Towards a healthier future for the achievement of SDGs: unveiling the effects of agricultural financing, energy poverty, human capital, and corruption on malnutrition

The study investigates child and maternal malnutrition in nine countries in Western Sub‑Saharan Africa over 1990–2019 by incorporating three types of agricultural financing (domestic credit, government research spending, and external aid) along with energy poverty, human capital, and corruption, and discusses implications for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Using second‑generation panel econometric techniques and the method of moments quantile regression (MMQR), the results show that agricultural credit and foreign aid to agriculture significantly reduce child and maternal malnutrition, while agricultural research spending is associated with higher malnutrition. Energy poverty (measured via access to electricity) and human capital both significantly reduce malnutrition, whereas corruption increases it. The paper offers policy recommendations for SSA governments to tackle malnutrition and advance SDG 3 through investments aligned with SDG 4, SDG 7, and SDG 17.