Can social marketing be a tool towards improved nutrition? Lessons from a field experiment in India

Abstract

Micronutrient deficiency, iron in particular, is a major health issue across India, affecting maternal and child health. Iron Folic Acid tablets are often distributed to pregnant women to address iron deficiency, however, recent data show a high prevalence of anemia within non-pregnant women too. Fortification powders have been found to improve child and maternal health in developing countries. The purpose of this paper, however, is to evaluate possibility of voluntary purchase of fortification powders by households when marketed by local women self-help groups at a price mutually agreed upon by the community. The paper tracks purchasing behavior of 5600 households across 15 villages in rural India for a period of close to 2 years and finds that the likelihood of a household making purchases increases by 55% because of its connectivity to local self help groups and other social networks, while other factors have no bearing at all.