Network Paper Missing the point An analysis of food security interventions

Abstract

In brief • This paper is concerned with food security in the Great Lakes region of Africa. It concludes that many food security interventions there have failed to address the needs of people affected by crises. • The same stereotyped interventions are being used, largely because these responses are not based on an understanding of the real needs of people, and insufficient attempts have been made to find out what those needs might be. Many responses were based on questionable and untested assumptions, were plagued by logical inconsistencies, and provided poor value for money. • The paper calls on humanitarian agencies to acknowledge that there is a problem, and to increase their commitment to confronting it. Although many of the recommendations have been made before, this study aims to add urgency to agency and donor attempts to improve food security responses. Humanitarian Practice Network The Humanitarian Practice Network (HPN) is an independent forum where field workers, managers and policymakers in the humanitarian sector share information, analysis and experience. HPN's aim is to improve the performance of humanitarian action by contributing to individual and institutional learning. HPN's activities include: • A series of specialist publications: Good Practice Reviews, Network Papers and Humanitarian Exchange magazine. • A resource website at www.odihpn.org. • Occasional seminars and workshops to bring together practitioners, policymakers and analysts. HPN's members and audience comprise individuals and organisations engaged in humanitarian action. They are in 80 countries worldwide, working in northern and southern NGOs, the UN and other multilateral agencies, governments and donors, academic institutions and consultancies. HPN's publications are written by a similarly wide range of contributors. HPN's institutional location is the Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG) at the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), an independent think tank on humanitarian and development policy. HPN's publications are researched and written by a wide range of individuals and organisations, and are published by HPN in order to encourage and facilitate knowledge-sharing within the sector. The views and opinions expressed in HPN's publications do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Humanitarian Policy Group or the Overseas Development Institute. Funding support is provided by institutional donors (AusAID, CIDA, DANIDA, DFID, Development Cooperation Ireland, MFA Netherlands, SIDA, USAID), non-governmental organisations (British Red Cross, CAFOD, Concern, MSF, Oxfam, Save the Children (UK), World Vision) and UN agencies (WFP).