"Results of surveys conducted by LASDEL have displayed the food crisis in a new light, far removed from the clich?s put out by the media. The findings focus particularly on the decisive role of local improvisation and survival strategies: migration, farm wage-workers, "odd jobs", loans, "offering a helping hand", sale of possessions, and changes to eating habits. These strategies have been more effective than food aid. As far as aid provided is concerned, there are many misunderstandings and various sources of friction in at least three areas: distribution (suspected favoritism and lack of transparency with respect to criteria) and the use of food relief (resale); conditions for receiving aid, which have led to the use of "circumvention" strategies by populations; and the relationship to infant malnutrition (not directly linked to the "famine" and not perceived as a "disease"). Finally, the food crisis has shed greater light on who has benefited from it."