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The Demand for Calories in Developing Countries
Author(s) -
Knudsen Odin K.,
Scandizzo Pasquale L.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
american journal of agricultural economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.949
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1467-8276
pISSN - 0002-9092
DOI - 10.2307/1241175
Subject(s) - calorie , economics , redistribution (election) , developing country , redistribution of income and wealth , population , population growth , demographic economics , agricultural economics , microeconomics , economic growth , demography , biology , public good , sociology , politics , political science , law , endocrinology
This paper employs characteristic demand theory to estimate demand functions for calories for a set of developing countries and to investigate the potential impact of income growth, redistribution, and price changes on alleviating underconsumption of calories. The analysis finds that, although calorie elasticities with respect to income are substantial for the poorer consumers, income growth above historical rates is required for the food needs of the entire population to be satisfied within the next fifteen years, even if calorie prices remain constant and income distribution does not become more unequal.