IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jpolmo/v44y2022i5p963-980.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Covid-19 pandemic and food security in India: Can authorities alleviate the disproportionate burden on the disadvantaged?

Author

Listed:
  • Kaicker, Nidhi
  • Gupta, Aashi
  • Gaiha, Raghav

Abstract

The present study examines covariates of food security and the impact of Covid-19 induced shocks, among households in India using a nationally representative survey. Using a 2SLS panel regression model, we find an important role of incomes, relative food prices, household characteristics, as well as mobility restrictions in response to the rising number of infections in a given region in explaining varying food expenditure shares prior to and during the Covid-19 pandemic. The disproportionate burden of the pandemic induced lockdowns on the disadvantaged and minorities calls for effective action on the part of policymakers to boost aggregate demand, fix supply chains and reduce food price volatility.

Suggested Citation

  • Kaicker, Nidhi & Gupta, Aashi & Gaiha, Raghav, 2022. "Covid-19 pandemic and food security in India: Can authorities alleviate the disproportionate burden on the disadvantaged?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 44(5), pages 963-980.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jpolmo:v:44:y:2022:i:5:p:963-980
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jpolmod.2022.08.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0161893822000473
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jpolmod.2022.08.001?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. Maurice Mutisya & Moses W. Ngware & Caroline W. Kabiru & Ngianga-bakwin Kandala, 2016. "The effect of education on household food security in two informal urban settlements in Kenya: a longitudinal analysis," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(4), pages 743-756, August.
    2. Zhang, Jun & Yen, Steven T., 2017. "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and food insecurity among families with children," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 52-64.
    3. Ravallion, M., 1992. "Poverty Comparisons - A Guide to Concepts and Methods," Papers 88, World Bank - Living Standards Measurement.
    4. Imai, Katsushi S. & Annim, Samuel Kobina & Kulkarni, Veena S. & Gaiha, Raghav, 2014. "Women’s Empowerment and Prevalence of Stunted and Underweight Children in Rural India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 88-105.
    5. Hoddinott, John & Haddad, Lawrence, 1995. "Does Female Income Share Influence Household Expenditures? Evidence from Cote d'Ivoire," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 57(1), pages 77-96, February.
    6. Syed Abul Hasan, 2016. "Engel curves and equivalence scales for Bangladesh," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(2), pages 301-315, April.
    7. 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.
    8. Nelson Mango & Byron Zamasiya & Clifton Makate & Kefasi Nyikahadzoi & Shephard Siziba, 2014. "Factors influencing household food security among smallholder farmers in the Mudzi district of Zimbabwe," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(4), pages 625-640, July.
    9. Deaton, Angus, 1988. "Quality, Quantity, and Spatial Variation of Price," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 78(3), pages 418-430, June.
    10. Gaiha, Raghav & Jha, Raghbendra & Kulkarni, Vani S (ed.), 2014. "Diets, Malnutrition, and Disease: The Indian Experience," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198099215, Decembrie.
    11. Manavi Gupta & Avinash Kishore, 2022. "Unemployment and Household Spending in Rural and Urban India: Evidence from Panel Data," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(3), pages 545-560, March.
    12. B. James Deaton & Brady J. Deaton, 2020. "Food security and Canada's agricultural system challenged by COVID‐19," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 68(2), pages 143-149, June.
    13. George A. Akerlof & Rachel E. Kranton, 2000. "Economics and Identity," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 115(3), pages 715-753.
    14. James H. Stock & Motohiro Yogo, 2002. "Testing for Weak Instruments in Linear IV Regression," NBER Technical Working Papers 0284, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Lewbel, Arthur, 1996. "Demand Estimation with Expenditure Measurement Errors on the Left and Right Hand Side," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 78(4), pages 718-725, November.
    16. Reardon, Thomas & Bellemare, Marc F. & Zilberman, David, 2020. "How COVID-19 may disrupt food supply chains in developing countries," IFPRI book chapters, in: COVID-19 and global food security, chapter 17, pages 78-80, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    17. J. V. Meenakshi & Ranjan Ray, 1999. "Regional differences in India's food expenditure pattern: a complete demand systems approach," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 11(1), pages 47-74.
    18. Barrett, C. B. & Reardon, T. & Webb, P., 2001. "Nonfarm income diversification and household livelihood strategies in rural Africa: concepts, dynamics, and policy implications," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 315-331, August.
    19. Rachel Griffith & Martin O’Connell & Kate Smith, 2015. "Relative prices, consumer preferences, and the demand for food," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 31(1), pages 116-130.
    20. Behrman, Jere R & Deolalikar, Anil B, 1987. "Will Developing Country Nutrition Improve with Income? A Case Study for Rural South India," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 95(3), pages 492-507, June.
    21. Jha, Raghbendra & Gaiha, Raghav & Pandey, Manoj K. & Kaicker, Nidhi, 2013. "Food subsidy, income transfer and the poor: A comparative analysis of the public distribution system in India's states," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 35(6), pages 887-908.
    22. James Banks & Richard Blundell & Arthur Lewbel, 1997. "Quadratic Engel Curves And Consumer Demand," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 79(4), pages 527-539, November.
    23. Stephen Devereux & Christophe Béné & John Hoddinott, 2020. "Conceptualising COVID-19’s impacts on household food security," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(4), pages 769-772, August.
    24. Kennedy, Eileen & Peters, Pauline, 1992. "Household food security and child nutrition: the interaction of income and gender of household head," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 20(8), pages 1077-1085, August.
    25. Deaton, Angus S & Muellbauer, John, 1980. "An Almost Ideal Demand System," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 70(3), pages 312-326, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Nidhi Kaicker & Aashi Gupta & Raghav Gaiha, 2024. "Pandemic‐induced income shocks and dietary diversity in India," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(1), pages 479-501, January.
    2. Calzada Olvera, Beatriz & Gonzalez-Sauri, Mario & Moya, David-Alexander Harings & Louvin, Federico, 2022. "Covid-19 in Central America: Firm resilience and policy responses on employment," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 44(6), pages 1280-1295.
    3. Seth, Payal & Gupta, Soumya & Pingali, Prabhu L., 2023. "Did the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown reverse the nutritional gains in children? Evidence from primary panel data in rural India," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335641, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

    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. Aimable Nsabimana & Ranjula Bali Swain & Yves Surry & Jean Chrysostome Ngabitsinze, 2020. "Income and food Engel curves in Rwanda: a household microdata analysis," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 8(1), pages 1-20, December.
    2. McCullough, Ellen & Zhen, Chen & Shin, Soye & Lu, Meichen & Arsenault, Joanne, 2022. "The role of food preferences in determining diet quality for Tanzanian consumers," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    3. Alan de Brauw & Sylvan Herskowitz, 2021. "Income Variability, Evolving Diets, and Elasticity Estimation of Demand for Processed Foods in Nigeria," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(4), pages 1294-1313, August.
    4. Thomas F. Crossley & Hamish W. Low, 2011. "Is The Elasticity Of Intertemporal Substitution Constant?," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 9(1), pages 87-105, February.
    5. Noriko Amano, 2018. "Nutrition Inequality: The Role of Prices, Income, and Preferences," 2018 Meeting Papers 453, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    6. McKelvey, Christopher, 2011. "Price, unit value, and quality demanded," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(2), pages 157-169, July.
    7. Brannlund, Runar & Nordstrom, Jonas, 2004. "Carbon tax simulations using a household demand model," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 211-233, February.
    8. Irz, Xavier & Mazzocchi, Mario & Réquillart, Vincent & Soler, Louis-Georges, 2015. "Research in Food Economics: past trends and new challenges," Revue d'Etudes en Agriculture et Environnement, Editions NecPlus, vol. 96(01), pages 187-237, March.
    9. Juan Carlos Caro & Shu Wen Ng & Ricardo Bonilla & Jorge Tovar & Barry M Popkin, 2017. "Sugary drinks taxation, projected consumption and fiscal revenues in Colombia: Evidence from a QUAIDS model," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(12), pages 1-16, December.
    10. Thomas F. Crossley & Hamish W. Low, 2005. "Unexploited Connections Between Intra- and Inter-temporal Allocation," Social and Economic Dimensions of an Aging Population Research Papers 131, McMaster University.
    11. Cash, Sean B. & Goddard, Ellen W., 2006. "New Directions in Consumer Behaviour Research," CAFRI: Current Agriculture, Food and Resource Issues, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society, issue 7, pages 1-10, August.
    12. Witterblad, Mikael, 2008. "Essays on Redistribution and Local Public Expenditures," Umeå Economic Studies 731, Umeå University, Department of Economics.
    13. 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.
    14. Donatella Saccone, 2021. "Can the Covid19 pandemic affect the achievement of the ‘Zero Hunger’ goal? Some preliminary reflections," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 22(7), pages 1025-1038, September.
    15. Me-Nsope, Nathalie M. & Staatz, John M., 2016. "Household-Level Evidence of Cereals Demand and the Welfare Implications of Cereals Price Shocks in Rural and Urban Mali," 2016 Fifth International Conference, September 23-26, 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 246397, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    16. Arthur Lewbel & Samuel Norris & Krishna Pendakur & Xi Qu, 2022. "Consumption peer effects and utility needs in India," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 13(3), pages 1257-1295, July.
    17. Vardges Hovhannisyan & Sachintha Mendis & Chris Bastian, 2019. "An econometric analysis of demand for food quantity and quality in urban China," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 50(1), pages 3-13, January.
    18. Monazza Aslam & Geeta Gandhi Kingdon, 2008. "Gender and household education expenditure in Pakistan," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(20), pages 2573-2591.
    19. Ouoba, Youmanli & Sawadogo, Natéwindé, 2022. "Food security, poverty and household resilience to COVID-19 in Burkina Faso: Evidence from urban small traders’ households," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 25(C).
    20. Andrej Cupák & Peter Tóth, 2017. "Measuring the Efficiency of VAT reforms: Evidence from Slovakia," Working and Discussion Papers WP 6/2017, Research Department, National Bank of Slovakia.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Covid-19; India; Food expenditure shares; Household; Two-stage least squares;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • C36 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy

    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:eee:jpolmo:v:44:y:2022:i:5:p:963-980. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/505735 .

    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.