Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on food insecurity in Indonesian households

Abstract

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected access to adequate and nutritious food, resulting in hunger, malnutrition and increased food insecurity. The purpose of this study was to identify the households in Indonesia that were most likely to experience the pandemic's effects.Design/methodology/approachUsing raw data from nationwide Indonesian household socioeconomic and expenditure surveys (SUSENAS 2020 and SUSENAS 2021), food insecurity was measured using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). A multinomial logistic regression model was used to analyze the data.FindingsThe prevalence of mild, moderate and severe food insecurity increased from 20.61% to 21.67% and from 1.28% to 1.37%, respectively, between 2020 (the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic) and 2021 (the period during which the infection rapidly spread nationwide). The estimation results of the multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated that urban households, which may have had more difficulties with income generation and access to food due to behavioral constraints, were more likely to be affected by the pandemic. Additionally, economically vulnerable poor households, households with low levels of education or unemployed heads were more likely to be affected by the pandemic.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors knowledge, this is the first study to access the impact of economic downturn and social restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic on household food insecurity in Indonesia, using the nationwide household survey data.

Do Food Price Subsidies Increase Nutritional Intake of Indonesian Households?

“…Regarding the characteristics of the head of the household, age positively impacted calorie and macronutrient intake, except for fat intake by nonrecipients. It is consistent with Iram and Butt (2004) and Amrullah et al (2023), who discovered that the older the head of the household, the more experience he or she has in providing proper food. Households headed by females had a significant and positive impact on calorie and macronutrient intake compared with those headed by males.…”

“…Although the standard of living was a crucial criterion in determining the eligibility of a household to be a RASKIN recipient, it was not easy to collect detailed and accurate information on household income. Therefore, the standard of living of the household was assessed based on the attributes of its head and living conditions (materials such as walls, floors, and roofs, as well as the use of water and other utilities) in line with extant literature (Akerele, Ibrahim, & Adewuyi, 2014;Amrullah, Tokuda, Rusyiana, & Ishida, 2023;Biyase & Zwane, 2018;Chen & Wang, 2015;De Silva, 2008;Deaton, 2003;Haughton & Khandker, 2009;Kochar, 2005;Sekhampu, 2013). The explanatory variables were the characteristics of the head of the household, covering age, marital status, education level, occupation, and sex; household characteristics, including water sources, defecation, cooking fuel, electricity, per Do the Food Price Subsidies Increase tha Nutritional Intake….. (Amrullah, Susilawati, Hidayah, Rusyiana, and Ishida) capita expenditure, household size, ownership of several assets; and physical characteristics of residential areas (urban or urban area) and regions.…”