Tracing Back the Weather Origins of Human Welfare : Evidence from Mozambique
Mozambique is among the African countries most exposed to weather-related hazards. Using detailed gridded precipitation data for individuals' birth-year and birth-district, this study investigates the effects of extreme rainfall anomalies arou...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2017
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/724061502739861010/Tracing-back-the-weather-origins-of-human-welfare-evidence-from-Mozambique http://hdl.handle.net/10986/27974 |
| Summary: | Mozambique is among the African
countries most exposed to weather-related hazards. Using
detailed gridded precipitation data for individuals'
birth-year and birth-district, this study investigates the
effects of extreme rainfall anomalies around the time of
birth on long-run well-being. The results show that the
socioeconomic outcomes of adults are influenced by weather
shocks that occur early in life. Individuals exposed to
floods while in utero or during the first year of life are
less likely to participate in the labor market.
Consequently, the households that they are heading exhibit
lower consumption and are more prone to be poor. In
disentangling the mechanisms at play, this paper presents
suggestive evidence of variation in agricultural output,
food security, and subsequent detrimental effects on human
capital accumulation as important drivers behind the
impacts. The study concludes that policy efforts aimed at
accelerating poverty reduction in Mozambique will have to
consider the inability of rural households to shield the
well-being of children from the consequences of extreme
weather shocks. |
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