Document Actions
Chronic and Transitory Food Insecurity
Q: For how long do you have to be food insecure for it to be considered chronic?
A: There is no commonly-agreed length of time before food insecurity becomes chronic. Conceptually the chronic/ transitory distinction is about time, but for practical uses, whether you are able to get enough in an average year (as described above) is more useful.
Q: Should you ever recommend food aid or cash as a relief intervention for the chronically food insecure?
Emergency relief will not address the underlying problem of chronic food insecurity. But short-term food deficits cannot be ignored. If short-term relief is required as a life-saving measure, it must be provided; however it must be accompanied by interventions aimed at addressing long-term problems.
