ABSTRACT
At first sight it might appear to be rather easy to judge the impact of food aid on nutrition. After all, this type of aid involves transferring food from rich to poor countries, and any which is not wasted is eaten by someone either directly or, if it is supplied as animal feed, indirectly. Furthermore, the task of fighting malnutrition is a constant theme of the largest food aid donors.1 However, despite appearances the topic is a minefield of conflicting opinions and major gaps in information. There is controversy over whether investment in nutrition is either necessary or cost effective, and whether nutrition programmes, if they do occur, should include food handouts. Even among those who accept a need for rations, there is disagreement over whether these should be based on food aid or on locally purchased commodities. In addition to such general questions there are a host of practical issues concerning the extent to which specific food aided projects achieve their goals.
