Introduction

Hunger causes poverty by denying its victims opportunities to enhance their lives. It debilitates people physically, physiologically and psychologically. Those who are weakened by hunger find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle of hunger-poverty-hunger.

Once a household falls into the hunger trap, escape is difficult even if an improved overall economic environment offers new opportunities. Hunger and poverty are thus assured for future generations.

The world's hungry poor need help to break out of this vicious cycle and enter main- stream development for self-reliant growth. For many, this help is most useful when it comes in the form of well-targeted food assistance. Such assistance is an investment in the future.