Complementary Feeding in Emergencies:

Options, challenges and the way forward

Victoria Sibson, SC-UK Emergencies Nutrition Adviser, March 2008

 Main focus areas:

• Typical ‘Basic’ interventions;

rationale and challenges

• ‘Technical’ interventions:
Building on the Operational
Guidance - SCUK’s view and
emerging approach (some new
response ideas)

REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 213890 www.savethechildren.org.uk

Sphere General Nutrition Support Standard 2 for At Risk
Groups:
“Children 6-24 months must have access to nutritious, energy dense
complementary foods. Efforts should be made to provide households
with the means and skills to prepare appropriate complementary
foods for children under 24 months. This may be through provision
of specific food commodities or of utensils, fuel and water.”

Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies:

Operational Guidance:
“Food suitable to meet the nutrient needs of older
infants and young children must be included in the
general ration for food aid dependent populations”

REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 213890 www.savethechildren.org.uk

Basic emergency complementary feeding
support:

• Fortified blended foods (e.g.

CSB/WSB) in general ration
• Addition of inexpensive locally
available foods to the general
ration
• Addition of micronutrient rich
foods to SFP rations
• Sprinkles/micronutrients

REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 213890 www.savethechildren.org.uk

 Challenges and possible solutions for basic
emergency complementary feeding support:
•Difficulties in assessing access/ •Build in to initial assessments
availability of complementary food?

•Lack of awareness of need? •Organisational sensitisation

•Sectoral placement of the •Nutrition goal of food

basic/non technical interventions sec/livelihoods work
(not managed by nutritionists?)

•Misuse of blended foods •Design, M&E

•Reliance on UN for commodities •EmPrep; alternative response

REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 213890 www.savethechildren.org.uk
 ‘Technical’ emergency complementary feeding
interventions:
• Training health/nutrition/
community staff on optimal IYCF
practices
• Integrating training and support in
to health care
• Setting up areas for mothers
requiring individual support
• Providing information on correct
and hygienic preparation of
unfamiliar complementary foods
and on feeding children what is
available
REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 213890 www.savethechildren.org.uk
Save the Children UK’s view

• There is a need to protect and promote optimal

infant and young child feeding and caring
practices in an emergency

• Allows emergency programme to link with longer term

developmental work…

• …and Hunger Reduction work in Save the Children UK focuses

on reducing stunting and wasting through addressing their
causes, building a package of safety nets that ultimately
addresses economic security
REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 213890 www.savethechildren.org.uk
 Some recent 2007-2008 Save the Children
Alliance response examples:

• Bangladesh cyclone response

• Mozambique flood response

• India flood response

REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 213890 www.savethechildren.org.uk

New technical interventions?
• Complementary food vouchers exchangeable for
certain commodities suitable for complementary
foods, for PLW/mothers of children under 2. Part of
cash programme.

• Blanket supplementary feeding for children of

complementary feeding age with a Ready to Use
Supplementary Food, as a preventative measure in
areas of high acute malnutrition / chronic
emergencies
REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 213890 www.savethechildren.org.uk
Complementary Feeding response considerations:
Initial context: Malnutrition prevalence, micronutrient
deficiencies, quality of traditional complementary foods, degree of
household food security, availability of micronutrient rich foods

Operational context: Short/longer term response? Necessary

scale/coverage? Sustainability? Cost effectiveness? Delivery
mechanisms?

No single best package – will depend on context,

but don’t forget it!

REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 213890 www.savethechildren.org.uk

Thank you!