Food Security during the COVID-19 Pandemic: the Impact of a Rural Development Program and Neighbourhood Spillover Effect in the Solomon Islands

29 Pages Posted: 16 Dec 2022

See all articles by Leonardo Becchetti

Leonardo Becchetti

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Faculty of Economics

Sara Mancini

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Department of Economics and Finance

Sara Savastano

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Faculty of Economics; International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); World Bank

Date Written: December 15, 2022

Abstract

We examine differences in food security indicators between (rural development program) treated and untreated farmers in the Solomon Islands in the COVID-19 post-treatment period. Our findings show that treated farmers report significantly lower nutrition problems in the pandemic period. We as well consider that the project in its components (building local infrastructure, transmitting knowledge and competences and providing links and easier access to business partners) can produce positive spillovers in terms of externalities to control farmers in proportion to their geographical proximity to treatment farmers. Our findings are consistent with this hypothesis since the majority of treatment nutrition score outcomes are enhanced when controlling for spillover effects.

Keywords: rural development, nutrition

JEL Classification: I31; Q18.

Suggested Citation

Becchetti, Leonardo and Mancini, Sara and Savastano, Sara and Savastano, Sara, Food Security during the COVID-19 Pandemic: the Impact of a Rural Development Program and Neighbourhood Spillover Effect in the Solomon Islands (December 15, 2022). CEIS Working Paper No. 545, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4304191 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4304191

Leonardo Becchetti (Contact Author)

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Faculty of Economics ( email )

Via Columbia, 2
I-00133 Rome
Italy

Sara Mancini

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Department of Economics and Finance ( email )

Via columbia 2
Rome, Rome 00123
Italy

Sara Savastano

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Faculty of Economics ( email )

Via di Tor Vergata
Rome, Lazio 00133
Italy
+390672595639 (Phone)

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) ( email )

Via Paolo di Dono
Rome, 00142
Italy

World Bank

1818 H Street NW
MSN3-311
Washington, DC 20433
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
37
Abstract Views
299
PlumX Metrics