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Soil Aridification, Precipitations, and Infant Health: Evidence from Africa

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  • Jacopo Lunghi
  • Maurizio Malpede
  • Marco Percoco

Abstract

This study shows how soil aridity (proxied with a measure of soil potential evapotranspiration) impacts child wellbeing in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using climate and infant health data from a grid of approximately 4,000 cells in 34 African countries, we find that infants born in arid areas are comparatively more likely to die under the age of 5 and be systematically underweight at birth. In addition, we show how the aridity measure in this study reduces the effect of rainfall on child wellbeing and how aridification drives substantial heterogeneity in the estimated response to increasing precipitation. The findings are combined with model projections of future climate conditions to emphasize the importance of accounting for aridity alongside precipitations when assessing the economic impact of climate.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacopo Lunghi & Maurizio Malpede & Marco Percoco, 2023. "Soil Aridification, Precipitations, and Infant Health: Evidence from Africa," GREEN Working Papers 23, GREEN, Centre for Research on Geography, Resources, Environment, Energy & Networks, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    • Handle: RePEc:bcu:greewp:greenwp23
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Rainfall; climate change; potential evapotranspiration; child mortality; infant health;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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