Key Food Security IndicatorsKey Food Security Indicators

Food Security Indicators Training

Bangkok 12-17 January 2009Bangkok 12-17 January 2009

Objectives

• Present key food security indicators

• Outline the Food Security & Nutrition Conceptual Framework (FSNCF)

• Suggest data collection modules

• Share experiences

Definitions

Food security exists when “all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”. This is a function of:

• Food availability: the amount of food physically available to a household or at the national level;

• Food access: the physical (e.g. road network, market) and economical (e.g. own production, purchase) ability of a household to acquire adequate amounts of food;

• Food utilization: the intra-household use of the food accessible and the individual’s ability to absorb and use nutrients.

Definitions (cont’d)

•Food security is an outcome of the livelihood strategies adopted by a household.

•Livelihood activities are activities that households engage in to earn income and make a living

•Livelihood strategies are based upon the assets available: human, social, natural, physical and financial resources.

•A livelihood strategy is sustainable when “it can cope with and recover from stresses and shocks and maintain or enhance its capabilities and assets both now and in the future, while not undermining the natural resource base.”

•Vulnerability is “the probability of an acute decline in food access, or consumption, often in reference to some critical value that defines minimum levels of human well-being”.

Definitions (cont’d)

Food Security Analysis

1. First the human, social, natural, physical and financial assets are explored.

2. second, the livelihood strategies (and their sustainability) are analyzed,

3. Third, the livelihood outcomes are studied with a focus on food security outcomes (food access, food consumption, maternal and child nutrition).

Food and Nutrition Security Conceptual Framework

Exp

osu

re t

o S

hocks a

nd

Hazard

s

Capital/ Assets

NaturalPhysicalHuman

EconomicSocial

HH Food Production, Gifts, Exchange, Cash, Earnings, Loans, Savings, Transfers

Context / Framework

Food Availability / Markets

Basic Services and Infrastructure

Political, Economical, Institutional,

Security, Social, Cultural, Gender

Environment

Agro-Ecological Conditions / climate

Household Food Access

Health and Hygiene

Conditions

Care / Health Practices

Individual Food

Intake

Health Status / Disease

NutritionStatus / Mortality

Community / Household

Level

Livelihood Assets

Household Level

Livelihood Outcomes

Livelihood Strategies

Individual Level

Questionnaire Modules

1. Demographics 2. Migration3. Housing and facilities4. Productive / non productive HH assets, access to credit5. Agriculture and livestock, “net buyer/seller” module6. Livelihoods7. Expenditures8. Food sources and consumption9. Shocks and coping strategies 10. External assistance 11. Maternal and child health and nutrition

Demographics

• Household size• Percentage of dependents• Crowding index• Child/elderly headed households • Household head

– Marital status– Sex– Age – Literacy

• Household with chronically ill/disabled members• Net/gross enrolment rate, reasons for non-enrolment• Level of schooling (head, spouse, members)

Migration

• Household with member migrating in/out• Destinations• Reasons• Remittances / support• HH Displacements

Housing and facilities

• Construction materials (roof, wall, floor)• Ownership status• Rent $• Toilet and sanitation• Drinking Water source

– Distance– Seasonal availability

• Source of light and cooking fuel • Wealth index (contribution to)

Assets and access to credit

• Productive & non productive assets’ ownership

• Loss of assets • Access to credit • Source of credit • Reasons for asking credit • Reimbursement • Amount of debts • Wealth index (contribution to)

Agriculture & livestock

• Access to land / land ownership / ownership of kitchen garden

• Irrigation strategy • Use of fertilizers / type of fertilizers used• Crop storage • Food stock• Sources of seeds

• Production related indicators (e.g., size of cultivated area, main crops, etc.)

• Livestock UBT Loss, sell, reasons for selling

Livelihoods

• Main livelihood activities • Number of livelihood activities• Contribution of each livelihood activity• HH members involved in the activities• Total cash income• Livelihood groups

Expenditures

• % food expenditures

• Per capita expenditure

• Contribution of each type of expenditure (health, education, cereals)

• Expenditure quintiles

Food consumption and source of food

• Food consumption score• Food consumption groups • Main sources of food • Contribution of each source of food• Dependency on source (food aid, market,

own production)• Number of meals per day

– Children and adults

Shock and coping strategy

• CSI • Main shocks • Coping strategies • Ability to recover

Maternal and child health and nutrition

• MUAC• BMI• Stunting/wasting /underweight • Diseases • Feeding patterns

External assistance

• Type of assistance• Source of assistance