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The challenge of measuring hunger through survey

Author

Listed:
  • Joachim De Weerdt
  • Kathleen Beegle
  • Jed Friedman
  • John Gibson

Abstract

There is widespread interest in estimating the number of hungry people in the world and trends in hunger. Current global counts rely on combining each country’s total food balance with information on distribution patterns from household consumption expenditure surveys. Recent research has advocated for calculating hunger numbers directly from these same surveys. For either approach, embedded in this effort are a number of important details about how household surveys are designed and how these data are then used. Using a survey experiment in Tanzania, this study finds great fragility in hunger counts stemming from alternative survey designs. As a consequence, comparable hunger numbers will be lacking until more effort is made to either harmonize survey designs or better understand the consequences of survey design variation.

Suggested Citation

  • Joachim De Weerdt & Kathleen Beegle & Jed Friedman & John Gibson, 2015. "The challenge of measuring hunger through survey," Working Papers of LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance 488089, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance.
    • Handle: RePEc:ete:licosp:488089
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ameye, Hannah & De Weerdt, Joachim & Gibson, John, 2021. "Measuring macro- and micronutrient consumption in multi-purpose surveys: Evidence from a survey experiment in Tanzania," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    2. Hammond, James & Fraval, Simon & van Etten, Jacob & Suchini, Jose Gabriel & Mercado, Leida & Pagella, Tim & Frelat, Romain & Lannerstad, Mats & Douxchamps, Sabine & Teufel, Nils & Valbuena, Diego & va, 2017. "The Rural Household Multi-Indicator Survey (RHoMIS) for rapid characterisation of households to inform climate smart agriculture interventions: Description and applications in East Africa and Central ," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 225-233.
    3. Arthi, Vellore & Beegle, Kathleen & De Weerdt, Joachim & Palacios-López, Amparo, 2018. "Not your average job: Measuring farm labor in Tanzania," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 160-172.
    4. John Gibson, 2020. "Deforestation and Resource Conflicts in Papua New Guinea," Working Papers in Economics 20/02, University of Waikato.
    5. John Gibson, 2016. "Measuring Chronic Hunger from Diet Snapshots: Why 'Bottom up' Survey Counts and 'Top down' FAO Estimates Will Never Meet," Working Papers in Economics 16/07, University of Waikato.
    6. Sharp,Michael K. & Buffière,Bertrand & Himelein,Kristen & Troubat,Nathalie & Gibson,John, 2022. "Effects of Data Collection Methods on Estimated Household Consumption and Survey Costs : Evidence from an Experiment in the Marshall Islands," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10029, The World Bank.
    7. Abate, Gashaw T. & de Brauw, Alan & Hirvonen, Kalle & Wolle, Abdulazize, 2023. "Measuring consumption over the phone: Evidence from a survey experiment in urban Ethiopia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    8. Ahmed, Haseeb & Giffin, Erin & Manian, Shanthi, 2025. "Memory constraints in adoption of productive technologies," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    9. repec:lic:licosd:42120 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Friedman, Jed & Beegle, Kathleen & De Weerdt, Joachim & Gibson, John, 2017. "Decomposing response error in food consumption measurement: Implications for survey design from a randomized survey experiment in Tanzania," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 94-111.
    11. repec:lic:licosd:41819 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Fitzpatrick, Anne, 2023. "Which price is right? A comparison of three standard approaches to measuring prices," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    13. Godlonton, Susan & Hernandez, Manuel A. & Paz, Cynthia, 2021. "Can survey design reduce anchoring bias in recall data? Evidence from Malawi," IFPRI discussion papers 2055, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    14. Cockx, Lara & Colen, Liesbeth & De Weerdt, Joachim, 2018. "From corn to popcorn? Urbanization and dietary change: Evidence from rural-urban migrants in Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 140-159.
    15. 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.
    16. Monteiro Amaral,Sofia Fernando & Dinarte Diaz,Lelys Ileana & Dominguez,Patricio & Perez-Vincent,Santiago M. & Romero,Steffanny, 2022. "Talk or Text ? Evaluating Response Rates by Remote Survey Method during COVID-19," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9999, The World Bank.
    17. Conforti, Piero & Grünberger, Klaus & Troubat, Nathalie, 2017. "The impact of survey characteristics on the measurement of food consumption," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 43-52.

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