Does the adoption of maize-legume cropping diversification and modern seeds affect nutritional security in Ethiopia? Evidence from panel data analysis

P. Marenya, Menale Kassie, Hailemariam Teklewold, Olaf Erenstein, M. Qaim and Dil Rahut

No 277170, 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia from International Association of Agricultural Economists

Abstract: This paper examines the ex-post impact of the combination of cropping- system diversification (CSD) and the adoption of improved maize varieties on child stunting and household nutritional security. To control for selection and endogeneity bias, arising from time-variant and time-invariant individual heterogeneity, the study employs a fixed-effects multinomial endogenous switching regression using large, on a panel data set collected in maize-growing areas of Ethiopia between 2010 and 2013. Results highlight the significant effect of adoption of CSD and improved maize varieties on child stunting; per capita consumption of calories, protein, and iron; and dietary diversity. The greatest impact was achieved when farmers adopted CSD and improved maize varieties jointly rather than individually. Our results are a validation of the need to strengthen smallholder diversification in the face of subsistence production and limited access to food markets. In these scenarios, production of a diversified crop portfolio among low-income rural families should be encouraged, given the limited opportunities for specialization and constrained access to diversified diets through local food markets. Howerver, in the long run, market access to diverse food types is likely to provide more sustainable diet diversification and nutrition. Acknowledgement : We would like to acknowledge the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment of the Consulttaive Group on International Agricutural Research (CGIAR) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) [grant number CSE/2009/024 and FSC/2012/024] through the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT)-led Sustainable Intensification of Maize-Legume Cropping Systems in Eastern and Southern Africa (SIMLESA) and Adoption Pathways Projects. We also wish to thank the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research Programs (CRP) on maize (CRP MAIZE).The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any of the organizations that funded this study nor those of CIMMYT.

Keywords: Crop; Production/Industries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr and nep-dev
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:iaae18:277170

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.277170

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