Food and Nutrition Security: Examples of International Development Work in Sub-Saharan African Regions

One main focus of the section “nutrition security” of the Center for International Development and Environmental Research (ZEU) of Justus Liebig University in Giessen, Germany, is the analysis of the causes and effects of food insecurity and of deficiency and malnutrition in developing and transforming countries and also of poverty groups in western society. Research is based on a livelihood system approach that is meant to mirror the complexity of food security and nutrition in an extensive context. Researchers examine the food supply, nutritional situation, and behavior at the microeconomic level as explained by the households and families with regard to food insecurity and coping strategies. A primary focus is the intrahousehold dynamic from a gender perspective, with a regional focus on Africa. Nutrition scientists with a socioeconomic expertise are working on the projects described in this article. This outlook indicates that international development cooperation is needed to strengthen research with households.