Explaining Food Insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Role of Governance and Institutions

The burgeoning literature on global food (in)security suggests that sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is lagging the rest of the world despite a period of decline in the prevalence of severe undernourishment. Using panel data covering 34 countries in the region for the period 2000 to 2015, this study examined the correlates and causes of food insecurity in SSA with emphasis on the role of domestic food production, governance, and institutions. The report also provides evidence on the mediating role of governance by examining how the quality of governance and institutions influence the effectiveness of domestic food production on food insecurity in the region. The POLICY BRIEF Explaining Food Insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Role of Governance and Institutions Dede Gafa and Daniel Chachu October 2023 / No.797 2 Policy Brief No.797 paper uses an instrumental variable strategy. The findings suggest that domestic food production and improvements in governance quality, measured by economic freedom and government effectiveness, are fundamental drivers of food security in SSA. We also found that improving the quality of governance would enable countries to better translate domestic food production to reductions in the depth of food deficit and the prevalence of undernourishment. Nonetheless, in the absence of adequate domestic food production, governance reforms alone would be impotent in fostering food security in SSA. The paper further suggests that finding the right balance between State interventionism and market oriented policy reforms is essential to promote food security among African countries