Food security and democracy: do inclusive institutions matter?

Food security and inclusive institutions are increasingly acknowledged as fundamental dimensions of development, given their role in promoting long-run economic growth and stability. We explore the nexus between achievements in democratisation and food security in low- and middle-income countries, through an analysis of a panel of 106 countries observed from 1990 to 2012. We find that democratisation processes are associated with improved food security, and that the former systematically precedes the latter, shaping a temporal dependence path. We argue that the inclusiveness of democratic institutions is important in explaining this relationship.