LONDON (AlertNet) - The world needs to rethink international aid to help countries in protracted crises tackle hunger, a new United Nations report said on Friday.
The proportion of undernourished people in these countries is three times higher than in other developing countries, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
But they receive less help for agriculture and other sectors which could help them get back on their feet.
Overall, the number of hungry in the world has declined slightly but remains unacceptably high, the FAO said in its annual State of Food Insecurity in the World report.
It estimated the number of hungry stands at 925 million people, a drop from 1.023 billion in 2009. However, hunger levels remain higher than before the food and economic crises of 2008-9.
About a fifth of the world's hungry live in 22 countries considered to be in protracted crises, places with recurrent natural disasters and/or conflict and little capacity to respond.
International relief is traditionally separated into emergency short-term humanitarian aid and long-term development aid, but the report says this distinction is not very helpful for countries like Afghanistan, Somalia, Congo and Haiti.
"Protracted crises call for specially designed and targeted assistance," FAO Director General Jacques Diouf and World Food Programme Executive Director Josette Sheeran wrote in their foreword to the report.
"There is an urgent need for assistance in protracted crises to protect livelihoods as well as lives, because this will help put the country on a constructive path to recovery."
DIFFERENT AID APPROACHES
Observers have long feared that shipping in food aid over long periods can undermine local economies and damage local agricultural production. The report highlights the importance of other forms of food assistance that help save lives and simultaneously address the deprivation underlying many crises.
These include purchasing food aid supplies on local markets, providing vouchers that allow people to buy food locally and organising food and cash-for-work schemes to rebuild community assets. WFP now buys 80 percent of its purchases in developing countries.
The FAO report also highlighted the importance of funding agriculture and education.
Agriculture is crucial for rebuilding and supporting livelihoods in protracted crisis, yet the sector receives only 4 percent of humanitarian aid and 3 percent of development aid.
There is also ample evidence that investing in education contributes to reducing hunger by increasing the productivity of smallholders, the report said.
A World Bank survey found that a farmer with four years of primary education was almost 9 percent more productive on average than a farmer with no education.
LOCAL NETWORKS KEY
In addition, the report called for agencies and donors to pay more attention to the crucial role played by local institutions and networks in protracted crises.
With the breakdown of public services in a conflict, people often turn to local initiatives or create their own networks to plug the gaps.
The report highlighted examples in eastern Congo where locals established "peace councils" to resolve farmers' land disputes and local associations introduced collective fields and set up microcredit systems. However, such initiatives were ignored by outside aid agencies.
The report concluded that current low levels of overseas development aid to countries in protracted crises should be reconsidered. And humanitarian assistance should be integrated with development assistance.
"Food aid is vital for preserving lives and protecting livelihoods in countries in crisis, and must continue to receive support from donors,Â? the report said.
Â?But action is needed to raise awareness of the shortfalls in funding for other areas that can help these countries build the foundations of long-term food security."
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