Project Highlights
Data processing and analysis was undertaken based on the survey results in five countries, which first completed the data consolidation at the national level using the 200-VP database system. The following are selected findings from the household survey in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
General Characteristics
of Household Respondents
The survey revealed a very typical profile of a household. On the average, it is composed of 5 to 6 members.
More than half (58%) of the members are adults (18 years old and over), 40% are children (aged 1-17), and only a
very small proportion are infants.
A little more than half of household heads had at most 6 years of formal
education, 16% had 10 years and as much as 25% did not go to school at all. Two-thirds of the households have
been staying in their present residence for at least 11 years. Most of them own their houses.
Electricity and
kerosene are common types of lighting facility used and firewood is still the most common fuel for cooking.
The average annual household income in 1998 amounted to $ 1,097.00. Of this amount, 60% was obtained from
agricultural sources such as farm production and other farm employment activities. About 34% was earned from
non-agricultural work. The remaining 6% was contributed by those received from sources such as pensions, retirement
benefits and income of children who work overseas, among others.
On the other hand, the average household
expenditure was $ 1,075.00. More than half of this (56%) was used to buy food. The other major household expenses
are clothing (7%), education (7%) and health (6%).
About 63% of households depend primarily on agriculture. Half of the households surveyed have at least
three members engaged in agriculture, which are commonly the head, the spouse and one of the siblings. Considering
household heads in particular, most depend on agriculture as a primary and secondary source of income. The same
is true for the spouses, although not many of them are engaged in a secondary occupation. Children are most
commonly into non-agriculture economic activities.
Households are predominantly owner-cultivators. About two-thirds of farming households own the land they
cultivate. Some 15% and 7% are share tenants and leaseholders, respectively. Of the total number of farming
households, 41% still practice traditional farming system, 40% use low chemical input and 19% have shifted to
high-input conventional agriculture.
In all countries, majority of the household members (62%) are members of private organizations, followed
by those involved in non-government organizations/NGOs (30%) while only a minimal percentage (2%) are involved in
government organizations. Credit is the major activity conducted by organizations in which household members are
involved. Others include crop production, advocacy campaigns livestock production, post-harvest production, health
and nutrition, and the like. Most of the households benefit from their membership in the organizations.
Food Security Status
Based on the methodology described above, households were classified according to level of food
security. Pakistan at 81% has the highest proportion of food insecure households.
In Bangladesh and the
Philippines, the proportion of the food insecure is 64% and 58%, respectively. Thailand has the highest number
food secure, with 98% of households belonging to the food secure category. It is closely followed by Sri Lanka
with 88% food secure households.
Food Security Indicators
The following statements describe the observed relationships of variables with the household level of food security, following correlation analysis:
? There is a positive correlation between food security and access to land.
? Even among the households who do not own their own land, the food secure groups have better leasehold arrangements than the other categories.
? The predominant modes of land acquisition have been either through purchase or inheritance.
? Relatively fewer food secure and highly food insecure households availed of loans in the past year compared to their peers in the two other subgroups.
? In all five countries, mothers generally eat after the children and fathers have eaten.
? There is a positive association between the level of food security and household income.
? Households with higher food expenditure are more food secure than those that spend less on various food commodities.
? Consumption of good quality food is not necessarily limited to food secure households.
? Food secure households are guided by preferences in choosing food.
? The higher the incidence of disease in the family, the lower the level of household food security.
? Length of membership in community organizations does not necessarily imply higher level of food security.
? Food insecure households have the least participation in community programs.
? Shifting to high-input conventional agriculture is not a guarantee for food security.
? For resource-poor farmers, shifting to high-input conventional agriculture is not a viable alternative. The situation requires a shift towards a more sustainable farming system utilizing local resources.
? Food secure households are more optimistic than the food insecure ones regarding the availability of sufficient staple food for the household in the coming year.
? Likewise, food secure households are more confident of their capacity to avail of a sufficient supply of staple food.
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Background
The Project
Status
Methodology
Conclusion
Recommendations Strategic intervention and initiatives. more...
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