Supplementary feeding programmes (SFPs) have come to be very widely accepted as an appropriate nutrition intervention in refugee populations. Two perceived roles for such programmes can be identified: SFPs a method of targeting food during the emergency phase of a refugee disaster and SFPs as a long-term measure for the prevention of malnutrition and rehabilitation of moderately malnourished individals. Though the use of SFPs to target food in an emergency may be necessary, this necessity exists only because preparations for refugee disasters are consistently ignored. The use of SFPs as a long-term measure is of doubtful value, particularly given the many problems of implementation. The problems include the selection of beneficiaries and decisions as to whether to use on-site feeding or take-home rations. Beneficiaries are generally selected on the basis of medical criteria with little or no consideration of socio-economic vulnerability and family/community interactions. It is concluded from a review of wet (on-site) and dry (take-home) ration programmes that the latter are generally more suitable, despite the preference of donors for the former.Adequate food rations in the general feeding programme should be the priority in food-related interventions. The priority currently given to SFPs is misplaced, especially since SFPs are frequently established in response to inadequacies in general feeding programmes. © 1986 Oxford University Press.

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Short Survey feeding behavior malnutrition refugee food intake therapy organization and management human