An Engel Curve for Variety

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Li

I examine the source and welfare implications of differences in household consumption diversity. I document the existence of a positive correlation between household variety and expenditure to motivate a simple framework where households purchase more varieties to counteract diminishing returns to quantity but face location-specific costs of accessing variety. Estimating the model with Indian household data, I find that the increase in dietary diversity between 1983 and 2009 was mostly due to lower costs of accessing variety, which resulted in large welfare gains. Urban households also benefit from a lower cost of accessing varieties than rural households.

2000 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Hatløy ◽  
Jesper Hallund ◽  
Modibo M Diarra ◽  
Arne Oshaug

AbstractObjective: The purpose of this study was to analyse the associations between the food variety score (FVS), dietary diversity score (DDS) and nutritional status of children, and to assess the associations between FVS, DDS and socioeconomic status (SES) on a household level. The study also assessed urban and rural differences in FVS and DDS.Design: Cross-sectional studies in 1994/95, including a simplified food frequency questionnaire on food items used in the household the previous day. A socioeconomic score was generated, based on possessions in the households. Weight and height were measured for all children aged 6–59 months in the households, and anthropometric indices were generated.Subjects and setting: Three hundred and twenty-nine urban and 488 rural households with 526 urban and 1789 rural children aged 6–59 months in Koutiala County, Sikasso Region, Mali.Results: Children from urban households with a low FVS or DDS had a doubled risk (OR>2) for being stunted and underweight. Those relations were not found in the rural area. There was an association between SES and both FVS and DDS on the household level in both areas. The FVS and DDS in urban households with the lowest SES were higher than the FVS and DDS among the rural households with the highest SES.Conclusions: Food variety and dietary diversity seem to be associated with nutritional status (weight/age and height/age) of children in heterogeneous communities, as our data from urban areas showed. In rural areas, however, this association could not be shown. Socioeconomic factors seem to be important determinants for FVS and DDS both in urban and rural areas. FVS and DDS are useful variables in assessing the nutritional situation of households, particular in urban areas.


Author(s):  
Falentina Adriana Nahak ◽  
Johanna Suek ◽  
Lika Bernadina

This study aims to investigate the differences staple food availability and household consumption patterns in urban and rural areas. This research took place in Kabupaten Malaka, with the sample of 60 urban households and 60 households chosen through random sampling. The obtianed data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Results show that staple food availability respondents’ household were from the production of own farming, purchasing, and assistance from relatives. However, the availability of staple food did not support household consumption needs for 365 days (1 year). Staple food availability index in urban areas was 58.4, and the rural households reached 57.2. These numbers were far below the national index of 100. Analysis of z-tests showed significant differences in staple food availability between urban and rural households.


The present study, dealing with the inequality in consumption of the rural households across the different regions, is based upon the primary data of the Punjab state. The analysis showed that Malwa excelled other two regions in the per capita consumption. The highest average propensity to consume was observed for Doaba, and it was the lowest for Malwa. All the rural households except large farm of all the three regions and medium farm households of Malwa and Majha were in deficit. Considering all households together, the inequality of household consumption expenditure was relatively high in all three regions, with the same being highest in Majha, followed by Malwa and Doaba. The concentration of consumption expenditure among the land-owning households was greater than the landless households.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-107
Author(s):  
Teklemariam Abadi

The study was conducted in midland and lowland agro-ecological zone of North western zone of Tigray, Ethiopia. Two districts were selected purposively based on their potential exotic chicken breed production. Out of the total chicken producers in the study area 264 farmers, 132 from each of the two districts were selected randomly using systematic random sampling methods. It was conducted in cross sectional survey data from 264 respondents in 2016. Its aim was to assess the contribution of producing exotic chicken to dietary diversity of the rural households with 24 hours recall method. The study examines the study area is characterized in a low dietary diversity mainly defined by starchy staples (grains, condiments, oil or fats) at the expense of protein sources (meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, eggs). The result also indicates that there is a higher probability of the exotic chicken producers groups to move from a medium dietary diversity status to a high dietary diversity status as compared with indigenous chicken producers. Based on the study result, there is possibility to improve dietary diversity and income of the households through introduction and dissemination of exotic chicken breeds to rural households. Hence, governmental and non-governmental organizations should help in intervention of exotic chicken breed to the farm households by giving different incentives.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (53) ◽  
pp. 53-69
Author(s):  
Martin Lopez

AbstractMitigation and adaptation are the main strategies to address climate change. Both of them are interrelated instruments and key elements of an integral approach to tackle the phenomenon. This interrelation is particularly strong in the land use sector, an area in which practically any policy has a significant effect on the goals of both strategies. Yet, in practice, mitigation and adaptation are treated as two different instruments. A poor understanding about the interactions between the mentioned strategies remains as a barrier to implement the integrated approach. To contribute to fill-in this knowledge gap, a hypothetical ecologic-economic system simulated under deep uncertainty was used to test environmental and welfare implications of different policy configurations. Taking the unregulated economy as a benchmark, the outcomes of the mentioned interventions were classified as synergies or different forms of trade-offs. Results indicate that measures based on internalization of externalities overcame monetary compensation schemes. Moreover, when externalities were corrected, synergies were more frequent and associated to higher environmental and welfare gains. Furthermore, the policy configuration that exhibited best synergic properties was an intervention integrating mitigation and adaptation measures. This indicates that synergies may be more accessible than previously considered, however, current policy approach and incentives may not be the best tools to trigger them.


2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 1723-1730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalle Hirvonen ◽  
Alemayehu Seyoum Taffesse ◽  
Ibrahim Worku Hassen

AbstractObjectiveTo revisit seasonality by assessing how household diets vary across agricultural seasons in rural and urban Ethiopia. The role of seasonality on the sources and intake of energy (per capita) and household dietary diversity score (HDDS) was analysed.DesignThe use of nationally representative household-level data collected each month over one year to study the seasonal changes in the sources and intake of energy and HDDS.SettingEleven regions of Ethiopia, including rural and urban settings.SubjectsTotal of 27 835 households were interviewed between July 2010 and July 2011 in all eleven regions of the country. On average each month saw 2300 household interviews, yielding nationally representative data for each calendar month.ResultsFor rural households, the mean daily per capita energy intake was 10 288 kJ (2459 kcal) in February (post-harvest period) and lower in the lean season: 9703 kJ (2319 kcal) in June (P<0·05) and 9552 kJ (2283 kcal) in July (P<0·001). HDDS for rural households was highest in February (6·73) and lowest in June (5·98; P<0·001) but high again in July (6·57). Urban energy intake was also lower in the lean season but HDDS varied less by season. Considerable seasonal variation was also found in energy sources in rural areas, less so in urban areas.ConclusionsHousehold diets in Ethiopia remain subjected to significant seasonal stress. HDDS and food security measured using energy intake do not always agree. Preferably, HDDS and energy intake data should be used together to assess food security.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takayuki Ogawa ◽  
Jun Sakamoto

AbstractThis study explores the welfare implications of mitigating investment uncertainty in the context of Easley and O’Hara (Rev Financ Stud 22:1817–1843, 2009) While one may expect welfare gains by encouraging participation in financial markets by ambiguity-averse investors, we formally show that it hurts other investors and thus is not Pareto-improving without appropriate income transfers. We also examine the welfare effects of income redistribution among heterogeneous investors and government spending on investor education.


1996 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franque Grimard

This paper examines the relationship between income and calorie consumption for households in developing countries. Recent papers have questioned the strength of this relationship on the basis of several measurement problems that tend to overstate the responsiveness of calories consumption to income. The paper uses a household data set from Pakistan and estimates calories income elasticities for rural and urban households. The estimation takes into account the concerns raised by Behrman and Deolalikar (1987) and Bouis and Haddad (1992) about quality effects and unobservable variables. The paper finds that the elasticity is significantly different from zero. Furthermore, the relationship appears to be different according to households’ incomes. Poor households’ responsiveness of calories intake to changes in income is greater than that of the entire sample. These results are consistent with the conventional wisdom that existed before the recent criticisms.


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