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Does agricultural aid reduce child stunting?

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  • Mary, Sebastien
  • Shaw, Kelsey
  • Colen, Liesbeth
  • Gomez y Paloma, Sergio

Abstract

‘Making agriculture work for nutrition’ is a widespread belief. The evidence base on the positive impacts of agricultural interventions on nutrition, however, is scarce. This paper revisits the relationships between agriculture and child nutrition through the impacts of foreign aid earmarked to agriculture on the prevalence of child stunting using a sample of 90 developing countries observed between 2002 and 2014. We find evidence for a moderate effect of agricultural aid on child stunting. Among agricultural aid, we find that aid inflows supporting agricultural education, research and services, agricultural water, and agricultural policy are effective towards child stunting reductions. Food aid is most effective at reducing child stunting. Last, we find that agricultural and food aid inflows are particularly effective in conflict settings.

Suggested Citation

  • Mary, Sebastien & Shaw, Kelsey & Colen, Liesbeth & Gomez y Paloma, Sergio, 2020. "Does agricultural aid reduce child stunting?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:130:y:2020:i:c:s0305750x20300772
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.104951
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    Cited by:

    1. Durevall, Dick & Isaksson, Ann-Sofie, 2022. "Aid and child health Local effects of aid on stunting in Malawi," Working Papers in Economics 830, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    2. Kornher, Lukas & Kubik, Zaneta & Chichaibelu, Bezawit Beyene & Torero, Maximo, 2021. "The Aid–Nutrition Link: Can Targeted Development Assistance to the Agricultural Sector Reduce Hunger?," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315179, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    3. Brice Kamguia & Sosson Tadadjeu & Clovis Miamo & Henri Njangang, 2022. "Does foreign aid impede economic complexity in developing countries?," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 169, pages 71-88.
    4. Henri Njangang & Simplice A. Asongu & Eric Mouchili, 2022. "Does corruption starve? An African perspective," Working Papers 22/022, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    5. Njangang, Henri & Asongu, Simplice A. & Mouchili, Eric, 2024. "Does corruption starve Africa? The mitigating effect of political distribution of power," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 171-197.
    6. Junyan Tian, 2023. "Does agricultural official development assistance facilitate foreign direct investment in agriculture: Evidence from 63 developing countries," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(3), pages 702-718, September.
    7. Furqan Sikandar & Vasilii Erokhin & Hongshu Wang & Shafiqur Rehman & Anna Ivolga, 2021. "The Impact of Foreign Capital Inflows on Agriculture Development and Poverty Reduction: Panel Data Analysis for Developing Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-22, March.
    8. Kornher, Lukas & Kubik, Zaneta & Chichaibelu, Bezawit Beyene & Torero Cullen, Maximo, 2023. "The aid-nutrition link – Does targeted development assistance related to food systems matter?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    9. Mary, Sébastien, 2018. "Does Agricultural (Food) Trade Openness Reduce Child Stunting?," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 274282, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Child stunting; Agricultural aid; Food aid; Conflict; Sustainable development goal;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • F35 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Aid
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development

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