How does agricultural production diversity nourish household dietary diversity? Evidence from China

Using data from the 2014 China Family Panel Studies, this study investigates whether diversifying agricultural production can enhance dietary diversity, particularly by increasing the consumption of animal-based foods. We introduced refined measures of dietary diversity and categorized them into animal-based household dietary diversity scores (A-HDDS) and plant-based household dietary diversity scores (P-HDDS). Additionally, we categorize production diversity into crop production diversity (CPD), livestock and aquaculture production diversity (LAPD), and mixed production diversity (MPD). Our results show that most households exhibited high dietary diversity, except for low-income and hilly households. Specifically, CPD positively influenced dietary diversity, and all three types of production diversity promoted A-HDDS. Moreover, CPD primarily serves as a substitute for enhancing household self-sufficiency, affecting all three dietary diversity measures, especially among hilly households. Increasing LAPD and MPD can improve A-HDDS through self-sufficiency and agricultural commercialization income pathways, benefiting farmers in hilly and mountainous regions.