ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the two main reasons why access to food changes by season: the variability of the cost of food and the variability of available incomes. This chapter looks first at how much money is required to ensure that basic dietary needs are met. The second part describes the components of the cost of an adequate diet (local availability of food and local prices) through a methodology developed by Save the Children. The third part uses data from recent field surveys carried out by Save the Children to illustrate the variation of income available for food purchase. Finally, this chapter proposes some implications for decision-makers resulting from this more nuanced understanding of variable access to food.
