Hazard

A dangerous phenomenon, threat, human activity, or condition that can cause or precipitate disaster. Hazards pose a potential threat to life, health, property, or the environment and can be natural or induced by human processes. Most hazards are dormant, with only a potential risk of harm. Once a hazard becomes "active,” it is called a shock (or in some cases, a hazard event).

See Risk and Shock.

Hedgers

People who buy contracts to sell the stocks/commodities in the future at a price agreed upon today, thus protecting themselves from price fluctuations.

Household (HH)

A group of people, each with different abilities and needs, who live together most of the time and contribute to a common economy, and share the food and other income from this.

Household economy

The sum of ways in which a household acquires its income, its savings and asset holdings, and by which it meets its food and non-food needs.

Household Economy Analysis (HEA)

Analysis that defines a livelihood based on geography, systems of production, and wealth. It considers the interaction of all economic groups, specifically as to sources of food and cash, assets and opportunities, and options at times of crisis.

Humanitarian assistance

Assistance that is intended to save lives, protect livelihoods, alleviate suffering, and provide basic necessities. Humanitarian assistance is usually initiated in response to a shock, such as civil war or a natural disaster. This can also include threshold-based programs that are triggered by a shock even if they are within the context of an inter-annual program. Programs focusing on immediate livelihood strengthening and prevention of further loss are also considered humanitarian. This type of assistance is typically short-term (less than a year). However, some programs exceed the typical timeframe for humanitarian assistance (i.e., longer than a year), depending on the nature of the shock.