This is the first in a series of three briefing papers that form part of the Mind the gap – Bridging the research, practice and policy divide to enhance livelihood resilience in conflict settings project, a collaboration between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Feinstein International Center, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. This briefing paper accompanies a report that highlights major new findings on the seasonal patterns of child malnutrition and their links to climate variability, conflict and livelihood systems in Chad, South Sudan and the Sudan.