Can legume production boost nutrition and income? Empirical evidence from Ethiopia and Malawi

Nutrient deficiencies remain the leading cause of malnutrition in developing countries, undermining progress toward Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2 by 2030. We analyzed the impacts of soybean, common bean and groundnuts production and their combinations on nutrition and income in Ethiopia and Malawi. Using three waves of nationally representative Living Standards Measurement Study-Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA) panel data (2013, 2015/16 and 2018/19) from a combined sample of 6,222, we computed nutrient intake and food expenditure using 7-day dietary recall information. The analysis was performed using fractional logit and panel regression models with attrition-corrected Mundlak effects in Stata. Overall, legume production influences nutrition and income differently based on the crop and its combination. Groundnuts and common bean improve nutrition, with groundnuts also increasing income. Soybean alone reduces nutrient intake but raises income. Combining soybean and groundnuts provides the greatest benefit for nutrient intake, while cultivating all three together decreases nutrient intake. A policy package that combines targeted support for common bean and groundnuts with nutrition education and improved market access for nutritious foods can offer an effective pathway to sustainably enhance nutrition and income and accelerate progress toward SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).