Meat Demand and Income Distribution in Urban Africa: Evidence from Côte D'ivoire Using a Quaids Approach

Growing urbanization and disparities in household income in Abidjan have driven heterogeneous demand for animal-sourced foods in recent years. However, little is known about how consumption responses differ by income groups. Disregarding this heterogeneity can lead to inaccurate demand projections and poorly targeted food policies. This study estimates demand elasticities for animal-sourced food consumption across three income strata using household survey data and a Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (QUAIDS). The results reveal marked differences in consumption behaviour. Expenditure elasticities indicate that beef demand is more responsive among low-income households (1.13) than in the higher-income group (1.06), whereas fish becomes more responsive as income rises (0.85 to 1.05). Chicken demand remains relatively stable across income strata (about 0.95). Price elasticities indicate that lower-income households are more sensitive to beef and chicken price increases than high-income ones (beef: −0.53 vs. −0.48; chicken: 0.45 vs. −0.33), indicating their vulnerability to food price shocks. In contrast, fish show a positive own-price elasticity across all strata, which suggests substitution within the fish category toward lower-cost varieties rather than a reduction in overall consumption. Cross-price effects are generally negative, indicating limited substitution between meat types, although fish consumption increases (0.09) among low-income households when beef prices rise. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating income heterogeneity into food demand models to improve policy design and ensure equitable access to protein-rich foods.