Crop diversification and child malnutrition in rural Ethiopia: Impacts and Pathways

Abstract

There is a resurgence of interest in crop diversification as a strategy to deal with a variety of issues including malnutrition in the context of a changing climate and poorly developed markets. However, the empirical evidence base to justify this policy position is thin. This research seeks to contribute to the growing literature and the policy discourse by providing empirical evidence on the impact of crop diversification on child growth using panel survey data combined with historical weather data. The study finds that crop diversification has a positive but small impact on child growth. Results from heterogeneous effects analysis show that the positive effects are more pronounced in areas with limited access to markets. The study demonstrates that the positive child growth effects of crop diversification could be mediated through its positive impacts on household diet diversity, diet quality, and income.