Famine, Needs-assessment and Survival Strategies in Africa (Oxfam, 1993, 40 p.): 3 Survival strategies and their 'costs': 3.11 Gifts

Famine, Needs-assessment and Survival Strategies in Africa (Oxfam, 1993, 40 p.)

3 Survival strategies and their 'costs'

		(introduction...)
		3.1 Eating wild foods
		3.2 Going hungry
		3.3 Food preparation
		3.4 Slavery
		3.5 Sale of assets (productive/non-productive) and purchase of food
		3.6 Trading
		3.7 Labouring
		3.8 Household migration
		3.9 Consurnption of assets
		3.10 Borrowing
		3.11 Gifts
		3.12 Receiving remittances
		3.13 Theft

3.11 Gifts

Family, village, and ethnic ties have been important in securing flows of resources to displaced people in Mozambique and Angola. But often people have been forced to move considerable distances, and have ended up living with people they do not know. In Red Sea Hills, families have shared food with other families. Inter-household transfers and loans may dry up as the crisis deepens, particularly since many members of a community or kinship group may be subject to stress at the same time.

Community networks may also be breaking down as commercial relationships become more important. After a study of the Kebkabiya area in spring 1985, Martin wrote: 'Redistribution of grain, and purchase to make up deficits in recent drought years, depends on grain markets, not on community networks.'