Two topical themes emerge in this edition of Field Exchange. The first is food security interventions which do not involve free hand-outs of food aid; the second is issues connected with nutritional food security assessments. An article by Mike Parker about a cash for work programme in East Timor shows how a non-food aid response to food insecurity can be extremely effective. There are few documented experiences or studies of cash interventions in emergencies although a number of donors seem to be getting more interested in this type of response. Coincidentally, Oxfam UK are undertaking research into cash interventions in emergencies based on a set of case studies. The study will examine issues like economic impact, the effect on gender relations, and cost effectiveness
