TY - JOUR
T1 - Emergency Food Assistance in Northern Syria
T2 - An Evaluation of Transfer Programs in Idleb Governorate
AU - Doocy, Shannon
AU - Tappis, Hannah
AU - Lyles, Emily
AU - Witiw, Joseph
AU - Aken, Vicki
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2017.
PY - 2017/6/1
Y1 - 2017/6/1
N2 - Background: The war in Syria has left millions struggling to survive amidst violent conflict, pervasive unemployment, and food insecurity. Although international assistance funding is also at an all-time high, it is insufficient to meet the needs of conflict-affected populations, and there is increasing pressure on humanitarian stakeholders to find more efficient, effective ways to provide assistance. Objective: To evaluate 3 different assistance programs (in-kind food commodities, food vouchers, and unrestricted vouchers) in Idleb Governorate of Syria from December 2014 and March 2015. Methods: The evaluation used repeated survey data from beneficiary households to determine whether assistance was successful in maintaining food security at the household level. Shopkeeper surveys and program monitoring data were used to assess the impact on markets at the district/governorate levels and compare the cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness of transfer modalities. Results: Both in-kind food assistance and voucher programs showed positive effects on household food security and economic measures in Idleb; however, no intervention was successful in improving all outcomes measured. Food transfers were more likely to improve food access and food security than vouchers and unrestricted vouchers. Voucher programs were found to be more cost-efficient than in-kind food assistance, and more cost-effective for increasing household food consumption. Conclusion: Continuation of multiple types of transfer programs, including both in-kind assistance and vouchers, will allow humanitarian actors to remain responsive to evolving access and security considerations, local needs, and market dynamics.
AB - Background: The war in Syria has left millions struggling to survive amidst violent conflict, pervasive unemployment, and food insecurity. Although international assistance funding is also at an all-time high, it is insufficient to meet the needs of conflict-affected populations, and there is increasing pressure on humanitarian stakeholders to find more efficient, effective ways to provide assistance. Objective: To evaluate 3 different assistance programs (in-kind food commodities, food vouchers, and unrestricted vouchers) in Idleb Governorate of Syria from December 2014 and March 2015. Methods: The evaluation used repeated survey data from beneficiary households to determine whether assistance was successful in maintaining food security at the household level. Shopkeeper surveys and program monitoring data were used to assess the impact on markets at the district/governorate levels and compare the cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness of transfer modalities. Results: Both in-kind food assistance and voucher programs showed positive effects on household food security and economic measures in Idleb; however, no intervention was successful in improving all outcomes measured. Food transfers were more likely to improve food access and food security than vouchers and unrestricted vouchers. Voucher programs were found to be more cost-efficient than in-kind food assistance, and more cost-effective for increasing household food consumption. Conclusion: Continuation of multiple types of transfer programs, including both in-kind assistance and vouchers, will allow humanitarian actors to remain responsive to evolving access and security considerations, local needs, and market dynamics.
KW - Syria
KW - cash
KW - food security
KW - humanitarian assistance
KW - market
KW - voucher
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85019634037&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85019634037&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0379572117700755
DO - 10.1177/0379572117700755
M3 - Article
C2 - 28359211
AN - SCOPUS:85019634037
SN - 0379-5721
VL - 38
SP - 240
EP - 259
JO - Food and nutrition bulletin
JF - Food and nutrition bulletin
IS - 2
ER -