Micronutrient Deprivation and Poverty Nutrition Trap in Rural India

39 Pages Posted: 10 May 2006

See all articles by Raghbendra Jha

Raghbendra Jha

Australian National University (ANU) - Australia South Asia Research Centre (ASARC); Crawford School of Public Policy

Raghav Gaiha

University of Delhi - Department of Economics; Australian National University (ANU)

Anurag Sharma

Monash University - Centre for Health Economics

Date Written: May 2006

Abstract

We test for the existence of a Poverty Nutrition Trap (PNT) in the case of calories and four important micronutrients — carotene, iron, riboflavin, and thiamine- for three categories of wages: sowing, harvesting, and other for male and female workers separately. We use household level national data for rural India for the period January to June 1994 and robust sample selection procedures due to Heckman to arrive at consistent and efficient estimates. It is discovered that the PNT exists in ten cases. It exists for calories for female harvesting and sowing wages. In the case of carotene male workers engaged in harvesting are subject to the PNT, whereas both male and female workers engaged in harvesting are subject to PNT in the case of iron. In the case of riboflavin female workers engaged in harvesting and sowing and male workers engaged in harvesting are subject to PNT, and, in the case of thiamine, female workers engaged in harvesting and sowing are subject to PNT. Thus micronutrient deficiency is pervasive and has a significant impact on labour productivity of agricultural workers in rural India. In particular, female workers are more prone to PNT than male workers.

Keywords: Micronutrient deprivation, Poverty Nutrition Trap, Heckman Models

JEL Classification: C34, I32, J21, J43

Suggested Citation

Jha, Raghbendra and Gaiha, Raghav and Sharma, Anurag, Micronutrient Deprivation and Poverty Nutrition Trap in Rural India (May 2006). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=900283 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.900283

Raghbendra Jha (Contact Author)

Australian National University (ANU) - Australia South Asia Research Centre (ASARC) ( email )

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200
Australia
+61 2 6125 2683 (Phone)
+61 2 6125 0443 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://crawford.anu.edu.au/crawford_people/content/staff/acde/rjha.php

Crawford School of Public Policy

ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
J.G. Crawford Building, #132, Lennox Crossing
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200
Australia

Raghav Gaiha

University of Delhi - Department of Economics ( email )

Delhi-110007
India

Australian National University (ANU) ( email )

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601
Australia

Anurag Sharma

Monash University - Centre for Health Economics ( email )

Building 75
Clayton
Melbourne, VIC 3800
Australia
61 3 99050519 (Phone)

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