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Effects of food price changes on child undernutrition among agricultural households in Nigeria

Effects of food price changes on child undernutrition among agricultural households in Nigeria

Akerele, Dare, Fadare, Olusegun ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0647-7438, Ogunniyi, Adebayo, Adeyemi, Olutayo and Rufai, Mistura (2024) Effects of food price changes on child undernutrition among agricultural households in Nigeria. World Development Sustainability, 4:100158. ISSN 2772-655X (Online) (doi:10.1016/j.wds.2024.100158)

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Abstract

This study examines the effects of changing food prices on the nutritional outcomes of children under five years old in Nigeria, utilising data from the 2013 and 2016 Nigeria Living Standards Measurement Study – Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA). We applied correlated random-effects probit and fixed-effects regression models to analyse the data. Results indicate an increase in stunting and decreases in wasting and underweight conditions among children over the years studied. Specifically, higher prices for fish, eggs, beef, rice, and cooking oil have a significant association with increased stunting, while increases in the prices of maize and garri are associated with greater wasting. Underweight increase with higher prices of milk, maize, and rice. In contrast, modest increases in yam and beans prices have not exacerbated undernutrition. The study also highlights the importance of household income growth and women’s involvement in financial decisions in reducing child undernutrition. We advocate for agriculture-led, nutrition-sensitive policies that address the high costs of animal proteins and staples such as rice, maize, and garri, while monitoring and carefully regulating upticks in the prices of yam and beans.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: food inflation, chronic malnutrition, acute malnutrition, farm households, Africa
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory
R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics > RJ101 Child Health. Child health services
S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group: Faculty of Engineering & Science
Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute
Last Modified: 28 Aug 2024 10:19
URI: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/47823

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