There is now widespread consensus on the importance of social security programmes - or more specifically, social welfare programmes and safetynets - as a key component of a public policy strategy for the reduction of poverty (World Bank, 1990;Graham, 1994; Van de Walle & Nead, 1995).Social security programmes comprise policy and programme instruments such as general food subsidies, targeted income transfers, public works,school feeding, social funds, small-scale credit, and emergency feeding
programmes. They are designed mainly either to reduce or prevent poverty,or some combination thereof (see Section 2 of this article, especially'Other objective functions').