Both drought and flooding affected Nicaragua in the year following the disastrous 1999 hurricane “Mitch.” CIETnicaragua was asked by the World Food Programme (WFP) to conduct a baseline survey for monitoring its food aid programme in four departments of the country. Some 2,680 households in 47 communities — 33 intervention communities and 14 controls — were surveyed.

  

Conditions were found to be better in the communities assisted by WFP as regards such varied indicators as soil conservation practices, reforestation, horticulture, coverage of prenatal services and school attendance.