Labour Migration, Food Expenditure, and Household Food Security in Eastern Indonesia

This paper investigates the impact of migration on the food expenditure and household food security status of migrant-sending households using data from eastern Indonesia. We find that migration significantly increases food expenditure and overall household expenditure. Combining the food frequency and food consumption module of the Indonesia Family Life Survey (East), this paper shows that having at least one migrant in the family increases the composite index of Food Consumption Score, as well as the family's food security. Evaluation of food diversity also shows that migration increases expenditure on six out of ten food groups.