Enabling poor rural people
to overcome poverty



Table 1 | 2 | 3 |4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32

Table 1. Number of months in which households have enough cereals to eat: Combined sample (% of households)

Survey Year

Five Years Previous

Up to 3 months

9.1

18.4

3 to 6 months

31.1

23.2

6 to 9 months

26.5

20.8

9 to 12 months

33.3

37.6


Table 2. Change in cereal and food consumption: Combined sample (% of households)

Change Over the Five Years

Cereal

All Food

Gone up

49.2

52.6

Gone down

33.1

26.3

Unchanged

17.7

21.1

Total

100.0

100.0


Table 3. Change in the ability to cope with fluctuations in food consumption: Combined sample (% of households)

Change in the Ability to Cope

Lean Months

Major Crises

Gone up

62.4

57.1

Gone down

30.4

26.3

Unchanged

7.2

16.5

Total

100.0

100.0


Table 4. How many months households eat sufficient cereal: By project area (% of households)

Tamil Nadu

Andhra Pradesh

Nepal

Survey Year

Five Years Previous

Survey Year

Five Years Previous

Survey Year

Five Years Previous

Up to 3 months

9.1

32.4

9.3

9.3

8.9

15.6

3 to 6 months

38.6

27.0

39.5

30.0

15.6

13.3

6 to 9 months

31.8

27.0

20.9

18.6

26.7

17.8

9 to 12 months

20.5

13.5

30.2

41.9

48.9

53.3

Total

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0


Table 5. Change in cereal and food consumption: By project area (% of households)

Tamil Nadu

Andhra Pradesh

Nepal

Cereal

All Food

Cereal

All Food

Cereal

All Food

Gone up

63.9

62.2

41.9

34.9

44.4

60.0

Gone down

25.0

26.7

46.5

23.3

26.7

28.9

Unchanged

11.1

11.1

11.6

41.9

28.9

11.1

Total

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0


Table 6. Change in the ability to cope with fluctuations: By project area (% of households)

 
Tamil Nadu
Andhra Pradesh
Nepal
Lean Months
Major Crises
Lean Months
Major Crises
Lean Months
Major Crises
Gone up

72.1

66.7

42.9

37.2

72.5

66.7

Gone down

20.9

24.4

50.0

44.2

20.0

11.1

Unchanged

7.0

8.9

7.1

18.6

7.5

22.2

Total
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

Table 7. Market dependence for food in the project areas: Combined sample (% of households)

Up

Down

No Change

Cereal

28.3

29.1

42.6

All Food

43.5

20.8

25.7


Table 8. Market dependence and household food consumption (% of households)

Household Market Dependence for Food

Total Food Consumption

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

Gone up

45.8

29.2

25.0

100.0

Not changed

39.5

23.7

36.8

100.0

Gone down

71.4

10.7

17.9

100.0


Table 9. Market dependence and the ability to cope with lean months (% of households)

Household Market Dependence for Food

Ability to Cope with Lean Months

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

Gone up

52.3

4.5

43.2

100.0

Not changed

59.5

8.1

32.4

100.0

Gone down

82.1

7.1

10.7

100.0


Table 10. Subsistence crop production and household food consumption (% of households)

Household Subsistence Crop Production

Total Food Consumption

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

Gone up

78.5

3.6

17.9

100.0

Not changed

54.3

23.7

22.0

100.0

Gone down

25.6

33.3

41.1

100.0


Table 11. Subsistence crop production and the ability to cope with lean months (% of households)

Household Subsistence Crop Production

Ability to Cope with Lean Months

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

Gone up

85.2

7.4

7.4

100.0

Not changed

72.2

9.3

18.5

100.0

Gone down

32.4

2.7

64.9

100.0


Table 12. Cash crop production and household food consumption (% of households)

Household Cash Crop Production

Total Food Consumption

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

Gone up

68.0

8.0

24.0

100.0

Not changed

46.9

27.1

26.0

100.0

Gone down

40.0

0.0

60.0

100.0


Table 13. Cash crop production and the ability to cope with lean months (% of households)

Household Cash Crop Production

Ability to Cope with Lean Months

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

Gone up

83.3

4.2

12.5

100.0

Not changed

58.9

7.8

33.3

100.0

Gone down

25.0

0.0

75.0

100.0


Table 14. Source of increase in income and household food consumption (% of households)

Main Source of Higher Household Income

Total Food Consumption

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

Subsistence crop

53.8

0.0

46.2

100.0

Other self-employment

66.1

16.1

17.8

100.0

Wage labour

41.9

30.2

27.9

100.0


Table 15. Source of reduction in income and household food consumption (% of households)

Main Cause of Lower
Household Income
Total Food Consumption
Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

Subsistence crop

31.6

34.2

34.2

100.0

Other activities

52.4

19.0

28.6

100.0


Table 16. Source of increase in income and the ability to cope with lean months (% of households)

Ability to Cope with Lean Months

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

A. Main source of higher household income

Subsistence crop

91.7

0.0

8.3

100.0

Other self-employment

71.2

8.5

20.3

100.0

Wage labour

51.2

0.0

48.8

100.0

B. Main cause of lower household income

Subsistence crop

28.6

5.7

65.7

100.0

Other activities

73.7

0.0

26.3

100.0


Table 17. Causes of fall in subsistence income and household food consumption (% of households)

Main Cause of Lower Household
Subsistence Crop Production

Total Food Consumption

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

Pull forces

30.7

46.2

23.1

100.0

Push forces

30.0

10.0

60.0

100.0


Table 18. Diversification of livelihood and household food consumption (% of households)

Degree of Household
Income Diversification

Total Food Consumption

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

Low

43.1

34.5

22.4

100.0

Medium

69.2

0.0

30.8

100.0

High

56.5

17.4

26.1

100.0


Table 19. Diversification of livelihood and the ability to cope with lean months (% of households)

Degree of Household
Income Diversification

Ability to Cope with Lean Months

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

Low

52.7

9.1

38.2

100.0

Medium

76.0

0.0

24.0

100.0

High

69.8

9.3

20.9

100.0


Table 20. Participation in IFAD projects and household food security (% of households)

Household Food Security

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

A. Household food consumption

No participation

29.4

41.2

29.4

100.0

Less than 1 year

64.0

12.0

24.0

100.0

More than 1 year

53.8

19.8

26.4

100.0

B. Household ability to cope with lean months

No participation

27.8

22.2

50.0

100.0

Less than 1 year

76.2

14.3

9.5

100.0

More than 1 year

66.3

31.4

2.3

100.0

C. Household ability to cope with crisis

No participation

23.5

41.2

35.3

100.0

Less than 1 year

68.0

20.0

12.0

100.0

More than 1 year

60.4

11.0

28.6

100.0


Table 21. Impact of project participation on women’s access to resources and control over decision-making (% of households)

Length of Project Participation

Women’s Access to Resources

Women’s Control over Decision-making

Increased

Not Increased

Total

Increased

Not Increased

Total

No participation

27.8

72.2

100.0

22.2

77.8

100.0

Less than 1 year

72.0

28.0

100.0

84.0

16.0

100.0

More than 1 year

71.4

28.6

100.0

63.7

36.3

100.0


Table 22. Women’s access to resources and household cereal consumption

Indicators of Food Security

Women’s Access, Change

Test of Significance

Up

Down/Same

Months household eating well at time of survey

7.9

7.5

ns

Months household ate well five years previously

6.9

8.0

s

Change

1.1

-0.5

s

Note: S means that the difference between the two groups is statistically significant at less than 10%; ns means that the difference is not statistically significant.


Table 23. Household food security and women’s access to resources (% of households)

Household Food Security

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

A. Household food consumption

Women’s access increased

63.7

6.8

29.5

100.0

Women’s access decreased/unchanged

31.1

48.9

20.0

100.0

B. Household ability to cope with lean months

Women’s access increased

66.2

6.3

27.5

100.0

Women’s access decreased/unchanged

55.5

8.9

35.6

100.0

C. Household ability to cope with crisis

Women’s access increased

64.8

12.5

22.7

100.0

Women’s access decreased/unchanged

42.3

24.4

33.3

100.0


Table 24. Household food security and women’s ownership of assets (% of households)

Household Food Security

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone Down

Total

A. Household food consumption

Women’s assets increased

53.1

20.4

26.5

100.0

Women’s assets decreased/unchanged

30.0

25.0

25.0

100.0

B. Household ability to cope with lean months

Women’s assets increased

64.8

6.7

28.5

100.0

Women’s assets decreased/unchanged

50.0

10.0

40.0

100.0

C. Household ability to cope with crisis

Women’s assets increased

56.6

17.7

25.7

100.0

Women’s assets decreased/unchanged

60.0

10.0

30.0

100.0


Table 25. Reasons for change in women’s access to resources (%)

All Regions

Tamil Nadu

Andhra Pradesh

Nepal

Overall access has gone up

70.4

93.3

50.0

65.0

Reason for improvement

Better organization

54.7

55.0

20.8

90.9

Presence of NGOs

19.8

30.0

20.8

0.0

Improved economic environment

18.6

2.5

33.3

9.1

Other

6.9

12.5

25.0

0.0

Note: Women claiming to have experienced improved access to resources over the five years previous to the survey were asked to identify the most important reasons for this. Multiple responses were allowed. The number of occurrences of a particular response is expressed as a share of all responses.


Table 26. Household cereal consumption and women’s control over decision-making

Indicators of Food Security

Women’s Control, Change

Test of Significance

Up

Down/Same

1. Months household eating well at time of survey

8.2

6.9

s

2. Months household ate well five years previously

7.1

7.5

ns

3. Change

1.1

-0.6

s

4. Household ability to cope with lean months was up (%)

72.5

51.1

s

5. Household ability to cope with major food crises was up (%)

68.7

38.0

s

Note: S means that the difference between the two groups is statistically significant at below 10%; ns means that the difference is not statistically significant.


Table 27. Household food security and women’s control over household decision-making (%)

Household Food Security

Gone Up

Not Changed

Gone
Down

Total

A. Household food consumption

Women’s control increased

65.1

8.4

26.5

100.0

Women’s control decreased/unchanged

32.0

42.0

26.0

100.0

B. Household ability to cope with lean months

Women’s control increased

68.4

6.6

25.0

100.0

Women’s control decreased/unchanged

53.0

8.2

38.8

100.0

C. Household ability to cope with crisis

Women’s control increased

68.7

13.3

18.1

100.0

Women’s control decreased/unchanged

38.0

22.0

40.0

100.0


 

Table 28. Reasons for a change in women’s control over household decision-making (%)

All Regions

Tamil Nadu

Andhra Pradesh

Nepal

A. Women’s overall control has gone up

66.9

74.4

42.5

82.9

B. Reason

Benefit of organization

44.3

54.5

27.8

43.2

Being de jure household head

30.7

36.4

50.0

16.2

Confidence through income-earning

10.2

3.0

0.0

21.6

Other

14.8

6.1

22.2

19.0

Note: Women claiming to have gained greater control over household decision-making over the five years previous to the survey were asked to identify the most important reasons for this. Multiple responses were allowed. The number of occurrences of a particular response is expressed as a share of all responses.


Table 29. Perceived reasons for change in food security (% of responses)

Overall sample

Nepal

Tamil Nadu

Andhra Pradesh

1. More savings/assets

32.0

36.0

39.0

10.5

2. Easier access to credit

28.0

23.0

33.0

20.0

3. Greater demand for wage labour

24.5

28.0

19.0

38.0

4. Greater scope for off-farm self-employment

4.5

10.0

3.0

0.0

5. Less shortage of food

4.5

2.5

3.0

10.5

6. Greater access to public foodgrain distribution

4.0

0.0

1.5

14.0

7. Better food storage

2.5

0.0

1.5

7.0

Note: Only households directly involved in IFAD-supported projects. Households claiming to have experienced improved coping ability over the five years preceding the survey were asked to identify the most important reasons for this. Multiple responses were allowed. The number of times a particular response occurred is expressed as a share of all responses.


Table 30. Time-allocation among households with different patterns of change in women’s control over decision-making

Control Up

Control Down/Same

Test of Significance

Wife’s time burden (hours per day)

16.9

16.3

ns

Wife’s subsistence production (hours per day)

3.7

2.1

s

Wife’s market-oriented activities (hours per day)

6.8

7.0

ns

Wife’s domestic activities (hours per day)

6.5

7.2

s

Husband’s time burden (hours per day)

8.8

10.0

ns

Husband’s subsistence production (hours per day)

3.0

2.0

s

Husband’s market-oriented activities (hours per day)

5.2

7.2

s

Husband’s domestic activities (hours per day)

0.6

0.8

ns

Time of husband’s market-oriented activities grew during five years before survey (% households)

58.0

79.0

s

Size of household’s operating land (acres)

91.0

48.0

s

Household size (members)

6.3

5.2

s

Note: Households in which women were de jure heads are excluded. S means that the difference between the two groups is statistically significant at less than 10%; ns means that the difference is not statistically significant.


Table 31. Food security and women’s relative work burden (%)

Women’s Relative Work Burden

Gone Up

Gone Down/No Change

Total

A. Household food consumption

Gone up

87.1

12.9

100.0

Gone down

80.0

20.0

100.0

Unchanged

67.9

32.1

100.0

B. Household ability to cope with lean months

Gone up

87.2

12.8

100.0

Gone down

73.7

26.3

100.0

Unchanged

55.6

44.4

100.0

C. Household ability to cope with crisis

Gone up

92.1

7.9

100.0

Gone down

71.4

28.6

100.0

Unchanged

59.1

40.9

100.0


 

Table 32. Correlates of women’s relative work burden ((% of households)

Relative work burden

Gone Up

Gone Down/No Change

Total

A. Women’s control

Increased

89.2

10.8

100.0

Decreased/unchanged

66.7

33.3

100.0

B. Women’s project participation

Nil

44.4

55.6

100.0

Less than 1 year

92.0

8.0

100.0

More than 1 year

84.6

15.4

100.0

C. Women’s access to resources

Gone up

87.5

12.5

100.0

Gone down/unchanged

67.4

32.6

100.0