Abstract

Annual Household Survey is a recent endeavor of the CBS conducted with a purpose of providing frequent socio-economic information on household consumption, employment and other socioeconomic aspects of Nepalese households. The survey aims to provide estimates for Nepal, urban and rural area and also by consumption quintiles and deciles. Altogether 3,000 households (1500 from urban and 1500 from rural) were selected from 200 wards/sub wards.

Geographic coverage

National, Urban and Rural sectors.

Analysis unit

The Annual Household survey have the following unit of analysis: income, expenditure, consumption,employment, unemployment,and educational status of individual and households.

Universe

The survey covered all de jure household members (usual residents), all individual aged 5 years and above.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The survey has followed two stage sampling design with stratifications of the households into urban and rural area. A complete list of wards with number of households provided by National Population Census 2011 was used as a sampling frame for the survey. Altogether, there were 806 wards in urban area and 35,214 wards in rural area of Nepal. In order to avoid extremity of the size of wards, some big wards were segregated into blocks or enumeration areas (EAs). The sampling frame contained 4,861 EAs in urban and 36,181 EAs in rural areas making a total of 41042 EAs in Nepal.

The survey aimed to provide estimates for Nepal, urban and rural area, and accordingly, the population was stratified into urban and rural area. Wards or sub wards (EAs) were the primary sampling units (PSUs). The number of PSUs to be selected were 100 from rural and 100 from urban area making a total of 200 PSUs. The sample size was determined on the basis of the sampling variance of previous surveys. PSUs were selected on the basis of probability proportional to the size (PPS), the measure of the size being the number of households in each ward. Selected PSUs were spread over 65 districts.

Households were the ultimate sampling units (USUs) selected with equal probability on the basis of systematic random sampling technique. Fifteen (15) households were selected from each PSUs.Altogether 3000 households (1500 from urban and 1500 from rural) were selected for the interview. In a nutshell, procedures followed to select sample households were: - selection of PSUs based on PPS from the frame, - listing of households in the selected PSU, and - selection of SSUs from the updated list of household in the selected PSU.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The questionnaire mainly contain household information and Individual information. Parts 2, 3 and 4 cover housing, food and non-food consumption expenditure while part 1 and 5 cover individual information. Part 1 contains questions on demographic characteristics, migration, literacy/education, and Part 5 on economic activities.

Cleaning operations

For the data entry,editing, and verification at the field, a simple and clear data entry programme was developed in CSPro software, and each team was given a personal computer having the entry program so that every team could be able to enter the interviewed household data in the respective field area. To maintain uniformity in consistency check and skip pattern check, a 3-day review meeting was organized in Kavre comprising all the team leaders who were responsible for data entry and data editing at the PSU level. During the review meeting, necessary instructions were issued to rectify the errors and inconsistencies found in the field work especially in the computer data entry programme.

At the center, completeness and structural checking was done by using STATA software after gathering all electronic files of the raw data. During this checking, mannual review of questioniare was reviewed mannually and outliers were omitted if necessary.

Nepal Average Monthly Household Income: Urban data was reported at 32,336.000 NPR in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 31,935.000 NPR for 2006. Nepal Average Monthly Household Income: Urban data is updated yearly, averaging 32,135.500 NPR from Jul 2006 (Median) to 2015, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 32,336.000 NPR in 2015 and a record low of 31,935.000 NPR in 2006. Nepal Average Monthly Household Income: Urban data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Nepal Rastra Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nepal – Table NP.H001: Household Budget Survey: Average Monthly Household Income.

Nominal Household consumption distribution by categories, Harvested from Annual Household Survey 2015/16, Government of Nepal, National Planning Commission Secretariat, Central Bureau of Statistics.

Nepal Average Monthly Household Income: Whole Kingdom: Miscellaneous data was reported at 1,003.000 NPR in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2,411.000 NPR for 2006. Nepal Average Monthly Household Income: Whole Kingdom: Miscellaneous data is updated yearly, averaging 1,707.000 NPR from Jul 2006 (Median) to 2015, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,411.000 NPR in 2006 and a record low of 1,003.000 NPR in 2015. Nepal Average Monthly Household Income: Whole Kingdom: Miscellaneous data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Nepal Rastra Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nepal – Table NP.H001: Household Budget Survey: Average Monthly Household Income.

Nepal Average Monthly Household Income: Whole Kingdom data was reported at 30,121.000 NPR in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 27,391.000 NPR for 2006. Nepal Average Monthly Household Income: Whole Kingdom data is updated yearly, averaging 28,756.000 NPR from Jul 2006 (Median) to 2015, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 30,121.000 NPR in 2015 and a record low of 27,391.000 NPR in 2006. Nepal Average Monthly Household Income: Whole Kingdom data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Nepal Rastra Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nepal – Table NP.H001: Household Budget Survey: Average Monthly Household Income.

Average Per capita food consumption (kg per year), Harvested from Annual Household Survey 2015/16, Government of Nepal, National Planning Commission Secretariat, Central Bureau of Statistics.

Average per-capita food consumption distribution by categories (Rs), Harvested from Annual Household Survey 2015/16, Government of Nepal, National Planning Commission Secretariat, Central Bureau of Statistics.

Nepal Average Monthly Household Expenditure: Urban: Non Food data was reported at 2,063.000 NPR in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 11,488.000 NPR for 2006. Nepal Average Monthly Household Expenditure: Urban: Non Food data is updated yearly, averaging 6,775.500 NPR from Jul 2006 (Median) to 2015, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11,488.000 NPR in 2006 and a record low of 2,063.000 NPR in 2015. Nepal Average Monthly Household Expenditure: Urban: Non Food data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Nepal Rastra Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nepal – Table NP.H002: Household Budget Survey: Average Monthly Household Expenditure.

Abstract

Although various socio-economic surveys are being conducted in Nepal, at times these surveys do not coincide with the planning and reporting cycles of HMG and UN agencies. Also, different surveys have different objectives, but the data from a comprehensive survey that covers indicators related to women and children is always valuable. A comprehensive Nepal Family Health Survey was conducted in 1996, which provided data for the mid-decade review in retrospect. Current data and indicators relating to issues of women and children are needed for gender specific planning and policy formulation. These data can also be used in planning other national-level programmes which are to begin in the middle of next year. This has led to the planning and execution of the present survey to generate data and indicators related to issues of women and children.

The primary objective of the Between Census Household Information for Monitoring and Evaluation System (BCHIMES) was to provide social indicators on issues related to women and children. This survey has come up with indicators on issues related to women and children for an end-decade assessment of progress of this decade and provide benchmark data for the next programme cycle.

Geographic coverage

National coverage Urban/Rural areas Ecological zones Sub-regions All eco-development regions of the Hills and Terai For mountain eco-development regions:

Eastern, Central & Western Mountains combined in one group Mid- and Far-western Mountains combined in another group Kathmandu Valley

Analysis unit

Household as well as individual

Universe

The survey covered all selected household members, all women aged 15-49 years resident in the household, and all children aged 0-4 years (under age 5) resident in the household.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The NMIS evaluation report suggested that instead of two cycles per year in NMIS one survey be carried out every year with detailed analysis that would have wide-ranging dissemination and plans of data use. In the future, BCHIMES (Between Census Household Information, Monitoring and Evaluation System) will be conducted on a regular basis to generate needed data. The following suggestions were also made in the NMIS evaluation report for the effective design of the sample:

• For every new study, always select a new sample so as to minimise the Hawthorne effect.
• In order to minimise the standard error of the estimate, always try to make the cluster size small, i.e., around 50, as compared to an average cluster size of 120 for the NMIS cycles.

Thus, the new sample design should limit the average cluster size to 50 or smaller and a new sample should be drawn for a new study every time for the minimisation of the Hawthorne effect.

Domains of estimation A sample design to provide district level estimates was desirable keeping in view the decentralisation programme of the His Majesty's Government of Nepal. However, as the sample size needed for this would be very large and the survey undertaking also huge as well as expensive, it was decided that the size of the survey should provide national as well as some sub-regional estimates. Under the guidance of the Steering Committee as well as the discussion between the CBS personnel and UNICEF led to the conclusion that a minimum of 13 estimates is needed for different geographic areas and these are 1. Five eco-development regions each from the Terai and Hills; 2. Estimates for the Kathmandu Valley; and finally 3. Two estimates for the mountain region, for which the Central, Eastern and Western Mountain regions would be combined as one and the other would be the combination of the Mid-western and Far-western Mountain regions.

Although there are some variations within these mountain regions, regions having comparable characteristics would be combined as one. Since the number of households was the basis of the selection of our sample, we used average size of the household as an indicator to provide the similarity between these combined areas. For example, the average household size was 5.5 in both the Far-western and Mid-western Mountains. Likewise, the average household size for the Eastern, Central and Western Mountains is, respectively, 5.3, 5.0 and 4.8. That is, the average household size was slightly higher in the Far-western and the Mid-western regions and was slightly lower in the others including the Eastern, Central and Western Mountains. In other words, the areas that were combined were quite close in terms of average household size.

Stratification In domains with urban areas, the stratification was done according to urban/rural residence. Although the urban/rural estimates for these domains would be of interest, it would have increased the sample size considerably. Thus, at this stage, there were no plans to obtain urban/rural estimates for these 13 domains of estimation. Note, however, that the urban/ rural estimates could be available for the national level, as well as for the Hills and Terai. Because the sample was selected separately for each domain, there was a built-in stratification for the Hills, Terai and Mountains as well as the development regions for most of the domains of study.

Estimation of sample size Estimates of the sample size, to a large extent, depend on the variable under study. As some variables have a larger variation, sample size estimates depend on the variables. To circumvent this problem, statisticians usually resort to estimating the sample size for variables where the largest sample size is needed and use this as the required minimum sample size. Also, because most of the sample survey use the cluster sample approach, it was necessary to make an allowance of about 2 for the design effect. The magic figure of 2 was based on the design effect calculated for different variables in the Nepal Family Health Survey 1996. It was estimated that a sample size of 800 was adequate for most of the variables, taking into account a design effect factor of 2. This sample size of 800 was regarded as the minimum sample size required for the domain of analysis. Since there are 13 domains, a total of 13x800 = 10400 households were required.

Sample frame The sample frame for this study was the data from the 1991 Census data on Households for VDCs and their wards. When the census was undertaken in 1991 there were only 31 urban areas in Nepal. However, after 1991 Census, the government declared new municipalities. As a result, there are currently 58 municipalities, of which one is a metropolitan city and three are sub-metropolitan cities. The census data was updated to take into account the change in urban areas.

Allocation of the sample In domains that have urban areas, the urban sample was be allocated proportionately. Urban and rural samples were selected separately using a PPS (Probability Proportional to Size) method. Examples for this are provided in Table A1, page 161 of the Report on the Situation of Women, Children and Households, Between Census Household Information, Monitoring and Evaluation system (BCHIMES), March-May 2000.

The total number of clusters surveyed was 208 with an average cluster size of 50, providing a sample size of nearly 10,400. Likewise, the number of urban clusters will be 27 and the number of rural clusters will be 181. The proportion of urban clusters was 13 percent (See Table A1, Appendix 1 of the Report on the Situation of Women, Children and Households).

Selection procedure used For any given domain, the districts were arranged according to the code for districts provided by the Central Bureau of Statistics. If the code of a district is lowest, it appears first in the list. Within the district, VDCs are listed in an alphabetical order. For each VDC, there will be nine wards, for which there is data regarding number of households, total population, males and females.

Initially, the number of households in a domain was cumulated. The total number of households in a domain is divided by the number of clusters selected in the domain. This provided the systematic interval. Then, a random number between 1 and the systematic interval was selected for the first selection. Once the first selection was made, the systematic interval was added to that for the second selection and so on, until the last selection for the domain was made. If a domain consisted of urban and rural areas, then the selection was made separately for the urban and rural areas. Obviously, a proportionate allocation of sample was done for urban as well as rural areas within a domain. Note that a cluster size of 50 was used for the purpose of data collection. In fact, a number of wards will have a population well over 50, and in some cases a ward could have a population substantially less than 50. In some cases, some wards may have to be split and other wards merged to provide a cluster size of around 50.

Distribution of the samples A total of 208 clusters (10,295 households), with 181 rural clusters (87%) and 27 urban clusters (13%s) were selected from 69 districts for the survey. The average cluster size was 50 households per cluster. Since the sample was stratified by region, it is not self-weighting; hence, sample weights were used for reporting national-level results.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

Questionnaires were administered to households, currently married women aged 15-49 years, children aged 6-15 years, and children under 5 years of age in each selected household. The questionnaires were based on the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) model questionnaire. The English version of the questionnaires was

Literacy Rates of 5 years and above population by age group and urban and rural (in percent), Harvested from Annual Household Survey 2015/16, Government of Nepal, National Planning Commission Secretariat, Central Bureau of Statistics.

Nepal Average Monthly Household Expenditure: Mountain: Non Food data was reported at 1,646.000 NPR in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7,513.000 NPR for 2006. Nepal Average Monthly Household Expenditure: Mountain: Non Food data is updated yearly, averaging 4,579.500 NPR from Jul 2006 (Median) to 2015, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7,513.000 NPR in 2006 and a record low of 1,646.000 NPR in 2015. Nepal Average Monthly Household Expenditure: Mountain: Non Food data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Nepal Rastra Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nepal – Table NP.H002: Household Budget Survey: Average Monthly Household Expenditure.

Nepal Average Monthly Household Expenditure: Whole Kingdom data was reported at 25,928.000 NPR in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 15,130.000 NPR for 2006. Nepal Average Monthly Household Expenditure: Whole Kingdom data is updated yearly, averaging 20,529.000 NPR from Jul 2006 (Median) to 2015, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 25,928.000 NPR in 2015 and a record low of 15,130.000 NPR in 2006. Nepal Average Monthly Household Expenditure: Whole Kingdom data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Nepal Rastra Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nepal – Table NP.H002: Household Budget Survey: Average Monthly Household Expenditure.

Abstract

The Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) was carried out in 2014 by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) as part of the global MICS programme. Technical and financial support was provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The global MICS programme was developed by UNICEF in the 1990s as an international household survey programme to support countries in the collection of internationally comparable data on a wide range of indicators on the situation of children and women. MICS surveys measure key indicators that allow countries to generate data for use in policies and programmes, and to monitor progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other internationally agreed upon commitments.

The Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2014) was conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics under the National Planning Commission from January to June 2014. Technical and financial support for the survey was provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Nepal.

Nepal MICS 2014 provides valuable information and the latest evidence on the situation of children and women in Nepal before the country was hit by an earthquake of 7.8 magnitude on 25 April 2015. The survey presents data from an equity perspective by indicating disparities by sex, region, area, education, household wealth, and other characteristics. Nepal MICS 2014 is based on a sample of 12,405 households interviewed and provides a comprehensive picture of children and women in the 15 sub-regions of the country.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

• Individuals
• Households

Universe

The survey covered all de jure household members (usual residents) the household, and the dwelling, all women aged 15-49 years resident in the household, all children aged 0-4 years (under age 5) resident in the household, and water quality testing questionnaire to test for bacteria and measure E. coli content in household drinking water and water source in a subsample of the households.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The primary objective of the sample design for the Nepal MICS 2014 was to produce statistically reliable estimates of most indicators, at the national level, for urban and rural areas, and for the 15 ecological zones of the country: Eastern Mountains, Eastern Hills, Eastern Terai, Central Mountains, Central Hills, Central Terai, Western Mountains, Western Hills, Western Terai, Mid-Western Mountains, Mid-Western Hills, Mid-Western Terai, Far Western Mountains, Far Western Hills, Far Western Terai. Urban and rural areas in each of the 15 ecological zones were defined as the sampling strata. The Central Hills zone is further divided into two substrata as Kathmandu Valley and Other urban areas.

A multi-stage, stratified cluster sampling approach was used for the selection of the survey sample.

Water quality testing was carried out in each of the 519 clusters sampled for this survey. Three households were selected from the list of 25 households interviewed in each cluster using a random systematic selection procedure. This yielded a total of 1,557 households for E. coli testing in drinking water. For one of the three households in each cluster, a sample was also taken from the household's source of drinking water, yielding 519 samples. Samples of household drinking water were taken from a glass of water that would be given to a child to drink, and each sample of source water was collected in a sterile Whirl-Pak bag.

The sample size for the Nepal MICS 2014 was calculated as 13,000 households. For the calculation of the sample size, the key indicator used was the birth registration prevalence among children aged 0-4 years.

For the calculation, r (birth registration) was assumed to be 42.3 percent. The value of deff (design effect) was taken as 2 based on estimates from previous surveys, pb (percentage of children aged 0-4 years in the total population) was taken as 9.7 percent, AveSize (average household size) was taken as 4.88 persons per household, and the response rate was assumed to be 95 percent, based on experience from previous surveys.

Calculations of the required sample sizes indicated that 800 households per domain would be adequate to yield estimates with sufficient precision for most of the indicators, but in the case of three large domains (Eastern Terai, Central Terai, and Western Hills) the decision was made to increase the sample size to 1,000 households. One domain (Western Mountains) posed a particular problem because of its small size. The natural inclination would be to combine it with Mid-Western Mountains, but that was considered undesirable, because of the need to have a separate estimate for this latter domain (which is also known as Karnali). The decision was therefore made to keep Western Mountains as a separate domain. Only 400 households were allocated to it on the clear understanding that the resulting estimates were bound to have lower precision than corresponding estimates for other domains. The overall total sample size was 13,000 households.

The number of households selected per cluster for the Nepal MICS 2014 was determined as 25 households, based on a number of considerations, including the design effect, the budget available, and the time that would be needed per team to complete one cluster. Dividing the total number of households by the number of sample households per cluster, it was calculated that 40, 32 or 16 sample clusters would need to be selected in each zone.

The sampling procedures are more fully described in "Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2014 - Final Report" pp.233-237.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

Four sets of questionnaires were used in the survey: (1) a household questionnaire which was used to collect basic demographic information on all de jure household members (usual residents), the household, and the dwelling; (2) a questionnaire for individual women administered in each household to all women aged 15–49 years; (3) an under-5 questionnaire, administered to mothers (or caretakers) for all children under five years of age living in the household; and (4) a water quality testing questionnaire to test for bacteria and measure E. coli content in household drinking water and water source in a subsample of the households.

The Household Questionnaire included the following modules: List of Household Members, Education, Child Labour, Child Discipline, Household Characteristics, Water and Sanitation, Handwashing, Salt Iodization.

The Questionnaire for Individual Women was administered to all women aged 15–49 years living in the households, and included the following modules: Woman’s Background, Access to Mass Media and Use of Information/Communication Technology, Fertility/Birth History, Desire for Last Birth, Maternal and Newborn Health, Postnatal Health Checks, Illness Symptoms, Contraception, Unmet Need, Attitudes Toward Domestic Violence, Marriage/Union, HIV/AIDS, Tobacco and Alcohol Use, Life Satisfaction.

The Questionnaire for Children Under Five was administered to mothers (or caretakers) of children under five years of age1 living in the households. Normally, the questionnaire was administered to mothers of under-5s; in cases when the mother was not listed in the household roster, a primary caretaker for the child was identified and interviewed. The questionnaire included the following modules: Age, Birth Registration, Early Childhood Development, Breastfeeding and Dietary Intake, Immunization, Care of Illness, Anthropometry.

The Questionnaire for Water Quality Testing was administered to a sub-sample of selected households for measuring E. coli content in the household drinking water and included only one module: Water Quality

The questionnaires are based on the MICS5 model questionnaire. From the MICS5 model English version, the questionnaires were customized and translated into Nepali, Maithili and Bhojpuri. Pre-test training was conducted in Dhulikhel, Kavre District, from 25 October to 2 November 2013. Pre-test fieldwork was conducted in 25 households of both urban and rural locations in Sindhupalchowk District (Mountains), Tanahun District (Hills) and Dhanusa District (Terai) during November 2013. Based on the results of the pre-test, modifications were made to the wording and translation of the questionnaires. A copy of the Nepal MICS questionnaires is provided in Appendix F.

In addition to the administration of questionnaires, fieldwork teams tested the salt used for cooking in the households for iodine content, observed the place for handwashing, and measured the weights and heights of children under five. Details and findings of these observations and measurements are provided in the respective sections of the report.

In each cluster, water from three households and one source of drinking water were tested for E. coli. Testing was conducted by the team measurer. As a routine quality control measure, the supervisor regularly observed the measurer in the testing of blanks. In addition, professional laboratory technicians from an external agency were engaged for the purpose. They visited field teams during the survey and observed the measurers during testing, giving corrective support as needed.

Cleaning operations

Data were entered using CSPro software, Version 5.0. Data were entered on 10 laptop computers by 10 data-entry operators, one questionnaire administrator, overseen by one data-entry supervisor with two secondary editors. For quality assurance purposes, all questionnaires were double-entered and internal consistency checks were

Abstract

This data is from the first round of a unique, cross-country panel survey conducted in Nepal by the Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium (SLRC). The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) is the lead organisation of SLRC. SLRC partners who participated in the survey were: the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) in Sri Lanka, Feinstein International Center (FIC, Tufts University), the Sustainable Development Policy Institute(SDPI) in Pakistan, Humanitarian Aid and Reconstruction, based at Wageningen University (WUR) in the Netherlands, the Nepal Centre for Contemporary Research (NCCR), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

This survey generated the first round of data on people's livelihoods, their access to and experience of basic services, and their views of governance actors. SLRC will attempt to re-interview the same respondents in 2015 to find out how the livelihoods and governance perceptions of people shift (or not) over time, and which factors may have contributed towards that change.

Geographic coverage

Regional

Analysis unit

Households

Universe

Randomly selected households in purposely sampled sites (sampling procedure varied slightly by country). Within a selected household, only one household members was interviewed about the household. Respondents were adults and we aimed to interview a fairly even share of men/ women. In some countries this was achieved, but in other countries the share of male respondents is substantially higher (e.g. Pakistan).

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sampling strategy was designed to select households that are relevant to the main research questions and as well as being of national relevance, while also being able to produce statistically significant conclusions at the study and village level. To meet these objectives, purposive and random sampling were combined at different stages of the sampling strategy. The first stages of the sampling process involved purposive sampling, with random sampling only utilized in the last stage of the process. Sampling locations were selected purposely (including districts and locations within districts), and then randomly households were selected within these locations. A rigorous sample is geared towards meeting the objectives of the research. The samples are not representative for the case study countries and cannot be used to represent the case study countries as a whole, nor for the districts. The samples are representative at the village level, with the exception of Uganda.

Sampling locations (sub-regions or districts, sub-districts and villages) were purposively selected, using criteria, such as levels of service provision or levels of conflict, in order to locate the specific groups of interest and to select geographical locations that are relevant to the broader SLRC research areas and of policy relevance at the national level. For instance, locations experienced high/ low levels of conflict and locations with high/ low provision of services were selected and locations that accounted for all possible combinations of selection criteria were included. Survey locations with different characteristics were chose, so that we could explore the relevance of conflict affectedness, access to services and variations in geography and livelihoods on our outcome variables. Depending on the administrative structure of the country, this process involved selecting a succession of sampling locations (at increasingly lower administrative units).

The survey did not attempt to achieve representativeness at the country /or district level, but it aimed for representativeness at the sub-district /or village level through random sampling (Households were randomly selected within villages so that the results are representative and statistically significant at the village level and so that a varied sample was captured. Households were randomly selected using a number of different tools, depending on data availability, such as random selection from vote registers (Nepal), construction of household listings (DRC) and a quasi-random household process that involved walking in a random direction for a random number of minutes (Uganda).

The samples are statistically significant at the survey level and village level (in all countries) and at the district level in Sri Lanka and sub-region level in Uganda. The sample size was calculated with the aim to achieve statistical significance at the study and village level, and to accommodate the available budget, logistical limitations, and to account for possible attrition between 2012-2015. In a number of countries estimated population data had to be used, as recent population data were not available. The minimum overall sample size required to achieve significance at the study level, given population and average household size across districts, was calculated using a basic sample size calculator at a 95% confidence level and confidence interval of 5. The sample size at the village level was again calculated at the using a 95% confidence level and confidence interval of 5. Finally, the sample was increased by 20% to account for possible attrition between 2012 and 2015, so that the sample size in 2015 is likely to be still statistically significant. The overall sample required to achieve the sampling objectives in selected districts in each country ranged from 1,259 to 3,175 households.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Cleaning operations

CSPro was used for data entries in most countries.

Data editing took place at a number of stages throughout the processing, including: • Office editing and coding • During data entry • Structure checking and completeness • Extensive secondary editing conducted by ODI

Response rate

Approximately 99 percent

Sampling error estimates

No further estimations of sampling error was conducted beyond the sampling design stage.

Data appraisal

Done on an ad hoc basis for some countries, but not consistently across all surveys and domains.

Abstract

The 2022 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) is the sixth survey of its kind implemented in the country as part of the worldwide Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program. It was implemented by New ERA under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) of the Government of Nepal with the objective of providing reliable, accurate, and up-to-date data for the country.

The primary objective of the 2022 NDHS is to provide up-to-date estimates of basic demographic and health indicators. Specifically, the 2022 NDHS collected information on fertility, marriage, family planning, breastfeeding practices, nutrition, food insecurity, maternal and child health, childhood mortality, awareness and behavior regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), women’s empowerment, domestic violence, fistula, mental health, accident and injury, disability, and other healthrelated issues such as smoking, knowledge of tuberculosis, and prevalence of hypertension.

The information collected through the 2022 NDHS is intended to assist policymakers and program managers in evaluating and designing programs and strategies for improving the health of Nepal’s population. The survey also provides indicators relevant to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Nepal.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

• Household
• Individual
• Children age 0-5
• Woman age 15-49
• Man age 15-49

Universe

The survey covered all de jure household members (usual residents), all women aged 15-49, men ageed 15-49, and all children aged 0-4 resident in the household.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sampling frame used for the 2022 NDHS is an updated version of the frame from the 2011 Nepal Population and Housing Census (NPHC) provided by the National Statistical Office. The 2022 NDHS considered wards from the 2011 census as sub-wards, the smallest administrative unit for the survey. The census frame includes a complete list of Nepal’s 36,020 sub-wards. Each sub-ward has a residence type (urban or rural), and the measure of size is the number of households.

In September 2015, Nepal’s Constituent Assembly declared changes in the administrative units and reclassified urban and rural areas in the country. Nepal is divided into seven provinces: Koshi Province, Madhesh Province, Bagmati Province, Gandaki Province, Lumbini Province, Karnali Province, and Sudurpashchim Province. Provinces are divided into districts, districts into municipalities, and municipalities into wards. Nepal has 77 districts comprising a total of 753 (local-level) municipalities. Of the municipalities, 293 are urban and 460 are rural.

Originally, the 2011 NPHC included 58 urban municipalities. This number increased to 217 as of 2015. On March 10, 2017, structural changes were made in the classification system for urban (Nagarpalika) and rural (Gaonpalika) locations. Nepal currently has 293 Nagarpalika, with 65% of the population living in these urban areas. The 2022 NDHS used this updated urban-rural classification system. The survey sample is a stratified sample selected in two stages. Stratification was achieved by dividing each of the seven provinces into urban and rural areas that together formed the sampling stratum for that province. A total of 14 sampling strata were created in this way. Implicit stratification with proportional allocation was achieved at each of the lower administrative levels by sorting the sampling frame within each sampling stratum before sample selection, according to administrative units at the different levels, and by using a probability-proportional-to-size selection at the first stage of sampling. In the first stage of sampling, 476 primary sampling units (PSUs) were selected with probability proportional to PSU size and with independent selection in each sampling stratum within the sample allocation. Among the 476 PSUs, 248 were from urban areas and 228 from rural areas. A household listing operation was carried out in all of the selected PSUs before the main survey. The resulting list of households served as the sampling frame for the selection of sample households in the second stage. Thirty households were selected from each cluster, for a total sample size of 14,280 households. Of these households, 7,440 were in urban areas and 6,840 were in rural areas. Some of the selected sub-wards were found to be overly large during the household listing operation. Selected sub-wards with an estimated number of households greater than 300 were segmented. Only one segment was selected for the survey with probability proportional to segment size.

For further details on sample design, see APPENDIX A of the final report.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

Four questionnaires were used in the 2022 NDHS: the Household Questionnaire, the Woman’s Questionnaire, the Man’s Questionnaire, and the Biomarker Questionnaire. The questionnaires, based on The DHS Program’s model questionnaires, were adapted to reflect the population and health issues relevant to Nepal. In addition, a self-administered Fieldworker Questionnaire collected information about the survey’s fieldworkers.

Input was solicited from various stakeholders representing government ministries and agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and international donors. After all questionnaires were finalized in English, they were translated into Nepali, Maithili, and Bhojpuri. The Household, Woman’s, and Man’s Questionnaires were programmed into tablet computers to facilitate computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) for data collection purposes, with the capability to choose any of the three languages for each questionnaire. The Biomarker Questionnaire was completed on paper during data collection and then entered in the CAPI system.

Cleaning operations

Data capture for the 2022 NDHS was carried out with Microsoft Surface Go 2 tablets running Windows 10.1. Software was prepared for the survey using CSPro. The processing of the 2022 NDHS data began shortly after the fieldwork started. When data collection was completed in each cluster, the electronic data files were transferred via the Internet File Streaming System (IFSS) to the New ERA central office in Kathmandu. The data files were registered and checked for inconsistencies, incompleteness, and outliers. Errors and inconsistencies were immediately communicated to the field teams for review so that problems would be mitigated going forward. Secondary editing, carried out in the central office at New ERA, involved resolving inconsistencies and coding the open-ended questions. The New ERA senior data processor coordinated the exercise at the central office. The NDHS core team members assisted with the secondary editing. The paper Biomarker Questionnaires were compared with the electronic data file to check for any inconsistencies in data entry. The pictures of vaccination cards that were captured during data collection were verified with the data entered. Data processing and editing were carried out using the CSPro software package. The concurrent data collection and processing offered a distinct advantage because it maximized the likelihood of the data being error-free and accurate. Timely generation of field check tables allowed for effective monitoring. The secondary editing of the data was completed by July 2022, and the final cleaning of the data set was completed by the end of August.

Response rate

A total of 14,243 households were selected for the sample, of which 13,833 were found to be occupied. Of the occupied households, 13,786 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of more than 99%. In the interviewed households, 15,238 women age 15-49 were identified as eligible for individual interviews. Interviews were completed with 14,845 women, yielding a response rate of 97%. In the subsample of households selected for the men’s survey, 5,185 men age 15-49 were identified as eligible for individual interviews and 4,913 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 95%.

Sampling error estimates

The estimates from a sample survey are affected by two types of errors: nonsampling errors and sampling errors. Nonsampling errors result from mistakes made in implementing data collection and in data processing, such as failing to locate and interview the correct household, misunderstanding of the questions on the part of either the interviewer or the respondent, and entering the data incorrectly. Although numerous efforts were made during the implementation of the 2022 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (2022 NDHS) to minimize this type of error, nonsampling errors are impossible to avoid and difficult to evaluate statistically.

Sampling errors, on the other hand, can be evaluated statistically. The sample of respondents selected in the 2022 NDHS is only one of many samples that could have been selected from the same population, using the same design and expected sample size. Each of these samples would yield results that differ somewhat from the results of the selected sample. Sampling errors are a measure of the variability among all possible samples. Although the exact degree of variability is unknown, it can be estimated from the survey results.

Sampling error is usually measured in terms of the standard error for a particular statistic (mean, percentage, and so on), which is the square root of the variance. The standard error can be used to calculate confidence intervals within which the

Nepal Average Monthly Household Income: Rural data was reported at 27,511.000 NPR in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 22,225.000 NPR for 2006. Nepal Average Monthly Household Income: Rural data is updated yearly, averaging 24,868.000 NPR from Jul 2006 (Median) to 2015, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 27,511.000 NPR in 2015 and a record low of 22,225.000 NPR in 2006. Nepal Average Monthly Household Income: Rural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Nepal Rastra Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nepal – Table NP.H001: Household Budget Survey: Average Monthly Household Income.

Abstract

Nepal Multiple indicator Cluster Survey (NMICS) was conducted in 2014 by Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) with the primary objective of filling the data gap on children and women of Nepal. The NMICS 2014 was implemented as part of the fifth round of the global MICS household survey programme with technical and financial support of UNICEF, Nepal.

NMICS 2014 has generated a wealth of information on children and women which is of immense importance to monitor and evaluate plan and programmes related to children and women of Nepal. These data will help to monitor towards goals and targets of international agreements such as Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and World Fit for Children (WFFC). The NMICS 2014 covers topics related to child health, water and sanitation, reproductive health, child development, education and literacy, child protection, HIV and AIDS, mass media and use of information and communication technology, attitude towards domestic violence, tobacoo and alchohol use and life satisfaction.

The 2014 Nepal MICS has as its primary objectives: · To provide up-to-date information for assessing the situation of children and women in Nepal; · To gener ate data for the critical assessment of the progress made in various areas, and to put additional efforts in those areas that require more attention; · To furnish data needed for monitoring progress toward goals established in the Millennium Declaration and other internationally agreed upon goals, as a basis for future action; · To collect disaggregated data for the identification of disparities, to allow for evidence-based policy-making aimed at social inclusion of the most vulnerable; · To contribute to the generation of baseline data for the post-2015 agenda; · To validate data from other sources and the results of focused interventions.

Geographic coverage

National, ecological Develeopment region, unrban and rural, 15 domain: 5 development region & 3 ecological belt with urban & rural.

Analysis unit

Household, Woman aged 15-49 years, Children aged 0-4 years

Universe

The survey covered all de jure household members (usual residents), all women aged 15-49 years resident in the household, and all children aged 0-4 years (under age 5) resident in the household. Ecoly test of resouce water & drinking water.T

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sample for the Nepal MICS was designed to provide estimates for a large number of indicators on the situation of children and women at the national level, for urban and rural areas, and for the following 15 regions: Eastern Mountains, Eastern Hills, Eastern Terai, Central Mountains, Central Hills, Central Terai, Western Mountains, Western Hills, Western Terai, Mid-Western Mountains, Mid-Western Hills, Mid-Western Terai, Far Western Mountains, Far Western Hills and Far Western Terai.

The urban and rural areas within each region were identified as the main sampling strata and the sample was selected in two stages. Within each stratum, a specified number of census enumeration areas were selected systematically with probability proportional to size. After a household listing was carried out within the selected enumeration areas, a systematic sample of 25 households was drawn in each sample enumeration area. Out of a total of 520 selected enumeration areas, one was not visited because it was inaccessible due to high altitude and heavy snowfall during the fieldwork period. The sample was stratified by region, urban and rural areas, and is not self-weighting. For reporting national level results, sample weights are used.

Sampling deviation

One cluster(25 households) of Dolpa district can not captured due to the heavy snowfall.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

Four sets of questionnaires were used in the survey: (1) a household questionnaire which was used to collect basic demographic information on all de jure household members (usual residents), the household, and the dwelling; (2) a questionnaire for individual women administered in each household to all women aged 15-49 years; (3) an under-fives questionnaire, administered to mothers (or caretakers)for all children under five years of age living in the household; and (4) a water quality testing questionnaire to test for bacteria and measure E. coli content in household drinking water in a sub-sample of the households. The questionnaires included the following modules:

The Household Questionnaire included the following modules: · List of Household Members · Education · Child Labour · Child Discipline · Household Characteristics · Water and Sanitation · Handwashing · Salt Iodization

The Questionnaire for Individual Women was administered to all women aged 15-49 years living in the households, and included the following modules: · Woman's Background · Access to Mass Media and Use of Information/Communication Technology · Fertility/Birth History · Desire for Last Birth · Maternal and Newborn Health · Post-natal Health Checks · Illness Symptoms · Contraception · Unmet Need · Attitudes Toward Domestic Violence · Marriage/Union · HIV/AIDS · Tobacco and Alcohol Use · Life Satisfaction

The Questionnaire for Children Under Five was administered to mothers (or caretakers) of children under five years of age living in the households. Normally, the questionnaire was administered to mothers of under-fives; in cases when the mother was not listed in the household roster, a primary caretaker for the child was identified and interviewed. The questionnaire included the following modules: · Age · Birth Registration · Early Childhood Development · Breastfeeding and Dietary Intake · Immunization · Care of Illness · Anthropometry

The Questionnaire for Water Quality Testing was administered to a sub-sample of selected households for measuring E. coli content in the household drinking water and included only one module: · Water Quality

The questionnaires are based on the MICS5 model questionnaire. From the MICS5 model English version, the questionnaires were customized and translated into Nepali, Maithili and Bhojpuri. Pre-test training was conducted in Dhulikhel, Kavre District, from 25 October to 2 November 2013. Pre-test fieldwork was conducted in 25 households of both urban and rural locations in Sindhupalchowk District (Mountains), Tanahun District (Hills) and Dhanusa District (Terai) during November 2013. Based on the results of the pre-test, modifications were made to the wording and translation of the questionnaires. A copy of the Nepal MICS questionnaires is provided in Appendix F.

In addition to the administration of questionnaires, fieldwork teams tested the salt used for cooking in the households for iodine content, observed the place for handwashing, and measured the weights and heights of children under five. Details and findings of these observations and measurements are provided in the respective sections of the report.

Cleaning operations

Data were entered using CSPro software, Version 5.0. Data were entered on 10 desktop computers by 10 data-entry operators, overseen by one data-entry supervisor with one computer and two secondary editors. For quality assurance purposes, all questionnaires were double-entered and internal consistency checks were performed. Procedures and standard programs developed under the global MICS programme and adapted to the Nepal questionnaire were used throughout. Data processing began simultaneously with data collection in March 2014 and was completed in July 2014.

Response rate

Out of the 13000 households selected for the sample, 12598 were found to be occupied. Among them 12405 were successfully interviewed for a household response rate of 98.5 percent. In the interviewed households, 14936 women (age 15-49 years) were identified. Of these, 14162 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 94.8 percent within interviewed households. In addition, 5663 children under age five were listed in the household questionnaire. Questionnaires were completed for 5349 of these children, which corresponds to a response rate of 94.5 percent within interviewed households. Last, the response rate for water quality testing for households was found to be 98.7%.

Sampling error estimates

For the calculation of sampling errors from MICS data, programs developed in CSPro Version 5.0, SPSS Version 21 Complex Samples module and CMRJack have been used.

The results are shown in the tables that follow. In addition to the sampling error measures described above, the tables also include weighted and unweighted counts of denominators for each indicator. Given the use of normalized weights, by comparing the weighted and unweighted counts it is possible to determine whether a particular domain has been under-sampled or over-sampled compared to the average sampling rate. If the weighted count is smaller than the unweighted count, this means that the particular domain had been over-sampled. As explained later in the footnote of Table SE.1, there is an exception in the case of indicators 4.1 and 4.3, for which the unweighted count represents the number of sample households, and the weighted counts reflect the total population. Sampling errors are calculated for indicators of primary interest, for the national level, for urban and rural areas, and for all regions. Six of the selected indicators are based on household and households members, 15 are based on women, and 22 are based on children under five. Table SE.1 shows the list of indicators for

Abstract

The primary objective of the 2016 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) is to provide up-to-date estimates of basic demographic and health indicators. The NDHS provides a comprehensive overview of population, maternal, and child health issues in Nepal. Specifically, the 2016 NDHS: - Collected data that allowed calculation of key demographic indicators, particularly fertility and under-5 mortality rates, at the national level, for urban and rural areas, and for the country’s seven provinces - Collected data that allowed for calculation of adult and maternal mortality rates at the national level - Explored the direct and indirect factors that determine levels and trends of fertility and child mortality - Measured levels of contraceptive knowledge and practice - Collected data on key aspects of family health, including immunization coverage among children, prevalence and treatment of diarrhea and other diseases among children under age 5, maternity care indicators such as antenatal visits and assistance at delivery, and newborn care - Obtained data on child feeding practices, including breastfeeding - Collected anthropometric measures to assess the nutritional status of children under age 5 and women and men age 15-49 - Conducted hemoglobin testing on eligible children age 6-59 months and women age 15-49 to provide information on the prevalence of anemia in these groups - Collected data on knowledge and attitudes of women and men about sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS and evaluated potential exposure to the risk of HIV infection by exploring high-risk behaviors and condom use - Measured blood pressure among women and men age 15 and above - Obtained data on women’s experience of emotional, physical, and sexual violence

The information collected through the 2016 NDHS is intended to assist policymakers and program managers in the Ministry of Health and other organizations in designing and evaluating programs and strategies for improving the health of the country’s population. The 2016 NDHS also provides data on indicators relevant to the Nepal Health Sector Strategy (NHSS) 2016-2021 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

• Household
• Individual
• Children age 0-5
• Woman age 15-49
• Man age 15-49

Universe

The survey covered all de jure household members (usual residents), women age 15-49 years and men age 15-49 years resident in the household.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sampling frame used for the 2016 NDHS is an updated version of the frame from the 2011 National Population and Housing Census (NPHC), conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).

The sampling frame contains information about ward location, type of residence (urban or rural), estimated number of residential households, and estimated population. In rural areas, the wards are small in size (average of 104 households) and serve as the primary sampling units (PSUs). In urban areas, the wards are large, with average of 800 households per ward. The CBS has a frame of enumeration areas (EAs) for each ward in the original 58 municipalities. However, for the 159 municipalities declared in 2014 and 2015, each municipality is composed of old wards, which are small in size and can serve as EAs.

The 2016 NDHS sample was stratified and selected in two stages in rural areas and three stages in urban areas. In rural areas, wards were selected as primary sampling units, and households were selected from the sample PSUs. In urban areas, wards were selected as PSUs, one EA was selected from each PSU, and then households were selected from the sample EAs.

For further details on sample design, see Appendix A of the final report.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

Six questionnaires were administered in the 2016 NDHS: the Household Questionnaire, the Woman’s Questionnaire, the Man’s Questionnaire, the Biomarker Questionnaire, the Fieldworker Questionnaire, and the Verbal Autopsy Questionnaire (for neonatal deaths). The first five questionnaires, based on The DHS Program’s standard Demographic and Health Survey (DHS-7) questionnaires, were adapted to reflect the population and health issues relevant to Nepal. The Verbal Autopsy Questionnaire was based on the recent 2014 World Health Organization (WHO) verbal autopsy instruments (WHO 2015a).

Cleaning operations

The processing of the 2016 NDHS data began simultaneously with the fieldwork. As soon as data collection was completed in each cluster, all electronic data files were transferred via the IFSS to the New ERA central office in Kathmandu. These data files were registered and checked for inconsistencies, incompleteness, and outliers. The biomarker paper questionnaires were compared with the electronic data files to check for any inconsistencies in data entry. Data entry and editing were carried out using the CSPro software package. The secondary editing of the data was completed in the second week of February 2017. The final cleaning of the data set was carried out by The DHS Program data processing specialist and was completed by the end of February 2017.

Response rate

A total of 11,473 households were selected for the sample, of which 11,203 were occupied. Of the occupied households, 11,040 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 99%.

In the interviewed households, 13,089 women age 15-49 were identified for individual interviews; interviews were completed with 12,862 women, yielding a response rate of 98%. In the subsample of households selected for the male survey, 4,235 men age 15-49 were identified and 4,063 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 96%.

Response rates were lower in urban areas than in rural areas. The difference was slightly more prominent for men than for women, as men in urban areas were often away from their households for work.

Sampling error estimates

The estimates from a sample survey are affected by two types of errors: nonsampling errors and sampling errors. Non-sampling errors result from mistakes made in implementing data collection and data processing, such as failure to locate and interview the correct household, misunderstanding questions on the part of either the interviewer or the respondent, and data entry errors. Although numerous efforts were made during the implementation of the 2016 Nepal DHS (NDHS) to minimize this type of error, nonsampling errors are impossible to avoid and difficult to evaluate statistically.

Sampling errors, on the other hand, can be evaluated statistically. The sample of respondents selected in the 2016 NDHS is only one of many samples that could have been selected from the same population, using the same design and expected size. Each of these samples would yield results that differ somewhat from the results of the actual sample selected. Sampling errors are a measure of the variability between all possible samples. Although the degree of variability is not known exactly, it can be estimated from the survey results.

Sampling error is usually measured in terms of the standard error for a particular statistic (mean, percentage, etc.), which is the square root of the variance. The standard error can be used to calculate confidence intervals within which the true value for the population can reasonably be assumed to fall. For example, for any given statistic calculated from a sample survey, the value of that statistic will fall within a range of plus or minus two times the standard error of that statistic in 95 percent of all possible samples of identical size and design.

If the sample of respondents had been selected as a simple random sample, it would have been possible to use straightforward formulas for calculating sampling errors. However, the 2016 NDHS sample is the result of a multi-stage stratified design, and, consequently, it was necessary to use more complex formulas. Sampling errors are computed in either ISSA or SAS, using programs developed by ICF. These programs use the Taylor linearization method of variance estimation for survey estimates that are means, proportions, or ratios. The Jackknife repeated replication method is used for variance estimation of more complex statistics such as fertility and mortality rates.

A more detailed description of estimates of sampling errors are presented in Appendix B of the survey final report.

Data appraisal

Data Quality Tables - Household age distribution - Age distribution of eligible and interviewed women - Age distribution of eligible and interviewed men - Completeness of reporting - Births by calendar years - Reporting of age at death in days - Reporting of age at death in months - Sibling size and sex ratio of siblings - Pregnancy-related mortality trends

See details of the data quality tables in Appendix C of the survey final report.

Nepal Average Monthly Household Expenditure: Mountain: Food data was reported at 18,211.000 NPR in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 6,806.000 NPR for 2006. Nepal Average Monthly Household Expenditure: Mountain: Food data is updated yearly, averaging 12,508.500 NPR from Jul 2006 (Median) to 2015, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18,211.000 NPR in 2015 and a record low of 6,806.000 NPR in 2006. Nepal Average Monthly Household Expenditure: Mountain: Food data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Nepal Rastra Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nepal – Table NP.H002: Household Budget Survey: Average Monthly Household Expenditure.

Abstract

After the accomplishment of the Nepal Living Standards Survey, 1995/96, the Central Bureau of Statistics has given importance to the follow up surveys relating to household consumption. Two basic reasons stand behind such a policy. The first is to understand the behavior on consumption, facilitating the assessment of poverty levels. The second reason is to support the estimation of national aggregates of consumption required for the national accounting. It is on that line this consumption survey for rural Nepal has been attempted solely on the Government resources. Sustaining foreign aid supported projects in the long run through capacity building is the aim behind such follow up surveys.

The survey was planned in January 2000 and was launched in the later part of the same year. Hopefully, the survey results will provide some ways of linking the gap likely to emerge from the earlier and the next round of the Nepal Living Standards Survey now in the initial preparatory phase and scheduled for 2002/03. The survey followed the similar methodology as used in the Nepal Labour Force Survey, 1998/99. As a follow up survey, the sample size has been kept at a moderately low level of 1,968 households. The 1991 Population Census of Nepal was used as a frame for sampling. The sampling was done in such a way that the results are valid nationally for the rural areas.

The basic objectives of this survey were 1. To determine the pattern of household consumption and expenditure on food, non-food, housing, durable goods and own account production of goods and services for rural Nepal, and 2. To provide information required in the estimation of National Accounts aggregates.

Content of the survey 1. General information, 2. Housing expenditures, 3. Food expenditures (including home production), 4. Non-food expenditures and inventory of durable goods, 5. Non-food expenditures (own account production of goods and services), and 6. Income

Geographic coverage

Rural areas of Nepal Region Ecological belt

Analysis unit

Household

Universe

The survey covered the whole rural areas of the country and no geographical areas were excluded. All usual residents of rural Nepal were considered eligible for inclusion in the survey but households of diplomatic missions were excluded. As is normal in household surveys, homeless and those people living for six months or more away from the household or in institutions such as school hostels, police barracks, army camps and hospitals were also excluded.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Sample Design The aim of the HCSRN is to determine the consumption pattern of rural households of the country. This is not a baseline survey but is among the first in attempting to set the trend in consumption pattern of rural households with respect to time. It is envisaged that this type of small surveys are done in between the big surveys conducted specifically to measure the level of poverty in the country.

A two-stage sample selection procedure was adopted in the survey. The Primary Sampling Unit (PSU) consisted of a ward or in some cases a sub-ward or an amalgamation of small wards. PSUs were selected with Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) sampling, with the number of households available from the 1991 Population Census as a measure of size. Within the selected PSU, all households were listed in the field and 12 households were selected by systematic sampling with random start. Using PPS sampling at the first stage, 165 PSUs were selected and in the second stage, using systematic sampling 12 households were selected from each PSU. In the process, a total of 1980 households were selected from the rural areas of the country.

Sampling Frame The 1991 Population Census of Nepal provided a base for building a sampling frame for the survey. The frame consisted of the list of wards along with the census count of the number of households in each ward. Because of the increase in the number of urban areas (municipalities) and the decrease of rural wards after the 1991 Population Census, the frame required certain modifications. The 33 municipalities at the time of census had been increased to a total of 58 municipalities. All rural wards converted into urban areas had to be removed from the earlier frame. In a number of cases new municipalities were created by combining together a large number of what were formerly wards in rural VDCs. Hence, the rural areas had a number of wards reduced from their earlier list. Fortunately, an exercise in modifying the rural frame had been already done for the purpose the last Nepal Labour Force Survey, 1998/99. Therefore, the same modified sampling frame of the NLFS was found most appropriate to be used for this survey as well.

Sample Size The sample size was determined on the basis of experiences gained from the previous surveys notably the NLSS and NLFS and the resources available for the survey. The survey obviously had to fix its sample size according to what the available resource could afford to accomplish. The sample size was fixed at 1,980 households.

Since the final "take" was to be 12 households per PSU, it was essential that a selected PSU contained a multiple of 12 households.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The Household Survey Section of CBS developed an initial questionnaire of HCSRN on the basis of the questionnaires used in the NLSS and the Multi-Purpose Household Budget Survey (conducted by the Nepal Rastra Bank). The draft questionnaire was subsequently modified through experience gained from pre-tests. The pre-test was carried out in the rural areas of 12 districts.

Household Questionnaire

The questionnaire contained six sections. The contents of the questionnaire are as follows:

Section 1. General Information
The main purposes of this section were: (i) to identify the member of household, (ii) to provide basic demographic information such as sex, age and marital status, and (iii) to collect information on literacy.

Section 2. Housing
This section collected information on household's expenditure on housing, utilities and amenities (ownership, rent and expenditure on water, electricity, telephone, cooking fuels, etc.)

Section 3. Food Expenses and Home Production
This section collected information on food expenditure of the household including consumption of food items that the household produced.

Section 4. Non-food Expenditures and Inventory of Durable Goods This section collected information on expenditure on non-food items (fuels, clothing and personal care, etc.)

Section 5. Non-food Expenditures (Own Account Production of Goods and Services) This section collected information on own account production of goods and services (which included making of baskets, fetching water and collecting firewood, etc.)

Section 6. Income
This section collected information on income from different sources as well as information on loans and savings.

Cleaning operations

Completed questionnaires from the field were brought to the central office (Kathmandu) for data editing. For quality control, range and consistency checks as well as scrutiny were performed during the data entry period.

Response rate

In one of the PSUs selected for the survey, enumeration work could not be carried due to unavoidable reasons. The total number of households successfully interviewed was, thus, reduced to 1,968 among 1,980. The response rate of this survey is hence 99.4%.

Sampling error estimates

The sampling errors of key aggregates measured in this survey are provided in the Technical Documents. These sampling errors are calculated by means of the STATA 5.0 package that was used for processing this survey result. Sample design and sample size are the main factors that influence the size of the sampling error. In the case of total per capita consumption in rural Nepal, which is Rs.11, 928, the 95 percent lower and upper bounds for the estimate, are Rs.11, 605 and Rs.12, 251 respectively. This means that we are 95 percent confident that the average per capita consumption of rural part of Nepal lies within this range.