Economic policies for female labour and food nutrition security: the Al-Ghab region case

• Author: M. Ciaschini/V. Cistulli/S. Marta/R. Pretaroli/ F. Severini/ C. Socci/F. Timpano
• Position: Department of Economics and Law, University of Macerata, Italy/FAO/Department of Economics and Law, University of Macerata, Italy/Department of Economics and Law/University of Sacred Hearth in Piacenza
• Pages: 97-118

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 8 (57) No. 2 - 2015

ECONOMIC POLICIES FOR FEMALE

LABOUR AND FOOD NUTRITION

SECURITY: THE AL-GHAB REGION CASE

M. CIASCHINI1 V. CISTULLI2 S. MARTA2

R. PRETAROLI3 F. SEVERINI3 C. SOCCI4

F. TIMPANO5

Abstract: The Al-Ghab region in Syria is considered the typical resource

rich poor area in a developing country. The possibility of activating

economic growth goes through diversification in output, in order to stimulate

the value added generation, and reduction of social and economic disparities

between female and male labour employment. In this way also the problem of

food insecurity is effectively addressed given its strong connection with the

poverty level of households. The most suitable tool of analysis for addressing

this complex target is provided by an extended multi-sector model developed

on the basis of the SAM for the area of interest. In this paper, we develop a

SAM for the Al-Ghab region and quantify the effects of selected policy

scenarios in terms of economic diversification, female labour efficiency and

food nutrition security for the Al-Ghab region. This is done in order to

identify the pillars of economic growth of the area.

Key words: Food and Agriculture; fiscal policy; Multisectoral extended

model; SAM.

1 Department of Economics and Law, University of Macerata, Italy.

2 FAO.

3 Department of Economics and Law, University of Macerata, Italy.

4Corresponding author: claudio.socci@unimc.it, Department of Economics and Law, via Crescimbeni 14,

62100 Macerata – ITALY, phone number +3907332583263.

5 University of Sacred Hearth in Piacenza.

1. Introduction

Poverty, social disparities, Food and

Nutrition Security (FNS) are

multidimensional socio-economic

development issues resulting from a set of

negative conditions that prevent economic

growth. Especially during economic

downturns, it becomes unavoidable for the

policy maker to deal with low incomes,

inequalities in access to productive assets,

unemployment, low health education and

nutrition status, natural resource

degradation, vulnerability to risk and weak

political commitment [21].

Socio-economic and policy dynamics of

geographic areas at the sub-national level

are determinant in driving economic

growth and downturn and in many cases

strongly differ from each other since

characterised by several physical, human,

institutional and cultural resources. These

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Series VII • Vol. 8 (57) No. 2 - 2015

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resources jointly constitute the

development potential or “territorial

capital” ([5], [6]) in each region or sub-

region and should be attentively

considered in designing economic policy

measures.

Given these premises, a territorial

(“place-based”) approach [1], [2] would be

highly beneficial to the increase of the

effectiveness of policies and strategies that

address hunger and food insecurity as well

as the increasing disparities between

geographic areas. Indeed, the policy

maker should combine the potential of

each region with policy measures able to

activate the process of income generation

in order to drive the economic system

growth [3]. In doing this, it is important to

focus both on economic and social aspects

of the economic system that might

simultaneously interact in achieving the

socio-economic objective [14].

In particular, in developing countries,

where poverty and food and nutrition

security (FNS) are complex from the

multi-sector, multi-level and multi-actor

viewpoints, the multi-sector analysis is

undoubtedly a powerful methodology able

to analyse the combined effects of policy

measures, formulate and implement

effective responses to the problem of food

insecurity and social disparity. This latter,

is a topic of prominent interest if we

consider the social structure of developing

countries and, as an example, the role of

women in the process of income

generation and distribution. Actually, the

female contribution to the growth of a

country is an important element still to be

considered especially in developed

countries where female labour force

constitutes a huge resource.

All these aspects can be taken into

consideration simultaneously when

studying the economic system by means of

the Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) and

multi-sector analysis approach.

The SAM represents a powerful

instrument to assess the “area-specific”

determinants of social disparities and food

and nutrition insecurity. Indeed, it allows

the analysts to take into consideration the

combined effects (tangible and intangible;

formal and informal) of the policy maker

action on the main macroeconomic variables

within a given geographic area and across

areas. It therefore provides policy makers

with comprehensive territorial information

to target food security policies and improve

the allocation of resources. It allows a

balanced design of short term and ad hoc

assistance-led policies, to achieve soci al

cohesion and equity, with longer term and

efficiency-based policies, promoting

endogenous development and strengthening

the capacity of local institutions to make the

best use of local assets [8].

In this paper, we propose an application

of this approach to the Al-Ghab Region in

Syria that is paradoxically considered a

resource rich poor area. Indeed, although it

encompasses a huge reservoir of

agricultural resources, the level of

development, social equality and Food and

Nutrition Security is not proportionate to

its potential. The region’s natural resource-

based comparative advantages are yet to be

converted into potential and sustainable

sources of livelihood and wealth creation,

and into enhanced competitiveness through

value addition. Resource-based

opportunities are plenty, but opportunities

are not guarantees to the factors that foster

economically efficient, ecologically

friendly and socially desirable pattern of

development.

The aim of this study is to analyse the

social-economic structure of the Al-Ghab

region by means of the SAM for Al-Ghab

(year 2010) and develop the multi-sector

extended model ([8], [10]) to identify the

key productions for this area and thus to

select the proper region-oriented policy.

Then a set of simulation exercises will be