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Can food availability influence economic growth - the case of African countries

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  • Mary Oluwatoyin AGBOOLA

    (Economics Department, Faculty of Business and Economics, Eastern Mediterranean University, Gazimagusa, Turkey)

  • Mehmet BALCILAR

    (Economics Department, Faculty of Business and Economics, Eastern Mediterranean University, Gazimagusa, Turkey)

Abstract

There is a growing consensus that food security is vital to the general wellbeing of any economy, but a far less consensus on whether food security can spur economic growth in a country. Many economic growth strategies focus on specific interventions (trade openness index, tropical climatic variables, working age population share etc.), but many factors, such as food availability, female education and health outcomes, can potentially have a profound influence on economic growth. To explore this hypothesis more systematically, this paper employs a rich cross-country dataset of 124 countries to examine the impact of food security, using food availability as a proxy on economic growth. This paper examines the impact of food shortages on African economic growth rates. It does so by extending the Barro growth model to include food availability as a right hand-side variable and by distinguishing African countries with food shortages from others. Based on the cross-country regressions results, the paper concludes that the improved food availability indeed contributes to the improved economic growth in general, as well as in Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Mary Oluwatoyin AGBOOLA & Mehmet BALCILAR, 2014. "Can food availability influence economic growth - the case of African countries," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 60(5), pages 232-245.
    • Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:60:y:2014:i:5:id:95-2013-agricecon
    DOI: 10.17221/95/2013-AGRICECON
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    2. Gbolahan Olowu & Godwin Olasehinde-Williams & Murad Bein, 2019. "Does financial and agriculture sector development reduce unemployment rates? Evidence from Southern African countries," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 65(5), pages 223-231.

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