Findings from a cluster randomised trial of unconditional cash transfers in Niger.

Unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) are used as a humanitarian intervention to prevent acute malnutrition

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
8 May 2018
Country:
Niger
Document Type:
Journal Article
Theme:
Food and Nutrition, Humanitarian Disasters and Emergencies
Authors:
Sibson, V.L.

Abstract

Key messages

  • Starting the unconditional cash transfers earlier and providing the same amount of cash over 6 months instead of 4, alongside 4 months supplementary feeding, temporarily increased beneficiary food security, but did not impact on children’s nutritional status at end line.

  • Global acute malnutrition prevalence remained static and elevated, despite improved food security; probably due to a deteriorating health situation.

  • Strengthening interventions to tackle malaria, as well as providing seasonal cash and food, may better protect children from acute malnutrition.

  • Future studies should test combined health and food security interventions and explore the assumption that the targeting of low income households leads to population level impact.

This work is part of the Research on Food Assistance for Nutritional Impact (REFANI) project.

Citation

Sibson,VL et al. (2018) Findings from a cluster randomised trial of unconditional cash transfers in Niger. Maternal and Child Nutrition 14(4):e12615.

Findings from a cluster randomised trial of unconditional cash transfers in Niger

Published 8 May 2018
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