Nutritional implications of the demand for food in Nigeria

Abstract

This study determines the influence of price and income changes on the availability of food nutrients to Nigerian households segmented by location of residence. Demand elasticities were obtained. The nutritional effects of changes arising from changes in income and prices were computed using both the AIDS model and a nutrient availability measure developed by Huang. The findings show that maize and guinea corn are the foods that have the greatest implications for the nutrient status of households resident in rural areas. Increasing the prices of these food items by one per cent would lead to reduced intake of some nutrients by as much as 50 per cent. Households resident in urban areas would have their nutritional status most affected by increases in the prices of beans and maize. The analytical technique provides a veritable means to explore the probable effect
of government agricultural and food policy on the populace.

Keywords: Food demand,Almost IdealDemandSystem, Urban, Nigeria

Agrosearch Vol. 8 (1&2) 2006: pp. 35-46