Various forms of double burden of malnutrition problems exist in rural Kenya

Background: The coexistence of overweight/obesity and undernutrition is often referred to as the double burden of malnutrition (DB). DB was shown to exist in many developing countries, especially in urban areas. Much less is known about DB in rural areas of developing countries. Also, the exact definition of DB varies between studies, making comparison difficult. The objective of this study is to analyse DB problems in rural Kenya, using and comparing different DB definitions and measurement approaches. Methods: Food intake and anthropometric data were collected from 874 male and female adults and 184 children (<5 years) through a cross-section survey in rural areas of Western Kenya. DB at the individual level is defined as a person suffering simultaneously from overweight/obesity and micronutrient deficiency or stunting. DB at the household level is defined as an overweight/obese adult and an undernourished child living in the same household, using underweight, stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiency as indicators of child undernutrition. Results: DB at the individual level is found in 19% of the adults, but only in 1% of the children. DB at the household level is relatively low (1–3%) when using wasting or underweight as indicators of child undernutrition, but much higher (13–17%) when using stunting or micronutrient deficiency as indicators. Conclusion: Various forms of DB problems exist in rural Kenya at household and individual levels. Prevalence rates depend on how exactly DB is defined and measured. The rise of overweight and obesity, even in rural areas, and their coexistence with different forms of undernutrition are challenges for food and nutrition policies

Income and Price Elasticities of Food Demand and Nutrient Consumption in Malawi

Widespread malnutrition in developing countries calls for appropriate interventions, presupposing good knowledge about the nutritional impacts of policies. Little previous work has been carried out in this direction. We present a comprehensive analytical framework, which we apply for Malawi. Using household data and a demand systems approach, we estimate income and price elasticities of food, calorie, and micronutrient consumption. These estimates are used for policy simulations. Given multiple nutrient deficiencies, income-related policies are better suited than price policies to improve nutrition. While consumer subsidies for maize increase calorie and mineral consumption, they contribute to a higher prevalence of vitamin deficiencies.quadratic almost ideal demand system, food security, micronutrient malnutrition, calorie elasticities, nutrient elasticities, Malawi, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Impact of off-farm income on food security and nutrition in Nigeria

While the poverty implications of off-farm income have been analyzed in different developing countries, much less is known about the impact of off-farm income on household food security and nutrition. Here, this research gap is addressed by using farm survey data from Nigeria. Econometric analyses are employed to examine the mechanisms through which off-farm income affects household calorie and micronutrient supply, dietary quality, and child anthropometry. We find that off-farm income has a positive net effect on food security and nutrition. The prevalence of child stunting, underweight, and wasting is lower in households with off-farm income than in households without. Using a structural model, we also show that off-farm income contributes to higher food production and farm income by easing capital constraints, thus improving household welfare in multiple ways. --Farm households,Food security,Micronutrients,Off-farm income

Supermarkets, farm household income and poverty: Insights from Kenya

Expansion of supermarkets in developing countries is increasingly providing opportunities for farmers to participate in modern supply chains. While some farmers are excluded by stringent supermarket requirements, there are important gains for participating farmers. However, studies analyzing income effects of high-value chains use approaches that either show no causality or ignore structural differences between farmers in different channels. Using endogenous switching regression and data from a survey of vegetable growers in Kenya, we account for systematic differences and show that participation in supermarket chains yields 50% gain in household income leading to 33% reduction in poverty. Supermarket expansion is therefore likely to have substantial welfare effects if more farmers are supported to overcome inherent entry barriers.supermarkets, per capita income, sample selection, endogenous switching regression, Kenya, Africa, Agribusiness, Food Security and Poverty,

Pesticide Reduction Sustainability of Bt Technology in India

The primary focus of the study is the changes that occurred in the pesticide-use structure of cotton production sector of India, owing to the diffusion of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) technology. Studies from different countries show that transgenic Bt crops can reduce chemical pesticide use with positive economic, environmental, and health effects. However, most of these studies build on cross-section survey data, so that longer term effects are uncertain. Bt resistance and secondary pest outbreaks may potentially reduce or eliminate the benefits over time, especially in developing countries where refuge strategies are often not implemented. Here, data from a unique panel survey of cotton farmers, conducted in India between 2002 and 2008, show that the Bt pesticide reducing effect has been sustainable. In spite of an increase in pesticide sprays against secondary pests, total pesticide use has decreased significantly over time. Bt has also reduced pesticide applications by non-Bt farmers. These results mitigate the concern that Bt technology would soon become obsolete in small farmer environments. The survey data on actual pesticide use in farmers’ fields complement previous entomological research.Crop Production/Industries, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Estimating the Adoption of Bt Eggplant in India: Who Benefits from Public-Private Partnership?

The study analyzes ex-ante the adoption of insect resistant Bt eggplant in India. Farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) is estimated using the contingent valuation method. Given the economic importance of insect pests, the average WTP for proprietary Bt hybrids is more than four times the current price of conventional hybrids. Since the private innovating firm has shared its technology with the public sector, it is likely that public open-pollinated Bt varieties will also be released after a small delay. This will reduce farmers' WTP for Bt hybrids by 35%, thus decreasing the scope for corporate pricing policies. Nonetheless, ample profit potential remains. Analysis of factors influencing farmers' adoption decisions demonstrates that public Bt varieties will improve technology access for resource-poor eggplant producers. The results suggest that public-private partnership can be beneficial for all parties involved.Public-private partnership, biotechnology, Bt eggplant, adoption, willingness to pay, India, Crop Production/Industries, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Potential Impacts of Bt Eggplant on Economic Surplus and Farmers Health in India

In this article, the potential impacts of Bt eggplant technology in Indian agriculture are analyzed. Several proprietary Bt hybrids are likely to be commercialized in the near future. Based on field trial data, it is shown that the technology can significantly reduce insecticide applications and increase effective yields. Comprehensive farm survey data are used to project farm level effects and future adoption rates. Simulations show that the aggregate economic surplus gains of Bt hybrids could be around US $108 million per year. Consumers will capture a large share of these gains, but farmers and the innovating company will benefit too. As the company has also shared its technology with the public sector, Bt open-pollinated varieties might become available with a certain time lag. This would make the technology more accessible, especially for resource-poor farmers, entailing further improvements in welfare and distribution effects. The wider implications of the private-public technology transfer are discussed. Furthermore, the potential benefits for farmers' health resulting from reduced insecticide applications are examined, using an econometric model and a cost of illness approach. These benefits are worth an additional$3-4 million per year. Yet they only constitute a small fraction of the technology's environmental and health externalities. More research is needed for comprehensive impact analysis.Biotechnology, Bt eggplant, Economic surplus, Health costs, Pesticides, Public-private partnership, Health Economics and Policy, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Mass number and excitation energy dependence of the Θeff/Θrig\Theta_{eff}/\Theta_{rig} parameter of the spin cut-off factor in the formation of an isomeric pair

The $\Theta_{eff}/\Theta_{rig}$ parameter of the spin distribution of the level density was determined for 61 nuclei covering the mass range of 44 to 200. The experimental isomeric cross-section ratios for 25 isomeric pairs were compared with the model calculation to find the best fit to the experimental data. The model calculations were carried out with the TALYS code using the BSFG model for the level density. The reduced $\chi ^2$ values were calculated to describe the deviation of the experimental data from the model calculation. An $\eta_d$ was introduced calculating the $\Theta_{eff}/\Theta_{rig}$ value from the low energy discrete levels of the nucleus. The $\eta /\eta_d$ values seem to be independent of the mass number, their average value near to one. The $\eta /\eta_d$ values also seem to be independent of the average excitation energy in the continuum, indicating that $\eta$ is independent of the excitation energy. The mass number and (N-Z) dependence of the $\eta$ values were studied. The $\eta$ values for the nuclei with odd mass number show an exponential decrease as a function of A or (N-Z). The $\eta$ values for the odd-odd type of nuclei appear to be constant, near one, up to the mass number 110 or (N-Z) of 13. Above these values, the $\eta$ values show exponential decrease. The $\eta$ values for even-even type nuclei decrease exponentially up to A equal to 142 or (N-Z) equal to 20. The values are lower than those for the nearby odd-odd type nuclei. The $\eta$ values increase for nuclei with A between 142 and 156 and (N-Z) between 20 and 28, and they finally reach the value of odd-odd type systematics.Comment: 67+3 pages, 52+2 figures. Calculations with EMPIRE have been added to Section IV.

Evaluating nutrition and health impacts of agricultural innovations

Agricultural innovations are seen as a key avenue to improve nutrition and health in smallholder farm households. But details of these agriculture-nutrition-health linkages are not yet well understood. While there is a broad literature on the adoption of agricultural technologies, most studies primarily focus on impacts in terms of productivity and income. Nutrition and health impacts have rarely been analyzed. In this article, we argue that future impact studies should include nutrition and health dimensions more explicitly. A conceptual framework is developed to clarify possible impact pathways. Different nutrition and health metrics are reviewed in terms of their strengths and weaknesses and criteria of choice for different study purposes. To evaluate impacts of particular innovations, the chosen metrics have to be compared between adopters and non-adopters, using a suitable sampling design. Approaches of how to deal with possible selection bias are discussed. Finally, selected empirical examples in which these metrics and methods were used in practice are reviewed

Competition, Kinship or Reciprocity? Village Experiments in Alternative Modes of Exchange

In this paper, detailed data on transactions in a village commodity market are used to explain the puzzle of sluggish agricultural supply response. We show that existence of reciprocity among sellers exhibits multiple equilibria and creates trade diversion. Large volumes of the commodity are sold to a trader who does not offer the best price, but on whom sellers depend through transactions in other markets. An implication of this trader-idiosyncratic effect on supply is that policies that affect prices may result in different supply responses.Reciprocity, Kinship, Neighborhood effects, Trader idiosyncrasy, Equilibrium, Consumer/Household Economics,