This paper describes the theory and practice of Oxfam GB's livelihoods approach to assessing food security in emergencies, i.e. its emergency programming aimed at supporting livelihoods, as well as saving lives.

Part I: Describes key concepts that make up food-security theory and relates them to a livelihoods approach.

Part II: Assessing food security - whether people are able to meet their immediate food needs and the vulnerability and risks faced by different livelihood groups and their coping strategies.

Part III: Case-studies

Mercy-USA for Aid and Development (M-USA) has been monitoring the tense situations in southern Serbia and in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and is prepared, if needed, to assist refugees from those regions that may enter Kosovo or Albania.
From June 1998 to April 2001, M-USA has provided over $6.5 million in relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance to the people of Kosovo. Details of this assistance are described below.

Economic Growth and Income Generation

During March and April 2001, Mercy-USA

During March and April 2001, Mercy-USA for Aid and Development (M-USA) distributed 666,710 pounds of potato seeds and 1,867,404 lb. of fertilizer to 6,062 vulnerable families in villages located in the municipalities of Pec, Istok, Decani and Suva Reka. Each family received 110 lb. of potato seeds and 308 lb. of fertilizer. These distributions will help the beneficiary families to feed themselves and to supplement their income by selling the extra harvest. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) donated these inputs and helped fund the distribution costs.

INGO's are International Non-government Organizations.  Data as reported to the OCHA Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) by 4 May 2001.  Sectoral categories are based on those used in the Consolidated Appeals Process.  geo-codes are referenced to the chiefdom names and geo-codes map.  Map Updates quarterly.

The Sierra Leone Information System is an interagency project of OCHA and UNHCR, supported in part by ECHO.

FSAU is managed by the FAO, funded by EC and supported by USAID-Somalia and WFP-Somalia.
FSAU partners are WFP-Somalia, FEWS-Somalia,FAO, UNICEF, SCFUK and UNDP-Somalia.