topic 2 determinants

Determinants of Poverty, Food Security & Nutrition

Poverty, Food & Nutrition Security: Determinants

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Outline

• Contemporary problems and Policy Goals: MDGs

• Asian Enigma• Empirical profile• Explanations & Policy Solutions• Inadequate Economic Access: Poverty• Empirical Evidence on Determinants• Policy Solutions

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Asian Enigma

• “In the public imagination, the home of the malnourished child is sub-Saharan Africa. But the league tables clearly show that the worst affected region is not Africa but South Asia. Just over 30% of Africa's children are underweight, but the corresponding figure for South Asia is over 50%. And in Bangladesh and India, the proportion of children malnourished is very significantly higher than in even the poorest countries of the sub-Sahara.”

(Ramalingaswamy et al., 2006)Poverty, Food & Nutrition Security: Determinants

4Poverty, Food & Nutrition Security: Determinants

5Poverty, Food & Nutrition Security: Determinants


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League Table of Malnutrition: Notes

• The figures for each country indicate the percentage of children moderately or severely malnourished, defined as having a weight-for-age which is more than two standard deviations below the median weight-for- age (using the international standard recognized by WHO).

• The data are drawn from nationally representative surveys conducted by developing countries between 1990 and 1995 (surveys included Demographic and Health Surveys, National Nutrition Surveys, and other national surveys in which the measurement of anthropometric data was included).


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Asian Enigma & Explanations

• Poverty? No, levels of income are the same.• Agricultural performance? No, similar levels

of per capita food production.• Higher child mortality rate in Africa? No, the

difference is marginal.• Higher inequality? No, Income share of the

poorest quintile is much less in SSA than in SA.


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• Vegetarian Diet? No, Milk & milk products are good sources of protein.

• Policy indifference? No, ICDS in India.• Inappropriate Growth Standards? No,

Growth curves of children are similar.• Possible explanation: Children in SA either

not well-fed, or not well-cared-for, or both.


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• Evidence: Incidence of low birth weightLevel of anemia

• Myth:Lack of food only reason for malnutrition

• Solution:Good feeding practicesAddress poor sanitation due to high population

density

Poverty & Agricultural Growth

Evidence from India

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Fig. 1: Rural Poverty

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1951

-52

53-5

4

55-5

6

57-5

8

59-6

0

61-6

2

63-6

4

65-6

6

67-6

8

69-7

0

71-7

2

73-7

4

75-7

6

77-7

8

79-8

0

81-8

2

83-8

4

85-8

6

87-8

8

89-9

019

91

93-9

4

Year

He

ad

cou

nt

rati

o (

pe

r ce

nt)

Source: World Bank (1997)

Poverty, Inequality & Economic Growth: Relation

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State 1957-8 1959-60 1960-1 1961-2 1963-4 1964-5 1965-6 1966-7 1967-8 1968-9 1970- 71 1973-4

Andhra Pradesh 53.5 48.8 50.1 47.2 45.6 41.5 45.4 47.9 46 47.3 41 39.8

Assam 28 31.4 25.6 29.4 24.4 24.2 31.3 46 .8 38.4 47 .3 35.3 39.3

Bihar 59.7 55.7 41.5 49.9 52 .3 54.3 59.4 74.4 7 0.9 59.4 59 58.4

Gujarat * 41.5 31.6 39.7 45.7 49.8 50.7 54 .1 50.8 42.8 43.8 35.6

Karnataka 41.3 48.9 39.1 35.4 50.5 55.1 63.9 59.5 56.9 58.8 47.2 46.9

Kerala 59.6 62.3 57.8 50.3 52.8 60.7 70.7 67 .1 63.4 64.6 62 49.3

Madhya Pradesh 57.7 46.4 43.8 40 43.6 42 .1 47.2 58.3 62.3 56 52.9 52.3

Maharashtra * 54.5 48.4 43.6 48.2 59.1 57.8 63.2 57.2 54.8 46.6 49.8

Orissa 66.6 63.4 62.4 49 .3 60 61.9 62 .1 64.2 64.7 71.2 65 58

Punjab Haryana 28 24.2 18.8 22.3 29.4 26.5 26.5 29.5 33.9 24 23.6 23

Tamil Nadu 67.8 64.4 53.9 51 52 57.4 59.5 62.7 58.1 60.6 57 .3 48.3

Uttar Pradesh 52 .3 36.7 37.9 35.4 56.6 53.7 47 .1 55.2 60.2 46.4 40.6 47 .3

West Bengal 62.3 61.4 40.4 58 .3 63.3 64 56.5 64 .3 80.3 74.9 70.1 66

INDIA 53.4 48.7 42 42.3 49.1 50.4 51.1 57.4 57.9 53.5 49.1 47.6

Rural Poverty in India

Source: Ahluwalia (1978)


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1957-8 1959-60 1960-1 1961-2 1963-4 1964-5 1965-6 1966-7 1967-8 1968-9 1970- 71 1973-40.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

Percentage of rural population in poverty by state (1957-1974)

BiharKeralaMaharashtraPunjab&HaryanaUttar Pradesh


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Trends in Rural Poverty in IndiaSource: Ahluwalia (1978)


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Trends in Agricultural Production in India

Source: Ahluwalia (1978) Poverty & Agricultural Growth

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Agricultural Growth & Rural Poverty

Poverty & Agricultural GrowthSource: Ahluwalia (1998)

17Poverty & Agricultural GrowthSource: Ahluwalia (1998)


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Poverty & Food Insecurity: Policy Options

• Policy options to tackle food and nutrition deprivation differ between rural and urban sectors.

• Economic access as defined by income and prices largely matter in the urban sector while physical access as defined by production matter in the rural sector in general.

• Rural sector: Seasonal Price shocks?

topic 2 determinants

Health & Medicine