Targeting International Food Aid Programmes: The Case of Productive Safety Net Programme in Tigray, Ethiopia

Hossein Azadi, Fien De Rudder, Koen Vlassenroot, Fredu Nega and Jan Nyssen
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Hossein Azadi: Department of Geography, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
Fien De Rudder: Department of Geography, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
Koen Vlassenroot: Department of Conflict and Development Studies, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
Fredu Nega: The Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute (HESPI), P.O. Box 2692 code 1250, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Jan Nyssen: Department of Geography, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Fredu Nega Tegebu

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 9, issue 10, 1-15

Abstract: Ethiopia has experienced more than five major droughts in the past three decades, leading to high dependency on international food aids. Nevertheless, studies indicate that asset depletion has not been prevented; neither did food insecurity diminish. Since 2004/5, the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) has been implemented to improve food security in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Critics point out that the implementation of food aid programmes can have negative impacts as well as positive outcomes for local communities. Accordingly, this survey study aimed to analyse the distribution and allocation of food aids in the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) in Tigray. Results of 479 interviews revealed that targeting different households in the PSNP has been considerably linked to socio-demographic attributes among which age and size of family were decisive factors to receive food aids. Furthermore, older households with smaller family size received more direct support. Inequality between genders was another major finding of this study. When combined with the marital status, there was also a big difference in the percentage of married or unmarried women receiving food aids. These findings could provide fundamental information for policy intervention to correct food security programmes at household level and reduce hunger. Given that, socio-demographic factors can help to identify particular and usually different requirements, vulnerabilities and coping strategies of the members of the food aid programme, so that they can be much more addressed when an emergency happens.

Keywords: food needs; food security and aid; international food programs; vulnerability; famine; drought (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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