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Enhancing Nutrition: A New Tool for Ex-Ante Comparison of Commodity-based Vouchers and Food Transfers

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  • Ryckembusch, David
  • Frega, Romeo
  • Silva, Marcio Guilherme
  • Gentilini, Ugo
  • Sanogo, Issa
  • Grede, Nils
  • Brown, Lynn

Abstract

This article presents a new analytical tool for ex-ante comparison of the cost-effectiveness of two transfer modalities in pursuing specific nutritional objectives. It does so by introducing a metric to score the nutrient value of a food basket—the Nutrient Value Score (NVS)—and explains how this metric can be combined with full supply chain analysis and costing to generate a new tool, the Omega Value. The use of the Omega Value allows policy-makers who design a program with nutrition objectives to compare direct food transfers and commodity-based food vouchers in terms of both cost efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Suggested Citation

  • Ryckembusch, David & Frega, Romeo & Silva, Marcio Guilherme & Gentilini, Ugo & Sanogo, Issa & Grede, Nils & Brown, Lynn, 2013. "Enhancing Nutrition: A New Tool for Ex-Ante Comparison of Commodity-based Vouchers and Food Transfers," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 58-67.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:49:y:2013:i:c:p:58-67
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2013.01.021
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    Cited by:

    1. Gentilini,Ugo, 2016. "The revival of the"cash versus food"debate : new evidence for an old quandary ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7584, The World Bank.
    2. Peters, Koen & Fleuren, H.A. & den Hertog, Dick & Kavelj, Mirjana & Silva, Sergio & Goncalves, Rui & Ergun, Ozlem & Soldner, Mallory, 2016. "The Nutritious Supply Chain : Optimizing Humanitarian Food Aid," Other publications TiSEM 9b54e54e-29cb-430c-834e-7, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    3. Gentilini, Ugo, 2014. "Our daily bread : what is the evidence on comparing cash versus food transfers?," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 89502, The World Bank.
    4. Carland, Corinne & Goentzel, Jarrod & Montibeller, Gilberto, 2018. "Modeling the values of private sector agents in multi-echelon humanitarian supply chains," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 269(2), pages 532-543.
    5. Tagliati, Federico, 2022. "Welfare effects of an in-kind transfer program: Evidence from Mexico," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    6. Lentz, Erin C. & Barrett, Christopher B. & Gómez, Miguel I. & Maxwell, Daniel G., 2013. "On The Choice and Impacts of Innovative International Food Assistance Instruments," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 1-8.
    7. Gelli, Aulo & Hawkes, Corinna & Donovan, Jason & Harris, Jody & Allen, Summer L. & de Brauw, Alan & Henson, Spencer & Johnson, Nancy L. & Garrett, James & Ryckembusch, David, 2015. "Value chains and nutrition: A framework to support the identification, design, and evaluation of interventions:," IFPRI discussion papers 1413, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    8. Ugo Gentilini, 2016. "The Other Side of the Coin," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 24593.
    9. Evans, David K. & Popova, Anna, 2016. "Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Development: Accounting for Local Costs and Noisy Impacts," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 262-276.

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