Addressing child malnutrition in Bangladesh

The latest edition of the United States State Dept's eJournal focuses on food aid and provides insights into current policy trends including a sketch of the issues involved in the new US Farm Bill currently before Congress; an interview with World Food Programme Executive Director Josette Sheeran; and an article by Ina Schonberg, of Save the Children, who writes about finding the balance between food and cash in the fight against child hunger in Bangladesh:

Food aid tied to specific development objectives has worked in Bangladesh. It has raised households’ income, allowed girls to enroll in and complete school, and reduced food insecurity during periods of hunger. [...]

But it takes more than food to fight hunger. The effectiveness of food aid is maximized when programmed together with cash aid. Cash is needed, for example, for training people to grow their own food, supplying them with the initial supplies, and monitoring their progress.

Cash aid is also critical to ensure that food aid is programmed effectively for improving health care and access to water, improving schools, and responding to flood disasters. Innovative programs can include combinations of cash-supported programs, food aid, and even cash transfers.

Read the whole article here.