The Timeliness and Cost-Effectiveness of the Local and Regional Procurement of Food Aid

Erin C. Lentz, Simone Passarelli and Christopher Barrett

World Development, 2013, vol. 49, issue C, 9-18

Abstract: Local and regional procurement (LRP) of food aid is often claimed to lead to quicker and more cost-effective response. We generate timeliness and cost-effectiveness estimates by comparing US-funded LRP activities in nine countries against in-kind, transoceanic food aid shipments from the US to the same countries during the same timeframe. Procuring food locally or distributing cash or vouchers results in a time savings of nearly 14weeks, a 62 percent gain. Cost-effectiveness varies significantly by commodity type. Procuring grains locally saved over 50 percent, on average, while local procurement of processed commodities was not always cost-effective.

Keywords: Emergency response; Food assistance; Foreign aid; Humanitarian aid (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (23)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:49:y:2013:i:c:p:9-18

DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2013.01.017

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