Publication:
Up in Smoke? Agricultural Commercialization, Rising Food Prices and Stunting in Malawi

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dc.contributor.authorWood, Benjamin
dc.contributor.authorNelson, Carl
dc.contributor.authorKilic, Talip
dc.contributor.authorMurray, Siobhan
dc.date.accessioned2014-02-04T16:59:28Z
dc.date.available2014-02-04T16:59:28Z
dc.date.issued2013-10
dc.description.abstractDiversification into high-value cash crops among smallholders has been propagated as a strategy to improve welfare in rural areas. However, the extent to which cash crop production spurs projected gains remains an under-researched question, especially in the context of market imperfections leading to non-separable production and consumption decisions, and price shocks to staple crops that might be displaced on the farm by cash crops. This study is a contribution to the long-standing debate on the links between commercialization and nutrition. It uses nationally-representative household survey data from Malawi, and estimates the effect of household adoption of an export crop, namely tobacco, on child height-for-age z-scores. Given the endogenous nature of household tobacco adoption, the analysis relies on instrumental variable regressions, and isolates the causal effect by comparing impact estimates informed by two unique samples of children that differ in their exposure to an exogenous domestic staple food price shock during the early child development window (from conception through two years of age). The analysis finds that household tobacco production in the year of or the year after child birth, combined with exposure to an exogenous domestic staple food price shock, lowers the child height-for-age z-score by 1.27, implying a 70-percent drop in z-score. The negative effect is, however, not statistically significant among children who were not exposed to the same shock. The results put emphasis on the food insecurity and malnutrition risks materializing at times of high food prices, which might have disproportionately adverse effects on uninsured cash crop producers.en
dc.identifierhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/10/18371657/up-smoke-agricultural-commercialization-rising-food-prices-stunting-malawi
dc.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-6650
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/16864
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherWorld Bank, Washington, DC
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPolicy Research Working Paper;No. 6650
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holderWorld Bank
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectAGGREGATE HOUSEHOLD INCOME
dc.subjectAGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectAGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
dc.subjectAGRICULTURAL GROWTH
dc.subjectAGRICULTURAL PRODUCE
dc.subjectAGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
dc.subjectAGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY
dc.subjectAGRICULTURAL SEASON
dc.subjectAGRICULTURAL SECTOR
dc.subjectAGRICULTURE
dc.subjectARABLE LAND
dc.subjectCALORIC INTAKE
dc.subjectCASH CROPS
dc.subjectCASH-CROP
dc.subjectCENTRAL REGION
dc.subjectCHILD DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectCHILD MORTALITY
dc.subjectCHILD NUTRITION
dc.subjectCOVARIATE SHOCKS
dc.subjectCROP INCOME
dc.subjectCROP PRODUCTION
dc.subjectCURING
dc.subjectDISASTERS
dc.subjectDIVERSIFICATION
dc.subjectDROUGHT
dc.subjectECOLOGICAL ZONES
dc.subjectECONOMIC GROWTH
dc.subjectECONOMIC SHOCKS
dc.subjectFAMILIES
dc.subjectFAMINE
dc.subjectFARM AREA
dc.subjectFARM HOUSEHOLDS
dc.subjectFARM MANAGEMENT
dc.subjectFARM PRODUCTION
dc.subjectFARMERS
dc.subjectFOOD AID
dc.subjectFOOD AVAILABILITY
dc.subjectFOOD COMMODITIES
dc.subjectFOOD CONSUMPTION
dc.subjectFOOD CROP
dc.subjectFOOD CROP PRODUCTION
dc.subjectFOOD CROPS
dc.subjectFOOD INSECURITY
dc.subjectFOOD MARKETS
dc.subjectFOOD NECESSITIES
dc.subjectFOOD POLICY
dc.subjectFOOD POLICY RESEARCH
dc.subjectFOOD PRICE
dc.subjectFOOD PRICES
dc.subjectFOOD PRODUCTION
dc.subjectFOOD SECURITY
dc.subjectFOOD SELF-SUFFICIENCY
dc.subjectFOOD STOCKS
dc.subjectGEOGRAPHIC REGIONS
dc.subjectGRAIN RESERVES
dc.subjectHAZARDS
dc.subjectHEALTH INTERVENTIONS
dc.subjectHEALTH OUTCOMES
dc.subjectHIGH POPULATION DENSITY
dc.subjectHOUSEHOLD INCOME
dc.subjectHOUSEHOLD SIZE
dc.subjectHOUSEHOLD SURVEY
dc.subjectHOUSEHOLD WELFARE
dc.subjectHOUSING
dc.subjectHUMAN CAPITAL
dc.subjectHUMAN DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectINADEQUATE FOOD
dc.subjectINCOME
dc.subjectINCOME DISTRIBUTION
dc.subjectINCOME GROWTH
dc.subjectINCOME QUINTILE
dc.subjectINEQUALITY
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
dc.subjectINTERVENTION
dc.subjectIRRIGATION
dc.subjectLAND HOLDINGS
dc.subjectLAND TENURE
dc.subjectMAIZE
dc.subjectMALNUTRITION
dc.subjectMARKET FAILURES
dc.subjectMARKETING
dc.subjectMATERNAL HEALTH
dc.subjectMORTALITY
dc.subjectNUTRITION
dc.subjectNUTRITION OUTCOMES
dc.subjectNUTRITIONAL STATUS
dc.subjectPEDIATRICS
dc.subjectPESTICIDES
dc.subjectPOLITICAL ECONOMY
dc.subjectPOOR
dc.subjectPOOR SMALLHOLDERS
dc.subjectPOVERTY ALLEVIATION
dc.subjectPOVERTY RATE
dc.subjectPOVERTY REDUCTION
dc.subjectPREGNANCY
dc.subjectPRESCHOOL CHILDREN
dc.subjectPRODUCTION FUNCTION
dc.subjectREGIONAL BOUNDARY
dc.subjectRICE
dc.subjectRISK FACTORS
dc.subjectRISK REDUCTION
dc.subjectRURAL
dc.subjectRURAL AREAS
dc.subjectRURAL DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectRURAL INCOME
dc.subjectRURAL LIVELIHOODS
dc.subjectRURAL POOR
dc.subjectSAVINGS
dc.subjectSCHOOLING
dc.subjectSMALL FARMS
dc.subjectSMALLHOLDER AGRICULTURE
dc.subjectSMALLHOLDER FARMERS
dc.subjectSMALLHOLDER HOUSEHOLDS
dc.subjectSOCIAL CAPITAL
dc.subjectSOCIAL PROTECTION
dc.subjectSPATIAL DIFFERENCES
dc.subjectSTRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT
dc.subjectSUBSISTENCE
dc.subjectSUGARCANE
dc.subjectSUSTAINABLE GROWTH
dc.subjectTARGETING
dc.subjectTEA
dc.subjectTOBACCO INDUSTRY
dc.subjectVEGETABLE CROPS
dc.subjectVULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
dc.subjectWAR
dc.subjectWATER AVAILABILITY
dc.subjectWELFARE IMPROVEMENTS
dc.titleUp in Smoke? Agricultural Commercialization, Rising Food Prices and Stunting in Malawien
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.crosscuttingsolutionareaJobs
okr.crossref.titleUp in Smoke? Agricultural Commercialization, Rising Food Prices and Stunting in Malawi
okr.date.disclosure2013-10-01
okr.date.doiregistration2025-04-10T11:46:15.628741Z
okr.doctypePublications & Research::Policy Research Working Paper
okr.doctypePublications & Research
okr.docurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/10/18371657/up-smoke-agricultural-commercialization-rising-food-prices-stunting-malawi
okr.globalpracticeMacroeconomics and Fiscal Management
okr.globalpracticePoverty
okr.globalpracticeTrade and Competitiveness
okr.globalpracticeHealth, Nutrition, and Population
okr.guid762681468270271424
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-6650
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum000158349_20131009142752
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum18371657
okr.identifier.reportWPS6650
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2013/10/09/000158349_20131009142752/Rendered/PDF/WPS6650.pdfen
okr.region.administrativeAfrica
okr.region.countryMalawi
okr.sectorAgriculture, fishing, and forestry
okr.sectorEducation
okr.sectorHealth and other social services::Health
okr.sectorTransportation
okr.themeHuman development::Nutrition and food security
okr.themeHuman development::Other human development
okr.themeRural development::Rural non-farm income generation
okr.themeRural development::Rural services and infrastructure
okr.themeEnvironment and natural resources management
okr.topicHealth Monitoring and Evaluation
okr.topicMacroeconomics and Economic Growth::Regional Economic Development
okr.topicFood and Beverage Industry
okr.topicPoverty Reduction::Rural Poverty Reduction
okr.topicIndustry
okr.topicHealth, Nutrition and Population
okr.unitPoverty and Inequality Team, Development Research Group
okr.volume1 of 1
relation.isSeriesOfPublication26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
relation.isSeriesOfPublication.latestForDiscovery26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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