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Economic Interrelationships in Rural Poverty, Farming System and Environmental Degradation Nexus in Central Dry Zone, Myanmar
Dissertation Abstract:
The study aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of rural poverty and linkages of farming system, poverty, and environmental degradation in Central Dry Zone of Myanmar. The primary data used in the study were collected through field survey, which was conducted in February–April 2017. Secondary data were collected from Department of Agriculture (DOA), Department of Agricultural Land Management and Statistics (DALMS), and Central Statistical Organization (CSO).
The study used two-thirds of mean per capita household consumption expenditure of rice-based farming households of the study area to determine poverty incidence of farming households. The estimated poverty line of the study area was MMK 989/day, which is equivalent to about USD 0.78/day. Headcount poverty index, poverty gap index, and poverty severity index of the study area were 0.26, 0.04, and 0.01, respectively.
Consumption expenditure, human capital, financial capital, natural capital, physical access, and productivity of non-poor households were higher and better than those of poor households. Consumption expenditure, human capital, financial capital, natural capital, physical access, and productivity of households in irrigated area were higher and better than those in rainfed area. Education of household head, family size, cultivated land holding of household, tenure status, annual income of household, access to agricultural information and knowledge, access to credit, positive attitude to work hard of household head, and rice-only cropping pattern are the variables that determine poverty status of farming households.
Path analysis showed that farming system had direct and positive relationship with poverty and it had direct and indirect, and negative relationship with environmental degradation through poverty. Furthermore, poverty had direct and negative relationship with environmental degradation. In addition, poverty-related variables, farming system-related variables, and environmental variables were correlated with each other.
The study recommended the following integrated approach for development:(a) provision of better extension services and agricultural information, (b) provision of agricultural credit, (c) provision of irrigation sources and facilities, (d) enhancing non-farm income, (e) enabling policy environment, (f) paying attention to sociodemographic factors, and (g) addressing environmental degradation.