Article
Geography
Markus Giger, Aurelien Reys, Ward Anseeuw, Emily Mutea, Boniface Kiteme
Summary: This study investigates the livelihood profiles of smallholder households in central Kenya, where there are a significant number of large commercial farms. The findings suggest that employment on these farms is mainly a coping strategy for younger households or in times of need. Contract farmers, who are located in specific areas, have better access to irrigation water and higher livestock holdings. Despite the presence of commercial farms, there is little evidence that proximity to these farms offers a way out of poverty for nearby smallholder farmers. The study also highlights the persistence of precarious livelihood levels and limited evolution over the past 20 years.
JOURNAL OF RURAL STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Viet Hoang
Summary: The study found that contract farming has a limited impact on farmers' income in the short term but can facilitate farming activities and reduce difficulties. In the long term, contract farming may enhance farmers' competitiveness, leading to improved income, sustainability, and welfare.
Article
Geography
Nabati Ray, Graham Clarke, Paul Waley
Summary: This paper examines the impacts of PepsiCo's expansion of contract farming on small-scale farmers in a village in West Bengal, India. The study finds that there are multiple concerns over contract farming, some of which have not been thoroughly discussed in existing literature. Additionally, the paper reports on the various coping mechanisms used by small or marginal farmers, some of which involve breaching contracts with PepsiCo.
JOURNAL OF RURAL STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Marie Phamova, Jan Banout, Vladimir Verner, Tatiana Ivanova, Jana Mazancova
Summary: Vietnam has established safety standards for agricultural products since 1995 to address environmental and health issues caused by intensified farming methods and increased awareness of food safety. This research identifies the factors that influence cash incomes from agricultural activities, and finds that the ecological factor of farming systems, family labor, higher education, and farm experience have a positive impact on cash incomes, while farm size and membership in a farmers' association have a negative impact.
Article
Agronomy
Simphiwe Innocentia Hlatshwayo, Rob Slotow, Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas Ngidi
Summary: The importance of smallholder farming in improving dietary diversity and nutrition quality in rural households is recognized, but severe food insecurity and malnutrition still persist. This study assesses the role of smallholder farming in crop productivity and market access on rural household dietary diversity. It found that cereals were the most consumed food group, while vegetables and fruits were the least consumed. Factors such as household size, ownership of livestock, wealth index, and involvement in crop production positively influenced dietary diversity, while output and market information access had a negative effect. The study recommends providing effective ways for smallholder farmers to use their funds and conducting workshops to raise awareness about balanced diets for food and nutrition security among smallholder farmers.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Emma van Boxmeer, Pablo Modernel, Theo Viets
Summary: This study evaluated the global warming potential (GWP) and economic performance of Dutch dairy farms on peat compared to sandy soil, with two scenarios considered to reduce GHG emissions. Dairy farms on peat soil showed lower labor income and higher GWP, but feeding cows with grass and by-products resulted in higher income and equal GWP compared to regular peat farms.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Economics
Binh Thanh La, Steven Lim, Michael P. Cameron, Tuyen Quang Tran, Minh Thi Nguyen
Summary: This study uses panel data to analyze the impact of absolute income and three specifications of comparison income on individual happiness. The results show that individuals compare themselves to multiple reference groups, with statistically significant results only achieved when one direction outweighs the other or when comparisons are made downward or upward.
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND POLICY
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Ken E. Giller, Thomas Delaune, Joao Vasco Silva, Mark van Wijk, James Hammond, Katrien Descheemaeker, Gerrie van de Ven, Antonius G. T. Schut, Godfrey Taulya, Regis Chikowo, Jens A. Andersson
Summary: Most food in sub-Saharan Africa is produced on small farms, with the majority of farms less than 1 hectare. Analyzing data from household surveys in Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda reveals significant differences in food security and household incomes among households in different farming systems. The study highlights the interplay between population density, farm size, market access, and agroecological potential on food security and income levels.
Article
Economics
Rohan Best, Andrea Chareunsy
Summary: Understanding the mixed results of the impact of income on household solar-panel uptake is crucial for economic and social studies as well as policy-making. This study finds that different data samples yield different results, with an inconsistent relationship between income and solar-panel uptake. However, high-income households tend to exhibit a negative association, especially those with higher wealth. Therefore, a shift in solar policies is needed, focusing not only on income but also on wealth or dual income-wealth thresholds.
Article
Business, Finance
Kiryoung Lee
Summary: The index of geopolitical risk (GPR) is found to have a significant association with stock market participation decisions in terms of both the extensive and intensive margins. The GPR index is seen to capture the importance of economic policy uncertainty for stock market participation decisions and has long-lasting effects for up to 12 months. The study further investigates the economic channel through which the GPR index affects stock market participation and finds a link between the GPR index and financial uncertainty, while no evidence is found supporting the income uncertainty channel.
FINANCE RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
A. J. Netshipale, E. N. Raidimi, M. L. Mashiloane, I. J. M. de Boer, S. J. Oosting
Summary: South Africa has implemented land reform in the past two decades to address challenges of inequality, poverty, and unemployment. The lack of systematic classification of farming system types in land reform highlights the importance of understanding different types for targeted agricultural development.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Haruna Sekabira, Zainab Nansubuga, Stanley Peter Ddungu, Lydia Nazziwa
Summary: Improving food security and nutrition is a global challenge, and farm production diversity is seen as a viable pathway to improve household nutrition. However, there is mixed evidence on the association between farm production diversity and key nutrition indicators. A study using data from rural households in Uganda found that crop species count and animal species count were differently associated with household dietary diversity score, energy, and vitamin A sourced from markets. Crop species count consistently showed a strong positive association with energy and all studied micronutrients sourced from own farm produce consumption.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rui Zhang, Sheng Xu, Ruidong Sun
Summary: Based on data from the 2014 China Family Panel Studies, this study investigates the causal relationship between natural disasters and household debt using ordinary least squares and propensity score matching. The findings suggest that natural disasters not only increase the probability of households owning debt but also have a significant positive impact on the number of household debt. Heterogeneity analysis shows that natural disasters have a greater impact on families with large sizes and high-consumption levels, and household income and individual's health are potential mechanisms through which natural disasters affect household debt.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Economics
Mary A. Burke, Ali Ozdagli
Summary: Recent research has shown mixed results on the relationship between inflation expectations and consumption, using qualitative measures of readiness to spend. This study uses survey panel data from the United States between 2009 and 2012 to reexamine this question and control for household heterogeneity. The findings suggest that expected inflation only increases durables spending for certain types of households, while nondurables spending does not respond to expected inflation. Furthermore, spending decreases with expected unemployment. These results indicate a limited stimulating effect of inflation expectations on aggregate consumption, which could be reversed if inflation and unemployment expectations change together.
REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Gang Peng, Jie Zhang, Menghang Tang, Zhimin Duan
Summary: The study found that an increase in non-farming income helped farmers reduce their use of solid fuels and choose clean energy. Heterogeneity analysis showed that the energy upgrade effect of non-farming income was more pronounced in high-income areas and suburbs.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Bethelhem Legesse Debela, Esther Gehrke, Matin Qaim
Summary: Maternal employment has complex effects on child nutrition, which are manifested through changes in income, intrahousehold bargaining power, and time available for childcare. In rural areas, the relationship between maternal employment and child height-for-age Z-scores is non-linear, showing both positive and negative associations at different levels of labor supply.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Anette Ruml, Matin Qaim
Summary: The study indicates that contractual agreements in Ghana are associated with the adoption of labor-saving procedures and technologies, leading to a substantial reduction in agricultural labor intensity. Simple marketing contracts result in reallocating saved household labor to off-farm employment, while resource-providing contracts lead to a stronger reallocation of labor within the farming enterprise. Household labor is more affected by labor savings compared to hired labor.
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Nadjia Mehraban, Christoph Kubitza, Zulkifli Alamsyah, Matin Qaim
Summary: The cultivation of oil palm can improve the economic level of smallholder farmers and reduce the economic risk of households. Compared to other crops, oil palm requires less labor, allowing families to engage in other economic activities.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Christine G. Kiria Chege, Stella Namazzi, Mercy M. Mutua, Kevin Omondi Onyango, Matthias Jager
Summary: The study demonstrates that households with access to nutrition information are more likely to consume a variety of nutritious porridge, while those consuming fortified porridge flour are less likely to vary their ingredients. The findings highlight the importance of disseminating nutrition information to promote willingness to pay for and consume nutritious foods.
BRITISH FOOD JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Bethelhem Legesse Debela, Anette Ruml, Matin Qaim
Summary: The study found that contract farming has an impact on the dietary diversity and child anthropometrics of smallholder farmers. Contracting can improve smallholder nutrition, but the effects vary by contract type.
APPLIED ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVES AND POLICY
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Anette Ruml, Catherine Ragasa, Matin Qaim
Summary: The study examines the associations between two types of contracts in the oil palm sector of Ghana and farm household income, finding that farmers with marketing contracts and resource-providing contracts have significantly higher household incomes than farmers without contracts, with notable differences in income sources.
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Emma Kovak, Dan Blaustein-Rejto, Matin Qaim
Summary: Genetically modified crops can reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing production emissions and increasing yield gains, which in turn mitigates land-use change and related emissions. Wider adoption of existing GM crops in Europe could lead to a reduction equivalent to 7.5% of the total agricultural GHG emissions in Europe.
TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Pallavi Rajkhowa, Matin Qaim
Summary: Mobile phone ownership increases rural households' participation in off-farm employment and improves household income, especially in female-headed households.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Martin C. Parlasca, Matin Qaim
Summary: Meat consumption is a complex issue with various sustainability dimensions including economic, social, environmental, health, and animal welfare impacts. Meat has larger environmental and climate footprints compared to plant-based foods and can have negative health effects. Technological advancements can help improve the sustainability of meat production, but changes in consumer behavior are also necessary. Balancing sustainable development with the availability and affordability of nutritious plant-based alternatives and the importance of livestock production for income in low-income countries requires further research.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF RESOURCE ECONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Nadjia Mehraban, Bethelhem Legesse Debela, Ummi Kalsum, Matin Qaim
Summary: Oil palm cultivation affects gender roles within households. In households cultivating oil palm, women spend less time in farming and more time on household chores and leisure activities. These differences increase with the expansion of oil palm land. While reducing women's workload can have positive social effects, lower involvement in agriculture can also result in a loss of female autonomy.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Pallavi Rajkhowa, Matin Qaim
Summary: Women's economic and social empowerment is influenced by their ability to move independently and safely. Mobile phones can help connect women to information and social networks, thus strengthening their empowerment. In India, women's use of mobile phones is associated with their physical mobility range and contraceptive methods.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Development Studies
Daniel Chrisendo, Hermanto Siregar, Matin Qaim
Summary: Oil palm cultivation positively impacts living standards and human capital formation in smallholder farm households, improving nutrition, dietary quality, education expenditures, household asset ownership, and electricity consumption.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Isabel Knoesslsdorfer, Matin Qaim
Summary: While Europe's chicken exports to Africa have been criticized for harming local producers, they have provided African consumers with affordable nutrients. The effects of import restrictions on different population groups and the potential benefits for farmers remain unclear.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Makaiko G. Khonje, Jacob Ricker-Gilbert, Milu Muyanga, Matin Qaim
Summary: A study conducted in four countries in sub-Saharan Africa showed associations between farm production diversity and child and adolescent nutritional status. However, the strength of this association varied across different countries and market conditions.
LANCET PLANETARY HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Lisa Jackering, Eva-Marie Meemken, Jorge Sellare, Matin Qaim
Summary: The study shows that group awareness campaigns can change farmers' preferences for written employment contracts and for contract features related to social benefits for workers. This intervention also increases the likelihood of farmers taking concrete steps towards signing a contract with their workers, indicating a shift in traditional views on employment relations.
EUROPEAN REVIEW OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
(2021)
