IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/snbeco/v3y2023i8d10.1007_s43546-023-00521-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Household size and food consumption spending in cameroon. is there evidence of economies of size?

Author

Listed:
  • Dickson Thomas Ndamsa

    (University of Bamenda)

  • Delphine Murkwi Gur

    (University of Bamenda)

  • Francis Menjo Baye

    (University of Bamenda
    University of Yaounde II)

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of household size on food consumption spending in Cameroon. This paper extracts secondary data from the Cameroon household consumption survey conducted in 2014 by the government’s statistics office. The residual inclusion version of the two-stage least squares method is used to investigate the effect of household size on household consumption spending. We find that non-self-cluster fertility, non-self-cluster mortality and cluster-level household size are relevant instrumental variables for household size. We also find evidence of a U-shaped relationship between household size and food expenditure. Specifically, with household size below 7 members, any additional member decreases consumption spending, but above this threshold, any additional member increases consumption spending per adult equivalent. These findings present evidence of economies of scale in food consumption spending. Other variables that correlate positively with consumption spending include access to credit, urban residency, primary education, secondary education and tertiary education. Meanwhile, general price level correlates negatively with household food spending. These results have policy implications for the optimal household size in predominantly agricultural/rural settings.

Suggested Citation

  • Dickson Thomas Ndamsa & Delphine Murkwi Gur & Francis Menjo Baye, 2023. "Household size and food consumption spending in cameroon. is there evidence of economies of size?," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(8), pages 1-24, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:snbeco:v:3:y:2023:i:8:d:10.1007_s43546-023-00521-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s43546-023-00521-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s43546-023-00521-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s43546-023-00521-5?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nayga, Rodolfo M., Jr., 1995. "Determinants Of U.S. Household Expenditures On Fruit And Vegetables: A Note And Update," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 27(2), pages 1-7, December.
    2. Manrique, Justo & Jensen, Helen H., 1998. "Spanish Household Demand For Seafood Products," 1998 Annual meeting, August 2-5, Salt Lake City, UT 20997, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    3. Jianxu Liu & Duangthip Sirikanchanarak & Songsak Sriboonchitta & Jiachun Xie, 2018. "Analysis of Household Consumption Behavior and Indebted Self-Selection Effects: Case Study of Thailand," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, Hindawi, vol. 2018, pages 1-12, April.
    4. Angela Daley & Thesia I. Garner & Shelley Phipps & Eva Sierminska, 2020. "Differences across Place and Time in Household Expenditure Patterns: Implications for the Estimation of Equivalence Scales," Economic Working Papers 520, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    5. Zahoor ul Haq & Hina Nazli & Karl Meilke, 2008. "Implications of high food prices for poverty in Pakistan," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 39(s1), pages 477-484, November.
    6. Victoria Vernon, 2004. "Food Expenditure, Food Preparation Time and Household Economies of Scale," Labor and Demography 0412005, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Mahjabeen, Rubana, 2008. "Microfinancing in Bangladesh: Impact on households, consumption and welfare," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 1083-1092.
    8. Angela Daley & Thesia Garner & Shelley Phipps & Eva Sierminska, 2020. "Differences across countries and time in household expenditure patterns: implications for the estimation of equivalence scales," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(6), pages 734-757, November.
    9. Thomas Espenshade & Leon Bouvier & W. Arthur, 1982. "Immigration and the stable population model," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 19(1), pages 125-133, February.
    10. Angus Deaton & Christina Paxson, 1998. "Economies of Scale, Household Size, and the Demand for Food," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 106(5), pages 897-930, October.
    11. Hoai-Son Nguyen & Minh Ha-Duong, 2017. "Family size, Increasing block tariff and Economies of scale of household electricity consumption in Vietnam from 2010 to 2014," Post-Print hal-01714899, HAL.
    12. Hogan, John J. & Berning, Joshua P., 2012. "Estimating the Relationship between Education and Food Purchases among Food Insecure Households," 2012 Annual Meeting, August 12-14, 2012, Seattle, Washington 124595, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    13. Sabates, Ricardo & Gould, Brian W. & Villarreal, Hector J., 2001. "Household composition and food expenditures: a cross-country comparison," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 571-586, December.
    14. Davis, Carlton George & Moussie, M. & Dinning, J.S. & Christakis, G.J., 1983. "Socioeconomic Determinants Of Food Expenditure Patterns Among Racially Different Low-Income Households: An Empirical Analysis," Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 8(2), pages 1-14, December.
    15. Nelson, Julie A, 1988. "Household Economies of Scale in Consumption: Theory and Evidence," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 56(6), pages 1301-1314, November.
    16. Thiele, S. & Weiss, C., 2003. "Consumer demand for food diversity: evidence for Germany," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 99-115, April.
    17. Vasilis G. Mihalopoulos, 2001. "Greek household consumption of food away from home: a microeconometric approach," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 28(4), pages 421-432, December.
    18. Amin, A.A., 1998. "Cameroon's Fiscal Policy and Economic Growth," Papers 85, African Economic Research Consortium.
    19. Jacobson, David & Mavrikiou, Petroula M. & Minas, Christos, 2010. "Household size, income and expenditure on food: The case of Cyprus," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 319-328, April.
    20. repec:aer:wpaper:85 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jayasinghe, Maneka & Chai, Andreas & Ratnasiri, Shyama & Smith, Christine, 2017. "The power of the vegetable patch: How home-grown food helps large rural households achieve economies of scale & escape poverty," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 62-74.
    2. Kostakis, Ioannis, 2014. "The Determinants Of Households’ Food Consumption In Greece," International Journal of Food and Agricultural Economics (IJFAEC), Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Department of Economics and Finance, vol. 2(2), pages 1-12, April.
    3. Trevon D. Logan, 2011. "Economies Of Scale In The Household: Puzzles And Patterns From The American Past," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 49(4), pages 1008-1028, October.
    4. Karbasi, A. & Mohammadzadeh, S.H., 2018. "Estimating Household Expenditure Economies of Scale in Iran," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277152, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    5. Olivier Bargain & Olivier Donni & Prudence Kwenda, 2011. "Intrahousehold Distribution and Child Poverty: Theory and Evidence from Côte d'Ivoire," Working Papers 2011-031, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    6. Bargain, Olivier & Donni, Olivier & Magejo, Prudence, 2011. "Intrahousehold Distribution and Child Poverty: Theory and Evidence from Côte d’Ivoire," IZA Discussion Papers 6029, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Salem, Aliasghar & Fridzad, Ali & Amini, Mitra, 2020. "Estimating Electric Power's Equivalent Scale for the Urban Iranian Household," Journal of Money and Economy, Monetary and Banking Research Institute, Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran, vol. 15(3), pages 295-312, July.
    8. Maneka Jayasinghe & Christine Smith, 2021. "Poverty Implications of Household Headship and Food Consumption Economies of Scales: A Case Study from Sri Lanka," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 155(1), pages 157-185, May.
    9. Md. Matiur Rahman & Seung-Hoon Jeon & Kyoung-Soo Yoon, 2020. "Estimation of Equivalence Scale and Assessment of Its Impact on Poverty Measurement in Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-13, October.
    10. Thaiyoong Penny Mok & Gillis Maclean & Paul Dalziel, 2013. "Alternative Poverty Lines for Malaysia," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 27(1), pages 85-104, March.
    11. Muhammad Shafiullah & Zhilun Jiao & Muhammad Shahbaz & Kangyin Dong, 2023. "Examining energy poverty in Chinese households: An Engel curve approach," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(1), pages 149-184, March.
    12. BARGAIN Olivier & DONNI Olivier, 2010. "The Measurement of Child Costs: A Rothbarth-Type Method Consistent with Scale Economies and Parents’ Bargaining," LISER Working Paper Series 2010-30, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER).
    13. Echeverría, Lucía & Molina, José Alberto, 2022. "Exploring household heterogeneities of the Deaton-Paxson puzzle: Evidence for Argentina," Nülan. Deposited Documents 3622, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Sociales, Centro de Documentación.
    14. Steven F. Koch, 2022. "Equivalence scales in a developing country with extensive inequality," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 90(4), pages 486-512, December.
    15. Nancy Folbre & Marta Murray-Close & Jooyeoun Suh, 2018. "Equivalence scales for extended income in the U.S," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 189-227, June.
    16. Perali, Federico, 2008. "The second Engel law: Is it a paradox?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(8), pages 1353-1377, November.
    17. Devajyoti Deka, 2014. "The Living, Moving and Travel Behaviour of the Growing American Solo: Implications for Cities," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 51(4), pages 634-654, March.
    18. Hoai-Son Nguyen & Minh Ha-Duong, 2018. "Family size, Increasing block tariff and Economies of scale of household electricity consumption in Vietnam from 2010 to 2014," CIRED Working Papers hal-01714899, HAL.
    19. Jacinta C. Nwachukwu, 2017. "Tenure and Spending Within UK Households at the End of the Recent Recession," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 133(3), pages 1075-1104, September.
    20. Siwarat Kuson & Songsak Sriboonchitta & Peter Calkins, 2012. "Household determinants of poverty in Savannakhet, Laos: Binary choice model approach," The Empirical Econometrics and Quantitative Economics Letters, Faculty of Economics, Chiang Mai University, vol. 1(3), pages 33-52, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Household size; Food consumption spending; Economies of size; Two-stage least squares; Cameroon;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D6 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics
    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:snbeco:v:3:y:2023:i:8:d:10.1007_s43546-023-00521-5. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.