1. Determinants of Poverty, Food
Security & Nutrition

2. Outline
• Contemporary problems and Policy Goals:
MDGs
• Asian Enigma
• Empirical profile
• Explanations & Policy Solutions
• Inadequate Economic Access: Poverty
• Empirical Evidence on Determinants
• Policy Solutions
Poverty, Food & Nutrition Security:
2
Determinants

3. 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 3

4. Poverty, Food & Nutrition Security: Determinants 4

5. Poverty, Food & Nutrition Security: Determinants 5

6. 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).
Poverty, Food & Nutrition Security:
6
Determinants

7. 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.
Poverty, Food & Nutrition Security:
7
Determinants

8. Asian Enigma & Explanations
• 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.
Poverty, Food & Nutrition Security:
8
Determinants

9. Asian Enigma & Explanations
• Evidence:
Incidence of low birth weight
Level of anemia
• Myth:
Lack of food only reason for malnutrition
• Solution:
Good feeding practices
Address poor sanitation due to high population
density
Poverty, Food & Nutrition Security:
9
Determinants

10. Poverty & Agricultural Growth
Evidence from India

11. Headcount ratio (per cent)
19
51
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
- 52
53
-5
4
55
-5
6
57
-5
8
59
-6
0
Source: World Bank (1997)
61
-6
2
63
-6
4
65
-6
6
67
-6
8
69
-7
0
71
-7
2
73
-7
4
Year
75
-7
Fig. 1: Rural Poverty
6
77
-7
8
79
-8
0
81
Poverty, Inequality & Economic Growth: Relation
-8
2
83
-8
4
85
-8
6
87
-8
8
89
-9
0
19
91
93
-9
4
11

12. Rural Poverty in India
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
Source: Ahluwalia (1978)
Poverty & Agricultural Growth 12

13. Percentage of rural population in poverty by state (1957-1974)
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
Bihar
Kerala
40.0
Maharashtra
Punjab&Haryana
30.0 Uttar Pradesh
20.0
10.0
0.0
1957-8 1959-60 1960-1 1961-2 1963-4 1964-5 1965-6 1966-7 1967-8 1968-9 1970- 71 1973-4
Poverty & Agricultural Growth 13

14. Trends in Rural Poverty in India
Source: Ahluwalia (1978)
Poverty & Agricultural Growth 14

15. Trends in Agricultural Production in India
Source: Ahluwalia (1978)
Poverty & Agricultural Growth 15

16. Agricultural Growth & Rural Poverty
Source: Ahluwalia (1998) Poverty & Agricultural Growth 16

17. Source: Ahluwalia (1998) Poverty & Agricultural Growth 17

18. 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?
Poverty, Food & Nutrition Security:
18
Determinants