COST-ANALYSIS OF FEEDING AND FOOD SUBSIDY PROGRAMS

This article summarizes available information on costs of feeding and food subsidy programmes, comparing unit costs, share of non-food costs and cost-effectiveness. The effects of programme scale, operating age ncy (NGO versus government) and geographical location are examined for feeding programmes, both for unit costs and the non-food cost share. Two of the very few cost-effectiveness studies of nutrition interventi ons estimate cost per death averted to be around $1500, higher than so me basic health interventions. There are, however, methodological prob lems with using this particular cost-effectiveness measure for nutriti on interventions.