Agricultural Commercialisation and Nutrition in Smallholder Farm Households
研究了小农户农业商业化对家庭食品安全和膳食质量的影响，发现商业化显著改善热量、锌和铁摄入，但对维生素A无显著影响，且主要通过提高收入和增加购买食品的营养摄入实现。
Abstract Commercialisation of smallholder agriculture is important for rural economic growth. While previous studies have analysed effects of commercialisation on productivity and income, implications for farm household nutrition have received much less attention. We evaluate the effects of commercialisation on household food security and dietary quality with a special focus on calorie and micronutrient consumption. We also examine transmission channels by looking at the role of income, gender, and possible substitution effects between the consumption of own‐produced and purchased foods. The analysis uses survey data from farm households in Kenya and a control function approach. Generalised propensity scores are employed to estimate continuous treatment effects. Commercialisation significantly improves food security and dietary quality in terms of calorie, zinc and iron consumption. For vitamin A, effects are insignificant. Commercialisation contributes to higher incomes and increased nutrients from purchased foods, but it does not reduce the consumption of nutrients from own‐produced foods. Enhancing market access is important not only for rural economic growth, but also for making smallholder agriculture more nutrition‐sensitive.