How effective and efficient are social programs on food and nutritional security?

Abstract The analysis of the impact assessment of social programs allows to identify whether they fulfil the established objectives and evidencing the weaknesses to be strengthened in future actions, and modify or propose new intervention strategies. In Peru, the substantial economic progress since the 90s decade promoted dramatical investments in the social sector, especially on children well‐being, as around 30% of the total Peru population are children under the age of 15, being the age group most affected by poverty in the country. This review was aimed to present an overview of the current situation of social programs in Peru in terms of food (and nutritional) security (FS), emphasizing on the institutional framework and the impact of the social programs implemented by the Government, as well as some social programs implemented by nongovernmental organizations. To this end, information available on the world wide web, including peer‐reviewed papers on databases (mainly SciELO and LiLACs for their relevance for the Latin American region) regarding FS in Peru from 1989 onwards, and information published by the Peruvian official organisms directly involved in FS, was used. Studies addressing at least four of the seven points of the food and nutritional security in Peru analyzed in this paper (access, availability, consumption, biological use, stability, current situation, and institutionality) were considered. It was concluded that investment and resources should be used to improve social programs strategies designed according to the reality of each focused area, as in Peru, the achievements show an enormous potential for replicability of the interventions. Children must be prioritized through child‐sensitive programs, instead of considering them just as indicators and investments for the future—especially in rural areas whipped by the past internal conflicts—in order to contribute to the sustainable development of the country and assuring FS.