The Discouraged Borrower Syndrome and Rural Household Food Insecurity: Examining the Mediating Role of Financial Inclusion

Title
The Discouraged Borrower Syndrome and Rural Household Food Insecurity: Examining the Mediating Role of Financial Inclusion
Publication Date
2024-11-05
Author(s)
Koomson, Isaac
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2929-4992
Email: ikoomso2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:ikoomso2
Appiah-Kubi, Jamal
Ansong, David
Okumu, Moses
Villano, Renato A
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2581-6623
Email: rvillan2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:rvillan2
Editor
Editor(s): Isaac Koomson and Renato A. Villano
Type of document
Book Chapter
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Palgrave Macmillan
Place of publication
Singapore
Edition
1
Series
Sustainable Development Goals Series ((SDGS))
DOI
10.1007/978-981-97-6132-6_2
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/63883
Abstract

Considering the high rate of credit constraints and the worsening levels of food insecurity, especially in rural communities worldwide, an assessment of the role of borrower discouragement in driving rural household food insecurity cannot be overemphasized. We empirically examine this relationship in rural Ghana, and further explore the potential mediating role of financial inclusion. We use comprehensive rural household data extracted from round seven of the Ghana Living Standards Survey. Several quasi-experimental econometric approaches are employed to resolve potential endogeneity problems. We find that rural household heads who are discouraged from borrowing end up being financially excluded and hence have little financial resources to escape food insecurity. We also find that the discouraged borrower syndrome significantly affects food insecurity in male-headed rural households but not in those headed by women.

Link
Citation
Financial Inclusion and Sustainable Rural Development, p. 27-48
ISBN
9789819761319
9789819761326
9789819761340
Start page
27
End page
48

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