Migration and nutrition of the left behind: Evidence from Ghana

Adrien Gosselin-Pali

World Development, 2025, vol. 188, issue C

Abstract: This paper investigates the effect of migration on the nutritional outcomes of the left behind—individuals who previously co-resided with a migrant. Utilizing longitudinal data from Ghana and employing a combination of kernel matching and difference-in-differences, I find that internal migration negatively impacts the nutritional status of left-behind individuals, particularly children. Although remittances do not reliably offset these negative effects, they can potentially contribute to improved outcomes for left-behind children in the long run. The primary channel driving the adverse nutritional impact on left-behind children is the short-term disruptive effect caused by migration, which may lead to a negative income shock. This shock could have lasting consequences for children’s growth trajectories.

Keywords: Migration; Nutrition; Left-behind; Ghana (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I14 I15 J61 O12 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:188:y:2025:i:c:s0305750x24003231

DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2024.106853

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