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Food Security: Indicators, Measurement, and the Impact of Household Behavior on Food Acquisition and Allocation, Experimental Evidence from Tibet, China

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  • Huang, Yuan-lin
  • Li, Xiang-mei

Abstract

This paper aimed to determine the magnitude of food insecurity and its determinants in rural households of Tibet, China. In this paper, a community based cross-sectional study was conducted from 2002 to 2013, whole about Tibet (this survey program was founded by Tibet Government Founding). In the study, household heads were recruited using a multistage random sampling technique. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) tool after verbal informed consent. We chosen the same districts, same household, collected data every two years, totally number of the households is 736. Based on the data of sample investigation, combined with individual anthropometric estimates for children and a thorough understanding of household behavior, we moved beyond the simple head count measure of food insecurity in this paper and proposed three measures of food insecurity, along the lines of new poverty measures and explained the desirable properties of these measures that are not present in the head count measure. We then measured household living standards, compiles Tibetan poverty statistics, derives minimum dietary energy requirements, simulates the impact of food price or food supply shocks on food insecurity by population groups. We found that Tibetan foodstuff tradition is eating more meat and less grain, the annual consumption of grain is only 269.02 kg per person, which includes 46.02 kg of feedstuff. Only 42.54% of the grain was harvested in Tibet. Many households had little no-agricultural income and few livestock, nearly three quarters of the households (73.27%) had food insecurity. Households headed by females (AOR = 3.47, 93% CI:1.68, 13.21), lack of education (AOR = 2.59, 95% CI: 1.46, 4.60), family size of <2 (AOR = 2.39, 95% CI: 1.21,4.70), family size of >7 (AOR = 13.23,95% CI:6.18, 28.32), few or absence of livestock (AOR = 5.60, 95% CI:1.28, 24.43), absence of income from off-farm activities (AOR = 3.12, 95% CI:1.53, 6.36), lack of irrigation (AOR = 3.54, 95% CI:2.14, 5.18) and lack of perennial income (AOR = 3.15, 95% CI:1.88, 5.27) were factors associated with food insecurity.

Suggested Citation

  • Huang, Yuan-lin & Li, Xiang-mei, 2015. "Food Security: Indicators, Measurement, and the Impact of Household Behavior on Food Acquisition and Allocation, Experimental Evidence from Tibet, China," 2015 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 26-28, San Francisco, California 205748, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaea15:205748
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.205748
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Ecker, Olivier & Weinberger, Katinka & Qaim, Matin, 2010. "Patterns and determinants of dietary micronutrient deficiencies in rural areas of East Africa," African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, African Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 4(2), June.
    3. Ecker, Olivier & Qaim, Matin, 2011. "Analyzing Nutritional Impacts of Policies: An Empirical Study for Malawi," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 412-428, March.
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