Changes in Indonesian Food Consumption Patterns and their Nutritional Implications

This study examines changes in Indonesian food consumption during 1996-2002 which included the period of the Asian financial crisis in late 1997/98. This paper analyses the nutritional implications of the changes in terms of the level and composition of calorie intake and the prevalence of undernourishment. The analysis reveals a divergence, during this period, between the magnitude and the movement of the undernourishment and food expenditure poverty rates. The results reveal a sharp divide between rural and urban households, and between calorie-deprived and calorie-satisfied households. While this period witnessed significant improvement in calorie intake, the dietary changes do not appear to have been large enough to address the issue of protein deficiency in the Indonesian diet. The results point to the need for policy interventions and information campaigns to ensure an increase in both the quantity and quality of the calorie intake.Undernourishment, Calorie Shares, Processed Food, Kernel Density Plot.

The Contribution of Aquaculture and Fishery Resources to Rural Livelihoods: Evidence from Household Consumption in Vietnam

There has been an increase in efforts towards alleviating food insecurity in developing and transition economies. Changes in agricultural practices and the growth of aquaculture have led to changes in food consumption, employment opportunities and household income. Aquaculture and fishery products have become a significant source of high quality protein, vitamins and minerals. Aquatic resources harvested from capture fisheries and/or obtain from own-production through aquaculture are, therefore, considered important for the sustenance rural livelihoods. Fishing and/or aquaculture production activities contribute to household income, and the resulting household consumption patterns have implications for poverty alleviation. It is important, therefore, to assess the nutrition levels and consumption behaviour of households that participate actively in aquaculture. Key determinants of food consumption in rural Vietnam are thus examined. Budget share and calorie share equations for the main food groups, including fish, are estimated using OLS and IV regression models. Discrete choice analysis is employed to model household food choice behaviour. These analyses are unique in that they are restricted to households that participate actively in aquaculture activities. Preliminary results suggest that the key determinants of food consumption include calorie price, ethnic dummies, headship of household, selected regional variables and other socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of households. The results also show that production and consumption of aquaculture and fishery products contribute to nutrition and food security. These results are of significance to researcher, policy makers interested in the design of extension programs in aquaculture designed to improve the rural livelihoods.Keywords: Fisheries Economics, Aquaculture and fishery resources, Vietnam, Capture fisheries, Developing and transition economie

Impacts of Agriculture on the Inland Capture Fisheries in the Mekong Delta

Inland capture fisheries in the Mekong Delta play an important role in terms of food security and employment. Fish and other aquatic animals together with rice are important components in their local people's diet and many people participate in fishing mainly for household consumption. Mekong Delta is one of the most important fishing ground in Vietnam, its inland capture production accounts for 75% of the total national inland capture production. Its value contributes to the national economies with about 105 million $US in 2006. Seasonal floods are a common natural feature in the Mekong Delta. Agricultural activities take place during the dry season (6 months). Almost all agricultural activities stop cultivating due to flooding during the flood season (6 months). The level of flooding that depends on the strength of the annual monsoon is the most important driving factors to both inland fisheries (more habitat and nutrient) and agriculture sector (more productive land) in the Mekong Delta.The findings of this study showed that there is a positive relationship between annual inland capture production and water level (Pearson correlation = 0.76; pKeywords: Inland capture fisheries, Flooding, Fisheries Economics, Mekong Delta, Agriculture, Food securit

Assessing Micronutrient Deficiency As Part of Meeting Millennium Development Goals for Fish Growing Households in Vietnam and the Papua New Guinea

Studies on poverty have focused predominantly on low income and food poverty. Little or no attention has been given to the emerging problem of adequate calorie intake accompanied by low micronutrient levels, particularly in diets of rural households in transition and developing economies. Micronutrient deficiencies are related to child mortality, maternal health and the general combating of disease. The health benefits of consuming fish are well documented, but the nutrition status of fish growing households still remains questionable. In this paper a simple calculation of the micronutrient levels from foods consumed in Vietnam and Papua New Guinea is presented. Data from Living Standards Measurement Surveys (LSMS) are used. The computations from these data can be used to inform food security policy, health policy on calorie switching, and also provide an assessment of the contribution of aquaculture to rural livelihoods. The results suggest that nutrition profiles of rural households must include foods grown at home, food given as gifts and the traditional foods purchased by the household. A simulation experiment on the likely profile of calorie intake as a result of switching to traditional foods is also presented. The results of the study have implications to practitioners working on achieving the MDGs, or similar. Rural households can definitely benefit significantly from greater access to their land and sea resources and traditional food choices. Nongovernment organisation can also use the micronutrient audit as an indicator of effectiveness of their strategies to target MDG goal number 1

The Fleet Dynamics Component of the Mnl Markov and Sur Markov Models of Managing Australia's Northern Prawn Fishery (Npf)

The motivation of this paper is to detail the application of Markov chains in simulating fleet dynamics in Australia's Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF). The Markov chains are enhanced through the use of the multinomial logit (MNL) and Seemingly Unrelated Regressions (SUR) models to explain transition probabilities. The terms MNL Markov and SUR Markov are coined, therefore. The MNL Markov and the SUR Markov are novel, as they describe, capture and forecast time-variant (time-inhomogeneous) and time-invariant (time-homogeneous) fleet dynamics within any defined spatial fishery structure. The models yield reliable forecasts, when applied to data-rich fisheries and have a potential of yielding similar forecasts when customised for use in data-poor fisheries. In the paper, the theoretical structure of the MNL Markov and SUR Markov is shown. Results using data from the NPF are provided, and forecasts of reliability are presented. These forecasts can form the pillar of any fishery management strategy evaluation. The two models are novel, and offer a lot of possibilities for answering marine resource use questions with respect to the allocation of fisheries resources. The models represent a unique, simple, effective and novel approach to fishery management, and particularly for understanding the key drivers of effort allocation in fisheries. The original structure of these models is described in detail in Ngwenya (1997), and in an unpublished PhD thesis (Ngwenya, 2001). The MNL Markov and SUR Markov provide a practical way of integrating multiple fisheries objectives, and using economic drivers of fleet dynamics to manage outcomes of a commercial fishery.Keywords: Fisheries Economics, Fisheries Modeling, Modeling and Economic Theor

Moving Towards the USDA Food Guide Pyramid Food: Evidence from Household Food Group Choice in Vietnam

Consumption choices and behaviour of households influence well-being and demand for food products. For healthy eating and well-being households make choices such that the recommended daily calories are met. Such household choices are generally informed by a Food Guide (FG). Evidence suggests that households' daily calorie intake may differ significantly from that suggested by their FG. In this paper, the extent to which Vietnamese households' consumption choices follow the US FGP guidelines is examined Factors that determine the number of FGP food items and food groups, chosen by households in Vietnam, are identified. Data from the Vietnamese Living Standards Survey (VLSS), for the periods 1992/93, 1997/98, 2002 and 2004 are used. In addition, household consumption choices are analysed using a binary logit frameworks. Six food groups, namely: breads, cereals, rice and pasta (F1), fruits (F2), vegetables (F3), meats, poultry, dry beans, eggs and nuts (F4); milk and milk products (F5); and, fats, oils), drinks, sweets and cakes (F6), are considered. Preliminary results suggest that the demographic and regional characteristics determine the number of FGP food groups chosen, and the number of food items consumed by Vietnamese households over the period 1992-2004. The observed changes in food group choices over the four survey periods have implications for calorie intake and expenditure poverty, malnourishment, income and wealth generation in Vietnam.Food Guide Pyramid, Consumption Choice, Food Group Choice, Binary Logit Analysis

Reflecting on Recommendations Based Purely on Observations Made While Prawn Trawling in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Northern Prawn Fishery, Australia: By-Catch, Quotas, Fuel Subsidies and Other Policy Matters

In the mid-90s the Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organisation (CSIRO) funded a social science (economics) research trip to the Gulf of Carpentaria. The objective of the trip was to observe and model commercial fishing patterns in the NPF, and develop an all encompassing model for describing fleet dynamics in the NPF. As an outcome from the trip a Markov fleet dynamics framework was developed (Ngwenya, 1997), and the empirical findings of the fleet dynamics model were reported in Ngwenya (2001). However, recommendations on by-catch, setting of a quota, pricing of prawns, vessel monitoring systems and the likely role of subsidies made on the basis of a qualitative analysis of fishing patterns in the NPF, were not published. In this paper, those recommendations that were based on qualitative analysis are reported. The recommendations are important in as far as they contribute to a historical account of fleet dynamics in the NPF, and also set the scene for developing long-term strategies for a sustainable fishery, using both qualitative and quantitative analyses. There are also fishery management lessons to be learnt from the observations made; in particular, the focus on a multi-disciplinary approach and mixed-methods research. The trip to the Gulf of Carpentaria was a real rare event in that it allowed a non-scientist and non-fisheries expert to observe commercial fishing practices in one of the Australians best managed fisheries. The recommendations made are as significant and current as the Markov dynamics model developed from the trip