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

• Main Authors: Hossein Azadi, Fien De Rudder, Koen Vlassenroot, Fredu Nega, Jan Nyssen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2017-09-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: food needs; food security and aid; international food programs; vulnerability; famine; drought
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/10/1716

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.