IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i6p1688-d215742.html

Impacts of Caregivers’ Nutrition Knowledge and Food Market Accessibility on Preschool Children’s Dietary Diversity in Remote Communities in Southeast Nigeria

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Ugochukwu Onyeneke

    (Faculty of Agriculture, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State 482131, Nigeria)

  • Chinyere Augusta Nwajiuba

    (Faculty of Education, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State 482131, Nigeria)

  • Christiana Ogonna Igberi

    (Faculty of Agriculture, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State 482131, Nigeria)

  • Mark Umunna Amadi

    (Faculty of Agriculture, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State 482131, Nigeria)

  • Francis Chidi Anosike

    (Faculty of Agriculture, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State 482131, Nigeria)

  • Anthony Oko-Isu

    (Faculty of Agriculture, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State 482131, Nigeria)

  • Jane Munonye

    (Faculty of Agriculture, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State 482131, Nigeria)

  • Christian Uwadoka

    (Centre for Development Assistance Management, Partnership and Training, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State 482131, Nigeria)

  • Adewale Iyaniwura Adeolu

    (Faculty of Agriculture, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State 482131, Nigeria)

Abstract

Empirical evidence is scanty on the nexus between caregivers’ nutrition knowledge, market accessibility, and preschool children’s dietary diversity in remote communities of Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria. To fill this gap, this study evaluated the effects of caregivers’ nutrition knowledge and access to food market on dietary diversity of preschool children. We used cross-sectional data from four hundred households selected from twenty remote communities in Southeast Nigeria. The study adopted instrumental variable regression to estimate the impacts of nutrition knowledge and food market access on preschool children’s dietary diversity. The findings show that in remote communities, caregivers’ nutrition knowledge and households’ closeness to the market improved preschool children’s dietary diversity. The study demonstrates the potential of improving preschool children’s nutrition outcomes through enhancing access to food market and the nutrition knowledge of the caregivers.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Ugochukwu Onyeneke & Chinyere Augusta Nwajiuba & Christiana Ogonna Igberi & Mark Umunna Amadi & Francis Chidi Anosike & Anthony Oko-Isu & Jane Munonye & Christian Uwadoka & Adewale Iyaniwura Ad, 2019. "Impacts of Caregivers’ Nutrition Knowledge and Food Market Accessibility on Preschool Children’s Dietary Diversity in Remote Communities in Southeast Nigeria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-19, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:6:p:1688-:d:215742
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/6/1688/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/6/1688/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marc F. Bellemare & Lindsey Novak, 2017. "Contract Farming and Food Security," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 99(2), pages 357-378.
    2. Christopher N. Ngwu & Christian A. Ezeh & Christian Iyiani, 2014. "Knowledge of Infant Nutrition among Mothers in Enugu State, South Eastern, Nigeria: Implications for Social Work Practice," International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, vol. 3(1), pages 117-125, January.
    3. Davidson, Kelly A. & Kropp, Jaclyn D., 2017. "Does Market Access Improve Dietary Diversity? Evidence from Bangladesh," 2017 Annual Meeting, February 4-7, 2017, Mobile, Alabama 252854, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    4. Sylvester Ochieng Ogutu & Theda Gödecke & Matin Qaim, 2020. "Agricultural Commercialisation and Nutrition in Smallholder Farm Households," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 71(2), pages 534-555, June.
    5. Hirvonen, Kalle & Hoddinott, John & Minten, Bart & Stifel, David, 2017. "Children’s Diets, Nutrition Knowledge, and Access to Markets," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 303-315.
    6. Derek Headey & David Stifel & Liangzhi You & Zhe Guo, 2018. "Remoteness, urbanization, and child nutrition in sub‐Saharan Africa," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(6), pages 765-775, November.
    7. Bhalla, Garima & Handa, Sudhanshu & Angeles, Gustavo & Seidenfeld, David, 2018. "The effect of cash transfers and household vulnerability on food security in Zimbabwe," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 82-99.
    8. Burchi, Francesco, 2010. "Child nutrition in Mozambique in 2003: The role of mother's schooling and nutrition knowledge," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 331-345, December.
    9. Sibhatu, Kibrom T. & Qaim, Matin, 2018. "Review: Meta-analysis of the association between production diversity, diets, and nutrition in smallholder farm households," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 1-18.
    10. Umar Ijaz Ahmed & Liu Ying & Muhammad Khalid Bashir & Muhammad Abid & Farhad Zulfiqar, 2017. "Status and determinants of small farming households' food security and role of market access in enhancing food security in rural Pakistan," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(10), pages 1-15, October.
    11. Kibrom T. Sibhatu & Matin Qaim, 2018. "Farm production diversity and dietary quality: linkages and measurement issues," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(1), pages 47-59, February.
    12. Steven Block, 2004. "Maternal Nutrition Knowledge and the Demand for Micronutrient-Rich Foods: Evidence from Indonesia," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(6), pages 82-105.
    13. Vellema, Wytse & Desiere, Sam & D'Haese, Marijke, 2014. "Verifying validity of the household dietary diversity score: an application of rasch modelling," 2014 International Congress, August 26-29, 2014, Ljubljana, Slovenia 182692, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    14. Elise Pauzé & Malek Batal & Yvens Philizaire & Rosanne Blanchet & Dia Sanou, 2016. "Determinants of diet quality among rural households in an intervention zone of Grande Anse, Haiti," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(6), pages 1123-1134, December.
    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. Mbalenhle Mkhize & Melusi Sibanda, 2020. "A Review of Selected Studies on the Factors Associated with the Nutrition Status of Children Under the Age of Five Years in South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-26, October.
    2. Ameye, Hannah & Hülsen, Vivien & Glatzel, Katrin & Laar, Amos & Qaim, Matin, 2025. "Urbanizing food environments in Africa: Challenges and opportunities for improving accessibility, affordability, convenience, and desirability of healthy diets," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    3. Nzuma, Jonathan Makau & Kaindi, Dasel Mulwa & Mwololo, Henry Muli, 2023. "Farm production diversity and its influence on diet quality: Evidence from South Eastern Kenya," 2023 Seventh AAAE/60th AEASA Conference, September 18-21, 2023, Durban, South Africa 365946, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).

    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. Ameye, Hannah & Hülsen, Vivien & Glatzel, Katrin & Laar, Amos & Qaim, Matin, 2025. "Urbanizing food environments in Africa: Challenges and opportunities for improving accessibility, affordability, convenience, and desirability of healthy diets," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    2. Schneider, Kate R., 2022. "Nationally representative estimates of the cost of adequate diets, nutrient level drivers, and policy options for households in rural Malawi," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    3. Bethelhem Legesse Debela & Anette Ruml & Matin Qaim, 2022. "Effects of contract farming on diets and nutrition in Ghana," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(2), pages 911-929, June.
    4. van Asselt, Joanna & Useche, Pilar, 2022. "Agricultural commercialization and nutrition; evidence from smallholder coffee farmers," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    5. Muthini, Davis & Nzuma, Jonathan & Qaim, Matin, 2020. "Subsistence production, markets, and dietary diversity in the Kenyan small farm sector," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    6. Narmandakh, Davaatseren & Marenya, Paswel & Opie, Hellen & Bett, Charles, 2024. "Crop production diversity or market access? Welfare outcomes among sorghum-growing households in rural Kenya and Uganda," IAAE 2024 Conference, August 2-7, 2024, New Delhi, India 344362, International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE).
    7. Bai, Yunli & Zeng, Xuanye & Zhang, Linxiu & Song, Yiching & Zeng, Xuanye, 2021. "Domestic decision-making, crop diversity, and household dietary diversity: Evidence from five developing countries in Asia," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315393, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    8. Sikhulumile Sinyolo & Catherine Ndinda & Conrad Murendo & Sithembile A. Sinyolo & Mudzunga Neluheni, 2020. "Access to Information Technologies and Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables in South Africa: Evidence from Nationally Representative Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-17, July.
    9. Eric O. Verger & Cédric Gaillard & Andrew D. Jones & Roseline Remans & Gina Kennedy, 2021. "Construction and Interpretation of Production and Market Metrics Used to Understand Relationships with Dietary Diversity of Rural Smallholder Farming Households," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-21, August.
    10. Martin C. Parlasca & Oliver Mußhoff & Matin Qaim, 2020. "Can mobile phones improve nutrition among pastoral communities? Panel data evidence from Northern Kenya," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(3), pages 475-488, May.
    11. Orkhan Sariyev & Tim K. Loos & Ling Yee Khor, 2021. "Intra-household decision-making, production diversity, and dietary quality: a panel data analysis of Ethiopian rural households," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(1), pages 181-197, February.
    12. Keenan, Michael & Karanja, Stanley & Pamuk, Haki & Ruben, Ruerd, 2021. "Smallholder Farming Households' Make-or-Buy Decisions: Linking Market Access, Production Risks, and Production Diversity to Dietary Diversity," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315349, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    13. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam & Masud Alam & Munshi Naser İbne Afzal & Sakila Alam, 2023. "Nighttime light intensity and child health outcomes in Bangladesh," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(9), pages 1-33, September.
    14. Daniel A. Mekonnen & Laura Trijsburg & Thom Achterbosch & Inge D. Brouwer & Gina Kennedy & Vincent Linderhof & Ruerd Ruben & Elise F. Talsma, 2021. "Food consumption patterns, nutrient adequacy, and the food systems in Nigeria," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 9(1), pages 1-21, December.
    15. Abate, Gashaw T. & Dereje, Mekdim & Hirvonen, Kalle & Minten, Bart, 2020. "Geography of public service delivery in rural Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    16. Abedin, Naveen & Haque, Samiul, 2021. "Effectiveness of agricultural diversification in promoting food security," 2021 Annual Meeting, August 1-3, Austin, Texas 313967, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    17. Tabe-Ojong, Martin Paul Jr. & Abay, Kibrom A., 2023. "Smallholder farmers’ participation in profitable value chains and contract farming: Evidence from irrigated agriculture in Egypt," 2023 Seventh AAAE/60th AEASA Conference, September 18-21, 2023, Durban, South Africa 365884, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    18. Guigonan S. Adjognon & Daan van Soest & Jonas Guthoff, 2021. "Reducing Hunger with Payments for Environmental Services (PES): Experimental Evidence from Burkina Faso," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(3), pages 831-857, May.
    19. Fei Sun & Peng Qian & Shouhui Cao & Yuping Chen & Ziyue Feng, 2022. "The impact of crop specialization on nutritional intake: Evidence from farm households in China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(8), pages 1-21, August.
    20. Lara Cockx & Liesbeth Colen & Joachim De Weerdt & Sergio Gomez Y Paloma, 2019. "Urbanization as a driver of changing food demand in Africa: Evidence from rural-urban migration in Tanzania," JRC Research Reports JRC107918, Joint Research Centre.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:6:p:1688-:d:215742. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.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.