The effects of male out-migration on household food security in rural Nepal

Kim, Jeeyon Janet; Stites, Elizabeth; Webb, Patrick; Constas, Mark A.; Maxwell, Daniel

doi:10.1007/s12571-019-00919-w

Cited by 13 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…CSAPs adopters can sustain a higher standard of food consumption. These results contradict other studies that look at migration as a household strategy to cope with poverty and food insecurity (Sunam, 2017; Patel et al , 2015; Kim et al , 2019) and as an adaption strategy to cope with climate change (Mcleman and Smit, 2006); this may be because of differences in the causes and consequences of migration in Bihar and elsewhere.…”

Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…Because of these unpredicted and extreme climatic stresses, farmers often face the loss of their crops, livelihoods and food security are threatened and already-stressed areas are pushed further into poverty and destitution. To cope with this vulnerability and marginalization, farmers look for alternatives, and labor out-migration is an important and often-adopted strategy to diversify household livelihood portfolios (Choithani, 2017; Kim et al , 2019). Although the extreme weather conditions may hit the male and female farmers somewhat equally, the implications for coping and recovering from the shock may differ because of social and gender inequalities prevalent in the society.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Gendered impacts of climate-smart agriculture on household food security and labor migration: insights from Bihar, India

Agarwal

Goel

Gartaula

et al. 2021

IJCCSM

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Purpose Increasing trends of climatic risk pose challenges to the food security and livelihoods of smallholders in vulnerable regions, where farmers often face loss of the entire crop, pushing farmers (mostly men) out of agriculture in destitution, creating a situation of agricultural making agriculture highly feminization and compelling male farmers to out-migrate. Climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAPs) are promoted to cope with climatic risks. This study aims to assess how knowledge related to CSAPs, male out-migration, education and income contribute to the determinants of male out-migration and CSAPs adoption and how they respond to household food security. Design/methodology/approach Sex-disaggregated primary data were collected from adopter and non-adopter farm families. STATA 13.1 was used to perform principle component analysis to construct knowledge, yield and income indices. Findings Yield and income index of adopters was higher for men than women. The probability of out-migration reduced by 21% with adoption of CSAPs. An increase in female literacy by 1 unit reduces log of odds to migrate by 0.37. With every unit increase in knowledge index, increase in log-odds of CSAPs adoption was 1.57. Male:female knowledge gap was less among adopters. Non-adopters tended to reduce food consumption when faced with climatic risks significantly, and the probability of migration increased by 50% with a one-unit fall in the nutrition level, thus compelling women to work more in agriculture. Gender-equitable enhancement of CSAP knowledge is, therefore, key to safeguarding sustainable farming systems and improving livelihoods. Social implications The enhancement of gender equitable knowledge on CSAPs is key to safeguard sustainable farming systems and improved livelihoods. Originality/value This study is based on the robust data sets of 100 each of male and female from 100 households (n = 200) using well-designed and validated survey instrument. From 10 randomly selected climate-smart villages in Samastipur and Vaishali districts of Bihar, India, together with focus group discussions, the primary data were collected by interviewing both men and women from the same household.

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Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gendered impacts of climate-smart agriculture on household food security and labor migration: insights from Bihar, India

Agarwal

Goel

Gartaula

et al. 2021

IJCCSM

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“…Migration's most evident effect in Nepal is remittances' impact on migrant-sending households' economic status (Bam, Thagurathi, and Neupane 2016;Wagle and Devkota 2018;Lokshin, Bontch-Osmolovski, and Glinskaya 2010). Several studies have reported that extra income from remittances increases left-behind family members' access to healthcare, education, nutrition, and other services in Nepal (Regmi, Paudel, and Williams 2014;Dhungana and Pandit 2014;Kim et al 2019;Bansak, Chezum, and Giri 2015;Nepal 2016). Tachibana et al (2019) found that increased international remittances reduced left-behind family members' psychological distress after the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, but not mental disorders.…”

Section: Study Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Internal and International Migration and the Mental Health of “Left-Behind” Older Parents

Thapa

Visentin

Kornhaber

et al. 2023

International Migration Review

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Despite evidence of the impact of adult children's migration on left-behind older parents, the comparison of left-behind older parents’ mental health and psychological well-being between internal and international migration is limited. This article examines how the relationship between adult children's migration and parent's mental health differs according to the migrant's destination — only internal migration, only international migration, or hybrid migration (at least one child who migrated internally and at least one child who migrated internationally). Drawing on a 2019 cross-sectional population-based survey of 697 left-behind older adults (≥ 60 years) in Nepal, we assessed the mental health of older parents, using the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scales and a range of socio-demographic, health, lifestyle, and child-related characteristics. Multilevel mixed-method linear regression was performed to examine the effect of adult children's migration on left-behind older parents’ depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Results showed that parents whose children had all migrated internationally were at higher risk of mental health problems, particularly anxiety and stress, compared to parents whose children had all migrated internally. Older parents from the hybrid group (having both internal and international migrant adult children) had higher levels of anxiety, compared to parents whose children had all migrated internally, with no significant difference in depression and stress symptoms. Further, mothers of internationally migrated children were at higher risk of mental health symptoms than fathers. Interventions aiming to improve left-behind older parents’ mental health and psychological well-being should specifically target parents whose children have migrated internationally.

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“…However, studies that look beyond purely financial aspects of migration come to different conclusions. These studies (Craven & Gartaula, 2015 ; Gartaula et al, 2010 ; Kim et al, 2019 ; Sunam, 2014 ; Sunam & McCarthy, 2016 ) raise several social and cultural issues such as migrant hardship (and even death) overseas, sexual infidelity, marital separation, and father abandonment—which are more serious in Nepal because of Hinduism’s influence and a traditionally patriarchal society (Sunam, 2014 ). Manandhar ( 2016 ) found an increased risk of earthquake damage in newly built houses of remittance-dependent households because of the unsafe construction practices they followed after the Gorkha earthquake.…”

Section: Implications Of Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Likewise, Sato et al ( 2022 ) observed that houses built through remittance income are more vulnerable to earthquakes because of minimal repair and maintenance as there is a shortage of working-age male family members. Finally, increasing dependency on remittances may show an inability of the country to provide people with sufficient and decent jobs at home (Guru, 2019 ), increase reliance on markets even for basic needs (Kim et al, 2019 ), and introduce unhealthy (non-traditional) foods (Thow et al, 2016 ). A high reliance on remittances may produce a high risk to the country’s economy in any kind of international labour market crisis.…”

Section: Implications Of Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%