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The costs of consumption smoothing: less schooling and less nutrition

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  • De Magalhães, Leandro
  • Koh, Dongya
  • Santaeulàlia-Llopis, Räul

Abstract

Using novel microdata, we explore lifecycle consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa. We find that households' ability to smooth consumption over the lifecycle is large, particularly, in rural areas. Consumption in old age is sustained by shifting to self-farmed staple food, as opposed to traditional savings mechanisms or food gifts. This smoothing strategy indicates two important costs. The first cost is a loss of human capital as children seem to be diverted away from school and into producing self-farmed food. Second, a diet largely concentrated in staple food (e.g., maize in Malawi) in old age results in a loss of nutritional quality for households headed by the elderly.

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  • De Magalhães, Leandro & Koh, Dongya & Santaeulàlia-Llopis, Räul, 2019. "The costs of consumption smoothing: less schooling and less nutrition," Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 85(3), pages 181-208, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:demeco:v:85:y:2019:i:3:p:181-208_1
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    3. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2020. "Insurance and Inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa: Policy Thresholds," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 20/005, African Governance and Development Institute..

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • R20 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - General

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