Economics of Supplemental Feeding of Malnourished Children: Leakages, Costs, and Benefits

摘要

This paper analyzes some of the economic issues involved in the supplemental feeding of malnourished children. The paper is divided into four major sections. The first section discusses the potential leakages to other family members and other households that are common to both on-site and take-home feeding programs. The second section describes the probability of errors involved in using entry and exit criteria in supplemental feeding programs and describes a feasible criterion for entry based on a child's weight gain. The third presents a simulation model for estimating the number of beneficiaries and costs of supplemental feeding under different prevelances of malnutrition, durations of feeding, and probabilities of recovery and relapse. The fourth calculates the costs and benefits of a supplemental feeding program by using efficiency, social and basic need approaches. (Copyright (c) 1981 The World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 U.S.A.)