IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i4p1945-d497685.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Impact of Water-Related Pollution on Food Systems in Transition: The Case of Northern Vietnam

Author

Listed:
  • Vincent Linderhof

    (Wageningen Economic Research, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 29703, 2502 LS The Hague, The Netherlands)

  • Marieke Meeske

    (Oxfam Novib, 2514 HD The Hague, The Netherlands)

  • Vasco Diogo

    (Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland)

  • Anne Sonneveld

    (Wageningen Economic Research, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 29703, 2502 LS The Hague, The Netherlands)

Abstract

In Vietnam, agricultural practices such as fertilizer and pesticide use affect the landscape as well as the availability and safety of food. For instance, pesticides and fertilizer end up in surface water used for drinking water, crop irrigation, and in fish tanks. However, the link to actual food consumption and health is complex and information is lacking. This study considers potential water-related exposure to toxic hazards in northern Vietnam food systems, through the consumption of food commodities and of water. Water pollution is operationalized by considering the following two channels: (i) pesticide and nutrient leaching to surface water (share of surface water) and (ii) industrial runoff from facilities located in urban areas (share of urban areas). We explore how potential exposure to toxic hazard is related to food consumption choices. Using a sample of the Vietnam Household Living Standard Survey (VHLSS) for 2014, we estimate how shares of food consumption categories in total food consumption are affected by household and landscape characteristics, the latter also reflecting potential environmental pressures. In districts with higher shares of surface water, the share of fish consumption is higher and the share of meat consumption is lower. From an environmental and health perspective, households in water-rich areas thus may have a higher probability of being exposed to toxic chemicals due to higher fish consumption. In districts with higher shares of urban areas, the shares of meat and cereals in total food consumption value were lower, and the shares of fish and fruit and vegetables were higher. The results indicate that food consumption is affected by landscape characteristics that may also influence the level of exposure to water-related environmental pressures, and that this combined effect may potentially exacerbate food safety and health risks. The actual impact is more complex and should be analyzed with more sophisticated data and methods.

Suggested Citation

  • Vincent Linderhof & Marieke Meeske & Vasco Diogo & Anne Sonneveld, 2021. "The Impact of Water-Related Pollution on Food Systems in Transition: The Case of Northern Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-23, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:1945-:d:497685
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/4/1945/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/4/1945/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Agbola, Frank W., 2000. "Estimating The Demand For Food And Non-Food Items Using An Almost Ideal Demand System Modelling Approach," 2000 Conference (44th), January 23-25, 2000, Sydney, Australia 123589, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    2. Phuong, Nguyen Van & Cuong, Tran Huu & Mergenthaler, Marcus, 2014. "Effects of Socio-economic and Demographic Variables on Meat Consumption in Vietnam," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, Asian Economic and Social Society (AESS), vol. 4(01), pages 1-16, January.
    3. Rulof Petrus Burger & Lodewicus Charl Coetzee & Carl Friedrich Kreuser & Neil Andrew Rankin, 2017. "Income and Price Elasticities of Demand in South Africa: An Application of the Linear Expenditure System," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 85(4), pages 491-514, December.
    4. Pham Thai Hung & Bui Anh Tuan & Nguyen The Chinh, 2016. "The Impact of Trade Liberalization on Industrial Pollution: Empirical Evidence from Vietnam," EEPSEA Policy Brief pb2016042, Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA), revised Apr 2016.
    5. Nguyen Van Phuong & Tran Huu Cuong & Marcus Mergenthaler, 2014. "Effects of Socio-economic and Demographic Variables on Meat Consumption in Vietnam," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 4(1), pages 7-22.
    6. Le Quang Thong & Nguyen Anh Ngoc, 2004. "Incentives for Wastewater Management in Industrial Estates in Vietnam," EEPSEA Research Report rr2004084, Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA), revised Aug 2004.
    7. Pham Thai Hung & Bui Anh Tuan & Nguyen The Chinh, 2016. "The Impact of Trade Liberalization on Industrial Pollution: Empirical Evidence from Vietnam," EEPSEA Research Report rr2016042, Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA), revised Apr 2016.
    8. Akinleye, S.O. & Rahji, M.A.Y., 2007. "Nutrient elasticities among Nigerian households differentiated by income," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 46(2), pages 1-15, June.
    9. Deaton,Angus & Muellbauer,John, 1980. "Economics and Consumer Behavior," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521296762, October.
    10. Nguyen, Van Phuong & Mergenthaler, Marcus, 2013. "Meat consumption patterns in Vietnam: effects of household characteristics on pork and poultry consumption," 53rd Annual Conference, Berlin, Germany, September 25-27, 2013 156223, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zorica Sovrlić & Snežana Tošić & Renata Kovačević & Violeta Jovanović & Vesna Krstić, 2022. "The Importance of Measuring Arsenic in Honey, Water, and PM 10 for Food Safety as an Environmental Study: Experience from the Mining and Metallurgical Districts of Bor, Serbia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-15, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nirmali, S.A.N & Edirisinghe, J.C, 2010. "Food Demand Elasticities, Price Changes and Calorie Availability of Households in the Western Province of Sri Lanka," Sri Lankan Journal of Agricultural Economics, Sri Lanka Agricultural Economics Association (SAEA), vol. 12, pages 1-13.
    2. Nelson Manolo Chávez Munoz, Omaira Dayana Velázquez Mantilla, Mauricio Alejandro Mateus Tovar, 2011. "Cambios estructurales en la participación laboral en Colombia desde 1984 - 2008: un análisis econométrico del mercado laboral urbano para la generación de políticas de empleo," Revista CIFE, Universidad Santo Tomás, June.
    3. Teklewold, Hailemariam, 2011. "Farming or burning? shadow prices and farmer’s impatience on the allocation of multi-purpose resource in the mixed farming system of Ethiopia," 2011 International Congress, August 30-September 2, 2011, Zurich, Switzerland 116080, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    4. J. K. Pappalardo, 2022. "Economics of Consumer Protection: Contributions and Challenges in Estimating Consumer Injury and Evaluating Consumer Protection Policy," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 201-238, June.
    5. Rajeev K. Goel & Shoji Haruna, 2021. "Unmasking the demand for masks: Analytics of mandating coronavirus masks," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(3), pages 580-591, July.
    6. Angela Daley & Thesia I. Garner & Shelley Phipps & Eva Sierminska, 2020. "Differences across Place and Time in Household Expenditure Patterns: Implications for the Estimation of Equivalence Scales," Economic Working Papers 520, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    7. T.R.L. Fry & R.D. Brooks & Br. Comley & J. Zhang, 1993. "Economic Motivations for Limited Dependent and Qualitative Variable Models," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 69(2), pages 193-205, June.
    8. Lee, Jonq-Ying & Brown, Mark G. & Schwartz, Brooke, 1986. "The Demand For National Brand And Private Label Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice: A Switching Regression Analysis," Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 11(1), pages 1-7, July.
    9. Marie-Estelle Binet, 2013. "The Linear Expenditure System and the Demand for Municipal Public Services: The Median Voter Specification Revisited," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(9), pages 1689-1703, July.
    10. Redding, Stephen J. & Weinstein, David E., 2016. "A unified approach to estimating demand and welfare," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 67681, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    11. Richard Chisik & Nazanin Behzadan & Harun Onder & Apurva Sanghi, 2016. "Aid, Remittances, the Dutch Disease, Refugees, and Kenya," Working Papers 062, Toronto Metropolitan University, Department of Economics.
    12. Meyer, Ina & Kaniovski, Serguei & Scheffran, Jürgen, 2012. "Scenarios for regional passenger car fleets and their CO2 emissions," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 66-74.
    13. Bowker, James Michael & Starbuck, C. Meghan & English, Donald B.K. & Bergstrom, John C. & Rosenberger, Randall S. & McCollum, Daniel W., 2009. "Estimating the Net Economic Value of National Forest Recreation: An Application of the National Visitor Use Monitoring Database," Faculty Series 59603, University of Georgia, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    14. Hirte, Georg & Tscharaktschiew, Stefan, 2018. "The impact of anti-congestion policies and the role of labor-supply margins," CEPIE Working Papers 04/18, Technische Universität Dresden, Center of Public and International Economics (CEPIE).
    15. Huffman, Wallace, 2004. "Marketizing U.S. Production in the Post-War Era: Implications for Estimating CPI Bias and Real Income from a Complete-Household-Demand System," Staff General Research Papers Archive 11987, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    16. Margaret Chitiga‐Mabugu & Martin Henseler & Ramos Mabugu & Hélène Maisonnave, 2021. "Economic and Distributional Impact of COVID‐19: Evidence from Macro‐Micro Modelling of the South African Economy," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 89(1), pages 82-94, March.
    17. Brito Paulo & Marini Giancarlo & Piergallini Alessandro, 2016. "House prices and monetary policy," Studies in Nonlinear Dynamics & Econometrics, De Gruyter, vol. 20(3), pages 251-277, June.
    18. Kim, H. Youn, 2017. "The permanent income hypothesis, transitional dynamics, and excess sensitivity of consumption," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 10-25.
    19. Ugo Colombino & Nizamul Islam, 2021. "Combining microsimulation and optimization to identify optimal universalistic tax-transfer rule," LISER Working Paper Series 2021-06, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER).
    20. Smith, Lisa C. & Chavas, Jean-Paul, 1999. "Supply response of West African agricultural households," FCND discussion papers 69, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:1945-:d:497685. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.