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Impact of electrification on children's nutritional status in rural Bangladesh

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  • Fujii, Tomoki
  • Shonchoy, Abu S.
  • XU, Sijia

Abstract

We offer micro-econometric evidence for a positive impact of rural electrification on the nutritional status of children under five as measured by height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) in rural Bangladesh. In most estimates, access to electricity is found to improve HAZ by more than 0.15 points and this positive impact comes from increased wealth and reduced fertility, even though the evidence for the latter is weak. We also analyze the causal channels through the local health facility and exposure to television. We find no evidence for the presence of the former channel and mixed evidence for the latter.

Suggested Citation

  • Fujii, Tomoki & Shonchoy, Abu S. & XU, Sijia, 2016. "Impact of electrification on children's nutritional status in rural Bangladesh," IDE Discussion Papers 579, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    • Handle: RePEc:jet:dpaper:dpaper579
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    2. Fujii, Tomoki & Shonchoy, Abu S., 2020. "Fertility and rural electrification in Bangladesh," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    3. Ahmad Komarulzaman & Robi Andoyo & Zuzy Anna & Aisyah Amatul Ghina & Putri Riswani Halim & Herlina Napitupulu & Monica Ruth Karunia & Annisa Andriani, 2023. "Achieving Zero Stunting: A Sustainable Development Goal Interlinkage Approach at District Level," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-19, May.
    4. Arouna Diallo & Richard Kouame Moussa, 2020. "Does access to electricity affect poverty? Evidence from Côte d'Ivoire," Post-Print hal-02956563, HAL.
    5. Huang, Ruting & Yao, Xin, 2023. "The role of power transmission infrastructure in income inequality: Fresh evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    6. Enrico Nano, 2022. "Electrifying Nigeria: the Impact of Rural Access to Electricity on Kids' Schooling," IHEID Working Papers 03-2022, Economics Section, The Graduate Institute of International Studies.
    7. Li, Kuanhong & Wang, Linping & Wang, Lianhui, 2024. "Consumption as the catalyst: Analyzing rural power infrastructure and agricultural growth through panel threshold regression and data-driven prediction," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 365(C).
    8. Diallo, Arouna & Moussa, Richard K., 2020. "The effects of solar home system on welfare in off-grid areas: Evidence from Côte d’Ivoire," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    9. Gebrehiwot , Tagel & Hassen, Sied, 2022. "Impact of Energy Access on Food Security and Child Nutrition: Panel Data Evidence from Rural Ethiopia," EfD Discussion Paper 22-11, Environment for Development, University of Gothenburg.
    10. Akter, Sonia & Mathew, Nikhitha Mary & Fila, Marian Edward, 2023. "The impact of an improvement in the quality and reliability of rural residential electricity supply on clean cooking fuel adoption: Evidence from six energy poor Indian states," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    11. Nkegbe, Paul Kwame & Abdul Mumin, Yazeed, 2022. "Impact of community development initiatives and access to community markets on household food security and nutrition in Ghana," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    12. Mohammad Jahangir Alam & Shinji Kaneko, 2019. "The Effects of Electrification on School Enrollment in Bangladesh: Short- and Long-Run Perspectives," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-26, February.
    13. Wan, Guanghua & Wang, Chen & Zhang, Xun & Zuo, Congming, 2024. "Income inequality effect of public utility infrastructure: Evidence from rural China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bangladesh; Nutrition; Electric power; Rural development; Electrification; Height-for-age Z score; Malnutrition; Television; Wealth;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O22 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Project Analysis
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development

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