Effects of technological change in agriculture on food consumption and nutrition: Rice in a West African setting

This paper traces the effects of technological change in agriculture to production and income effects, and to consumption and nutritional effects. The study environment is West Africa (The Gambia). The technological change considered is various new modes of rice production versus traditional rice production. Main findings of this empirical analysis are the following. (1) It cannot be assumed that by focusing investment on a ‘woman's crop’, one helps women farmers. The more a new technology increased labor productivity in rice, the more there was a takeover of the rice production technology by male producers, and the more the crop became a ‘communal’ crop for household food security. Household income increased substantially. (2) Much of the increased income is spent on increased calorie consumption. It makes no difference for the degree of change in calorie consumption levels if change in real income is in the form of cash or subsistence food. (3) Technological change effects mediated through income are traced to increased food consumption (calories) at the household level where it is found to significantly improve children's nutritional status, especially in the ‘rainy’ season.