Cross-Sectional Analysis of Household Food Demand in Estuaire Gabon: A Near-Ideal Quadratic Demand System Approach

Charlene Ignanga, Yu Chen, Yining Zhao, Heguang Liu () and Wen Yu
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Charlene Ignanga: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Yu Chen: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Yining Zhao: Sunwah International Business School, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110136, China
Heguang Liu: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Wen Yu: Agricultural Information Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-14

Abstract: Gabon depends heavily on food imports to safeguard its food security; yet household food consumption patterns remain underexplored. This study investigates the structure of food demand in the Estuaire region, incorporating demographic determinants such as the age of the household head, household size, youth proportion, and residential distance from shopping centers. Using primary data collected from a randomized survey of 410 households, the analysis employs the Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (QUAIDS) model to estimate expenditure and price elasticities. The results indicate that expenditure elasticities are universally positive, with luxury items, including meat, eggs, and fish, exhibiting greater sensitivity compared to staple foods such as poultry, oil, rice, cassava, and bananas, which display inelastic demand. Price elasticities for meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and rice are negative, adhering to the law of demand. Demographic factors, including education, age, and residential location, significantly influence the consumption of meat, cassava, bananas, and oil. Household size, employment type, and youth composition also emerge as critical determinants of increased demand for poultry, fish, and rice. These findings offer policy-relevant insights to strengthen food security and address socioeconomic disparities.

Keywords: food demand system; non-parametric; elasticity; QUAIDS; Estuaire; Gabon (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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