Targeting assistance to the poor and food insecure: a literature review

This report is a comprehensive review of the literature and summary of “targeting” programs that deliver food assistance to the poor and food insecure. It provides definitions, ra-tionales for targeting, analysis of benefits and costs (political and administrative) of various targeting mechanisms, and descriptions of targeting methods. The authors conclude that the best long-range strategy to achieve food security is to increase incomes of vulnerable households and individuals. However, until food security is achieved, they conclude that targeting is necessary and provide recommendations for criteria that any targeting mechanism must satisfy, both the short-run exigencies and long-range effects.