Deploying high-frequency market data to estimate the cost of recommended diets: Recent trends in Rwanda

This study estimates the cost and affordability of recommended diets in Rwanda from April 2019 to December 2024 using high-frequency market price data. By deploying standardised methods for healthy diet costs to eSoko data (www.esoko.gov.rw), and local food based dietary guidelines, we calculate the...

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Main Authors: Manners, Rhys, Warner, James, Schneider, Kate, Matsiko, Eric, Vasanthakaalam, Hilda, Benimana, Gilberthe, Spielman, David J.
Format: Brief
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176590
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author Manners, Rhys
Warner, James
Schneider, Kate
Matsiko, Eric
Vasanthakaalam, Hilda
Benimana, Gilberthe
Spielman, David J.
author_browse Benimana, Gilberthe
Manners, Rhys
Matsiko, Eric
Schneider, Kate
Spielman, David J.
Vasanthakaalam, Hilda
Warner, James
author_facet Manners, Rhys
Warner, James
Schneider, Kate
Matsiko, Eric
Vasanthakaalam, Hilda
Benimana, Gilberthe
Spielman, David J.
author_sort Manners, Rhys
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This study estimates the cost and affordability of recommended diets in Rwanda from April 2019 to December 2024 using high-frequency market price data. By deploying standardised methods for healthy diet costs to eSoko data (www.esoko.gov.rw), and local food based dietary guidelines, we calculate the monthly cost of recommended diets at the district level. Key findings reveal significant dietary cost fluctuations, with nominal costs increasing 67% between June 2022 and October 2023, coinciding directly with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The research also identifies affordability challenges; by mid-2023, and again in late 2024, where up to 70% of wage earners could not afford a recommended diet. Spatial variations were also evident, with diet costs differing between rural and urban areas, and across districts bordering different countries, with the highest dietary costs observed along the Democratic Republic of Congo border and the least expensive along the border of Tanzania. Utilizing Rwanda's eSoko data platform, the study demonstrates the value of high-frequency, spatially explicit data for understanding food system dynamics. The findings call for policy actions to consider dietary affordability, particularly for low-income groups, and suggest that Rwanda's data collection approach could serve as a benchmark for other countries.
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spelling CGSpace1765902025-11-06T06:43:16Z Deploying high-frequency market data to estimate the cost of recommended diets: Recent trends in Rwanda Manners, Rhys Warner, James Schneider, Kate Matsiko, Eric Vasanthakaalam, Hilda Benimana, Gilberthe Spielman, David J. data dietary guidelines markets trends This study estimates the cost and affordability of recommended diets in Rwanda from April 2019 to December 2024 using high-frequency market price data. By deploying standardised methods for healthy diet costs to eSoko data (www.esoko.gov.rw), and local food based dietary guidelines, we calculate the monthly cost of recommended diets at the district level. Key findings reveal significant dietary cost fluctuations, with nominal costs increasing 67% between June 2022 and October 2023, coinciding directly with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The research also identifies affordability challenges; by mid-2023, and again in late 2024, where up to 70% of wage earners could not afford a recommended diet. Spatial variations were also evident, with diet costs differing between rural and urban areas, and across districts bordering different countries, with the highest dietary costs observed along the Democratic Republic of Congo border and the least expensive along the border of Tanzania. Utilizing Rwanda's eSoko data platform, the study demonstrates the value of high-frequency, spatially explicit data for understanding food system dynamics. The findings call for policy actions to consider dietary affordability, particularly for low-income groups, and suggest that Rwanda's data collection approach could serve as a benchmark for other countries. 2025-09-18 2025-09-19T15:12:04Z 2025-09-19T15:12:04Z Brief https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176590 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Manners, Rhys; Warner, James; Schneider, Kate; Matsiko, Eric; Vasanthakaalam, Hilda; Benimana, Gilberthe; and Spielman, David J. 2025. Deploying high-frequency market data to estimate the cost of recommended diets: Recent trends in Rwanda. Rwanda SSP Policy Note 22. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176590
spellingShingle data
dietary guidelines
markets
trends
Manners, Rhys
Warner, James
Schneider, Kate
Matsiko, Eric
Vasanthakaalam, Hilda
Benimana, Gilberthe
Spielman, David J.
Deploying high-frequency market data to estimate the cost of recommended diets: Recent trends in Rwanda
title Deploying high-frequency market data to estimate the cost of recommended diets: Recent trends in Rwanda
title_full Deploying high-frequency market data to estimate the cost of recommended diets: Recent trends in Rwanda
title_fullStr Deploying high-frequency market data to estimate the cost of recommended diets: Recent trends in Rwanda
title_full_unstemmed Deploying high-frequency market data to estimate the cost of recommended diets: Recent trends in Rwanda
title_short Deploying high-frequency market data to estimate the cost of recommended diets: Recent trends in Rwanda
title_sort deploying high frequency market data to estimate the cost of recommended diets recent trends in rwanda
topic data
dietary guidelines
markets
trends
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176590
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