JOHN HODDINOTT
CONTACT INFORMATION ______
Savage Hall, Room 305tel: 607 255 8443 / 240 447 0918
Division of Nutritional Sciencesemail:
Cornell Universityskype: john.hoddinott
Ithaca, NY, USA14853
RePEchandle:
SSRN handle:
CURRENT POSITION______
H.E. Babcock Professor of Food & Nutrition Economics and Policy, Professor of Applied Economics and Management and Professor of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University.Graduate Fields in Applied Economics and Management, Economics, Nutritional Sciences and Public Affairs. Research Associate, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford (1997-present); Adjunct Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Dalhousie University (2002-present); Adjunct Faculty Member, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Maryland (2009-present)
EDUCATION______
1986 - 1989D. Phil. (Economics), University of Oxford.
1984 - 1986M.A. (Economics), York University, Canada.
1980 - 1984B.A. (Honours, Economics), University of Toronto, Canada.
PAST POSITIONS ______
2002 – 2015Deputy Division Director, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington D.C.
2010Visiting Lecturer, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo
2000 – 2002Associate Professor of Economics (tenured), Department of Economics, Dalhousie University. Cross-appointment with International Development Studies.
1997 - 2000Acting Division Director (2000); Senior Research Fellow; Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington D.C.
1993 – 1997University Lecturer (CUF) in Economics and Fellow and Tutor (tenured), Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford.
1990 – 1997Research Officer, Centre for the Study of African Economies, Oxford.
1994 – 1997Senior Research Associate, Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford.
1995Visiting Professor, Department of Economics, University of Toronto.
1991Visiting Lecturer, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University.
1989 - 1993Research Lecturer in Economics, Trinity College, Oxford.
1988 - 1989Lecturer in Economics, Worcester College, Oxford.
1988 Research Associate, Economics Department, University of Nairobi.
1986 Research Economist, Ontario Ministry of Treasury and Economics.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE ______
Member, Technical Committee on Folate Status and Neural Tube Defect Risk Reduction, Micronutrient Foundation: 2016-2017
Program Committee, NEUDC 2017
Program Committee, NEUDC 2016
Member, High Level Panel of Experts Project Team on Social Protection, United Nations Committee on World Food Security: 2011-2012
Managing Editor, Journal of African Economies: 2009-present
Associate Editor, Economics and Human Biology: 2011-present
Associate Editor, Food Security: 2011-2014
Member, Editorial Board,Agricultural and Resource Economics Review: 2014-present
Member, Editorial Board, The Journal of Development Studies: 2003-present
Member, Editorial Board, Oxford Development Studies: 1997-2007
Member, Publications Review Committee, International Food Policy Research Institute: 2000, 2005-2008
Leland Program Policy Advisor, Congressional Hunger Center:2009-2011
Technical Advisor, Strengthening Emergency Needs Assessment Capacities (SENAC), World Food Programme: 2005-2008
RESEARCH INTERESTS ______
I am interested in the causes of poverty, food insecurity and undernutrition, and the design and evaluation of interventions that would reduce these. I have also undertaken work on poverty dynamics, intrahousehold resource allocation, schooling, labour markets,aid allocation and on improving survey methods.
My current research interests focus on the links between economics (especially social protection, agriculture and gender), food securityand human capital formation (especially early life nutrition). I have led or participated in the evaluations of some of the largest social protection programs in the developing world, including the Vulnerable Group Development scheme in Bangladesh, Brazil’s BolsaFamilia cash transfer program, Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme,PROGRESA in Mexico and South Africa’s Child Support Grant. Throughout my career, I have been heavily involved in primary data collection through living in a mud hut in western Kenya and a small town near Timbucktu Malias well as developing longitudinal and cross-sectional household and community surveys in Bangladesh, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya, Mali, Namibia, Niger and Zimbabwe. I have given more than 125 formal presentations of this work, as well as informal presentations in developed and developing countries to audiences including cabinet ministers, Canadian parliamentarians, members of the United States House of Representatives, senior officials in various governments and donor agencies, and village leadersin various African countries. My work has been cited in a number of media outlets including the Guardian, the Economist, Newsweek, the New York Times, Slate, the Times of India, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.
PUBLICATIONS______
Books and monographs
[B8] M. Adato and J. Hoddinott (eds), 2010Conditional Cash Transfers in Latin America (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press).
[B7] A. Ahmed, A. Quisumbing, M. Nasreen, J. Hoddinott, and E. Bryan. 2010. Comparing Food and Cash Transfers to the Ultra-Poor in Bangladesh, IFPRI Research Monograph 163, (Washington: International Food Policy Research Institute).
[B6] M. Adato, L.Haddad and J. Hoddinott, 2005, Power, Politics and Performance: Community Participation in South African Public Works Programs, IFPRI Research Report 143, (Washington: International Food Policy Research Institute).
[B5] D. Coady, M. Grosh and J. Hoddinott, 2004. The Targeting of Transfers in Developing Countries: Review of Experience and Lessons,(Washington: World Bank and IFPRI). Simultaneously published in Spanish and Russian. Arabic and Indonesian translations, 2005.
[B4] J. Hoddinott (ed.), 2001. Food Security in Practice: Methods for Rural Development Projects, (Washington: International Food Policy Research Institute). Spanish translation, 2003.
[B3] B. Baulch and J. Hoddinott (eds.), 2000. Economic Mobility and Poverty Dynamics in Developing Countries, (London: Frank Cass).
[B2] L. Haddad, J. Hoddinott and H. Alderman(eds.), 1997. Intrahousehold Resource Allocation in Developing Countries: Models, Methods and Policy, (Baltimore: JohnsHopkinsUniversity Press).
[B1] S. Devereuxand J. Hoddinott (eds), 1992. Fieldwork in Developing Countries, (Harvester Wheatsheaf, UK and Lynne Reinner, USA).
Refereed Journal articles
[J84] J. Hoddinott, A. Ahmed and S. Roy, forthcoming, “Randomized control trials demonstrate that nutrition sensitive social protection interventions increase the use of Sprinkles and other iron supplements in rural pre-school Bangladeshi children", Public Health Nutrition.
[J83] J. Hoddinott, forthcoming, “The investment case for folic acid fortification in developing countries”, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.
[J82] J. Hoddinott, A. Ahmed, N. Karachiwalla and S. Roy, 2018, “Nutrition behaviour change communication causes sustained effects on IYCN knowledge in two cluster-randomised trials in Bangladesh”, Maternal and Child Nutrition, 14(1).
[J81] M. Hidrobo, J. Hoddinott, N. Kumar and M. Olivier, 2018, “Social protection, food security and assets”, World Development, 101: 88-103.
[J80] J. Hoddinott, I. Ahmed, A. Ahmed and S. Roy, 2017. “Behavior change communication activities and their impact on infant and young child nutrition knowledge and practice of neighboring non-participants in rural Bangladesh”, PLoS One.
[J79] K. Hirvonen and J. Hoddinott, 2017. “Agricultural production and children’s diets: Evidence from rural Ethiopia”, Agricultural Economics, 49(4): 469-480.
[J78] C. Heinrich, J. Hoddinott, and M. Samson, 2017. “Reducing adolescent risky behaviors in a high-risk context: The effects of unconditional cash transfers in South Africa”, Economic Development and Cultural Change, 65(4): 619-652.
[J77] D. Headey, J. Hoddinott and S. Park, 2017. “Accounting for nutritional changes in six success stories: A regression-decomposition approach”, Global Food Security, 13: 12-20.
[J76] K. Hirvonen, J. Hoddinott, B. Minten and D. Stifel, 2017. “Children’s diets, nutrition knowledge, and access to markets", World Development, 95: 303-315.
[J75] D. Headey and J. Hoddinott, 2016. “Agriculture, nutrition and the Green Revolution in Bangladesh”, Agricultural Systems, 149: 122-131.
[J74] J. Hoddinott, N. Karachiwalla, N. Ledlie and S. Roy, 2016. “Adolescent girls’ infant and young child nutrition knowledge sources differ among rural and urban samples in Bangladesh”, Maternal and Child Nutrition, 12(4): 885-897.
[J73] D. Headey, J. Hoddinott and S. Park, 2016. “Drivers of nutritional change in four south Asian countries: A dynamic observational analysis”, Maternal and Child Nutrition, 12(Suppl. 1): 210-218.
[J72] E. Puentes, F. Wang, J. Behrman, F. Cunha, J. Hoddinott, J. Maluccio, L. Adair, J. Borja, R. Martorell, and A. Stein, 2016. “Early life height and weight production functions with endogenous energy
and protein inputs”, Economics and Human Biology, 22: 65-81.
[J71] J. Hoel, B. Schwab and J. Hoddinott, 2016. “Self-control fatigue, cognitive function, and the expression of time preference: Experimental results from Ethiopia”, Journal of Economic Psychology, 52: 136-146.
[J70] D. Headey and J. Hoddinott, 2015. “Understanding the rapid reduction of undernutrition in Nepal, 2001–2011”, PLoS One, 10(12): e0145738 (13pp).
[J69] J. Hoddinott, D. Headey, and M. Dereje, 2015. “Cows, missing milk markets and nutrition in rural Ethiopia,”Journal of Development Studies, 51(8): 958-975.
[J68] A. de Brauw, D. Gilligan, J. Hoddinott and S. Roy, 2015. “The impact of BolsaFamíliaon schooling” World Development, 70(6): 303-316.doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.02.001
[J67] A. Margolies and J. Hoddinott, 2015. “Costing alternative transfer modalities”, Journal of Development Effectiveness, 7(1): 1-17 [Lead article].
[J66] A. de Brauw, D. Gilligan, J. Hoddinott and S. Roy, 2015. “BolsaFamília and household labor supply” Economic Development and Cultural Change, 63(3): 423-457 [Lead article].
[J65] D. Headey, J. Hoddinott, D. Ali, R. Tesfaye and M. Dereje, 2015. “The other Asian enigma:Explaining the rapid reduction of malnutrition in Bangladesh”, World Development, 66(2): 749-761.
[J64] J. Heathers, J. Hoel, S. Wegerif, B. Schwab, N. Ledlie, K. Abay, G. Berhane and J.Hoddinott, 2014. “Smartphone platform survey-scale heart rate collection – Aperformance evaluation in Ethiopia”, Proceedings of Wireless Health 2014, 1-6.
[J63] G. Berhane, D. Gilligan, J. Hoddinott, N. Kumar and A. Seyoum Taffesse, 2014. “Can Social Protection Work in Africa? Evidence on the impact of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme on food security and assets”, Economic Development and Cultural Change, 63(1): 1-26 [Lead article].
[J62] A. de Brauw, D. Gilligan, J. Hoddinott and S. Roy, 2014. “The Impact of BolsaFamilia on women’s decision making power,” World Development, 59(July): 487-504.doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2013.02.003
[J61] J. Behrman, J. Hoddinott, J. Maluccio, E. Soler-Hampejsek, E. Behrman, R. Martorell, M. Ramirez-Zea, and A. Stein, 2014. “What Determines Adult Cognitive Skills? Impacts of Pre-School, Schooling and Post-School Experiences in Guatemala,” Latin America Economic Review, 23(4).
[J60] M. Hidrobo, J. Hoddinott, A. Peterman, A. Margolies, and V. Moreira, 2014 “Cash, food, or vouchers? Evidence from a randomized experiment in Northern Ecuador” Journal of Development Economics, 107: 144-156.
[J59] J. Hoddinott, J. Maluccio, J. Behrman, R. Martorell, Paul Melgar, Agnes R. Quisumbing, Manuel Ramirez-Zea, Aryeh D. Stein, and Kathryn M. Yount, 2013. “Adult consequences of growth failure in early childhood,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 98: 1170-1178.
[J58] J. Hoddinott, H. Alderman, J. Behrman, L. Haddad and S. Horton, 2013. “The economic rationale for investing in stunting reduction”, Maternal and Child Nutrition, 9(Suppl 2): 69-82.
[J57] R. Sabates-Wheeler, J. Lind and J. Hoddinott, 2013. “Implementing social protection in pastoralist areas: how local distribution structures moderate PSNP outcomes in Ethiopia,” World Development, 50(1): pp. 1-12[Lead article].
[J56] S. Mani, J. Hoddinott and J. Strauss, 2013. “Determinants of Schooling Outcomes - Empirical Evidence from Rural Ethiopia”, Journal of African Economies, 22(5): 693-731.
[J55] R. Vargas Hill, N. Kumar and J. Hoddinott, 2013. “Adoption of weather-index insurance: Learning from willingness to pay among a panel of households in rural Ethiopia,” Agricultural Economics, 44(4-5):385-398.
[J54] K. Yount, J. Behrman, J. Hoddinott, J. Maluccio, A. Murphy, and U. Ramakrishnan, 2013. “Does schooling increase and schooling gender gaps decline with increases in parental schooling and wealth? Evidence from over a quarter century in rural Guatemala,” Population Research and Policy Review, 32(4): 495-528,
[J53] J. Hoddinott, G. Berhane, D. Gilligan, N. Kumar and A. Seyoum Taffesse, 2012. “The Impact of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme and related transfers on agricultural productivity,” Journal of African Economies, 21(5): 761-786.
[J52] S. Mani, J. Hoddinott and J. Strauss, 2012. “Long-term impact of investments in early schooling – Empirical evidence from rural Ethiopia”, Journal of Development Economics, 99(2): 292-299.
[J51]S. Dercon, J. Hoddinott and T. Woldehanna, 2012. “Growth, poverty and chronic poverty in rural Ethiopia: Evidence from 15 Communities 1994-2009,” Journal of Development Studies, 48(2): 238-253,
[J50] A. de Brauw and J. Hoddinott, 2011. “Must Conditional Cash Transfer Programs be conditioned to be effective? The impact of conditioning transfers on school enrollment in Mexico,” Journal of Development Economics, 96(2): 359-370. doi:10.1016/j.jdeveco.2010.08.014.
[J49] K. Yount, J. Hoddinott and A. Stein, 2010. “Disability and self-reported health among older women and men in rural Guatemala: The role of obesity and chronic conditions”, Social Science and Medicine 71(8): 1418-1427. DOI: doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.06.046.
[J48] D. Gilligan, J. Hoddinott, and A. Seyoum, 2009. “An analysis of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme and its linkages”, Journal of Development Studies 45(10): 1684-1706.
[J47] K. Yount, J. Hoddinott, A. Stein and A. DiGirolamo, 2009. “Individual capital and cognitive aging in Guatemala,” Population Studies63(3): 295-306.
[J46] J. Behrman, M. C. Calderon, S. Preston, J. Hoddinott, R. Martorell and A. Stein, 2009. “Nutritional supplementation of girls influences the growth of their children: Prospective study in Guatemala,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 90(5): 1372-1379. DOI:
[J45] S. Dercon, D. Gilligan, J. Hoddinott and T. Woldehanna. 2009. “The impact of roads and agricultural extension on consumption growth and poverty in fifteen Ethiopian villages,” American Journal of Agricultural Economics91(4): 1007-1021. DOI:
[J44] J. Maluccio, J. Hoddinott, J. Behrman, R. Martorell, A. Quisumbing, and A. Stein, 2009. “The impact of nutrition during early childhood on education among Guatemalan Adults”, Economic Journal119(April): 734-763. DOI:
[J43] A. Stein, M. Wang, A. DiGirolamo, J. Hoddinott, R. Martorell, M. Ramirez-Zea, and K. Yount, 2009.“Height for Age Increased While Body Mass Index for Age Remained Stable between 1968 and
2007 among Guatemalan Children”, Journal of Nutrition139(2): 365-369. DOI:
[J42] M. Islam and J. Hoddinott, 2009, “Evidence of intra-household flypaper effects from a nutrition intervention in rural Guatemala,” Economic Development and Cultural Change57(2): 215-248. [Lead article] DOI:
[J41] J. Hoddinott, M. Cohen and C. Barrett, 2008, “Renegotiating the Food Aid Convention: Background, Context, and Issues,” Global Governance 14(3): 283-304. Text/More Information Online (HTML)
[J40] A. Stein, P. Melgar, J. Hoddinott, and R. Martorell, 2008, “Cohort Profile: The INCAP Nutritional Trial Cohort Study,” International Journal of Epidemiology 37(4): 716-720. DOI:
[J39] J. Hoddinott, J. Maluccio, J. Behrman, R. Flores and R. Martorell, 2008, “Effect of a nutrition intervention during early childhood on economic productivity in Guatemalan adults”,The Lancet371: 411-416.This paper received the CGIAR Science Award for an Outstanding Scientific Article 2009.DOI:
[J38] J. Hoddinott, 2007, “Social protection: To target or not to target”, IDS Bulletin 38(3): 90-94.
[J37] D. Gilligan and J. Hoddinott, 2007, “Is there persistence in the impact of emergency food aid? Evidence on consumption, food security and assets in rural Ethiopia”, American Journal of Agricultural Economics89(2): 225-242. [Lead article. Received American Agricultural Economics Association Outstanding Journal Article Award]
[J36] H. Alderman, J. Behrman and J. Hoddinott, 2007, “Economic and nutritional analyses offer substantial synergies for understanding human nutrition”, Journal of Nutrition 137: 537-544.
[J35] H. Alderman, J. Hoddinott and B. Kinsey, 2006, “Long term consequences of early childhood malnutrition”, Oxford Economic Papers58(3): 450-474.Reprinted inFood Security, ed. by M. Rosegrant, Sage Publications, 2014. This paper was nominated for the CGIAR Science Award for an Outstanding Scientific Article 2007. DOI:
[J34] J. Hoddinott, 2006. “Shocks and their consequences across and within households in rural Zimbabwe”, Journal of Development Studies42(2): 301-321. DOI:
[J33] S. Dercon, J. Hoddinott and T. Woldehanna, 2005. “Shocks and consumption in 15 Ethiopian Villages, 1999-2004”,Journal of African Economies14(4): 559-585. DOI:
[J32] S. Harrower and J. Hoddinott, 2005. “Consumption smoothing in the Zone Lacustre, Mali,” Journal of African Economies14(4): 489-519. DOI:
[J31] A. Abdulai, C. Barrett and J. Hoddinott, 2005. “Does food aid really have disincentive effects? New evidence from sub-Saharan Africa”, World Development33(10): 1689-1704.
[J30] J. Behrman and J. Hoddinott, 2005. “Program evaluation with unobserved heterogeneity and selective implementation: The Mexican Progresa impact on child nutrition”,Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 67: 547-569. DOI:
[J29] J. Hoddinott, J. Behrman and R. Martorell, 2005. “Labor force participation and income among young Guatemalan adults”, Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 26(2, Supplement 1): S98−S109.
[J28] A.D. Stein, C. Gregory, J. Hoddinott, R. Martorell, U. Ramakrishnan, and M. Ramirez-Zea, 2005. “Physical activity level, dietary habits, and alcohol and tobacco use among a cohort of young Guatemalan adults”, Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 26(2, Supplement 1): S78-S87.
[J27] M. Ramirez-Zea, P. Melgar, R. Flores, J. Hoddinott, U. Ramakrishnan and A.D. Stein, 2005. “Physical fitness, body composition, blood pressure, and blood metabolic profile among a cohort of Guatemalan adults”, Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 26(2, Supplement 1): S88-S97.
[J26] J. Hoddinott and E. Skoufias, 2004. “The impact of PROGRESA on food consumption”, Economic Development and Cultural Change, 53(1): 37-61. DOI:
[J25] D. Coady, M. Grosh and J. Hoddinott, 2004. “Targeting outcomes redux”, World Bank Research Observer, 19(1): 61-85.
[J24] R. Macdonald and J. Hoddinott, 2004. “Determinants of Canadian bilateral aid: Humanitarian, commercial or political?” Canadian Journal of Economics, 37(2): 294-312.
[J23] T. Owens, J. Hoddinott and B. Kinsey, 2003. “Ex ante actions and ex post public responses to drought shocks: Evidence and simulations from Zimbabwe” World Development, 31(7): 1239-1256. DOI:
[J22] T. Owens, J. Hoddinott and B. Kinsey, 2003. “The impact of agricultural extension on farm production in resettlement areas of Zimbabwe”, Economic Development and Cultural Change, 51(2): 337-358. DOI:
[J21] J. Hoddinott, 2002. “Participation and poverty reduction: An analytical framework and overview of the issues”, Journal of African Economies, 11(1): 144-166. DOI:
[J20] J. Hoddinott and B. Kinsey, 2001. “Child growth in the time of drought”, Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 63(4): 409-436. [Lead article] DOI:
[J19] L. Christiaensen, J. Hoddinott and G. Bergeron, 2001. “Comparing village characteristics derived from rapid appraisals and household surveys: A tale from northern Mali”, Journal of Development Studies, vol. 37(1): 1-20. [Lead article]
[J18] B. Baulch and J. Hoddinott, 2000. “Economic mobility and poverty dynamics in developing countries”, Journal of Development Studies, 36(6): 1-24. [Lead article] DOI:
[J17] J.W. Gunning, J. Hoddinott, B. Kinsey and T. Owens, 2000. “Revisiting forever gained: Income dynamics in the resettlement areas of Zimbabwe, 1983-1997”,Journal of Development Studies, 36(6): 131-154. DOI:
[J16] S. Morris, C. Carletto, J. Hoddinott and L. Christiaensen, 2000. “Validity of rapid estimates of household wealth and income for health surveys in rural Africa”, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 54(5): 381-387. DOI:
[J15] P.Maggs and J. Hoddinott, 1999. “The impact of changes in common property resource management on intrahousehold allocation” Journal of Public Economics, 72(2): 317-324. Reprinted in Property rights and environmental problems, ed. by B. Larson, Ashgate, 2003.
[J14] S. Appleton, J. Hoddinott and P. Krishnan, 1999. “The gender wage gap in three African countries”, Economic Development and Cultural Change, 47(2): 289-312.
[J13] J. Hoddinott, 1996. “Wages and unemployment in an urban African labour market”, Economic Journal, 106(439): 1610-1626.
[J12] S. Appleton, J. Hoddinott and J. Mackinnon, 1996.“Education and health in sub-Saharan Africa”,Journal of International Development, 8(3): 307-340. [Lead article] DOI:
[J11] S. Appleton, J. Hoddinott and J. Knight, 1996. “Primary education as an input into post-primary education: A neglected benefit”, Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, vol. 57(1): 211-219.
[J10] J. Hoddinott, 1996. “The intrahousehold distribution of food: An economic perspective” Social Change, 26(2): 45-56. Reprinted in Demographic transition: An Asian perspective, ed by R. Balakrishnan, 2011.
[J9] C. Udry, J. Hoddinott, L. Haddad and H. Alderman, 1995. “Gender differentials in farm productivity: Implications for household efficiency and agricultural policy”,Food Policy, 20(5): 407-423. DOI:
[J8] J. Hoddinott and L. Haddad, 1995. “Does female income share influence household expenditures? Evidence from Côte d'Ivoire”, Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 57(1): 77-96.
[J7] H. Alderman, P.A. Chiappori. L. Haddad, J. Hoddinott and S.M.R. Kanbur, 1995.“Unitary versus collective household models: Time to shift the burden of proof?”World Bank Research Observer, 10(1): 1-19. [Lead article]. Reprinted in The Economics of Food Security, ed. by Raghbendra Jha and RaghavGaiha, Edward Elgar, 2015.
[J6] H. Alderman, L. Haddad, J. Hoddinott and S. Vosti, 1994. “Strengthening agricultural and natural resource policy through intrahousehold analysis: An introduction”, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 76(December): 1208-1212.
[J5] J. Hoddinott, 1994. “A model of migration and remittances applied to western Kenya” Oxford Economic Papers, 46(3): 459-476.