Labor effects of adult mortality in Tanzanian households
Beegle, K.
Economic Development and Cultural Change 53(3): 655-683
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0013-0079 DOI: 10.1086/427410Document Number: 265862
This study examines the potential impact of prime-age adult death (brought about by the AIDS epidemic) on time allocation and household-level activities in Tanzania. The study uses a panel data set of over 800 households in the Kagera region, collected in 1991-94. Analysis of farm and chore hours across demographic groups generally found small and insignificant changes in labour supply of individuals in households experiencing a prime-age adult death. Adjustments in household composition is suggested as one explanation for the lack of increase in hours in farming of surviving household members after an adult death. To infer the impact of deaths on farming activities, the study examined the farming of specific crops. Coffee and banana farming in the last 7 days by any household member did decrease in the 6 months following a male death in the household. This is suggestive that some farm activities are temporarily scaled back as a result of male deaths. This analysis did not find that households experiencing a death shift cultivation toward subsistence food farming. In fact, participation of individuals in farming of other subsistence food crops (maize, cassava, and beans) in households with a male death in the past 7-12 months declined. Households experiencing a death do not appear to have reduced their diversification of income sources. While significant decreases are observed in wage employment of adult men in response to a future female or male adult death, past deaths are not associated with changes in either wage employment or non-farm self-employment. Likewise, as mentioned, coffee farming is lowered in households with a death within 6 months but not for deaths after 6 months.