No CrossRef data available.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 March 2026
As human displacement rises, the humanitarian funding environment fluxes, and undernutrition continues to affect refugees and internally displaced communities; there is a need for evidence to better understand pathways to healthy, self-reliant livelihoods. In non-displaced contexts, livestock-keeping has been shown to increase resilience to malnutrition during crises and improve food security but much less evidence is available in displacement camp contexts. This review investigates what empirical evidence exists on the role of livestock ownership in refugee/IDP nutrition. A systematic search of MEDLINE, CAB Abstracts, Web of Science, African Journal Online, Dissertations and Theses Global and grey literature was undertaken according to PRISMA-ScR and JBI guidelines. From 903 records found, 21 studies were included for review, of which 12 reported positive effects of livestock keeping on nutritional outcomes in the refugee/IDP camp setting, 3 reported mixed effects and 6 determined no effect. No study found a solely negative effect. The human nutritional outcomes studied included anaemia, stunting, wasting, dietary diversity and food security proxies. One study explored the general impact of livestock ownership whilst the remainder explored the association between animal source food consumption and nutritional outcomes. The current relative scarcity of data in the refugee/IDP context, along with the lack of standardised study design and outcome measures, limits the ability to undertake formal meta-analysis and give evidence-based recommendations. We call for more research with adherence to existing standardised reporting guidelines such that appropriate analysis can be undertaken in such a highly complex system to enhance evidence for these vulnerable communities.