IMPACT OF FEMALE EDUCATION ON HOUSEHOLD

FOOD CONSUMPTION: A CASE OF RURAL

GUJRANWALA

BY
MEMOONA AKRAM

Roll NO. BD-763954

REGISTRATION NO. 15-PGA-0397

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE & HUMANTIES,
ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD

2020
IMPACT OF FEMALE EDUCATION ON HOUSEHOLD
FOOD CONSUMPTION: A CASE OF RURAL
GUJRANWALA

MEMOONA AKRAM
ROLL NO. BD-763954
REGISTRATION NO. 15-PGA-0397

SUPERVISOR CO-SUPERVISOR

PROF. DR. RASHID A. NAEEM MR RIZWAN AHMAD SATTI,

Ex Chairman / Dean F/O Social Sciences Lecturer Department Of Economics,
and Department of Economics Allama Iqbal Open University,
Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad Islamabad

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master

Of Philosophy Degree in Economics with Specialization in
Micro Economics at the Department of Economics,
Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities,
Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad

2020
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
 DEDICATION

Dedicated to the Allah the Almighty who taught me, I knew not. And

then my beloved parents, you have forever been good sports and true

inspiration for happiness to me.

 FORWARDING SHEET

The Thesis entitled “IMPACT OF FEMALE EDUCATION ON HOUSEHOLD FOOD

CONSUMPTION, A CASE OF RURAL GUJRANWALA” submitted by Memoona

Akram in partial fulfillment of M. Phil degree in ECONOMICS with specialization in

(where applicable) M.Phil Economics has been completed under my guidance and

supervision. I am satisfied with the quality of student’s research work.

Signature ________________________ Signature ____________________

Supervisor: Co-Supervisor:

(PROF.DR.RASHID A.NAEEM) (RIZWAN AHMAD SATTI)

DATED ________________
 DECLARATION

I, Memoona Akram D/O Muhammad Akram, Roll No. BD-763954 Registration No. 15-

PGA-03970 a student of M.phil at the Allama Iqbal Open University to hereby solemnly

declare that the thesis entitled “Impact of Female Education on Households Food

Consumption: A case of Rural Gujranwala” is submitted by me in partial fulfillment of

M.Phil degree in Economics is my original work, except where otherwise acknowledged in

the text.

Signature: ____________________
Dated: ___________ 2020 (Memoona Akram)
 (Acceptance by the Viva Voce Committee)

The Thesis title “IMPACT OF FEMALE EDUCATION ON HOUSEHOLD FOOD

CNSUMPTION, A CASE OF RURAL GUJRANWALA” by Memoona Akram is
accepted by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Allama Iqbal Open

University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of

Philosophy Degree in Economics with specialization in International
Economics.

Viva Voce Committee:

______________________
Dean, Faculty Social Sciences & Humanities

____________________
Chairman Department of Economics

__________________
External Examiner

________________
Supervisor

__________________
Co-Supervisor

_________________
Member

Date ____________
 AKNOWLEDGMENT

I start with humblest thanks to the Almighty ALLAH for granting me a superlative

opportunity to complete this work. I pay thanks to my parents for their prayers which helped

me at every stage. I greatly acknowledge and express sincere gratitude to my family members

especially my father who always supporting me and upbringing my moral. I also pay whole

hearted gratefulness to my co. Supervisor Sir Rizwan Ahmad Satti, lecturer, for his

precious guidance and advices to accomplish this research work. I am very grateful to all

teachers at Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad, including Prof. Dr. Rashid A. Naeem

and Dr. Muhammad Jamil, Associate Professor, for inculcating valuable knowledge to me

as a student and outstanding support whenever I needed. I would say thanks to Mr. Tahir

Rahim for sharing Knowledge, cooperation and helping hand. I am likewise appreciative to

my friends particularly for their academic and good support in difficult circumstances all

through my stay in Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU). During my time at AIOU,

Islamabad, I truly delighted in the company of my friends. I have no words to express my

thanks to my friends.

(Memoona Akram)
 ABSTRACT

Role and contribution of women in the household chores is a crucial element especially
nutrition, health care and food security. In a Pakistani culture, mother and (or) housewives
are responsible for taking care and managing household aspects. The study analyzes
influence of education attains by female responsible for controlling food consumption pattern
in a household and level of food intake (kilo calories per person per day) by the household,
along with other socioeconomic determinants. The study uses Micro data from Household
Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) for the year 2015-16 and selects 384 randomly sample
households from rural area of District Gujranwala in province Punjab, Pakistan. Results
obtain from Ordinary Least Square (OLS) method analyze that education attains by female
heads (mothers/wives) has positive and highly significant impact on level of food
consumption (kilo calories per person per day), as higher educated females have enough
knowledge to take care of their family members and manage better access for nutrition the
family. Income level of household also plays positive and significant role in determining the
level of food consumption while household size, although not statistically significant but has
positive influence. On sub group analysis, study finds that viz a viz higher level of female
education and higher level of income of household, age also influences ability of female head
to provide more access on food items. Female heads with their experience (elder age) as well
as nutritional knowledge and economic experience are able to feed their family in a better
way thus raise the level of food consumption for their household. On the basis of findings,
this study suggests that government should allocate more resources on post matriculation
education access for females especially living in rural areas to enhance women’s knowledge
on nutritional health and empowerment, efforts be made to modernize agricultural sector to
increase production of food items and promote subsidiary professions.

Keywords: Food consumption, Female education, rural development.

JEL Classification: I00

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENT i
ABSTRACT ii
LIST OF TABLES iii
LIST OF ABBREVIATION iv
CHAPTER-1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Rational of the Study 1

1.2 Back ground of the Study 2
1.3 Women Educational Status 3
1.4 Level of Women Education in Pakistan 4
1.5 Food Consumption versus Women Education 5
1.6 Food Consumption and Nutrition 6

1.7 Significance of the Study 7

1.8 Statement Problem 8
1.9 Objective of Study 9
1.10 Research hypothesis of Study 9
1.11 Organization of Study 10

CHAPTER-2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 11

CHAPTER-3 DATA AND METHODOLOGY 22
3.1 Introduction 22
3.2 Sources of data 23
3.3 Methodology 23
3.4 Multiple Linear Regression 23
3.4.1 Assumptions 24
3.5 Possible Errors 25
3.5.1 Multi-Collinearity 25
3.5.2 Heterooscedasticity 26
 3.5.3 Autocorelation 26
3.6 Model Evaluation 26
3.6.1 Test of significance of Regression 26
3.6.2 Residuals 27
3.6.3 R Square (R2) 27
3.6.4 F-Test 27
3.6.5 Test on Individual Regression Coefficients 28
3.7 Regression Equation 29
3.8 Model Specification and selection of Variables 29
3.9 Variable Description 29
3.10 Variable Construction 32
3.10.1 Dependent Variable 32
3.10.2 Independent Variables 33

CHAPTER-4 RESULTS DISCUSSIONS 36

4.1 Introduction 36
4.2 Akaike Information Criterions 37
4.3 Descriptive Statistics 37
4.3.1 Summary Statistics 38
4.3.2 Cross tabulation analysis 39
4.3.2.1 Age of female head and household food consumption 39
4.3.2.2 Education of female head and food consumption 40
4.3.2.3 Yearly income level and food consumption 41
4.3.2.4 Household size and food consumption level 42
4.3.2.5 Employment status and household food consumption level 43
4.3.2.6 Education, age of female head and household
food consumption 44
4.4 Regression Results 47
4.4.1 Female Education Level 48
4.4.2 Household Head Income Level 49
 4.4.3 Household Size 49
4.4.4 Household Head Employment Status 49
4.4.5 Female Age 50
4.5 Detailed Sub Group Analysis 50
4.5.1 Female Education Level 52
4.5.2 Female Age 53
4.5.3 Household Head Income Level 53
4.5.4 Household Size 54
4.5.5 Household Head Employment Status 54

CHAPTER-5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 56

5.1 Conclusion 56
5.2 Recommendation 57
5.3 Area of other Research 58

REFERENCES 59
 LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1 Male and Female Literacy Rate 2

Table 3.1 Description of Variables
Table 4.3.1 Summary Statistics
Table 4.3.2.1 Age of female head and food consumption level of household
Table 4.3.2.2 Education of female head and food consumption level of household
Table 4.3.2.3 Yearly income level of head and food consumption level of household
Table 4.3.2.4 Household size and food consumption level of household
Table 4.3.2.5 Employment status of head and food consumption level of household
Table 4.3.2.6 Education, Age of female head and food consumption level of household
Table 4.4 Regression Results
Table 4.5 Decomposition Analysis
 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

AIC Akaike Information Criterion

FAO Food and Agriculture Organization
FC Food Consumption
HH Household Head
HIES Household Integrated and Economic Survey
K-Cal Kilo Calories
OLS Ordinary Least Square
PSLM Pakistan Social and Living Measurement
STATA Statistics and Data