The purpose of this study is to assess the potential of clustering in the development of agriculture and rural communities in China. We shall examine in detail the food industry, which is the link in the food chain that propels the industrialization of agriculture, and identify instances of...

Vitamin A deficiency is a major health problem in Africa and in many other developing countries. Biofortified staple crops that are high in pro vitamins A and adapted to local growing environment have the potential to reduce the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency. One such example is the...

This paper addresses an important but not widely investigated question of how calorie consumption in African low income households would respond to intra-household redistribution of income from men to women. Specifically, I use survey data on a sample of 480 households from semi-rural areas of...

This paper examines women’s and men’s decisions to participate in physical activity and to attain a healthy weight. These outcomes are hypothesized to be related to prices of food, drink and health care services and products, the respondent’s personal characteristics (such as education,...

Although it is known that access to physical infrastructure enhances household welfare, there are hardly any micro-econometric studies that analyze the role of infrastructure in mitigating chronic and transient poverty. This paper aims to bridge this gap in the existing literature by evaluating...

Food systems in developing countries are undergoing a profound transformation characterized by the emergence and expansion of modern retailers and integrated supply chains. Appropriate policies are needed to guide this transformation, presupposing a good understanding of consumer preferences. We...

Drawing on the Big Middle theory of retail evolution, an analysis of primary survey data on Thai shopping behavior seeks to understand the relative satisfaction of consumers with wet markets and supermarkets, identifying the factors that affect frequency of visit to, and purchase behavior...

The study examines the least-cost option of conserving landraces in-situ by the development of market friction instruments. The empirical examination is comprised of two closely-related studies on eggplant production and consumption sectors of India. An examination of the cost and return...

Consumer concerns regarding food safety can have substantial impacts on their consumption patterns. Thus, understanding consumer response to food safety information is important for quantifying consumer response to food safety events, predicting market impacts, and developing appropriate risk...

The recent rise in food prices has increased the concern about the choice of a healthy food basket, especially in the context of the discussion around the formulation of a National Food Policy for Scotland. This concern has brought back the interest in the price and expenditure demand systems as...