Economic evaluation of an enhanced homestead food production intervention for undernutrition in women and children in rural Cambodia

• Published in: Global food security Vol. 24; p. 100335
• Main Authors: Dragojlovic, Nick, Michaux, Kristina D., Moumin, Najma A., Li, Kathy H., Talukder, Zaman, Hou, Kroeun, Mundy, Gary, Stormer, Ame, Ngik, Rem, Green, Tim J., Lynd, Larry D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2020
• Subjects: Child health; Cost-benefit analysis; Cost-consequence analysis; Economic evaluation; Homestead food production; Undernutrition; Vitamin A deficiency; Zinc deficiency; Homestead food production; Cost-benefit analysis; Cost-consequence analysis; Economic evaluation; Child health; Zinc deficiency; Vitamin A deficiency; Undernutrition
• ISSN: 2211-9124; 2211-9124
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gfs.2019.100335

The Family Farms for the Future project has field-tested an enhanced homestead food production (EHFP) program to improve food security and nutritional status of subsistence farming households in south-east Asia. We report the estimated cost of delivering the program over ten-years in rural Cambodia, as well as the estimated monetary value of increased agricultural production and improvements in child health. Our analysis suggests that this type of EHFP program could not only improve child health but also result in a positive societal net monetary benefit due to increased agricultural production. However, because these estimates are dependent on many assumptions (e.g. that program oversight and delivery continue over ten years), readers should carefully consider their generalizability to new contexts. •Enhanced homestead food production in low-income countries has multiple benefits.•The monetized value of increased food production can outweigh added input costs.•A ten-year enhanced homestead food production program appears to be cost-effective.