Impact of food availability on child mortality: a cross country comparative analysis

Abstract

The study examined the impact of food security on child mortality (infant mortality and under-five mortality), using a dynamic panel data analysis for 114 countries for the period 1995–2009 by considering a wide range of controlled variables such as income, social indicators and policy variables. The result suggests that food security has a negative impact on child mortality for all countries and even more impact on child mortality within the food insecure African countries. Therefore, based on the findings of the study; it is recommended that an increase in food security is indeed a positive policy option, particularly within the food insecure African countries, since it ensures a decrease in child mortality within these countries.