"To effectively address the interactions between HIV/AIDS and food insecurity, there's a need to fill knowledge gaps. strengthen capacity, and learn-by-doing in partnership with people who are directly affected." from TextPandemics ,HIV/AIDS Africa ,HIV/AIDS Social aspects ,

Gillespie, Stuart

Loevinsohn, Michael

English

Research Papers in Economics

STRENGTHENING FOOD ASSISTANCE AND FOOD POLICY RESEARCH
Linking Research and Action
A
ccess to food was at the heart of
the humanitarian crisis that hit
southern Africa in 2001–2002. The
immediate triggers were climatic,
especially flooding and poorly distrib-
uted rainfall in the first half of 2001,
leading to a marked reduction in food
production across the five most severe-
ly affected countries. Observers have
implicated several underlying and
overlapping factors in exacerbating the
impact of the climatic stresses. These
include deep and widespread poverty,
civil strife, land insecurity, removal of
price controls, resource degradation,
erosion of agricultural diversity, poor
governance, muffled press, and civil
society. There was another factor,
unlike these, that has not been impli-
cated in past food crises—HIV/AIDS.
But what role did AIDS play in this
regional food crisis, and what does this
imply for current and future responses
to AIDS-affected food crises? In order
to begin to answer these questions,
there is a need to address three princi-
pal challenges.
1. Gaps in understanding
Existing research on the interrelation-
ship between HIV/AIDS and food
security, and actions derived from it,
is limited in several ways. Though
there is increasing understanding that
the interactions are two-way, much
attention remains focused on AIDS’
impacts on food security rather than
on the other direction, i.e., how food
systems, policy, and practice may
contribute to the spread of HIV.
Second, the dynamics of impact and
response at the levels of communities
remain under-researched, with much
of current studies oriented toward
cross-sectional studies of smallholder
farming households. Third, too few
studies seek to capture and learn from
the many innovations that are under-
way by affected individuals and their
communities. Fourth, there is the pre-
dominant view that AIDS is so differ-
ent that it demands completely new
programmes, new technologies, new
responses. This is dangerous, because
it adds to the prevailing sense of
hopelessness.
2. Lack of evidence on “what
works”
There is very little empirical basis to
guide responses. Where organizations
have launched actions that address
HIV/AIDS-food security links, they
have rarely been monitored. Clear
operational hypotheses and indicators
are seldom stated and followed up on.
Strengthening of situation analysis as
well as monitoring and evaluation
systems, and their integration in inter-
vention design, should facilitate the
capturing of lessons learned and veri-
fiable best practices.
3. Limited action
Many actors find difficulty in identi-
fying their particular role in the
response to the pandemic. This is
partly due to a lack of understanding
of the dynamics in their particular
sector and/or due to limited insights
in appropriate intervention opportuni-
ties (numbers 1 and 2 above). Nation-
al actors (including government min-
istries) and donors alike have for the
most part still not mainstreamed the
implications of AIDS into their policy
processes. There is a real need for
effective mainstreaming and broad
collaboration so that the scale,
breadth, and depth of response better
matches the scale and diversity of the
AIDS epidemic.
To address these challenges, the
Regional Network on HIV/AIDS,
Rural Livelihoods, and Food Security
(RENEWAL) was launched in 2001.
Facilitated by the International Food
Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and
the International Service for National
Agricultural Research (ISNAR) and
with support from the World Food
Programme (WFP) and other donors,
RENEWAL is a growing regional
network-of-networks. Currently ac-
tive in Malawi, Uganda, Zambia, and
South Africa, RENEWAL comprises
national networks of food- and nutri-
tion-oriented organizations (public,
private, and nongovernmental) to-
gether with partners in AIDS and
public health.
The first stage in the RENEWAL
process involves the preparation of a
national situation analysis report by
two in-country experts (one on food
security, one on public health) that
To effectively address the
interactions between
HIV/AIDS and food
insecurity, there’s a need to
fill knowledge gaps,
strengthen capacity, and
learn-by-doing in partnership
with people who are directly
affected.
INTERNATIONAL FOOD
POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
sustainable options for ending hunger and poverty
IFPRI
®
HIV/AIDS and Food Crises: 
RENEWAL in Africadescribes the present situation,
apparent trends, and institutional
responses to the challenge along with
remaining gaps. In the second stage,
this report is fed into a multi-stake-
holder consultation that involves par-
ticipation from agricultural and
health ministries, research organiza-
tions, national AIDS commissions,
and nongovernmental organizations
(NGOs). The conceptual framework
in the figure encapsulates the “uni-
verse” within which RENEWAL
operates and provides guidance.
Consultation participants decide
on priorities for action research and
recommend how the national net-
work should be organized and gov-
erned. In the next stage, these recom-
mendations are then presented to
high-level ministers, heads of AIDS
commissions, and other senior repre-
sentatives of government and NGOs,
whose buy-in is fundamental for
local ownership, relevance, and
impact. Calls for proposals, based on
the priority themes, are disseminated
and studies selected and funded out
of country-level Action Research
Funds. Around 10 studies on
HIV/AIDS and food crises in south-
ern Africa will thus be initiated in
early 2004. Most of these seek to
enhance understanding of the micro-
and meso-environmental interactions
(see figure below) and influence
macro-level policy via the communi-
cation channels established within
the networks. The findings of these
studies along with the results of poli-
cy reviews and policy “experiments”
will be discussed in local, national,
and regional fora later in the year.
In the context of the three
challenges described above, the
process of network development in
RENEWAL is both a means and an
end. Impact may be enhanced
through combining locally-priori-
tized action research with the
strengthening of both capacity and
communications.
Michael Loevinsohn and Stuart Gillespie (2003) “HIV/AIDS, Food Security, and Rural Livelihoods: Understanding
and Responding,” Food Consumption and Nutrition Division Discussion Paper 157, International Food Policy
Research Institute, Washington, D.C. Contact author at s.gillespie@cgiar.org.
INSTITUTIONAL CONTACTS:
Food Consumption & Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research
Institute (www.ifpri.org), 2033 K St., NW, Washington, DC 20006-1002 USA, 
Tel: +1-202-862-5600, Fax: +1-202-467-4439 Email: IFPRI-FCN@cgiar.org
World Food Programme (www.wfp.org), 68/70 via Cesare Giulio Viola,
Parco dei Medici, I-00148 Rome, Italy, Tel: +39-06-65132628,
Fax: +39-06-65132840 Email: Allan.Jury@wfp.org
This IFPRI/WFP brief is based on preliminary research results. Copyright © 2004 International Food Policy Research Institute and World Food Programme. All
rights reserved. Sections of this document may be reproduced without the express permission of, but with acknowledgment to, IFPRI and WFP.
HIV/AIDS determinants, impacts, and responses
Macro environment Meso environment Micro environment Meso environment Macro environment Micro biology Micro biology Micro environment HIV infection
Determinants
Responses
Impacts
Responses
CAUSES CONSEQUENCES
Wide Wide Immediate
Regional disparities
Wealth and
distribution
Infrastructure,
climate, terrain
Culture
Policies
Promote
supportive
policies
Encourage
leadership
Livelihoods
Violence
Enhance
understanding
Community
institutions
institutions
Promote behavior
change
Modify risk
situations
Farming systems
Situations of risk
Knowledge
Behavior
Improve nutrition
Gender
Movement
Malnutrition
Virus load
Other diseases
Death
Other diseases
Malnutrition
Improve nutrition
ARV therapy
Treat diseases
Feeding
Orphan care
Assets
Labor
Entitlement
Terms of trade
Gender
Knowledge Livelihoods
Farming systems
Trade
Infrastructure
Stigma
Policies
Treat during 
pregnancy
Enhance
understanding
Strengthen
local institutions
Improve food
security and 
livelihood options
Community
institutions
Institutional
breakdown
Wealth and distribution
Promote
supportive
policies
Encourage
leadership livelihood options
Improve food
security and
Strengthen local
Autonomy
Virus subtypes

HIV/AIDS and food crises

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HIV/AIDS and food crises

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Research Papers in Economics