Feeding hunger and insecurity

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4. the hunger crisis: what happens when food prices rise?Box 5: The Working Definitions ofMalnutritionAnthropometric measurements, such as weightand height, are often used to determine nutritionalstatus in children. These measurements arepresented as indices known as weight-for-height,height-for-age or weight-for-age. They are comparedwith growth standards and expressed asz-scores (standard deviations), percentiles orpercentage of the median (Gibson 2005). Thereare three traditional indicators of malnutrition:Wasting (weight-for-height)Weight-for-height is calculated by comparingthe child’s actual weight to the growth standardsfor a ‘normal’ child of that height. If a childhas a weight-for-height of less than -2 z-scoreshe/she is considered to be wasted. Wasting iscaused by an inadequate current food intake,increased nutrient requirements due to infectionor problems with digestion and absorption. Twocommon terms that are often used for wasting inchildren are SAM and GAM.SAM: Severe Acute Malnutrition. A child isconsidered to be severely malnourished ifhe/she has a weight-for-height of less than-3 z-scores and/or oedema (WHO et al.2007). Severely malnourished children areat risk of death and require immediate treatmentwith therapeutic foods.GAM: Global Acute Malnutrition. Includesall children with a weight-for-height of lessthan -2 z-scores, that is all severely andmoderately malnourished children.Stunting (height-for-age)Height-for-age is referred to as stunting and is oftenreferred to as a measure for chronic malnutrition.As with wasting, if a child has a z-score of less than-2 he/she is considered stunted (Gibson 2005).Underweight (weight-for-age)Children with z-scores of less than -2 areconsidered to be underweight for their age.Weight-for-age measurements do not enable usto differentiate between children that are shortand have an adequate weight for their height orwhether they are tall and wasted.While these measurements provide an easyway of determining the nutritional status of apopulation they ignore a less visible form of malnutrition:micronutrient malnutrition.4.2 What is the Link Between FoodPrices and Malnutrition?There is a clear, pronounced correlation between foodprices and malnutrition rates, but it would be wrong toassume that the full increase in malnutrition rates expressedin the graph below is the result of food pricerises alone. The hunger season generally coincides withthe rainy season (see figure 4.4). Rain brings peaks inthe prevalence of many diseases and parasites includingmalaria, diarrhoea, cholera and some worms. Agriculturallabour intensifies during this period, increasingenergy expenditure while the homes of the poor areoften unable to provide adequate shelter from the rainand cold. Causal analysis is impossible here, but a fullerunderstanding of the behaviour and coping strategiesof poor households during the annual hunger season,when food prices are high and income sources limited,shows how high food prices are a significant factor behindthe yearly increases in malnutrition rates.Figure 4.4: Seasonal malnutrition, malaria andrainfall in NigerSAM and malaria cases(% of year total)8765432100SAMMalariaRainfallSee Gibson 200518016014012010080604020Rainfall (mm)010 20 30 40 50Hunger period HarvestWeek Source: FEWSNET 2008,WHO 2007, WMO 200826ACF International NetworkFeeding Hunger and Insecurity
4. the hunger crisis: what happens when food prices rise?4.2.1 Household ‘Coping Strategies’in Times of High Food Prices‘Coping strategies’ is a crude, and patronising, label forthe practices employed by households, often on a yearlybasis, during times of limited food security. The choiceof action taken by a family is dependent on the severityof food shortages (or price increases) and householdwealth. Figure 4.5b shows that the wealthiest 25 percentof households in Ghana are less likely to ration foodbut more likely to sell assets to purchase food than thepoorest 25 percent of households who are more likelyto ration food and seek informal help. This is becausethe sale of assets has a lesser impact on the wealthof the richer groups compared to the poor. In absoluteterms, more poor Ghanaian households were requiredto employ ‘coping mechanisms’ than rich households.Figure 4.6 overleaf shows a generic progression ofcoping strategies as food prices increase, and the crisisdeepens, though the relative order and numberof households employing each strategy will vary betweenincome groups, livelihood zones and cultures.When faced with high food prices, poorer familiesusually begin by rationing and reducing the quality offood consumed, often skipping meals, or seeking-outalternative income sources like gathering firewood. Asfood insecurity intensifies, the household adopts moredamaging coping strategies, selling assets, taking childrenout of school or borrowing at high interest rates.In extreme circumstances, desperation may force fam-ily members to resort to stress migration, crime, beggingor prostitution (Prentice 2008). Devereux et al.(2008) note that during the 1988/89 food crisis in northernGhana, some families ‘betrothed’ their daughtersto elites in exchange for early bride-price payments.4.2.2 The Impacts of Eating LessTorlesse et al (2003) found that in Bangladesh, thenumber of underweight children is correlated withrice prices – rising with high rice prices and decliningagain as the costs subside. A study conductedin Lusaka, Zambia, following the 2000/01 drought,found that when food prices increased, families initiallymaintained their consumption of staple foods atthe expense of more micronutrient-rich foods such asfruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products (Gitau etal. 2005).Eating lower quality foods can be damaging, even afterfood prices drop. Micronutrients are crucial to humanhealth, growth and development. Child malnutritionhas adverse effects on physical and cognitivedevelopment. Iodine deficiencies in young childrennegatively affect IQ scores, while iron deficiency resultsin poorer mental, motor and social functioning (Walkeret al. 2007). Anemia, which in 50 percent of casescan be attributed to iron deficiency, adversely affectswork productivity of adults and increases the risk ofmaternal and child mortality (WHO/UNICEF 2004). ZincFigure 4.5: Coping strategies employed by households in Malawi and Ghana(a): Malawi in 2002 and 1999(b): Ghana 1988Rationed foodRationed foodCut spendingCut spendingSold assetsSold assetsBorrowedBorrowedMigratedMigratedInformal help20021999Informal helpPoorest 25%Richest 25%020 40 60 80 100020 40 60 80 100Source: Devereux et al. 2008ACF International Network Feeding Hunger and Insecurity 27
Page 3: Feeding Hunger and InsecurityField
Page 6 and 7: Executive SummaryKey MessagesThe cr
Page 8: executive summarybuffers and greate
Page 11 and 12: List of FiguresFigure 1.1Figure 1.2
Page 13 and 14: List of AbbreviationsACFCARCFACFSCR
Page 15 and 16: © ACF / S. Hauenstein Swan1. Intro
Page 17 and 18: 1. IntroductionFigure 1.2: Map depi
Page 19 and 20: © ACF / S. Hauenstein Swan2. What
Page 21 and 22: 2. what caused the global food pric
Page 23 and 24: 2. what caused the global food pric
Page 25: © Julien Goldstein3. Households in
Page 28: 3. households in crisis: who loses?
Page 31 and 32: 3. households in crisis: who loses?
Page 33: 3. households in crisis: who loses?
Page 36 and 37: 3. households in crisis: who loses?
Page 38 and 39: 4. The Hunger Crisis:4. What Happen
Page 42 and 43: 4. the hunger crisis: what happens
Page 50 and 51: 5. the global response to high Food
Page 52 and 53: 5. The global response to high food
Page 66 and 67: 6. What More is Needed?The global f
Page 68 and 69: 6. what more is needed?non-food nee
Page 70 and 71: 6. what more is needed?Box 7: Hunge
Page 72 and 73: 6. what more is needed?Box 8: Malaw
Page 74 and 75: 6. what more is needed?Table 6.3: T
Page 76 and 77: 6. what more is needed?and local in
Page 78 and 79: 7. ConclusionData from Ethiopia sho
Page 80 and 81: ReferencesAbebe, Y., Stoecker B.J.,
Page 82 and 83: Referencesable at: http://www.iht.c
Page 84 and 85: AnnexesAnnex 1: Real international
Page 86 and 87: annexesAnnex 5: Percentage househol
Page 88 and 89: annexesAnnex 7: Harriss’ typology
Page 90 and 91:
A HUNGER WATCH PUBLICATIONhunger Wa
Page 92:
ACF INTERNATIONAL NETWORKSiège d
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