Poor rural families plan for food shortages both seasonally and for unexpected inter-seasonal events. This rather obvious fact of life is not often incorporated into planning of agricultural development activities. Comparatively little is known about the insurance mechanisms which families employ to ensure their household food security: their nature and resilience and how far different types of families use different mechanisms, and how rural development policy might strengthen them. This article will review these issues and also try to assess the effectiveness of means of overcoming regular seasonal contingencies in response to famine conditions. With a few notable exceptions (e.g. Jodha 1975;Campbell and Trechter 1982] there is little empirical evidence on these questions; on the other hand there is sufficient to indicate the diversity of what might be called 'household food strategies'. The evidence is examined with particular reference to northern Nigeria where there has been some research related to these issues
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This article examines two main questions: what does the available evidence reveal about the impact on household food security and nutrition of a shift from semi-subsistance to cash cropping? Does this evidence, used together with present analytical frameworks, allow us to develop any predictive ability or typologies as to the impact on food consumption and nutrition of specific types of crops in different policy situations?The article is divided into four sections. In the first, frames of analysis are discussed with some reference to economic theory that might be applied to the choice and impact of cash crops. This is followed by a review of data on the impact of cash crops on household food security and nutrition. These two sections are then used to propose predictive typologies or scenarios in the third section. Finally, a concluding section reviews the policy implications.
Summary Linking relief and development is an intensely practical and political matter. A conceptual framework is essential for assessing the causes of the crisis and deciding what to do. But there are many different proposals and terms often meaning much the same thing. The most important element is to identify that affected people have passed a threshold of disempowerment where their responses to the crisis become significantly different. ‘Relief’ rather than ‘development’ activities are then required. The frameworks are helpful to identify what types of people experience shocks and in what types of crisis and to point out the means of recovery. Resumé Les structures conceptuelles pour allier l'aide d'urgence au développement Allier les mesures d'aide d'urgence au développement, cela exige non seulement des actions très pratiques mais aussi, des actions de haute politique. Il est essentiel de disposer d'une structure conceptuelle afin de pouvoir évaluer les causes de la crise et décider ce qu'il faut faire. Or les actions proposées sont nombreuses, et les termes employés signifient souvent la même chose. Le plus important élément à constater, c'est si les populations affectées ont franchi un seuil de désaffranchissement de leur pouvoir au‐delà duquel leurs réponses face à la crise se modifient de manière significative. C'est à ce stade que des actions d'“aide d'urgence” plutôt que de “développement” s'imposent. Les structures sont utiles parce qu'elles permettent d'identifier quels types de peuples éprouvent l'impact de ces phénomènes et dans quels types de crise; et de faire ressortir les moyens de rétablissement les plus appropriés. Resumen Bases conceptuales para la vinculación de asistencia con desarrollo La integración entre asistencia y desarrollo es un asunto intensamente político y práctico. Es esencial tener un marco conceptual para evaluar las causas de la crisis y decidir en un plan de acción. Pero existen muchas proposiciones y términos diferentes que en realidad significan más o menos lo mismo. El elemento más importante es reconocer que las personas afectadas han atravesado un umbral de despojo en el cual sus respuestas a la crisis se vuelven sustancialmente distintas. En este caso se requieren actividades de ‘asistencia’ más que de ‘desarrollo’. Los marcos conceptuales ayudan a identificar los tipos de comunidades que experimentan esos impactos y en qué tipos de crisis, y a indicar posibles medios de recuperación.
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