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Assets for Alimentation? The Nutritional Impact of Assets-based Programming in Niger

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  • Tilman Brück
  • O.M. Dias Botia
  • N. T. N. Ferguson
  • J. Ouédraogo
  • Z. Ziegelhoefer
  • UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti

Abstract

A recent strand of aid programming aims to develop household assets by removing the stresses associated with meeting basic nutritional needs. In this paper, we posit that such programmes can also boost nutrition in recipient households by encouraging further investment in diet. To test this hypothesis, we study the World Food Programme’s “Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO)” in Niger, a conflict-affected, low income country with a high share of malnourishment. Under PRRO, a household could be in one of three groups at endline: receiving food aid to prevent malnutrition, receiving both preventive food aid and food for assets assistance, or receiving no assistance (the control group). When provided only by itself, the food aid has no nutritional impact, relative to receiving no assistance. However, we observe pronounced positive effects when preventive food aid is paired with assets-based programming, over and above what stems from greater household assets. We conclude, first, that certain forms of food aid function well in complex, insecure environments; second, that assets-based programmes deliver positive nutritional spillovers; and, third, that there are theoretical grounds to believe that asset-based programmes interact positively with more nutrition-focussed programming.

Suggested Citation

  • Tilman Brück & O.M. Dias Botia & N. T. N. Ferguson & J. Ouédraogo & Z. Ziegelhoefer & UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, 2018. "Assets for Alimentation? The Nutritional Impact of Assets-based Programming in Niger," Papers inwopa957, Innocenti Working Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucf:inwopa:inwopa957
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    2. Brück, Tilman & d'Errico, Marco, 2019. "Food security and violent conflict: Introduction to the special issue," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 167-171.
    3. Huw Lloyd-Ellis & Ardyn Nordstrom, 2021. "Trade, poverty and food security: A survey of recent research and its implications for East Africa," Working Paper 1460, Economics Department, Queen's University.
    4. Elisabetta Aurino & Sara Giunti, 2022. "Social Protection for Child Development in Crisis: A Review of Evidence and Knowledge Gaps [School Feeding Reduces Anemia Prevalence in Adolescent Girls and Other Vulnerable Household Members in a ," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 37(2), pages 229-263.
    5. Dorothee Weiffen & Ghassan Baliki & Tilman Brück, 2022. "Violent conflict moderates food security impacts of agricultural asset transfers in Syria: A heterogeneity analysis using machine learning," HiCN Working Papers 381, Households in Conflict Network.

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