Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

The impact of Niger food imports and food aid on domestic food production: Co-integration and vector error correction approaches

Author(s):

Seydou Zakari, Liu Ying *

Recieved Date: 2013-05-10, Accepted Date: 2013-10-02

Abstract:

Maintaining food availability at national and household level is a major priority for Niger and for many developing countries. Past experiences have shown that Niger is affected by severe food insecurity as result of poor performance of agriculture to produce enough to meet population needs. Food availability can be achieved by a combination of domestic supplies, imports and food aid. It is important, therefore, to understand the relationship between these three variables to assure food security in the long run. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact Niger imports and food aid on grain production. Co-integration and vector error correction techniques were used in establishing this relationship. The study revealed that both the coefficients of food import and food aid have no significant effect on Niger domestic production in their long-run relationship. In the short-run, we found that production has significant negative impact on food aid. Similarly, food aid is found to have a positive effect on food import and statistically significant at 1% level. The causality analysis found that there is unidirectional causality running from production to food aid flow and to food import. Low production periods are normally followed by high emergency food aid flow to recipient country. As the majority of Niger population depends on local production, thus, addressing constraints to the sector through investment in irrigation, research, extension services and adequate input supply to enhance domestic production and to reduce the food gap currently being met through import and food aid flow.

Keywords:

Niger, production, import, food aid, VEC model, co-integration

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2013
Volume: 11
Issue: 3&4
Category: Food and Health
Pages: 75-80

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