Policies Aimed at Demographic Causes of Undernutrition

1. Policies Aimed at Demographic Causes of Undernutrition Text extracted from: The World Food Problem Leathers & Foster, 2004 http://www.lastfirst.net/images/product/R004548.jpg

2. Reduced Population Growth results in more food per person • A successful policy to reduce population growth • Will result in lower food prices • And lower food quantity • But the drop in population growth • Reduces demand more than the drop in food quantity • Thus food availability per person increases http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/books/gfp/globalfoodprojections2020_graph05.jpg

3. Rapid Population Growth • Problems: • Prices Increase • Education more difficult • Capital/person drops • Inequity increases • All increase undernutrition • Children hurt most • Thus reducing family size important • Need to speed up demographic transition http://www.populationaction.org/resources/factsheets/factsheet30.htm

4. How to hasten demographic transition • Increase income • But initially may have more children • Pensions mean: need to have fewer children • Increase Education • Especially of women • Increases employment • Increases family planning • Increase Health Care • Reduces infant mortality • Thus need to have fewer children

5. Pronatalist Public Policy • Old policies that promote having children • When many children died from • Wars • Famines • Infectious Diseases • Common throughout world • Tax Deductions • Unlimited subsidized maternity leave • Child care subsidies • Need new policies to favor small families http://www.geocities.com/heartland/park/5876/guadtaylorgarcia.jpg

6. Incentives for small families • Tea Estates, India • Maternity and child benefits paid by Tea Estate • But mothers receive retirement for each month do not have children • Retirement account is charged if have 3 or more children • To pay for maternity and child benefits http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39537000/jpg/_39537645_teagarden203.jpg

7. Disincentives for large families • China one child policy • if sign contract to have only one child • Receive Glory Certificate • Priority child care • Priority medical care • Priority admission to schools • Increased income • Larger housing • If have 2 kids • Must return benefits • Income reduced • If have 3 kids • Increased sanctions http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/755000/images/_755525_child150.jpg

8. Population projection for China http://trak.in/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/windowslivewriterindiaandchinathedifferenceinpopulationgr-6d9india-overtakes-china-in-population10.png

9. Fertility Rates • Higher marriage age • Fertility reduced 1.4 child • Increased contraception use • Fertility reduced 4.5 child • Induced abortion • Fertility reduced .5 child • Reduced breast feeding • Fertility increased 1.5 child Contraceptive use, Cambodia http://www.prb.org/Template.cfm?Section=PRB&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=8690

10. Family Planning • Many women want to limit their family • May have limited access to family planning Desire for children among married women, Cambodia http://www.prb.org/Template.cfm?Section=PRB&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=8690