The Rise of a Middle Class in East and Southern Africa: Implications for Food System Transformation. (15th July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tschirley, David; Reardon, Thomas; Dolislager, Michael; Snyder, Jason; Resnick, Danielle
• Is Part Of: Journal of international development. Volume 27:Number 5(2015:Jul.)
• Page Start: 628
• Page End: 646
• Publication Date: 2015-07-15
• Subjects: Economic development projects -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; Developing countries -- Economic policy -- Periodicals; Developing countries -- Foreign economic relations -- Periodicals; Economic development -- Periodicals; 330.91724
• DOI: 10.1002/jid.3107
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0954-1748

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>We show five points regarding the middle class in developing East and Southern Africa: (1) 55 per cent of the region's middle class—37 per cent of the 'non‐vulnerable' middle class—is rural; (2) 61–83 per cent of the middle class's food is purchased; (3) processed food occupies 70–80 per cent of the class's food expenditure, with similar shares in urban and rural areas; (4) perishable products account for 44–55 per cent of the class's expenditure. Policy attention to processing and to food products 'beyond‐grains' thus needs to be 'mainstreamed'; and (5) the import share of food expenditure does not rise with income in urban areas. © 2015 The Authors. <italic>Journal of International Development</italic> published by John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.</p> </abstract>