Cash transfers for food and futures

Against a backdrop of declining food security, climate change, and the grave impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, cash transfer programmes have increased tremendously. At the same time, there is a growing consensus among development and humanitarian organizations that cash transfers are an effective tool to rebuild people’s livelihoods, contribute to their food and nutrition security, and increase their resilience to shocks. Yet,  there is still a knowledge gap on the triad relationship between cash transfers, food and nutrition security, and fragility. That is why the following two knowledge products provide new insights into cash transfer programming as a tool to realize food security in fragile settings.

Cash transfers for food and futures report

The report discusses how, and to what extent, cash transfers can be an effective way of realizing food security in fragile settings. The generated insights are based on a literature quick-scan on the triad relationship, impact evaluations of existing cash transfer programmes in fragile settings, and various interviews with cash transfer experts and practitioners. A reference group consisting of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners critically reflected on the research process and presented findings. 

The findings in these knowledge documents indicate that the implementation of cash transfer programmes in fragile settings has great potential to contribute to food and nutrition security and to build the resilience of the target communities. Simultaneously, implementing such programmes is highly complex and demands flexibility, sensitivity, and a willingness to learn and adapt continuously. 

Download the report.

“The implementation of cash transfer programmes in fragile settings has great potential to contribute to food and nutrition security and to build the resilience”

Fancy a quick look (for policy)? 

The interest in cash transfer programmes has been increasing. This is also the case at the policy level in the Netherlands, where Sigrid Kaag, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, has recently confirmed that the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is committed to scaling up its implementation of cash transfer programmes. This policy brief, aiming to contribute to these efforts, summarizes the main findings of the research project ‘Cash Transfers in Relation to Food and Nutrition Security and Fragility’ and provides policy recommendations distilled from these findings.

Follow this link to download the policy brief.