Food insecurity and food assistance programmes across OECD countries : Overcoming evidence gaps

Food systems are expected to ensure food security and nutrition for a growing population. While food insecurity is more acute in developing countries, OECD countries are also affected. The current high-level of food prices could push more people into poverty and hunger. Governments have a role to play in easing impacts on households. They run or support food assistance programmes, such as school meal programmes, food voucher programmes and food banks’ operations. Based on OECD countries’ experiences, this paper provides a roadmap to identify and overcome evidence gaps on food insecurity and food assistance programmes to allow for a better targeting and improved efficiency of such programmes. This paper highlights the need for a coordinated effort by OECD countries to collect regular and comparable information.