Resilience to Food Insecurity: Theory and Empirical Evidence from International Food Assistance in Malawi

This research investigates the impacts of food assistance on resilience to food insecurity of the beneficiary households under the World Food Programme and Oxfam America’s project “The R4 Rural Resilience Initiative” implemented in rural and vulnerable areas of Malawi during the period 2015-2016. The empirical analysis uses three main techniques: the Resilience Index Measurement and Analysis II methodology of the Food and Agriculture Organization to measure resilience and food security; a reflexive method for a descriptive performance assessment; matching techniques for impact evaluation. The performance analysis and the impact evaluation reveal positive and significant relationships between programme interventions and resilience to food insecurity, showing also improved household access to loans insurance and savings.