Can Food-for-Work Programmes Reduce Vulnerability?

Abstract
This chapter examines the efficacy of food-for-work (FFW) programmes, drawing on empirical evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa. FFW programmes perform effectively under a set of conditions: when these are carefully planned and implemented, when they provide short-term insurance against shocks, and when private market demand for labour fails to provide a vent for surplus labour released by those who suffer shocks. FFW is also effective in reaching vulnerable persons in areas with low rates of chronic illness or injury.