseases. Using household data from the NOURICITY project on urban households in Ghana, the study sought to answer the primary research questions, including; the main factors that influence urban households' choice of food markets and the effect of household food safety knowledge and wealth status on food safety cooking practices/behaviour. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was applied to address these questions. The study results show that convenience (proximity and availability of all products at one location) is the primary consideration for choosing a food market, not food safety. Only 18% of respondents considered food safety one of their topmost priorities in choosing a market. In addition, although households are food safety knowledgeable and have a positive attitude towards food safety, neither food safety knowledge nor attitude has a statistically significant effect on food safety cooking practices/behaviour. However, household wealth status positively affects food safety cooking practices/behaviour. We conclude that households’ food safety cooking behaviour may improve when in addition to appropriate food safety knowledge, households are economically better off.

Dietary diversity became a global concern in improving health conditions through the habit of food group consumption by adding health dimension to the issue of food calorie consumption. Access to nutritionally adequate and good quality diet is essential to human health, productivity and work output. However, despite the various concerns by governments all over the world on ensuring that every household can at least provide three square meals per day, food insecurity continues to be a major development problem across the globe. This study assessed the effect of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on households’ dietary diversity in Jos Metropolis, Plateau State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 265 households. Data was collected using well-structured questionnaire. The analytical techniques were; Descriptive statistics, Dietary Diversity index and Z-Statistics Test. Gender, age, household size, education, marital status, cooperative membership and access to credit were the socioeconomic characteristics described. Result indicate that 86% of the households had low food dietary diversity while 14% of the households had high food dietary diversity before and after the pandemic lockdown. Similarly, 18% of the households had low calorie consumption while 82% of the households had high dietary diversity before and after the pandemic lockdown. Cereals, legumes/grains, oils/fat, roots and tubers, sugar and honey and meats were the most common food consumed by the households daily before and after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Result further indicate that the pandemic lockdown had effect on the dietary diversity and food consumption patterns of the urban households. It can be concluded that the understanding of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on dietary diversity and food consumption patterns of households is important in developing policy measures such as social safety nets, home feeding programmes, the school feeding programme, conditional cash transfers schemes and improved marketing channels that will help mitigate against households falling into food insecurity during similar pandemic in the future.

Within contemporary global food security discourse, the difference in food security issues between rural and urban households has received scant attention. Since urban and rural livelihoods and lifestyles are different, we hypothesized that the determinants of food security between rural and urban households could also be different. This study is one of the first attempts to thoroughly examine the difference in food security between rural and urban households in Bangladesh. Using recent field survey data from Bangladesh, and applying the binary logistic model, firstly, we find that rural households are likely to be more food secure than urban households. Secondly, this study finds that the determinants of food security vary between rural and urban households. Hence, policymakers and administrators must understand the specific community-level conditions so that they can identify which of the key variables must be addressed in the development of programmes to improve food security both in rural and urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: After the beginning of a new round of sanctions against Iran in 2010-2011, many disorders were introduced in the Iranian economy including increased inflation and reduced purchasing power. It has significantly affected on the welfare of families and, hence. The study objective is to compare the effects of inflation on the costs of the social welfare and income among rural and urban families. Methodology: The study adopts a descriptive-analytical methodology and urban and rural families in 31 provinces of Iran constitute its units of analysis. The data was comprised of family expenditure on food and non-food items in urban and rural areas during the period of 2011-2017 (at the height of sanctions) together with inflation. The panel data was analyzed using STATA 15 software package . Finding: The findings showed that inflation has increased income and, as a result, has increased costs and that a one percent increase in inflation has increased non-food costs as much as 0.43 and 0.35 and food costs as much as 0.18 and 0.22 for rural families. Similarly, by a one percent increase in inflation in urban areas of Iran, families’ non-food costs have increased by 0.20 and 0.16 and their food costs have increased by 0.11 and 0.24 Overall, inflation has led to a lower increase in the expenditure of rural families, so that a one percent increase in inflation has increased the costs for urban families as much as 0.32 and for rural families as much as 0.15. Therefore, the inflation caused by sanctions has increased the gap between urban and rural area and, as a result, increased macroeconomic instability. Considering the mutual effect of income distribution, unemployment, inflation and cost on each other, the policy of adjustment of income distribution and tax on income and wealth should be implemented in an exponential manner to reduce inequality. Also, in the face of inequality, in the early stages of development, politicians can control or reduce the upward trend in poverty and inequality by using the tools of transfer payments, social security insurances, unemployment insurances, etc . Originality/value: The results of this research can help organizations in charge of dealing with the effects of inflation in urban and rural areas to have a deeper insight into the existing conditions so that they can reduce the negative effects of inflation on life by using the solutions provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study reports the seasonal variations in dry deposition of coarse and fine particles on the foliar surfaces of common indoor plants viz. Ficus elastica, Ficus lyrata, and Schefflera arboricola along with their biochemical changes in the urban households of metropolitan Delhi. The dustfall fluxes were significantly higher at the industrial site as compared to residential site and temporal variations indicated higher dustfall fluxes during the winter months as compared to other seasons. Seasonal concentrations of chlorophylls, pH, and soluble sugars were higher during monsoon season for the indoor plants whereas ascorbic acid content was higher in the winter season indicating more stress. The results of correlation plots revealed that the variations observed in the biochemical traits were interlinked with the changes in dustfall fluxes during different seasons, thereby reflecting the changes in air pollution stress faced by plant foliage. The air pollution tolerance index and anticipated performance index were evaluated to understand the overall tolerance of indoor plants toward air pollution which can be utilized in phytoremediation techniques. It was concluded that among the studied indoor plants, Ficus elastica and Ficus lyrata are better plant species than Schefflera arboricola for improving indoor air quality. The novelty of this work lies in studying the spatial and temporal variations in the deposition of indoor dust on foliar surfaces of plants in the households of a highly polluted metropolitan. Based on the biochemical parameters, the air pollution tolerance index (APTI) and anticipated performance index (API) have been calculated for the first time for Ficus elastica, Ficus lyrata, and Schefflera arboricola. The study strengthens the existing knowledge regarding the role of leaves as a platform to capture dust particles and role of indoor plants in improving air quality. The outcomes of this study can be applied in modern day concepts for urban areas such as nature-based solutions for air pollution mitigation, vertical greenery systems (VGS), green roofs, and outdoor green walls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization precipitates substantial economic transformations, with housing markets playing a pivotal role. The expansion of cities escalates housing demand, subsequently increasing housing debt, which is a crucial factor influencing household consumption. This study utilizes data from six rounds of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) spanning 2010 to 2020 to investigate the impact of housing debt on household consumption in urban China. Given the dynamics changes in housing debt status, as well as the endogeneity problems caused by reverse causality and selection bias between households’ debt decisions and consumption behavior, this study employs both the difference-in differences with multiple periods and groups (DIDM) model and the two-way fixed effects model. The results show that the average consumption expenditure of households with housing debt is 14% higher than those without. A 1% increase in housing debt size correlates with a 0.011% rise in consumption. Moreover, this positive effect is more pronounced among low-income households and those with older household heads, as well as those owning multiple properties. Compared to non-durable consumption, the impact of housing debt is more substantial on durable consumption. Further mechanism analysis reveals that the effect of housing debt on household consumption is primarily driven by an increase in housing assets, spurred by the rising housing prices. This study underscores the importance of integrating housing debt management within the framework of sustainable urban development, which not only ensures equitable access to housing but also fosters the promotion of sustainable consumption.

This study analyses the dwelling, household, socio-economic and appliance-related determinants of urban domestic electricity use in Burkina Faso. A survey of 387 households in Ouagadougou was conducted and combined with their electricity use, collected from energy bills. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first large-scale, city-wide household electricity study undertaken in Burkina Faso. Linear regression models were applied to the data to assess the influence of household, dwelling, socio-economic and appliance-related factors on electricity use. Significant and unambiguous predictors of urban domestic electricity use included household income, dwelling tenure type and ownership, and use of lighting fixtures, television sets, fridges, fans, freezers and air conditioners. Dwelling, household and socio-economic factors explained 70.2% and 70.5% of the variance in electricity use, respectively, when combined with appliance ownership and use factors. This study provides an understanding of the driving factors of domestic electricity use and discusses the implications and applications of this research for a range of stakeholders in the electricity sector.

Poor complementary feeding practices can expose young children to increased burdens of undernutrition, morbidity, and poor health outcomes in adulthood. Parents and caregivers, who feed the children, are shaped by socio-cultural beliefs and pervasive socioeconomic realities. Also, parental values are influenced by their perceptions and childhood feeding experiences among others. This study, therefore, explored the role of parental childhood feeding experiences and changing socioeconomic realities on complementary feeding practices in urban households of Aba, Nigeria. Twenty-eight in-depth interviews and eight focus group discussions were held with parents of young children aged 6–23 months attending postnatal care clinics in selected healthcare facilities in Aba city, Nigeria. Aba city is one of the sprawling urban centers in South-East Nigeria. Data were thematically analyzed using Atlas.ti software. Complementary feeding practices in the Aba urban households of South-East Nigeria did not meet the recommended feeding guidelines on timely complementary feeding and dietary diversity. Consumption of processed foods and sweetened beverages was prevalent. Data suggest this feeding pattern was affected by two factors: parental feeding experiences in early life and changing socioeconomic realities. Parents who lacked satisfactory feeding experiences in their childhood but achieved some socioeconomic success in later life exhibited poor complementary feeding practices. Also, certain food types were associated with affluence notwithstanding their nutritional values. Poor complementary feeding was also linked to the parental desire to not reliving their poor childhood feeding experiences. The parental perceived poor childhood feeding experience has led many to adopt the consumption of processed foods and sweetened beverages. This may expose children to risks of undernutrition, obesity, and overall poor health outcomes in later adulthood. More effort should be made to educate parents on healthful eating patterns and the dangers of poor complementary feeding practices in children's overall health well-being in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the question of what inspires households to adopt a solar home lighting system (SHS) in Punjab, one of the wealthiest states of India with adequate solar potential. This research leverages the framework of the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) to identify adoption drivers and their impact on behavioral intentions moderated by age, socioeconomic status, and usage, with a particular emphasis on urban households, as they have been the subject of very few studies. The proposed research model was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) in Smart PLS4. The study verified that the UTAUT2 constructs are the drivers of SHS adoption and significantly impact behavioral intention (R2 = 0.730). The findings suggested that for fiscally conservative prosumers, reduced monthly electricity bills were the greatest motivator for adopting SHSs, and our assumption that all prosumers are earth-loving environmentalists was not the case, suggesting that environmental concerns are not enough to explain SHS adoption. Age ( β = 0.137, p

This study examines the effect of digital financial inclusion on relative poverty among urban households in China. Based on the data of the China Family Panel Studies and the Peking University Digital Financial Inclusion Index of China, using the weak relative poverty line to identify relative poverty among urban households, we use a probit model, a mediating effect model, and an instrumental variable method to conduct empirical research. The results reveal that digital financial inclusion helps reduce the probability that urban households will fall into relative poverty. Digital financial inclusion not only promotes entrepreneurship by urban households but also increases their participation in the financial market. The increase in their income flow can be translated into an improvement in the stock of wealth, enabling them to avoid falling into relative poverty. But this effect is heterogeneous. Digital investment and digital credit play more important roles than digital payment. It is also more pronounced in households with higher financial literacy and households in smaller cities. In addition, regardless of how the relative poverty line and digital financial inclusion are calculated, our results are robust. The research in this study is important for a comprehensive understanding of the development of digital financial inclusion and urban relative poverty in developing countries such as China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food security is one of the targets of Sustainable Development Goals where it focuses explicitly on food by seeking to end hunger, achieve food security, improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. However, the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown distorted the food system and affected households' capacity to meet its nutritional needs. This study evaluated the effect of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on households in Jos Metropolis, Plateau State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 265 households. Data was collected using well-structured questionnaire. The analytical techniques were; Descriptive statistics, FDT Food security index and Z-Statistics Test. The findings indicated that 53% of the household heads were female while 47% were male. The mean age of the respondents was 34 years; the mean Household size was 4 persons. Most of the household heads (68%) were not members of cooperative societies. The result indicated that cereals, legumes/grains, oils/fat, roots and tubers, sugar and honey and meats were the most common food consumed by the households daily before and after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Result of food security status indicated that households consumed an average daily calorie intake of 5860.52 which is higher than the estimate of 1707.88 calorie consumed by the food insecure households. Covid-19 pandemic had effect (p<0.001) on the food security status of households. Food secure households showed higher sensitivity to Covid-19 pandemic compared to 0.807 in food insecure households. The minimum and maximum daily calorie intake of 679.67kcal and 2246.79kcal for food insecure in this study is above the minimum and maximum recommended threshold of 587.58 and 2200 kilocalories for households. The study concludes that the understanding of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on food security status of households is important in developing policy measures such as social safety nets, home feeding program, the school feeding program, conditional cash transfers schemes and improved marketing channels that will help mitigate against households falling into food insecurity during similar pandemic in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An econometric analysis of the adoption behaviour of 596 urban households for Grid-connected solar PV systems in Ghana. • At a statistically significant level of p < 0.05, awareness of the existence of a subsidy programme is the largest driver of adoption. • There is a further statistically significant variation when significant socio-economic attributes are used to create dichotomous interacting terms. • Further randomised investigations will provide better evidence for policy and model (re)development. This study sought to help understand renewable energy (RE) technology adoption behaviour in developing economies. It examined the determinants of Grid-Connected Solar PV system adoption among 596 urban households in Ghana, drawn from three cities: Accra, Kumasi, and Tamale. All logistic regression models used in analysing the data were taken to be statistically significant at p < 0.05. Six statistically significant variables were observed: awareness of the existence of a subsidy programme (coefficient = 4.66); household size (coefficient = 0.23); tenancy status (coefficient = 1.35 for landlords; coefficient = 0.83 for rent-free occupants); level of education (coefficient = 1.22 for tertiary education); and electricity expenditure (coefficient = −0.0007). Interacting the statistically significant socio-economic terms also revealed some variations. The results suggest that determinants of household adoption behaviour for Grid-Connected solar PV systems in Ghana vary in associated probabilities. Models to accelerate adoption must thus give different priorities to the diverse socio-economic attributes of households. Further randomised investigations will improve evidence quality for policy and model (re)development towards accelerating solar PV adoption in developing economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many literature linked poverty with income, assets, and government support activities. This study however posited that the financial behaviour of households’ is also vital in poverty reduction along with other income enhancing activities. The study therefore investigated the effect of financial behaviour of households’ on urban poverty status. Data were collected randomly from 253 household heads and the collected data were analyzed descriptively and empirically using the logit model. The study found that besides the increase in income, good financial behaviour of households have vital role in reducing their poverty status. Therefore, it is recommended that when the government and other stakeholders work to reduce poverty, an emphasis should also be given to improvement of households’ financial behaviour through training or synchronization of financial education into the education curriculum. Financial behaviour improvement should become the mainstream issue in poverty reduction strategies along with other mechanisms.

Research background: The food system is central to a wide range of outcomes such as food security, nutrition and economic development. In this wise, the food systems must meet the needs of a growing and increasingly urbanized population. However, food system in developing countries is undergoing a rapid transformation towards high value products and food safety. Yet, the consumer demand drive towards the transformation has received much less attention. Hence, improvement in the agricultural and food systems must be viewed in the context of household food consumption patterns. Purpose of the article: This paper examined household food demand and food choice preferences among urban households in southwest, Nigeria. Understanding Nigeria’s Agrofood structure through urban eating pattern will proffer knowledge required for better policy design and implementation. Methods: The paper applies a quadratic almost ideal demand system (QUAIDS) model to a cross-sectional household survey data from two urban areas, and estimate price and expenditure elasticities as indicators of household sensitivity to market shocks. Findings & Value added: Analysis of frequency distribution on urban household’s preferences shows that convenience, availability, safety were important attributes influencing decisions to purchase foods. Demand estimations show positive expenditure elasticities for food groups with values close to unity. The animal-source foods and cereals were more expenditure-elastic in high urban areas (HUA) and low urban areas (LUA), respectively. All own-price elasticities are negative and LUA are more price-sensitive to most food groups compared to HUA. The price and expenditure results suggest that transformation of agro food products will come in place if convenience and food safety attributes are incorporated in food value chain.

There is still little knowledge about the link between gender mainstreaming and energy security in informal urban settlements and there is limited design support to address this linkage. This paper presents the development and evaluation of the Gender for Energy Security (GENS) codesign toolkit, which was made to facilitate the design of gendered energy innovations for informal urban settlements. The toolkit was developed by applying the Design Research Methodology (DRM) and is grounded in the findings of a literature review, semi-structured interviews and ethnographic fieldwork in two informal urban settlements. The toolkit aimed to support codesign processes by providing its users with knowledge about the gendered energy scene in informal urban settlements and facilitating idea generation for gendered urban energy innovations. The evaluation of the GENS codesign toolkit was conducted during a one-day multistakeholder codesign workshop in Nairobi, Kenya. During the testing, we found that the toolkit was successful in facilitating energetic discussions, helping its users to learn about the gender–energy nexus in informal urban settlements and generate original ideas for gendered energy innovations. The toolkit is an addition to the current tools, handbooks and manuals on mainstreaming gender in the energy sector, with a unique focus on informal urban settlements and supporting idea generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development goal seven aims to provide access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030, but its progress and energy stacking conditions have not been evaluated. This study aims to assess the urban household energy profile and link its state to sustainable development goals. This study employs a cross‐sectional study design on 265 households selected by systematic random sampling from a town called Jimma in Ethiopia and collects the data using interview‐based semi‐structured questionnaires. The study obtains information from all the selected households. The results show that more than 80% of the households have a grid electricity connection, but more than 85% of the households regularly use firewood and charcoal for cooking. On average, households use about 1236 kg of firewood and 630 kg of charcoal per year. Most households report power interruption, inability to afford electricity costs, and personal preferences for relying on biomass energy for cooking. Over 98% of the households use electricity for lighting, but few use it for appliances. This shows an inherent challenge attributed to the cooking energy services provided by biomass energy sources despite the accessibility of electricity. This shows the significant impacts of biomass energy stacking which connection to electricity alone cannot solve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of the paper is to present and assess changes in the level and structure of consumption of urban and rural households in Poland. Research method - The data used in the article were obtained from the publications of Central Statistical Office on the results of household budget surveys, including the "Socio-economic situation of households, urban-rural diversity" as well as from literature on the subject. The research covered the years 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020. The selection of years was determined by the willingness to observe the changes that were visible in the budgets of these households after Poland had joined the European Union. The analysis applies analytical methods, including comparative and literature analyzes, as well as descriptive and monographic methods. The applied research method should be defined as a descriptive analysis with elements of quantitative analysis. Simple statistical methods were used to analyze the collected data. They comprised indicators of the structure of consumer spending and household consumption, including the food index and the index of free choice expenditures, as well as quantitative food consumption indexes, expressed in natural units, and durable goods expressed in % of households being equipped with a given good. The research results are presented with the use of graphic presentation methods, especially the tabular ones. Results - Household consumption in Poland is determined by a combination of many macro and microeconomic, as well as non-economic factors. In the years 2005-2020, they affected the situation of Polish households as a certain set of factors having impact of various severity and different directions. Together, they caused changes both in the level and structure of consumer spending and in the very consumption of urban and rural households. Based on the conducted analysis, it can be concluded that in 2005-2020 the decrease in the differences between the living conditions of urban and rural households, measured by their consumption expenditure and the consumption of food and non-food products was observed. However, rural households still have a lower level of expenditure per 1 person compared to urban households. There are also differences in the structure of consumer spending. Rural households are characterized by a higher share of basic spending and a lower share of free choice expenditure. Despite the progress that has been noted, rural households are still characterized by a less rational model of food consumption and a slightly lower level of being equipped with modern ICT goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. This paper examined urban household food demand patterns in Southwest, Nigeria using complement-substitution relationship. Methodology / approach. Through a multistage sampling technique, the study used cross sectional data of 445 households from two states in Southwest Nigeria which are representative of areas with a rapid rate of urbanisation. Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (QUAIDS) modeling framework was used to estimate the demand system for seven food groups considered. Results. The potential nutrition benefits of price and income changes in urban food groups was estimated, which explains the different quantity of food purchased by household as price changes. From the result, the root and tuber group accounted for the largest household food budget share (29.4 %) with the least share found in the legume group (3.3 %). Elasticity estimates revealed that the own-price effect was inelastic for all food groups. The uncompensated cross-price elasticities suggest both substitution and complementary association between groups. More substitution relationships were evident when households’ price changes are compensated. Originality / scientific novelty. This paper presents household’s responsiveness to food demanded through price effects with possible nutrition gap in urban diet. Practical value / implications. The complement and substitution relationship in household food price changes may be effective in changing urban consumer behavior towards healthier diets. Empirical knowledge of the complement and substitution effects would likely impact policy changes on household nutritional outcome. This is necessary as the scourge of malnutrition in increasing especially in urban areas.

The transition toward sustainable cities requires evaluating current energy policies to reshape established patterns of energy supply and use. Ignoring socioeconomic and geographic differences among households in the energy policy-making process jeopardizes the government's ability to achieve a fair distribution of resources and advance energy equity. Hence, tailored urban energy strategies that address specific opportunities to improve local sustainable development and energy justice are needed. In this paper, we use the energy burden, i.e., the share of household income spent on energy services, as a metric to characterize energy affordability for urban households in Mexico. We estimate the electricity and gas consumption as well as their resulting financial burden for 17,850 urban households in 72 metropolitan areas. The calculated median monthly energy consumption of Mexican urban households is 453 kWh and is dominated by gas consumption. This results in a median energy burden of 3.5%. However, we observe a large diversity among households in energy consumption and, consequently, in energy burden, due to variations in energy use among urban households derived from their socioeconomic and geographic conditions. In addition, we analyze the role of the temperature-based residential electricity subsidy. We find that even with subsidized electricity prices, the current subsidy scheme is insufficient to alleviate energy vulnerability in urban Mexico, and at the same time, it has a regressive effect by benefiting those consuming more. Based on the analysis of the energy burden at the city level, we highlight evident problems and potential solutions missed by one-size-fits-all energy policies. This analysis provides a better understanding of the drivers and distribution of energy burden in urban households. It also presents practical insights that could help policymakers ensure that energy is available to all households according to their needs and that demands for reductions in energy consumption as well as for adoption of clean energy technologies and energy efficiency measures come from each according to their capacity.

Every monsoon period, the households in Dhaka face extensive waterlogging in their localities. This recrudescing event leads to tangible and intangible losses in the lives of these residents. In general, loss and damage assessments for floods focus on insured losses at the meso or macro scale. However, in developing countries such as Bangladesh, household properties are uninsured. Consequently, the losses induced by the waterlogging that occurs in every monsoon period remain unassessed. The current study attempted to capture those losses for the monsoon period of 2017 (May–October) by addressing tangible and intangible losses. Tangible loss and damage were estimated in monetary terms, whereas intangible loss and damage were identified to depict a complete picture of their suffering. This paper conducted household surveys in slums and ground floor residences to include all income groups. Data were elicited from a detailed questionnaire by disaggregating losses into repair and damage costs of household assets, income loss, increases in transport cost, and coping costs associated with disrupted water supply and sanitation. The study findings show that the average losses of high- and middle-income households were higher than those of low-income households for the monsoon period of 2017. Alternatively, poor households shared the highest annual income percentage (approximately 8%) compared to the middle- and high-income households (approximately 5%). Turning to intangible losses, households suffered from health issues and psychological stresses, and all these consequences led to a loss of trust in authorities. As these losses remain undocumented, these study findings manifest significant policy implications regarding understanding urban communities' vulnerability to monsoonal waterlogging events in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extant studies on Self-Help Housing (SHH) have centered on the types, processes, value, and challenges, but rare on the criteria for assessing its affordability. This paper presents a comprehensive review on the criteria based on published literature in 32 peer-reviewed journals. 81 relevant peer-reviewed papers were used for the study. A total of 8 criteria set, including 31 associated determinants were identified to have influence on SHH affordability. The criteria were; financing, access to land, building quality, development controls and planning regulations, building cost, location, infrastructure and services, and social issues. A framework method was adopted to select the papers. Authors from both developed and developing countries were noted to have made various pioneering contributions to SHH studies. The mean SCImago Journal Rank indicator obtained was above1.00, which showed that the journals used for the review were quality within the time frame of 1997 to 2020. Limitations were mainly seen in our dependence on Scopus, the few search engines, and the selected papers used. This study's outcome will broaden understanding of SHH affordability in developing countries on; policy formulation, housing market conditions, and research This review provides the opportunity for further empirical studies on SHH affordability metric development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many literature linked poverty with income, assets, and government support activities. This study however posited that the financial behaviour of households' is also vital in poverty reduction along with other income enhancing activities. The study therefore investigated the effect of financial behaviour of households' on urban poverty status. Data were collected randomly from 253 household heads and the collected data were analyzed descriptively and empirically using the logit model. The study found that besides the increase in income, good financial behaviour of households have vital role in reducing their poverty status. Therefore, it is recommended that when the government and other stakeholders work to reduce poverty, an emphasis should also be given to improvement of households' financial behaviour through training or synchronization of financial education into the education curriculum. Financial behaviour improvement should become the mainstream issue in poverty reduction strategies along with other mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urban growth due to unprecedented rural–urban migration is putting pressure on urban food systems. The general impression is that households engaged in urban agriculture experience improved nutritional status, higher health standards and provide towards income and employment. However, empirical research findings are limited and inconsistent. This study provides empirical knowledge on the urban agriculture–food security nexus. Data was gathered from a sample of 220 households comprising of those with small household (backyard) garden projects funded by the Department of Agriculture in the Western Cape, South Africa, and a control group. Propensity score matching was used to determine the contribution of urban agriculture to household food security. The findings indicated that households engaged in urban agriculture were benefiting from dietary diversity and the generation of income through the production of various food products. There was, however, no indication of a significant positive contribution of urban agriculture towards food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. This study investigates the food expenditure path segmented by staples and non-staples in Nigeria. Methodology / approach. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to sample a cross sectional data of 438 urban households from two randomly selected urbanising states in South West, Nigeria. The study used descriptive statistics such as percentages and means to determine households’ food budget shares and their per capita food expenditure Results. From the expenditure estimates, a differential effect in budget share of food was found with an increase in staples diet of Low Urban Area (LUA) households (33 %). However, consumption of non-staple foods was more pronounced among households residing in high urban areas (HUA) (35 %). Per capita food expenditure was higher for LUA households (N1377.52), while their food shares for processed cereals were equal with those of HUA. Findings suggest a more diverse diets, thus revealing a quality-quantity nexus within urban locations. Originality / scientific novelty. This is the very study that explains urban differential beyond staple food consumption and nutritional outcome. The household food expenditure pattern brought to fore location-specific variations in urban diet in the study area. Practical value / implications. The switch away from consumption of staples was beyond income responsiveness, but, towards changes in level of urbanization. The differential path in per capita expenditures on staple and non-staples are shown to have implications on nutrition within urban areas.

Background and Objectives: Despite the implementation of the health reform plan and the increasing number of comprehensive centers of health services in 2014 in Iran, many people still do not attend these centers for various reasons. The aim of this study was to determine the reasons why urban households do not attend comprehensive centers of health services in Sanandaj. Methods: This study was carried out using two quantitative and qualitative approaches. In the quantitative section, data were collected through a checklist and interviews with 200 household heads who did not attend. In the qualitative section, the views of physicians, other health providers, and household heads were obtained using semi-structured interviews. Results: A feeling of no need for health services, paying more attention to treatment, working on morning shifts, physical problems, inappropriate location of centers, inadequate informing services to community members, inconsistency between existing services and clients’ needs, and inappropriate treatment of some health providers were the most important barriers to non-attendance of clients. Despite four years of implementation of the health reform plan in Iran, 53.5% and 60% of participants had no awareness about the presence of mental health and nutrition experts and their free services in the centers, respectively. Conclusion: Although there are many reasons for people not attending comprehensive centers of health services in cities, informing and introducing services to the community and considering the clients’ needs are essential.