Translating nutrition research into action in humanitarian emergencies

Abstract

Except for the management of severe malnutrition, there has been little research specifically conducted to support emergency food and nutrition programs. Lacking empirically based guidance regarding how accurately to identify problems and select the most effective means to achieve desired objectives, programming decisions have been based on extrapolations, anecdotal evidence and intuition, with hopes of doing the right thing. Consequently, donors, implementers and affected governments, who often hold contradictory opinions, expend time and resources on controversies about when and how to act. These controversies reveal inadequate knowledge for which research is urgently needed. Two past controversies are presented as illustrations: one related to ration energy requirements and the other to sales of food aid. Appropriate action depends on context and research to support emergency programming must encompass a broad range of sectors and disciplines. Furthermore, emergency contexts are characterized by extremes and dynamic change and investigations in such contexts demand special approaches and caution. Institutional structures need to be changed so that they can adequately support emergency nutrition research.