As part of UNICEF Innocenti's workshop on social protection in humanitarian settings, Tilman Brück from IDSC presented his working paper "Assets for alimentation? The nutritional impact of assets-based programming in Niger". For more on this workshop and to access the seven papers released at the event, visit: https://www.unicef-irc.org/article/1829-evidence-on-social-protection-in-contexts-of-fragility-and-forced-displacement.html

1. Assets for alimentation?
The nutritional impact of
assets-based programming in Niger
Tilman Brück (IGZ/ISDC/HiCN/LSE)
with Oscar M. Días Botía, Neil T. N. Ferguson, Jérôme
Ouédraogo and Zacharias Ziegelhöfer
brueck@igzev.de
UNICEF-Innocenti Workshop on Evidence on Social Protection
in Contexts of Fragility and Forced Displacement
Florence, 7-8 June 2018

2. Punchline
Supporting the nutrition of children in conflict settings
may improve nutrition outcomes,

3. Punchline
Supporting the nutrition of children in conflict settings
may improve nutrition outcomes,
but effects critically depend on program design!

4. Our case study
Niger, a very challenged country
 high moderate and acute malnutrition
 very unequal gender relations and high fertility
 weak agricultural livelihoods
 weak state institutions
 external insecurity all around
Assessing a nation-wide WFP food aid programme
 studying “food aid” versus “food aid and agriculture” treatments
An impact evaluation design to isolate causal mechanisms
 base-line in 2014 and end-line in 2016
 phase out of treatment in some locations

5. What are the big evidence gaps?
We know that food aid can help improve nutrition in young
children in “normal” environments.
➣ But what about fragile or conflict-affected settings?
We know that “direct” food aid can help improve nutrition in
young children.
➣ But what about food aid to boost agricultural livelihoods?
We know that we can conduct impact evaluations to generate
policy-relevant knowledge in “standard” development settings.
➣ But what about fragile or conflict-affected settings?

6. How do we help fill these evidence gaps?
What about food aid in fragile or conflict-affected settings?
➣ Interventions can boost nutrition for young children in fragility.
➣ Preventive programming alone may not strengthen nutrition.
What about food aid to boost agricultural livelihoods?
➣ Food for assets indeed strengthens early childhood nutrition.
➣ These effects were not intended – but they may last.
How to conduct impact evaluations in fragile settings?
➣ Be prepared, start early, collaborate across all stakeholders.

7. How do we help fill these evidence gaps?
What about food aid in fragile or conflict-affected settings?
➣ Interventions can boost nutrition for young children in fragility.
➣ Preventive programming alone may not strengthen nutrition.
What about food aid to boost agricultural livelihoods?
➣ Food for assets indeed strengthens early childhood nutrition.
➣ These effects were not intended – but they may last.
How to conduct impact evaluations in fragile settings?
➣ Be prepared, start early, collaborate across all stakeholders.
➣ Oh, and it costs money.

8. What do the study findings imply for policy?
Consider integrated
programmes in fragile
contexts to
strengthen long-term
outcomes.
Place impact
before donor-
institutional
boundaries.
Therefore
keep testing
and learning!
Be humble about
theories of change:
we know less than
we think we do.

9. What are the implications for future research?

10. Acknowledgements
With many thanks to our donors and partners:
 3ie
 DFID
 High Commission of Nigeriens Feeding Nigeriens
 National Statistics Institute of Niger
 UNECA Niamey
 WFP HQ
 WFP Niger