Authors:
Ecker, Olivier
Breisinger, Clemens
Pauw, Karl
Full Text:
Growth--whether driven by the agriculture or non-agriculture
sectors--is insufficient to address child malnutrition and reduce
micronutrient malnutrition. Strategic investments and special programmes
are needed in the complementary sectors of health and education.
Cross-country analyses have been conducted to explore the general
relationship between growth and malnutrition in the process of
development. Complementary case studies of an agriculture-based economy
(Malawi) and an oil-based economy (Yemen) assess the impacts of
alternative policies on growth and nutrition outcomes under a range of
scenarios.
Results and associated policy implications
Agricultural or non-agricultural growth can be better for improving
nutrition depending on the country's economic structure and the
characteristics of its malnourished people. In Malawi, agriculture has a
strong potential to contribute to the reduction of malnutrition. This
outcome holds for most agriculture-based economies, and particularly
those in which poor people are disproportionately found in the
agricultural sector. Nutrition outcomes improve not only among rural
households, but also among urban ones, mainly through reduced food
prices and economic linkage effects that increase real incomes. In
Yemen, growth led by the industry and service sectors is more beneficial
for improving nutrition outcomes than agriculture growth as the majority
of the population draws its income from non-agricultural activities. In
addition, most foods--especially staples--are imported, so the net
consumer benefit accruing from the local price effect of agricultural
productivity growth is low.
The role of growth in improving nutrition shifts during the
development process. Comparisons between a bread-based agricultural
growth and a baseline scenario (in which agricultural growth is
concentrated in the large maize sector) in the Malawian study reveal
that calorie and micronutrient deficiencies become less responsive to
growth as prevalence rates decline. Further reductions require economic
diversification; thus, the structure of growth across the whole economy
and within the sectors is important for determining nutritional
outcomes.
Neither agricultural growth nor nonagricultural growth is
sufficient to improve child nutrition and reduce micronutrient
malnutrition as a whole. Cross-country differences are more pronounced
for the relationships between growth and child malnutrition than they
are for the relationships between growth and undernourishment.
Non-income related factors (such as information and knowledge) and
individual health and healthcare seem to matter more in reducing child
malnutrition than in reducing undernourishment. Even with decisive
policy reform in Yemen, resulting in rapid growth acceleration, child
malnutrition remains at unacceptably high levels. In addition, despite
reduced deficiencies in calories, iron, zinc and folate, vitamin A
deficiency in Malawi remains largely unresponsive to economic growth.
Although the proportion of people with a vitamin A deficiency declined
due to Malawi's rapidly growing population, the actual number of
deficient people increased.
Policy reform supporting both agricultural and non-agricultural
growth needs to be accompanied by strategic investments and targeted
programmes to tackle child malnutrition. Persistent, widespread child
malnutrition globally and the low responsiveness of child nutrition to
economic development are alarming. Necessary actions include: (1)
investments in infrastructure (drinking-water networks), health and
education; (2) programmes to improve child and maternal nutrition and
health (for example, through birthing assistance and pre- and postnatal
care); (3) education campaigns on child feeding practices, appropriate
diets, proper hygiene, and disease and illness prevention and treatment;
(4) child growth monitoring; (5) immunization campaigns; and (6)
nutrient-supplementation programmes. Actions to promote gender equality,
women's empowerment and family planning are required. Interventions
require political will and financial resources, reinforcing the
importance of increased revenues from growth.
Specific investments and programmes are also needed to effectively
reduce micronutrient malnutrition. Possible avenues for directly
reducing deficiencies are programmes that distribute nutrient
supplements to the most deficient people, mass fortification of commonly
consumed foods and condiments, and biofortification. Dietary
diversification can be encouraged by providing education on nutritious,
well-balanced diets. Without this understanding, the nutritional impact
of interventions will be limited. Enhancing people's direct access
to fruits, vegetables and animal products includes programmes promoting
home and school gardens, small-scale livestock husbandry and
aquaculture. Investments in programmes that improve people's health
and hygiene help reduce secondary malnutrition, which causes nutritional
deficiencies through infection, illness and disease.
This brief is extracted from the authors 2020 conference paper
Growth is Good. but Is Not Enough to Improve Nutrition (Washington. DC;
International Food Policy Research Institute)
For more information visit www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/
publications/2020anhconfbr07.pdf
OLIVIER ECKER, CLEMENS BREISINGER, AND KARL PAUW
Development Strategy and Governance Division
International Food Policy Research Institute