Journal of African Economies - current issue

Determinants of Children's Nutritional Status in Kenya: Evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys

Kabubo-Mariara, J., Ndenge, G. K., Mwabu, D. K. — 2009-05-29

This paper uses a pooled sample of the 1998 and 2003 Demographic and Health Survey data sets for Kenya to analyse the determinants of children's nutritional status. We investigate the impact of child, parental, household and community characteristics on children's height and on the probability of stunting. Descriptive and econometric analysis, augmented by policy simulations, is employed to achieve the objectives of the study. In estimation, we control for sample design and possible heterogeneity arising from unobserved community characteristics correlated with children's nutritional status and its determinants. The key findings are that boys suffer more malnutrition than girls, and children of multiple births are more likely to be malnourished than singletons. The results further indicate that maternal education is a more important determinant of children's nutritional status than paternal education. Household assets are also important determinants of children's nutritional status but nutrition improves at a decreasing rate with assets. The use of public health services, more-so modern contraceptives, is also found to be an important determinant of child nutritional status. Policy simulations affirm the potential role of parental, household and community characteristics in reducing long-term malnutrition in Kenya and suggest that the correct policy mix would make a substantial reduction in the current high levels of malnutrition. Our findings suggest that, if Kenya is to achieve her strategic health objectives and millennium development target of reducing the prevalence of malnutrition, strategies for poverty alleviation, promotion of post secondary education for women and provision of basic preventive health care are critical concerns that need to be addressed.

The Elimination of Madagascar's Vanilla Marketing Board, 10 Years on

Cadot, O., Dutoit, L., de Melo, J. — 2009-05-29

This paper explores how the elimination of Madagascar's Vanilla Marketing Board (VMB) in 1993 affected prices paid to farmers, incentives and indicators of poverty and inequality using household survey data and simulation analysis. Following the reforms, margins between FOB and farmgate prices have narrowed down, and the analysis of changes in poverty and inequality based on household surveys suggests a reduction in poverty and a muted supply response. A counterfactual analysis based on the observed reduction in intermediation margins shows that, however limited, increase in competition among intermediaries has contributed to raise purchase prices and the cash income of vanilla farmers. After taking into account the reduction in Madagascar's monopoly power on the world vanilla market implied by the elimination of the VMB, the induced rise in producer prices is estimated to have lifted about 20,000 individuals out of poverty.

Changes in Wage Distributions, Wage Gaps and Wage Inequality by Gender in Kenya

Agesa, R. U., Agesa, J., Dabalen, A. — 2009-05-29

Using data from Kenya, the determinants of gender differences in the overall distribution of earnings are estimated as part of explaining the positive association between the return to measured and unmeasured human capital attributes as formalised by human capital theory (Mincer in ‘Schooling Experience, and Earnings’, New York: National Bureau of Economic Research, Columbia University Press, 1974). The Kenyan data allows us to demonstrate that males possess relatively more human capital, and once gender differences in measured and unmeasured skills are accounted for, males receive relatively higher returns to both their measured and unmeasured human capital attributes. These findings support the notion that gender differences in the return to human capital trigger male and female earnings differences in Kenya.

A Gender-based Investigation into the Determinants of Labour Market Outcomes: Evidence from Uganda

Bridges, S., Lawson, D. — 2009-05-29

The under-utilisation of female labour in Uganda and other Sub-Saharan African countries is increasingly being stated as the next major obstacle to furthering poverty reduction and development in the region. Despite this, only a handful of papers have looked at labour supply issues for this region. This paper seeks to fill this gap. Here we use nationally representative household data from Uganda to model labour market outcomes for a representative sample of working aged individuals. We find that not only does ill health have a negative effect on an individual's decision to participate, it also acts as a constraint to participation in wage employment. In addition and perhaps more worryingly, the consequences of periods of ill health are greater for women than men.

Farm Input Use in a Context of Liquidity Constraints and Contract Unenforceability

Delpierre, M. — 2009-05-29

The African cash crop sector has witnessed widespread liberalisation reforms aimed at strengthening price incentives to farmers. However, some areas are confronted with a decline in input use. We have recourse to a two-stage Cournot game to account for the issue. In a context of credit rationing and imperfect contract enforceability, competition has the effect of tightening the input availability constraint while increasing the shadow value of credit. First, contrary to expectations, the impact of an extension of access to farm credit on aggregate input use, efficiency and peasants' income is shown to be ambiguous. Intuitively, relaxing the liquidity constraint entails a higher price elasticity of supply that results in a reduction of traders' profit margin. As a consequence, traders' incentives to contribute to input availability are weakened. The effects of subsidising inputs are also analysed. Second, normative insights are drawn regarding second best combinations of imperfect credit and output markets. Finally, the issue and consequences of contract unenforceability are discussed.