Hidden Hunger in the Data: Household-Level Shocks and the Measurement of Food Insecurity in Rural Nigeria
(2026) EKHS42 20261Department of Economic History
- Abstract
- This thesis examines whether household-level idiosyncratic shocks are associated with food insecurity among rural Nigerian households, and whether this association is more visible in experience-based indicators than in consumption-based outcomes. Using Wave 4 of the Nigeria General Household Survey-Panel, the analysis focuses on 3,383 rural households and estimates conditional associations between exposure to idiosyncratic shocks and several food-related outcomes. The results show that households exposed to idiosyncratic shocks report significantly worse food insecurity, including higher values on an eight-item food insecurity index, a higher probability of severe food insecurity, and a higher incidence of food insufficiency. In contrast,... (More)
- This thesis examines whether household-level idiosyncratic shocks are associated with food insecurity among rural Nigerian households, and whether this association is more visible in experience-based indicators than in consumption-based outcomes. Using Wave 4 of the Nigeria General Household Survey-Panel, the analysis focuses on 3,383 rural households and estimates conditional associations between exposure to idiosyncratic shocks and several food-related outcomes. The results show that households exposed to idiosyncratic shocks report significantly worse food insecurity, including higher values on an eight-item food insecurity index, a higher probability of severe food insecurity, and a higher incidence of food insufficiency. In contrast, the same shocks are not systematically associated with real per capita food consumption, overall food-group variety, purchased variety, own-production share, or dietary diversification. The only consumption-related outcome showing a clear association is the number of food groups obtained from own production. The association between shocks and food insecurity also appears stronger among households lacking favourable housing amenities, suggesting that material vulnerability may amplify food hardship following adverse events. Overall, the findings suggest that experience-based measures capture dimensions of food hardship that may remain hidden in aggregate consumption indicators. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9248201
- author
- Erculei, Federico LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- EKHS42 20261
- year
- 2026
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- language
- English
- id
- 9248201
- date added to LUP
- 2026-09-07 13:55:06
- date last changed
- 2026-09-07 13:55:06
@misc{9248201,
abstract = {{This thesis examines whether household-level idiosyncratic shocks are associated with food insecurity among rural Nigerian households, and whether this association is more visible in experience-based indicators than in consumption-based outcomes. Using Wave 4 of the Nigeria General Household Survey-Panel, the analysis focuses on 3,383 rural households and estimates conditional associations between exposure to idiosyncratic shocks and several food-related outcomes. The results show that households exposed to idiosyncratic shocks report significantly worse food insecurity, including higher values on an eight-item food insecurity index, a higher probability of severe food insecurity, and a higher incidence of food insufficiency. In contrast, the same shocks are not systematically associated with real per capita food consumption, overall food-group variety, purchased variety, own-production share, or dietary diversification. The only consumption-related outcome showing a clear association is the number of food groups obtained from own production. The association between shocks and food insecurity also appears stronger among households lacking favourable housing amenities, suggesting that material vulnerability may amplify food hardship following adverse events. Overall, the findings suggest that experience-based measures capture dimensions of food hardship that may remain hidden in aggregate consumption indicators.}},
author = {{Erculei, Federico}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Hidden Hunger in the Data: Household-Level Shocks and the Measurement of Food Insecurity in Rural Nigeria}},
year = {{2026}},
}