Nutritional functional classification study of Peru : who and where are the poor?

Eighteen functional groups from two socioeconomic categories (those directly dependent on agriculture, and all others) were formed, using occupational characteristics of heads of household and agricultural data. The analysis indicates that more than half of the rural households, and many of the urban households, had children whose body size classified them as malnourished or at risk of being malnourished. Approximately 60% of these households were economically dependent on agricultural production and agricultural wage work for their livelihoods. When comparing urban and rural functional groups, it was found that even the worst urban groups were better off than the best rural groups. A major reason for this situation is a policy bias against agriculture and labor, particularly in the highlands. Because of this, the study suggests direct nutritional intervention as the most immediate means to deal with the prevalence of malnutrition. The authors suggest multi-pronged programs as intermediate solutions, with the final resolution coming through changes in policy and allocation of resources. The authors support A.I.D."s efforts to encourage these changes through its projects, including the proposed Child Survival Project.