Evaluation of public policies for food security and hunger control in Brazil, 1995-2002. 1 - Methodological framework

The authors describe the adaptation and application of a multidimensional methodology based on structure-process-outcome for evaluating food security and hunger control programs. According to the proposal, study of the structure dimension analyzes the programs' material and discursive instruments; the process dimension focuses on the activities and interventions; and the outcome dimension includes coverage, targeting, and social control, and also potentially the effects of the interventions on the beneficiaries' food security and nutrition. The methodology was used to evaluate programs implemented in Brazil from 1995 to 2002. A case study was also done including 45 municipalities in the State of Bahia, involving documental research, interviews with key informants, and a household survey including 1, 750 low-income families in the rural area and 760 in the capital city. The results are expected to contribute to the discussion on facilitating factors and obstacles at the local level for the implementation of such programs, and to methodological development in the field of food security, nutrition, and hunger control policies.