Comparative Effects of Food Supply Chain Performance on Unemployment Between Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to compare the contribution of food supply chain performance to reduce unemployment between some SSA countries. The study adopts the food demand system AIDS method and adapts it to run demand and supply elasticities of food. These elasticities combine to provide the performance variables of food supply chain and their aggregation through a simple arithmetic mean generates the performance indicator of food supply chain. Using a panel data analysis, we regress unemployment with food supply chain from year 2000 to 2019. Results present food supply chain as a great instrument for both unemployment reduction and increase. First, food supply chain performance reduces unemployment in most SSA countries significantly. Second, populations density, growth, and labour force also reduce unemployment significantly in most SSA countries. Third, the contribution of political stability, food production, mobile phone subscription, and basic sanitation services are very strategic and may contribute positively to reduce unemployment if their understanding and orientations are well managed.