This book investigates the relationships between economies of scale in food consumption and a number of socio-economic and demographic characteristics of households and household behavioural choices since food is the major share of household expenditure for poor households. The characteristics considered comprise household size, location, income, and gender of the head of household while the behavioural choices considered comprise the decision to consume home-grown food and the decision to adopt domestic technology to aid food preparation and consumption.
The book proposes two theoretical models to rationalize the role of the consumption of home-grown food and the adoption of domestic technology in enhancing economies of scale in food consumption. Econometric models are also used to empirically test the validity of the two theoretical models while adjusted poverty estimations are derived numerically using the estimated equivalence scales. Although data used in applying these techniques are based on four Household Income and Expenditure Surveys conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) in Sri Lanka, the methodology can be used for similar analysis in relation to any other country.
Author(s): Maneka Jayasinghe
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 347
City: Singapore
Acknowledgements
Technical Notes
Contents
About the Author
Abbreviations
List of Figures
List of Tables
1 Introduction
1.1 An Overview
1.2 A Preview of the Book
2 Consumption Economies of Scale and Implications on Poverty Measurements
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Consumption Economies of Scale
2.2.1 Joint Consumption of Public Goods
2.2.2 Bulk Purchases
2.2.3 Increasing Returns to Scale in Home Production
2.3 Equivalence Scales
2.3.1 Engel Method
2.3.2 Engel Method: Theoretical Foundation
2.3.3 Estimation of Engel Equivalence Scales
2.4 Implications on Poverty Measurements
2.4.1 Choosing the Monetary Indicators of Poverty
2.4.2 Choosing Poverty Lines and Measurements
2.4.3 Implications of Economies of Scale
2.5 Concluding Remarks
References
3 Socio-economic and Demographic Characteristics of Sri Lankan Households
3.1 Introduction
3.2 An Overview of Sri Lanka
3.3 Data—Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES)
3.3.1 Demographic Characteristics
3.3.2 Household Expenditure
3.3.3 Poverty Status
3.4 Concluding Remarks
References
4 Food Security, Home-Grown Food Consumption and Economies of Scale
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Review of Literature
4.3 A Theoretical Model of Economies of Scale
4.4 Data: Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES), 2016
4.5 Empirical Methodology
4.5.1 Economies of Scale in Home-Grown and Market-Purchased Food Consumption: Model Specification
4.5.2 Link Between Home-Grown Food Consumption and Per Capita Calorie Intake
4.6 Results and Discussion
4.6.1 Economies of Scale in Home-Grown and Purchased Food Consumption
4.6.2 Link Between Home-Grown Food Consumption and Per Capita Calorie Intake
4.7 Implications of Home-Grown Food Consumption on Food Security
4.8 Concluding Remarks and Policy Implications
References
5 Access to Electricity, Technology Adoption and Consumption Economies of Scale
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Review of Literature
5.3 Theoretical Model
5.4 Data: Household Income and Expenditure Survey HIES (2016)
5.5 Empirical Methodology
5.5.1 Effects of Technology on Food Consumption Economies of Scale
5.5.2 Effects of Household Electrification on Food Consumption Economies of Scale
5.5.3 Impact on Poverty Measurements
5.6 Results and Discussion
5.6.1 Effects of Technology on Food Consumption Economies of Scale
5.6.2 Effects of Household Electrification on Food Consumption Economies of Scale
5.6.3 Impact on Poverty Measurement
5.7 Concluding Remarks and Policy Implications
References
6 Gender, Economies of Scale and Poverty
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Review of Literature
6.3 Data and Methodology
6.3.1 Data: Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2016
6.4 Results and Discussion
6.4.1 Food Consumption Economies of Scale
6.4.2 Implications on Poverty Measurements
6.5 Concluding Remarks
References
7 Conclusion and Policy Implications
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Summary of the Main Findings and Policy Implications
7.2.1 How Does the Household Choice to Consume Home-Grown Food Affect Food Consumption Economies of Scale and Enhance Food Security? (R.Q.1)
7.2.2 How Does the Domestic Technology Adoption and Household Electricity Access Affect Food Consumption Economies of Scale? (R.Q.2)
7.2.3 Do Food Consumption Economies of Scale Vary by the Gender of the Head of the Household? (R.Q.3)
7.2.4 How Do the Food Consumption Economies of Scale Affect the Poverty Measurements? (R.Q.4)
7.3 Limitations and Future Research
References
Author Index
Subject Index
