Household Food Production and Dietary Diversity in a Remote, Former Socialist Society: Panel Data Evidence from Tajikistan.

This article examines the linkages between household-level agricultural production practices (APP) and dietary diversity scores (DDS) for both households and individual women of reproductive age in the Khatlon province of Tajikistan, one of the poorest and most remote agricultural regions in the country. Using panel data from 2015 and 2023 and applying difference-in-difference propensity score matching (DID-PSM) and fixed-effects instrumental variable (FE-IV) regressions, the study finds that greater diversity and productivity in household food production are positively associated with higher dietary diversity, especially in areas with limited access to food markets. Specific food groups—vegetables, fruits, legumes/nuts/seeds, dairy products, and eggs—show significant one-to-one linkages between own production and consumption. The findings highlight the importance of supporting agricultural diversification and productivity growth at the household level to improve nutrition outcomes in remote Tajikistan, complementing government strategies aimed at enhancing food security and agrifood market development.