Can dairy help solve the malnutrition crisis in developing countries? An economic analysis

Dairy is a high-potential food for addressing child malnutrition in low and middle income countries (LMICs), but consumption varies greatly across LMICs. I explore economic drivers of cross-country disparities in dairy consumption among young children. Wealth differences across LMICs are the strongest predictor of variation in dairy consumption, followed by dairy price differences. Refrigeration also predicts dairy consumption while water quality influences powdered milk consumption. LMICs should better leverage dairy policies to improve nutrition, focusing on dairy value chain constraints, industrial policy, trade policy and nutrition education and awareness campaigns.