Food Calorie Intake and Food Security under Grain Price Inflation: Evidence from Malawi

A comprehensive analysis of food demand and nutrient consumption using recent, representative household survey data from Malawi is presented. Expenditure and price elasticities have been estimated for 20 food groups using a quadratic almost ideal demand system based on 4 income groups identified by the Goldfeld-Quandt tests. Although the current boom of maize price provides an opportunity to rethink development strategies that diversify the commodity sectors, developing countries will not necessarily benefit from this change absent significant improvements in production capacities and trade infrastructures. Malawi is likely to suffer from higher commodity prices in the short-run.